Variety (Mar 1930)

"milETY^ VOL. xcvm. No. 8 Pabllataed Weekir At 1S4 West 4tth St., New Tork, N. T., br Variety, Inc. Annaal aubscrlption, $14. Single copies, tt cents. Entered as secoDd-class matter December 22, 1906, at the Post Offlce at New Tork, N. T., under the act of March >, 1S79. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1930 72 PAGES GRIFTERS Televise "Stills" Into N. Y. Theatre; RCA Uses Vaudfilm Theatre's Screen Actual television in a theatre has been accomplished by RCA, Proc- tor's 58th Street screen received televised "still" views of Radio's Gramercy Park studio at a private ehowing recently. While Radio has been constantly *xperlmentingr with television in its Fifth Ave. headquarters, this is the first time the" scientists have seen fit to try the system In a regnlar house. Reception, it is reported, was good but, according to frank Radio ex- ecutives, clearly indicated that the air pictures are yet unsuited for the market. The 58th Street showing did not use the entire screen. Radio's television lieads still de- clare that the new amusement de- vice will not be ready for the public until early in 1932. Cabled sending of photos is a fact of long standing, but television, or the broadcasting of animated gyrations of the human race or the animal kingdom, Is a long way from practicable usage. American engi- neers Interviewed on the subject fitave off satisfactory commercial possibility of television for at least two years which they consider is being liberally enthusiastic in pro- phetic acumen. From a conserva- tive technical angle the inception of the home era In television reception is set off from five to 10 years. Samples of receiving sets are on display by two television companies broadcasting demonstrations locally, but they are only samples of actual reception accomplished from Indoor television broadcasting. These sets, Announced as built for home use, are declared by their makers to be ready for sale for a sum In the neighborhood of |300. Daily Abroad ; Makers of one type set claim that Its prototypes are now being sold abroad where dally television broad- casts are now a fact. Once each day in England and Germany. Pre- senting tills fact to American ex- perts who should know has brought the response that such broadcast- ing is only of the experimental stage. And in experimenting inventors are permitted to do almost anything. Practicable commercial marketing of television broadcasting Is still a mystery to unreel. In the broadcasting of films tele- vision 'is faced with a veritable im- passe on the basis of its progress to date. In broadcasting of individ- uals the object televised is prac- tically described as being stationary with action limited as to direction. But in film broadcasting the subject televised is moving in every possible direction both from the projection angle and the- actually filmed action on the celluloid. This is an obstacle that television has as yet by no means encompassed. Another obstacle, and an important one, i.s the limitation of the air room. Television require.'' broader air ))and.s than radio stations for broadcasting. While radio stations broadcast over what might be con- strued as a straight line o£ prac- ■'•"ly no widUi, television demands (Continued on page 65) Craven! Carl Itagenbeck, the founder of the present family of ani- mal dealers, once' had a row with the Missus in the kitchen of their home in Germany, which was'^adjacent to the zoo. Things waxed too hot for' Carl, so he took it on the lam, with the Missus hot on his heels. He sought refuge in a cage of 65 Hons. Mrs. Hagen- beck stood outside brandishing a rolling pin and shouting: "Come out of there, you coward!" MUSIC MEN FLOORED BY FILM SUPERLATIVES Since rubbing shoulders with the picture mob, particularly the studio press agents, song pluggers and music publishers along Broadway have decided that their method of exploitation is blushing n-.odesty by comparison with their Hollywood brethren. "There's no such thing in pic- tures as just 'good'," one prominent music executive explains. "Our strongest adjective " in the niusic business is 'sensational.' These picture, guys start with that and work up. They have hundreds of synonyms and not one of them Is below the strength of dynamite." Music men,, accustomed for years to~havIng their own enthusiasm dis- counted, as they themselves dis- counted the blurbs of rival pub- lishers, have been a little upset at the wild eulogies indulged in by the film concerns with which they are afDllated. After throwing restraint away and piling on their strongest adjectives, music men l;ave been onlmly Informed by the t.lm pub- licists that they are too restrained in their descriptions. Another revelation for the music men Is the private previews in pro- jection rooms. They see 20 or more exi.>cutive.s of the film company go- ing into hysterics at comedy that impresses the music men as blah. Tn!s' high pressure "selling your- self" technlo.ue, common 1r picture companies, is a little ha'*d for the music men to grasp, and few have ever compared a music firm to a shrinking viojet. Chi. Hospital Wants Own Station £or Fee Bulletins Washington, D. C, March 4. Henrotin hospital in Chicago has filed application with the radio commission for it.s own broadcast station. It plans to send Out hourly messages concerning condition of patients. Service is to .co.st $2 extra weekly, for sending of hourly reports throughout the day and night, BY RIICK[TE[IIS Shady Gambling Gives Eng^- lish Bobbies More Worry Than Any PreviousNite Life—Private Houses in Stylish West End Con- verted Into Racket Joints NEW YORK'S DUPLICATE London, March 4. London night h'fe is drifting to grifting and shady gambling games. They are causing the police more trouble than the illegal sale of liquor ever d!ci. Private houses in Mayfalr and other fashionable West End loca- tions are being leased by dubious members of the nobility, who really are in the pay of international racketeers. Fstablishments have their tout^ posted in all the rendez-vous of high life, including the West End night clubs and the class hotels', and it is the business of such run- ners to steer half tipsy people .to the gaming tables. Places are converted Into minia- tures of the Cohtlnental casinos, with baccarat anS roulette the favor- ite pastime. Croupiers and the other functionaries of the gambling casino are smuggled in from Monte Carlo, Beauville and Cannes, glad of the berths" because the season has been so lean in the Riviera resorts. Still the illicit sale of liquor goes on. Latest to become Involved In trouble from this source is the old Vaudeville, club just disqualified for six months for selling without a license and after hours. The pro- prietors, David Carter and Samuel Joseph, were fined 50 and 25 pounds respectively. Like Times Square London's present cheating and conniving nite life appears to be a duplication of what existed In New York before the publicity at- tending the killing of Arnold Roth- steln cooled ihe gambling spirit of Times Square. English police seems aware of this to an extent. They do not altogether blame the present situation upon the Con- tinental gamblers or the racketeers of southern France. London has been the fir.s,t metro- politan city to detect the alien threat in the underworld. To elim- inate the ongrowing power of the aliens in the nite life here, as it exists in all big capitals, especially New York and Chicago, the London cops .Horiietlme ago started to drive' the aliens in nite life power out of the country. Some of the big- gc.'^t shots for years over here of the semi-cultured underworld were told to get out or be deported. The deportation Intimation may be slipped to the new gangs around, when the London force secures all of the details of the present layouts and lineups. LONDON Major Gangsters Protect Show People; ^ht-Seeing Busses to Murder Spots One Solution Chicago, March 4. Prominent carnival owner has announced his Intention of selling his own rum to his 6^vn help this seAaon. Claims for three years he has fought the liquor question with little success.- Says he realizes that nearly everybody uses It and, therefore, will sell It to- them either on time or cash. Any liquor bought from outsiders during the season will be cause' for dismissal. Plan Is simply to make drink- ing a family affair, and only after. working hours. MINNEAPOLIS RINGS IN ON ANTI-CHAIN WAVE MInnieapolls, March 4. Minneapolis is feeling what seems to be growing agitation against commercial chains of all Idnds. Operators of an Independent chain of uptown theatres are trying to capitalize the propaganda by dis- playing huge signs in front of their houses stating they are "owned and operated' by Minneapolis men.'' Broadcasting Hardi Gras New Orleans, March 4, NBC is broadcasting the MardI Gras festivities for the first time this year. Annual event opened yesterday (Monday). An odd feature of opening day came In the parade which saw the boys from the U. S. S. "Texas" marching with the German sailors from the battle.shlp "Emdcn." Take-a-Chance Concert At $2 Scale Gets Over Minneapolis, March 4. Mra, Carlyle Scott, local Impres- ario, staged a "take-a-ehance" con- cert at a $2 scale at the University of Minnesota Auditorium last week, It was, of cour.sc, the picture house gag, customers paying without knowing who or what they were go- ing to hear or see. Capacity and the attraction wag the St. Olaf Choir., "Frankie and Johnnie" Hollywood, March 4'. Pathe Is going to make "FranUic- and Johnnie" as a feature. Tom I-Suckingham and Fay GarneK, urc making the adaptation from thf? well known lyric of tlie same, nairif. They will tone down the dialog. Garnclt will also direct. Chicago, March \, The big gangsters, particularly Al Capone's mob, are sore at the petty racketeevs who have been trying to chisel actors and actresses, and have ordered them to lay off. • The word went out following newspaper publication of a story that Eddie Cantor had been rtrong- armod into appearing at Ralph Ca- pone's Cotton Club. Ralph is a brother of Al. Capone denied the story through his cabaret press agent, "Rasputin," and informed Cantor that If he or any other performer were molested by petty racketeers they had but to let Rasputin know, and the "boys" would do the rest, ' Cantor, angered by the story. Is- sued a denial and confirmed Ca- pone's statement. Although Equity Is making an investigation of extortion letters and threats, something that did not get under way until Franclne Lar- rlmore, appearing here In "Let Us Be Gay," was asked to hand over $1,000, there will probably be no' arrests. Capone's - order means more than an Investigation. As stated in Variety, actors arc much to blame for the petty chisel- ing which occurred. It began around Christmas' time with request for "benefit" contributions, and the per- formers, instead of standing pat, got timid and kicked In. Some paid $50; some $100. When the penny- snatchcrs discovered actors were as soft as that an epidemic of threats swept the dressing roomti, and naturally grew bolder; hence the demand for $1,000 from Mle.v Larrl- mo-f- Chicago's gangland Is'to be made Into a world show. Sight-seeing busses, visiting all killing spots and a "Gangland" cafe will be features. Promotors are a group of Chi busi- ness men. They expect to make the spec a greater draw than was Chinatown or the Barbary Coast, , Folks all over America, and especially In the west. It Is re- ported, want to .see the wickedest <lty this summer. Two western railroads have agreed to participate in coat of billing which will feature a visit where the shooting spots can be seen without being shot at. City officials have given the okay to the plan and 10 busses to carry 28 people and a lecturer are on their way. AUTHOK'S PLAY OH FATHER Hollywood, March 4. Leo McCaroy is enroute to New York to arrange for the sale of his new play, "The Count of Ten." Story i.q based on the life of his fathor, who was a well known figlit promoter 20 years ago. BROOKS THE NAME YOU GO BY WHEN YOU GO TO BUY I COSTUMES lOOWMS A.MP UIVIFOUMS 14.37 P-WAY. N.y TEI_S5S0 PFNN I ==AL10 ZS.OOO COSTUMES TO nfMr . l|