Variety (Jun 1930)

Wednesday. June 4, 1930 TO THE LADIES VARIETY Dep't Store Elevators Tell All By Cecelia Ager " To get the tang of a shop's per- Bonality,' enter Its elevators. If it Is an old and established store, as leisurely about collecting its bills as It Is about accepting new ac- counts, the elevators, nnwilling to begin tlieir ascent before the car is comfortably filled, will mount slowly and descend at the same un- hurried pace. A new shop, whose customers, too, are new as well as fickle, sends Its elevators scooting up and down as if they were afraid that by waiting the customers jnight change their minds. The old store's elevators will pkuse at the far-off approach of a customer, even" reopen graciously their doors, but once the new stores elevators are set to go, nothing stops their ma- chine-like efficiency. It is the individual personality of a store that sets it apart from the others that wins its particular kind of customers for Itself; that develops their allegiance and stamps them as its own product. The index of a store, its pulse, is in its elevators. The way the elevators behave, they \tay their operators behave, the way the customers behave in the eleva- tors, immediately characterizes the shop. A stranger need not look at the merchandise. Let her go to the ele- vators to learn whether she, is in the right place; whether her per- sonality harmonizes with that of the store; whether she and the store are going to get on.- Altman's Altman's elevator cages, with their curlicue iron grillwork, are large and roomy, like the high- ceilinged spaciousness of the fast- vanishing Fifth avenue mansions. Looking out through the bars and down the vast caveriis of the ele- vators 'wells makes the passengers feel even more secure, for they can see the stout poles of the elevators' hydraulic .plungers and realize how safe and warm as toasty they are inside. Slowly they go up, slowly they go down; conservative of their pace, and sensible. No crowding, no pushing to get out at the desired floor, for at each floor Altman's ele- vators stop and bide* their time, waiting for the slowest moving, most indecisive passenger to alight. There is no nervousness about these good old elevators. Their middle-age is a kindly one, un- hurried, comfortable and well-bred. They have taken on none of the restlessness of this new generation, and if a member of the impatient new generation gets in, it is up to her to adapt herself. The Altman. elevator does not change its pace. After all, they need but look down 34th street at Macy's elevators to see what happens to elevators which undertake more than they should and wear out their health in the attempt. Macy's A little while ago Macy's u.scd tc have elevators much like Alt- man's in appearance, about the same age, although while Altman's were, and still are, line old stock, Macy's were, alas, middle-class. These Macy elevators, without the confi- dence of that good old family that the Altman elevators had, tried to change with the times and just wore themselves out. Running up and down faster than they were supposed to, stuffe'l with P/eople till they very nearly groaned, and then what thanks did they get? Just torn out and scrapped, to make way for a fleet of little upstarts, tougher, swifter and fresher. ■ The ■ new Macy elevators are a speedy lot, arrogant and inconsid- erate, impatient to be going every instant, waiting for neither young or old, never even saying "sorry" when, loaded to capacity, they flash by a crowd .of customers who were hop- ing to be passengers. Lots of brass about the new Macy elevators, acceptinf; only the strong, too bupy and too bored for polite- Jiess, confident that for every dis- eruntled passenger, ton others arc waiting to take her place. Saks Up the Avenue, manned by a crew of operators whose winged- collared bow-tied uniforms could grace the finals of a Ziegfeld .splash, Saks' Fifth avenue elevators flit swiftly up and down. Paced to 1030, sure and direct, carrying loads of smart ^^'"R things who see themselves as 'We Moderns" of the shop's adver- 'isement.*!, the.^e elevators' walls are oare save for soft-focus photographs tdone in the manner of modern Them Clothes! San Francisco, June 3. Two young women stars who came up to San Francisco for a personal appearance with a picture last week were chum- my when they arrived. The next day they were hardly speaking. One girl brought four dif- ferent gowns and wore-one at each of the four appearances. The other had but one gown for the entire day. "Florodora" Girls of 90's Not Fibned Too Trn^ Someone in Hollywood had a happy idea for a story in the "Florodoi-a" sextet with all the al- most legendary color behind It, but Marion Davlcs' picture "Florodora Girl" is- burlesqued to the nth de- gree. This hardly seems neces- sary. With the Florodora sextet as an original theme on to which to hang a story and the quantity of material that could be wrung from it, a lot of horseplay was not need- ed. In fact it detracts from the interest of the picture as a whole. Certainly, if the original "Floro- dora" girls had acted and dressed as the ones in the picture do they would never have gotten their mil- lionaires. And it isn't any wonder that Miss Davies has a rather hard time of it in acquiring hers in the picture. The styles of the '90s couldn't have been quite as grotesque and inharmonious as those In the pic- ture. It is possible that the real "Florodora" girls were slightly more dignified and genteel in their man- nerisms. Most of the time in the plctYire the girls act like flappers trying to be funny at a fancy dress party. But clowned as it is, the "Floro- dora" background makes the pic- ture a good one. An old-fashioned football game, picnic and bathing beach scene, where an exposed knee signifies the loss of respectability, are brought in. MARRIAGES George McCall, of "Variety's" Hollywood staff, and Irene Fos- night, scenarist, May 31 in Holly- wood. Dorothy Day, of "50 Million Frenchmen," to Gilbert Broking, non-pro. May 30, New York City. Miss Day continues with the show. James Vincent Guercio to Helen Valeria Babin, June 1, in Chicago. Groom is of Guercio and Bartel, picture supply dealers. French still life) of a pair of long gloves, a barbaric bracelet, or the right costume for backgammon. The entrance is faced with "By Special Appointment to His Maj- esty The King" notices, insidiously suggesting to the customers that, though titleless, they are Nature's noblemen. • Within, the passengers' bright talk trips on in unlowered voices, undaunted by the presence of strangers. Everyone is at pains to snub everyone else. Broad A's get mixed up with flat A's from the same woman's mouth, and "divine" and "just too lovely" are given a stiff workout. The pas- sengers do all they can to put over the thought that the stunnlngest cocktail party over on Park is just yearning for their arrival, and thf/ elevators act as though they be- lieve it, concluding their announce- ments of each floor with a rosp';<"'t- fully impre.<=sfd "Please." Wanamaker's Wanamaker's elevators are kindly, and explain politely the maze of their .fa.scinating bazaar; Lord and Taylor's crowd Ihcmselvc-s in a mass turnover jnanner; Jay-Thorpe's will gravely go up for a customer when they are supposed to be going down; Bf-ndfl"B can recognize th'-ir patrons. Every store has its own way of conducting its elevators. Thfy arf the first link with the custonurr. The elevator'.s treatment of its pa.s- sengers forftells the shops attftudf- toward tho.«-e -.'.ry r.er-* ^sai y pT- sons, "By ihf-ir fai(.r«-- <-)ia)) \(- k'.f.\\ them.'' Mae Clarke's Face Mae Clarke has an intelligent face that is a relief from the beautiful and occasional dumb type of picture heroine. She plays the wife in "The Fall Guy" simply and sin- cerely. The picture is an accurate adap- tation of the play, well cast and neatly handled for comedy. It gives Jack Mulhall, usually the victim of silly parts, a chance at real acting. Beats Up Apache Dancer And She Likes It-on Stage Frances Williams sang her blue songs in her accustomed manner and wore two attractive dresses with the slinky new hip line which j\-ere very becomin.; to her at the Palace Saturday. The black Jet trimmed dress was not quite as unusual as a dress of an odd shade of blue with flo'\vei-s of the same color at the waist line. In the costume of the Indian dance from 'The International Revue," Miss AVilliams was most scantily clad. "The Racketeer Dance" Is the main item of Deno and Rochelle's act. This is the most ferocious adaptatioan of an Apache dance probably ever seen upon the Stage. The woman was swung by the hair, choked, punched, twisted, pum- meled, probably even pinched and finally flung oodily for several yards. She was supposed to love it and return squealing to her part- ner. Miss Rochelle's Apache costume didn't matter very much, but tue frock she wore for her first num- ber was anything but attractive. It was black, with flowers plastered all around the waist, and she wore a diamond tiara. She looked fussily, overdressed. Ingenue Coon Sbouter The ingenue appearance of Nancy Decker, at the State, is in contra- distinction to her lusty, coon-shout- ing delivery. Bobbed blond hair and a soft blue gown lead audi- ences to expect a sweet ballad'In- stead of the resultant hotcha ditty, and the surprise hits them agree- ably. When. Miss Decker doesn't shout and strain her voice, its qual- ity is high and sweet, particularly in a quotation from the rhapsody concluding a blues medley. Flash costumes are worn by the girl with Pilcer, Douglas and Mc- Kenna, whose clothes are a mixtureo of sequins, fringe and ostrich feath- ers. That the costumes look well is a compliment to the way they are carried. The girl dances with one partner (tap and a one-step tango) and does bedootendoot obli- gatocs to the solo of the other. Broadway Chatter (Continued from page 64) grrat Soph, for the first time,- who ends the story with: "The last of the red hot mammas opens for a week's engagement at Loew's New- ark next week." Peggy Goldberg is readying for a trip for Bermuda next month but is not making that her honeymoon, wags declare. Reof-ption to Oina Malo at Savoy. Replaros Lily Damita Monday in "Sons o' Guns." Lily did not at- tf-nd.. Nice? Ben Piazza has been escorting his fi3-year-old mother from Vicks- burg. Miss., around Times .Square. It's years slnf^e she la.st saw Xf-w York. r.ii-lton Hoagland is .stopping over in New York on his way from .Miami to the White Mountains of New IJamp.shlre. Just a burn up Item. Swank color'-d .thirt wearers ar<M)nrl. Cliarlie Morrison has gone in f('r thf- colors h\n sfil) some yards fioni eithf'r David W'ark Grilhth or Al Aarons. IJot'-is around are iri<;talling single rrif'iji meters to gel a line on thf- trav/lf-rs who use eJeotrlelty for r v( r> thing. Including laundry work and ' ooi-:ing. Til" famous Hotel Belmont, aft<-r only 10 years, is fading from view. I'ur.'ii.'-liings. to be aiietion'-d. Tin; ■i;)iO;.trnsi\e little nofi<-e th.'it 'forg- f-i<-. skipper.'' and had ehe^k artist." •.\i)l r-f- prosf f iited ' was probably li ft ip for the rf-nifurid'r of auc- [tii.r.- ■ I.r "■ f <• w:! as hot<) The Parisian Front By Christine Did You Know That Hollywood, May 31. Eddie Foy and Barbara Newberry (honeymooners) are in town.. .Louise Dresser has been given a degree by the University of Southern Cali- fornia.. .Frank Fay had every tooth in his mouth capped for pictures.. .Jean Harlow, who debuted in "Hell's Angels" the other night, has all the men agog.. .Toots Pounds (English actress) is visiting Hollywood. ...Mrs. Bergmann In a quiet way is as famous as Sylvia for reducing the Hollywood beau- ties.. .Howard Hughes gave a party for 200 people at the Embassy Club following the premiere of "Hell's Angels"... Jeanette MacDonald has been ill at home for a few days... Blanche Sweet lunched re- cently with her ex-hus- band, Mickey Neilan.. .Ber- nlce Wheeler still keeps up her dancing so that she can teach lier small daughter, aged three...June Collyei,'j Is culti- vating her voice.. .Virginia Smith is learning to drive a car (back seat) Don Dillo- way has arrived from New York on a vacation.. .Fan pho- togi'aphs can be had for $8 a hundred and less.. .Hollywood wives are up in arms about one of the eastern ingenues so- journing here in pictures... Colleen Moore looked cunning lunching in a little pink tennis dress and beret.. .Keeler Jol- son is excited about her excel- lent test for United Artists, but would rather go abroad with Al...Michael Bartlett arrives next week to start on his Fox contract.. .Ralph Graves Is considered a bridge expert... Albert Jeanotte, vocal instruc- tor, may open a studio in Hol- lywood for his pupils who have joined the picture colony. Barter Battles Burglar (Continued from page 63) .seize the gun. Being in my bare feet, I was handicapped. We Ptrug- gled. The intruder kept pulling on the trigger, but It failed to explode. We struggled around the room. "I felt as if I was going over the top. Deerag kept pounding me over the sku',1 with the butt end of the gun. The blood stroariied into my eyes and my cries for help'were too feeble, as 1 wj^s fast losing strength, "Finally I seized a lamp and hurled it at my assailant. He dodged. My back was up against the window and I crashed into It ao It might break. It was then that Miss Kellogg heard my cries. With a crash Deerag struck me over the skull and I be.-ame sensfless," .said Barter. Sullen Thief Deerag was brought back to the apartment and identified by Barter, The J7':' was found on him. Deerag, suMen and scowling, ad- mitted he went there to rob. He had been out of work and staf-d he was desperate. He "found" the apartmf-nt after he passed and re- passed It earlier in the day. The gun he bought in Boston. He freighted here frorh Boston. Barter's • head was completely sw.-itlif'd in liandag<'S. He l.s a mem- ber of the I^ainbs flub. Assistant District Attornf-y .Max Wieder laiidf'd the criurage of Barter and askf'd ihtit D'f-rag be h'ld without bail. Cheap Thrill for Time-Killing Males Lat'•^t in «.li0p window b.'ill.vliru, i" bf-inL'. triffl by a store on 420 }.:lr<ft sf-lliiig flr'ssf-s for tO aiirl up. A nie'Iy-sl.aj)f d g;.l is srntcd In the window, ^^Jtll as rn'jcli of h<T -;;ini.-; divr'la;.e<1 us t!ie poli'.e pijr- rnit, >ne;in)n;' f-ral irnhf-s- ahov- •hf- kjif-". Kver sintf. viunt j.nt into < ]if-v:i\\i,n I;i-t tli<' sti'f't lia> been in.j'ai-.'-.'iblf nif-n nio'-tly h.'itjC';ri:: f:io>;nil for the fr'-e a;i<I. if de"-ir'd, lent- look. Pola Negri, temperamental as ever, no sooner moved into her new house than she decided to move out. It has enormous rooms whose fur- nishings, though elegant, consist of pictures of Pola herself, in every imaginable pose. Having built the house right out- side of Paris, where peace and quiet .should cxl.st. If anywhere, she found that while all day long It was like the grave, at around four or five in the morning the noise was terrific. Just early morning ash can. activ- ity—and what a French ash can man can't do with an ash can, he makes up by calling loud and jovial re- marks to his ash can comrades. The Princess' Turban The Princess Match.ibelli is stay- ing at the George V for a month, before leaving Paris. Since taking unto herself a perpetual white chif- fon turban, she decided to come to Paris and find a dressmaker who would think with her in the matter of clothes.. She believes a woman should cai'efully study her personal- ity—talk It over with her friends— if they'll listen, and decide finally just exactly what sort of line Is going to express her entire Individ- uality. Then she should ignore styles completely and dress the same year in and year out—changing only the color or material. That is why she is going to remain here a month. The Princess has been going, over her own personality now for some time—has finally decided Just what It needs, and now all she has to do is find a big dressmaker who will make up the wardrobe she will go by for the rest of her life. But the Princess is going to keep the turban. Baron's Overflow The Baron dc Graftenried de VII- lars gave a big reception the other afternoon. Florence Walton's hus- band helped him shake up the cock- tails. There was a great crush of dukes, counts, marquises and things —and an equal run of theatrical people. Earl Leslie was there loyally giv- ing out Mistlnguett's age as "ju.st forty," as he has been doing now for the last 10 years or more. She was there too; so was Harry Pilcer and St, Granler, who Is at the mo- ment engaged in taking off his com- patriot Chevalier, In the Palace re- vue. An American Negro jazz band also that blaahcd and blared to a deafening degree. In fact aside from the titles and the drinks— which were good, and plentiful—the reception seemed as American as a Broadway night club. Aimee, the Wilful Almce McPherson hasn't returned to Paris, but her bunch of disciples have. They are In a rage. They're giving out all kinds of malicious re- ports about Almec being a "four- fiushcr," a "snob," and a "deserter," because all through their sacred tour she practically gave them air. Aimoc stayed at the ritziest hotel, witheld her inspiring presence on all occasions and when they were all ready to return to Paris—Aimee did another dl.sappearance. Bordoni with Ideas Irene Bordoni gave Paris the once- over as soon as she arrived, then proceeded to settle down for a long stay. She's got Ideas, that one. Growing Americanized .Sf-eing the first French talker made In Hollywood which has just come to Parl.s, isn't anything to particularly brighten up your life. As ' a hot, fast-moving mystery thriller It Is quite a convenient little picture to sleep through. Even more so if you don't understand every word of Freneh--for the miles and miles of French eonversatlon doe.sn't m^an much but a waste of time iund Just becomes a soothing accom- paniment to the snores of the mid- night audience. Yes, we're getting pretty Ameri- can over here in I'arls now—what with our nilflnlght piirtnre shows and our "no tipping" .signs in all the newest thf-.'itrc'.^. births" Mr. and .Mrs. William "W^lriberg, in ('liir;igo, .May 24, at Mic))ael f{"'-se lJo--f)ii;i), .••on. Father Is 'an .(■-rent. .Mr. and Mrs. I'loyd Maxwell, flangliWr. I-'ath(-r Is Fox city m.in- ;:i'<r In i'or»la/id, Ore.