Variety (Jul 1930)

24 VABIETr PICT ES Wedneaday, July 9, 1930 IF. Comparative Grosses for June (Continued from page 10) SAN FRANCISCO Golf and Pictuires Hollywood, July 8. Those trick golf courses are starting to' eat each other tip. The competition Is terrific. It's so strong that the pro- prietors are already seeking novel sidelights, which may mean that it's only a question of a short while when free aiots win be booked as an attend- ance aid against the opposi- tion. Meanwhile, the theatres are smirking over the free-for-all . battle. The miniature links keep opening across the street or alongside of each other. Some of the theatre men point out that the craze is similar to the early days of the picture Industry, If on a smaller scale. In that pictures cost a lot of people plenty of money when they all rushed to get in on the hew amusement. At least the theatre boys would like that simile to get around. 'asey^ Coast Mgr,» Held Far Alleged Bank Fraud San Franciso, July 8. William J. Casey, manager of the Excelsior theatre, neighborhood pic- ture house here, was arrested, charged with two other men, of em- bezzling $500 from the Bank of Italy. Casey's bail was set at $5,000. He has been Id j^ll since his arrest. According to the police. Casey conspired with two employees, of the banH to cash bogus checks. One of the bank employees is alleged to have entered the bogus checks cash- ing schema to further his ambitions toward a theatrical career. Casey is welt known In theatrical circles here, having at various tiioes been identified with theatres in a managerial capacity. He had been with the Excelsior as manager for one year. Brays' $21,697 Verdict A judgment was ffled In the N. T. Supreme Court Monday against Pathe Exchange in favor of Mar- garet Bray, the Bray Pictures Corp., and J. R. Bray, for $21,697 on the verdict of a jury in the suit by the Pathe Exchange for $8,690 on notes made in 1927. The defendants counterclalmed for $165,000. alleging that Pathe contracted to pay the cost and dis- tribute the feature Blm, "Romance of the Colorado," but refused to do so* after the defendants had laid out a total of $166,000. part of which was represented by the notes sued on. The Cinema Finance Corp. re- cently collected $120,000 and Inter- est from Pathe on a loan to the Bray Pictures for the cost of mak- ing the film. Dr. Deforests 10% Salary Contract May Not Be Renewed by Schlesinger Stage Shows Best for ' Texan B.0.ViwaiM4) (dven Edge from Pabfic Dallas, July 8 When Fubllx dropped units In Texas. Frank Starz, p. a. for R-K-O Southern (Interstate), plugged dally ads for the four Texas stands, Dal las. Ft. Worth. San . Antonio, and Houston with the gag "only stage show In t.own." Now with Publix stage sho'ws back. Starz still insists on inferiority of Publix vaude by plugging ad copy "only big tin>e vodvU show." Starz merely takes advantagre of psychological situation as. with Publix and R-K-O having monopoly of vaude in state, there is constant comparison on part of public, slightly in favor of K-K-O due to old 'Keith-OrpheUm fi'ancbtflf^ "held by Interstate for sevet«I yearfi. ".■ Right now it least, sta^e. shows are principal b. o. cards 111 Texas. STANLEY SIDESTEPPED BYRD FILH SHOWING Pittsburgh, July 8. After ballyhoolng *'3yrd' at the Pole" for days in advance. Stanley,' downtown, suddenly yanked the pic- ture last week two days before it was scheduled to open, replacing with "Shadow of the Law." Byrd film Instead went into Knrlght, Warner neighborhood deluxer In East Liberty. Stanley got wary of South Pole chronicle after reports of light grosses drifted In from other sec- tions of the country. Warners figure they can get by with Byrd picture at Enrlght, where overhead Is nothing to speak about, L A. Whbbolds Bond Approval for Warners The I. A. has Informed local unions that it does not approve of the execution and filing of fidelity bonds which Warner Bros, have re- quested tf their employees through- out Its circuit. The application for a fidelity bond were asked to be filed and returned to the. local managements. The union men were uncertain as to whether it was proper, according to their local connections. The inside has it that the posl', ' tlon of Dr. Lee DeForest in the new ■ Q.T.P. setup gets a bit of the presJ" carious. DeForest's contract sooa ' running out may not be renewed by Mr. Schlesinger. At least so taf nothing towards affecting a new term of salary Interest for the doc», • tor has been evident from General' Talking Pictures. DeForest is in on 10% of thi profits and an annual salary of $18,000. His present contract calls: for an option in favor of Genei-al' Talking Pictures. The company netted $900,000 last year, which means about $90,000 for the doctor ' on that basis in addition to his salary. Altogether it 9narks more or leas a peculiar situation not at all un- known in the patent biz. Inventors,' are known for . their thorough ig« noratlce of the first laws of busl« : ness, Tevr It ever reach into the final break in the success of their brain chllds. Like Other Geniuses There are probably 100 patents : carrying the name of DeForest but., so far as is known he only re-*/ celved nominal sums for them. De< . spite .he was battling W.E.-in thei/! Wilminerton suit, the, doctor was a . consultant for that company and ,' alii^o for General Electric, on im«- portant matters of sound and light. ; Qiit like all geniuses lie knows little of the real value of money and ' though, he often received large sums for his inventions and dls-; boverleiSf DeForest's personal for- tunei is. quite small, from accounts. The Rels patent which has splral- edO.T.P. into a place of prominence . ' was bought by Dr. Lee DeForest . and acquired by G.T.P. through purchase of the DeForest Phono- . film Corp. The DeForest company directors lurd to be'given a long time to be convinced of the value of the . Rels patent at that time. When first approached they turned it down. But Dr. DeForest as virtual head of the company, insisted upon its pUr* chase and the ;director& finally ca- pitulated after several weeks. Now that the WJB. suit has been tried with the Dr. testifying for Schlesinger, and the appeals to be weighed upon the records only, the doctor may be left flat on the lot. Dr. DeForest on Coast Hollywood, July 8. Dr. Lee DeForest, now visiting here, returns to New York next week. He will return here in about six months, with the idea of es« tabllshing his own research lab* oratory and remaining on the coast indefinitely. 3-A-DAY NOW AT FISCHER'S, DETROIT Detroit, July 8. Fisher local Publlx-Kunsky De- luxe neighborhood house In land- mark Fisher bldg., is chopping to three a day. House has been playing four a day. with seat sale starting at 11.30 m. New opening hour 1.30. Bretherton on Par Shorts In line with a policy of building up the shorts, Paramounfs New York studio has added Howard Bretherton as director. Bretherton has been directlhg features for Warners on the coast. His first Paramount assignment If "Beautiful But Dumb," with Mary Carney, .:elen Tucker. AUeen Cook, Muriel Campbell, Virginia Fairfax, Margie Evans, Elda Boekel- and Helene Grant. Three Swifts and Dudley Hawley made "Be Patient" for Paramount, under Norman Taurog's direction. Lease Runs Off—Shut Lexington. Ky., July 8. Orpheum, pioneer film house 18 years old,, has closed and quit be- cause J. H. Stamper, owner, was unable to find a new location. Corner site occupied by house was leased to^" chain drug store.