Variety (Jul 1930)

Wednesdays July 9, 1930 EDIT VARIETY 49 _ niETY Trado. Mark Registered ^bUabea IVeekly bv VAn.lETT, lap. • aime Silverman. President IB4 Weat 46tb Street New Yorji City SUBSCRIPTIONS Annual *10 Foreign....•i-'** BlHRte copies .26 Centa VOL. XCIX. No. 13 15 YEARS AGO {From Variety .ana Clipper.) Keystone Jllms made an offer of 9100,000 for plx months' services to • Weber and Fields, said to be big- gest contract so far broached. Key- stone aiS a preparation lor Its ex- .panslon Into Triangle under Harry Altken was bidding for all the com- edy stars In the fteld. Including Hitchcock, Eddie Foy and Sam Ber nard. Inside Stot-Pictures Producers are endeavoring to get Western Electric to modify its royalty charges for foreign language pictures intended for showing domestically, Inasmuch as the studios are compelled to pay double royalties for foreign pictures playing abroad and here. With a limited number of wired houses in the various foreign settle- ments throughout the country available for foreign language talkers, \the producers are holding off putting the multi-linguals out domesti<!ally, as they see little profit in view of the two-way royalty charges. Under their franchise, producers pay $500 a reel for each picture made by the Western Electric recording mechanism. Same price per reel Is added for each additional version, and still another $500 per reel if the foreign edition is to be shown in theatres in this country. Studios feel that the first charge of royalty should cover all foreign language showings both here and abroad, and are working to get the second charge eliminated or modified. They admit there would be no kick on this added cost if there were sufficient wired houses playing to foreigners in this country, but as it now stands they do not feel like forming out the additional royalties for the few houses open to them. If they are successful in getting an even break on this royalty mixup they plan an increased distribution nationally for their multi-language pictures. Alan Dwan, until just before a J>. W. Grlfflth assistant, director ■was directing Mary Plckford and was the subject o£ a controversy Fox and Famous Players both claiming his services. Bosworth Pictures passed as a production brand, with Hobart Bos worth terminating a partnership with Frank ■Ga;,rbutt whose product was handled by Morosco Pictures Fox assigned Herbert Brenon to direct a super-feature starring An- nette Kellerman. He had just fin- ished a picture starring Valeska Suratt. Zlegfeld's "Follies" was a smash at the Kfew Amsterdam. Reported an eight-week buy was In effect with the agencies noidlng every thing up row "S" for the first 8 Weeks. Lillian Lorraine sued Fred M Grleshelmer for divorce. Husband was awaiting trial on charges of fraud in connection with war funds English playwrights were produc Ing nothing and the theatre men of London looked to America for ma .terlal. .Unusual state right deal reported on "Birth of a Nation" which sold 14 states for $76,000. Territorial buyer was to take the first $100,000 with Grlfflth receiving 93%% of further Income. States were the Dakotas, Minn., la., Ariz., N. M. iColo., Utah, Wyo., Idaho, Neb Kansas, Montana and Nev. 50 YEARS AGO (From Clipper) Arthur Chambers, retired , boxer, •pened a road house called "The Champions' Rest" in Philadelphia, During the house warming an am- bitious scrapper got to talking too loud in his demands to meet some of the company with the gloves, among them being Paddy Ryao new heavy champ. At length Cham- bers took the boaster on and after knocking him down some 15 times laid him cold and gently deposited him outside. But think of a pro fessional pug fighting without ( gate! Ada Monk, actress, was received Into membership in the Unitarian Church of the Messiah, New York and the "Clipper" considered news. They were building a new hotel In Rockaway, so large it would need a staff of 700 waiters. Rocka way was to have a new pier also, 1,200 feet long. Boucicalt was the rage of Lon don. Completing a profitable en gagement at the Adelphi, he was prevailed upon to continue. "The Shaugraun" was the play. Bouci cault also was writing a drama for Henry Irving, based on "Don Quixote," according to report. The new race track at Sheeps head Bay 'was inaugurated with three favorites losing in a row the first day. Actors were experimenting with the co-operative idea. "The Ac tors' Combination" opened at the New National, Philadelphia, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" a performance which was described as "worst ever." Clipper reports among its base ball notes: "WIlllamsDn of the Chi cagos was fined $10 for calling Capt Anson a d. f." In^de Stoif-Vaude Arthur Prince, the English ventriloquist, may return to his former act over here. Prince's new turn, lately shown for the R-K-O bookers, is said not to have met with their approval. Princess Wahletka broke into the New York "Evening Journal" with a spread story last week. The story foretells the future of the Lind- b-'rgh baby by means of numerology. The Princess is featured in a story in a forthcoming issue of the Sunday "World" and another story is being syndicated by King Features. R-K-O has made a change in the wording of its trade-mark. Where the circle within the Radio-Keith-Orpheum triangle contained a small map of North America bearing the words "Coast to Coast" that has been replaced with only the joined letters "R-K-O." It will be used on all stationery, ads., contracts, etc. It The Halitosis almost broke up the making of a screen operetta, juvenile was the guilty party and no one would tell him. Ingenue stood It throughout the entire shooting schedule but broke under the strain of retakes. A particular song had to be sung very nose-to-nose for a close-up, and the young lady bore it until the fifth "take" when, upon learning she'd have to do it again, she finally dis^ appeared. They found her over in a corner plenty ill and in tears. Thence the problem to tell, the juvenile he'd have to do something about it. Finally a New York musical producer on the picture took It upon himself to tell the lad. He picked his route via the singer's wife. And the Missus promptly made vehement denials. Situation built to a climax by the wife calling over her husband and orderi^ig him to breathe first Into the face of the cameraman, then the assistant director, and herself. All politely dienied the accusation until the producer demanded to take his turn. Hei did and immediately made known his verdict of "Guilty" in no uncertain terms. It broke tip the day's shooting, but the ingenue isn't over the effects yet. Even with production better than average in the Coast studios, there are more picture people idle than working. A reason is suggested by a director still in his 30's but rating as a pioneer with 16 years In pictures. This industry is so young that none of the pioneers have begun to die off, and new talent is constantly being brought in. The result Is that there are 100 guys for every job. "A lot of those not working could be if they weren't afraid of losing professional prestige by taking a job rating less In cast or cash than their last one. Look at me. I never had trouble getting work when I was an assistant director. Now I'm a director and it's a long time between contracts." They don't discuss tough breaks in Hollywood without someone say- ing, "And how about the actors in 'Hell's Angels'?" The time and money Howard Hughes spent on that film have been meat for wisecrackers for the last year. Femme lead in the first silent version washed tip and left the country. A couple of characters died. Some romances developed. There were seven different stories. Players coming out of that production back into Hollywood life found themselves almost forgotten. Off the screen, out of mind, is the way It works with casting directors. The one great advantage the players enjoyed was continual employment, something many others would have welcomed. As the picture product grows lighter in box ofllce texture, comes the opportunity for the theatre operator to display showmanship. Not so tough .to receive credit for showmanship when people are flocking to theatres because of good pictures; It's when the shows are not so good that the theatre operator must stand on his own. With the opening of the new season many a theatre operator, of one, or more, or a division or chain of theatres, will have to stand idongslde of the other fellow, with the best showmanship probably wlnplng out. It will likely be the film industry's greatest season for allbiless box oflfice statements. Introduction of foreign editions was a life-saver for one old time silent actor on the Coast, who is now giving the producers a pain be- cause of his salary demands. A big shot in the old days, he was among the things forgotten but being able to speak Spanish he staged a comeback in pictures of that language. His first salary check for years called for $1,000 a week. For the next picture he demanded and got $1,500. Third was for $2,000, and now for his fourth he's asking a further advance. Producers are won- dering if there's an end to the thing. Metro almost arranged an exchange of Basil Rathbone for Reginald Owen last week on the Coast. Studio was keen on grabbing Owen for the "New Moon," although he is appearing in "Caprice" at the L. A. Belasco. Idea was to substitute Rathbone into the show with the studio to pay the legit management a bonus for the change In "paper," extra re- hearsals, etc. But the deal finally fell through after much huddling. Which side threw in the sponge is not known. It would have meant Rathbone's going north to Frisco with the stage troupe and sticking until Owen finished on the picture. To convince the public that Metro employed no doubles , to talk for Lon Chaney, the actor was made to swear to an affidavit concerning his work in "The Unholy Three." This read in part: "The ventriloquist's, the old woman's, the dummy's, the parrot's and the girl's are actual reproductions of my own voice, and in no place in said photoplay or in any of the various characters por- trayed by me in said photoplay was a 'double' or substitute used for my voice." Gloria Swanson's first talker, "The Trespasser," has topped all other UA's in sound on grosses in this country. It has done $1,200,000. Through the star's deal with Joseph P. Kennedy she receives $200,000 advance on each production and a substantial cut of the profits. Only two other UA talkers have topped $1,000,000, it is said, "Bulldog Drummond," $1,100,000. and "Alibi," slightly over $1,000,000. These figures are exclusive of foreign distribution. Gift to patrons is accumulating among the theatres in neighborhoods. These take in about everything of the hou.sehold variety, and the gifts are steadily increasing in value. .Some theatre managers wonder what will be the result when the gift Riving thing for business at a theatre must cease, as it must. Pathe's "Holiday" is playing the PuVilix houses under the same sharing terms as did the "The Trespasser." After lying in state at the Van and Schenck club, Brooklyn, for three days, Joe Schenck was buried Thursday (31). Crowds stood outside the building continuously during the day and evening, thousands coming to pay their respects to the popular tenor. Services were held the eve- ning before the funeral by various organizations Including the Friars, Elks and the club itself. It was in the Ridgewood district where he was brought up and where he and Gus Van went onto the vaudeville stage that saw the untimely departure of a beloved fellow. Recent roundup and arrest of a number of Chicago gangsters In Los Angeles was made by Edgar Dudley, former vaude actor and agent, now attached to the Chicago District Attorney's office as Investigator. At one time Dudley was half of the team of Dudley an<f Lorraine, later becoming an agent in Chicago. Put on the trail of the gangsters Dudley followed them out west, and working in conjunction with Los Angeles police soon had the bunch locked up. It took plenty of nerve. Variety's the late Jack Conway never was a trolley car conductor but along with other west side Harlem boys he "worked for a railroad" for a time, selling tickets on the L line at B^th street. He and Jimtriy Gillespie, laying off from 'vaudeville hoofing at the time. Jack dldri'.t have to report, being on the I. R. T. ball team but he concocted a scheme for easy money, splitting with Jimmy and a cop on duty. Wetting the inclined glass of the ticket drop box, tickets would adhere to the sides, the boys picking them out and reselling them. Good while It lasted, about a week. Then as Jack us'ed to tell it, "the donkeys went on strike and our racket was over." Both drifted away from "the rail- road" shortly afterwards. A Van and Schenck incident backstage at Keith's, Cincinpatl, happened about eight years ago. The team had done their opening show and Gus was waiting in the small room at the stage entrance for. Joe to finish dressing. A representative of a song publishing firm told Gus how anxious lils office was for Van and Schenck to do one of its latest numbers. The song plugger suggested that the new tune might be used to replace k certain song which he named. Then Gus explained: "I won't say anything about your number until I talk It over with my partner. But I can t«ll you now tha:t we won't take out the soiig yo\i spoke of. There's a reason; and I don't mind telling you what It Is.'' "About nine years back Joe and I wereh't so well known In the s)fiow business and we weren't working all the time . It was ^thanksgiving Day and we were laying oft In a town In Iowa. We were almost broke and didn't know what our next booking' would be. In the hotel lobby, w^ heard people talking about turkey. I picked up a paper and on tlie front page was a cartoon of a family enjoying a gre&t turkey dinner. "That was one time, more than all others, that Joe and I wanted to eat a regular dinner; and It didn't have to Include tuirkey. "In the midst of that glooqi came a mall delivery and In It was a special delivery letter for Joe and me. Inside was a check for $25 and a brief' message, 'Boys, have Thanksgiving dinner on me." The letter was from Will Rossiter, the publisher of that song you mentioned. We sure had dinner on him that day. And ever &in<;e We alWays used one of his songs if we could." ■ . 'Round tlie Square With Maurice Campbell out of .the Prohibition administration In the metropolitan section, the better class hotels and restaurants will feel easier, while the 30,000 speak-saloons Campbell's men diligently over- looked may commence to worry. Campbell got air for New York, but resigned rather than go to Boston. He may be blamed for a thousand other things, but never on that Boston walk-out. Campbell knew the show business. He was manager for his wife, once an actress. In the show biz it's publicity. Whether Campbell went after the better places knowing there was publicity for himself and the depart- ment in such raids, or just made a noise that way to coyer up the delin- quencies of his office in neglecting the thousands of speaks in New York, only Campbell knows. Campbell's transfer and resignation following suggests he stumbled against someone in his spectacular raids who stood a little stronger than he did. But a Campbell or so in a liquor mess doesn't make much differ- ence; it's 30,000 speaks today—maybe 31,000 tomorrow. No publicity In those low-down speaks, nor much of an expense account either. Harpo Marx, who strings and tunes his harp like no other similar In- strument in captivity and plays without being able to rea4 music, has a set routine at the Paramount studio. He shows up and tbe music depart- ment plays the number on the piano. He goes away whistling. The next day he appears at the music department again and the tune Is played for him on a violin. He again goes away whistling. On the third day he shows up with his harp with his own fancy symphonic arrangement. And it goes into thfi. picture . Roger Wolfe Kahn is now struggling along only at the rate of $60,000 a year. This is figured at conservative income at 6% from the $1,000,000 now in Roger's possession from his father. Otto H., when coming of age. Roger is nuts on planes. Owns one for each day of the wertt and a .stunt fiyer at Roosevelt field. Also writes music off and on as before. j A Broadway beer famine looms this summer if newly inducted pro- hibition director McCampbell's shut-off plan clicks. McCampbell Is check- ing the source of supply by posting men at the New York side of Jersey ferries on information that most of the beer in New York comes from New Jersey. Dinty Moore'f? chop hou.se, ordered padlocked for four months by Judge Knox, shut'up shop last week. Several days were permitted to construct a passage to Moore's living quarters over the restaurant. A stout wooden grill permits entrance through one door at the western end of the building, but Moore's public place is securely closed. a? The restaurant was raided about nine times within four years. Onlyi\,^, break for Moore is that the padlock spans the summer.