Variety (Jul 1930)

Wednesaay, July 30, 1930 LEGITIMATE VARIETY 93 Literati Tab Tactics That a tat> Is a tab or anything von want tQ caU It Is becoming more ilpressed npon the reading public i^Oi almost ©very Issue. Perhips limit of tabloid "Journalism" ZU reached Monday when the New TOTk "Evening Graphic" printed a iory that the former Jeanette Sackett, now Mrs. John Steele, who ^ married to Steele, the tenor, about two months ago, had a son bom two weeks ago. Miss Hackett 2fl been on the stage, principally In vaudeville. The story had been tossed Into all of the tabs' offices in New York. Probably on sale. Another tab al- most went for It, but decency finally nirevalled. Mcartwblle Mrs. Steele and her son ^Ith" her husband were In a cottage at Stamford, Conn. The first the Steeles knew the tabs were after them was when they .detected cam- eramen hi ding behind trees near their home~Tlie tab photographei's- •*ere waiting to t**e a picture of ihe mother and baby around thO ' bouse. ■ The Steele affair has been no ■ecret. Through court delays the couple were unable to marry until In May when the martial difficulties were removed and the ceremony performed. 50 or Bust—and BustI ' Once they all used to write plays. Kow they all write books. Fiction, biography, travel—anything. Must ■write a book. Why? Self-expres- elon, and all that sort of thing. But the writers, or would-be writers, are not as much to blame as the pub ilshers. They publish all those things. Why? Tou telf 'em! Funny business, book publishing. Publishers say the business Is shot At a dollar a book, no profit. At two-flfty and more, few will buy. But they go ahead and publish books. And what books! And how many! • It seems the book publishers work this way. If one got out 60 books ' the year before he must get out at least that number this year, or more. He needs that number to make up his "list," whatever that Is. If he can only get 25 good books towards that necessary 50, he will not cur- tall his "list" to 25. He must get out 60 or bust. He gets 60 and goes bust. So many books published people can't read them all If they wanted to. They don't want to. It's esti- mated that about a third of the books l>nbll8hed are never read beyond the book reviewers. Many books not •Bven read by the reviewers. And as lor sales—headaches. But while publishers continue tasking up "lists," everybody wUl continue writing books. J. P. McEvoy's Past Reports that J. P. McEvoy in- tends returning to the greeting card field of writing causing woe among greeting card writers who recognize In McEvoy dire competition. McEvoy, one of the foremost greeting card writers developed in this country, .if not In the world, and If a gr eeting. card writer can ~be said to develop, admitted to have made greeting card writing a Femme Diplomacy Mrs. Eleanor Medlll Patterson's new Job as editor of the Washing- ton "Herald," give- both a break. l*aper needs a personage like Mrs. Patterson, of the Chicago "Trlb"- New York '/Daily News"-"Liberty" McCormlck-Pattersons for that class to enable it to better compete with the Washington "Post." With the "Herald" to work with, Mrs. Patterson will be able to give aces and spades to Mrs. Nicholas Long- worth in those diplomatic matters lii which the women of the capital figure. No money involved in tlie Pattcr- 8on-"Herald" tie-up. It is said, as Oie dally is not nor ever was for sale. Just a matter of mutual ad- Vantage. . Mrs. Patterson, when not In news- Paper work or politics, Is Mrs. ?lmer Schleslnger. by an 'interview" credited to the twins. . It'a reported "inside" that the Parish twins' dad is very well to do and very close to William Ran- dolph Hearst, who Is responsible for their space and dally pictures In the "Mirror." In other words, they appear a "Must." and "musts" nine times out of 10 are strictly obeyed by Hearst makeup men. Mostly stage people have j>een selected with none of the interviews so far taken seriously either by the Hearst interests or the readers. London Dailies Up Although ihost of the LonSon dallies are curtailing staff and it's noticeable the ad lineage is off, the circulation of the leading dailies ^°""nues to zoom. The "Mall" and ^Express" are creeping up to the 2.000,000 mark. "Mail" now stands at 1,870,000, an increase of 40,000 on its last month's figures, and the Express" turns 1,700,000. The newly reorganized "Herald" "sts 1,078,000, up 3,000 on the pre- "»ious month, running joint third ^ith the "News Chronicle," which >s round the 1,000,000 spot. Twins as Reporters The ropertorial work being done the so-called "Mirror" Twins, ""^e and Helen Parish (17 years has been regarded in some quarters as a publicity gag for the Birls. The girls each day in the Mirror" are photographed with some celeb, which is accompanied Hollywood's Reading (Consensus of demand with Esme Warde, Satyr book shop, Pat Hunt, and the Hollywood book store for July.) FICTION 1. "Queer People," Carroll and Garrett Graham. 2. "Sweet Man," Gilmore Millen. 3. "Night Nurse," Dora Macy. 4. "Laughing Boy," Oliver La Parge. GENERAL 1. "Strange Death of President Harding," Gaston B. Means. 2. "Last Paradise," Hickman Powell. 3. "Green Pastures," play by Marc Connelly. 4. "The Raven," Marquis James. 5. "Mata Harl," Major Thomas Coulson. 6. "The Power and Secrets of the Jesuit's," Phillip Miller. (Hollywood book business for July was "Queer People" and "Sweet Man." Popular demand agreed thct three local boys, who hitherto had taken no part with the literati, had .clicked good. The Garrett brothers held the top their second month, and Millen's study ill black and white moved up from fifth to second place.) Carmel addresses the year-round for quite a time. Among others of the writing profession In Carmel are Frederick R. Bechdolt, Talbot Josselyn, Perry Newbury, James Dorrance and John Calvin. Bathers Snapped It Is against the rules to take pictures, snapshots or otherwise of Bailey's Beach at Newport, the most exclusive bathing place in the world. The general public is unable to catch even a glimpse of the fashionable throng of bathers and spectators. The New York American" recently secured a scoop, publishing several photos taken by long-distance camera in the Goodyear blimp, "Mayfair." By a coincidence Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, wife of the owiier of the International Newsreel, which copyrighted the pictures, was recently entertained at New- port by Mrs. Tiffany Saportas. Mrs. Hughes Writing Mrs. Rupert Hughes has also gone literati. "American Magazine" has bought her first short story and has given her a bid for several others. Before Mrs. Hughes' marriage she was Patterson Dial, picture actress. Eugene Zukor's Book Eugene Zukor, or the Paramount Zukors, who, when not v. p. 'Ing in the Par-Publix organization, draws caricatures, has had his rst series collected in book form, titled "Isn't It So," with foreword by Max Lief, under Tree & Jacobs imprint. Two editions. ^2.60 and |5, latter limited to 100 copies, autographed, etc. Mersey's Forethought Harold Hersey is back from that vacation trip with the missus and is again reading manuscripts for his string of mags. Hersey is so con- siderate a guy that when leaving on a trip he tells contributors to hold off until he returns. Or maybe it's because he wants to enjoy his va- cation. Hersey's latest Is a buy of "Dance Magazine." It first conies out under Its new direction in September. English Don't Cut British book publishers taking no cognizance of the dollar book thing (Continued on page 96) recognized profession. He was the first greeting card writer to be ad- mitted into the Authors' League of America, maybe Ijecause he was the first greeting card writer to possess the necessary dues. Anyhow, he was taken In—both ways. McEvoy grew in fame and pres- tige until he began to command fancy prices for his greeting card rhymes. Jingles and phrases. In fact, It enabled him to buy a type- writer with \/hich to turn out "The Potters," and thus started him In to make a living. After he wrote "Americana," etc., and the two "Show Girls," McEvoy gave up greeting cards. But he didn't entirely forget them, for in "Show Girl" he made one of the principal characters a greeting card salesman. Now, they say, McEvoy may write greeting cards again. Becau.se he wants to do the finer things in literature. Carmel's Literati Biggest literary Who's Who per capita Is at Carmel, Calif., a sleepy coast town in the central part of the state about 125 miles from San Francisco. Cool climate and the fact that no one worries about any- one else's business has made it a spot popular with the writing fra- ternity. Literary influence Is so strong that this year they elected a poet mayor. Chief social contacts are at a weekly baseball game, in which the writers compete with the townspeople. Harry Leon Wilson is the most seasoned writer of the town, having lived there fifteen years. Sam Blythe has also been a resident of the district for nearly the same period. Lincoln Steffens, James Hopper and Holman Day have also had BELASCQ THEATRE Under the Sole Management of David Belasco TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST FIFTH DAVID BELASGO Will Present ''Dancing Partner ^ ^ A NEW COMEDY BY • Alexander Engel and Alfred Grunwald Adapted by Frederic and Fann^ Hatton WITH LYNNE OVERMAN IRENE PURCELL HENRY STEPHENSON CHARLOTTE GRANVILLE and a Noteworthy Supporting Company ON TOUR DAVID BELASCO Presents ^4 It's a Wise Child'' A Comedy by Laurence E, Johnson with the Original Belasco Theatre Company, including MINOR WATSON SIDNEY TOLER HARLAN BRIGGS PORTER HALL JOSEPH STRIKER MILDRED McCOY LEILA BENNETT HELEN LOWELL QLGA KROLOW GEORGE WALCOTT IN PREPARATION A New Play for BETH MERRILL