Inside Facts of Stage and Screen (January 31, 1931)
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. STAGE PRICE lO CENTS RADIO SCREEN Only Theatrical Newspaper on the Pacific Coast MUSIC EDITED BY JACK JOSEPHS ESTABLISHED 1924 Entered as \/rt] !£¥¥¥ Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, Published Every Saturday at f W1 * 809 Warner. Bros. Down- office, Los Angeles, Calif., under Act of March J Saturday, January 1931 t 879 31, town Building, 401 West Seventh St., Los Angeles, Calif. No. 4 INDES RUSHING IN AS SLUMP RE-OPENS FIELD ¥ Columbia, Many Busy Cohn May As Angles Go To Fox Give Break * Whether William Fox will pur- Seeing their opportunity in the chase control of Columbia will be current financial depression, inde- decided within the next couple of pendent picture producers arc again weeks, according' to stories circul- flocking into production. ating in picture financial circles this week. A check up by Inside Facts made this week shows that the inde While tlie report is wholly un- field is busier in preparation and official, inside .sources declare that actual shooting than it has been Fox recently, purchased a block of Columbia stock and took an option at any time since the talkies drove the indes into idleness. for enough more to give him con- trol should he exercise the option. Tec-Art, Metropolitan, the Uni- The story further declares that he versal lot and out-lying territory is now preparing to exercise his of the inde strongholds are again option if he can get certain terms bustling with life, cost sheets, mar- for doing so. These terms, which gins of profit and conferences, and are said to deal largely with the present prospects are that within executive personnel question, are the next thirty to sixty days the the crux to whether or not Fox inde production situation will ap- takes over Columbia, the report proximate almost fifty percent of alleges. the pre-taikie normalcy. That is if' all plans now in discussion go Wrong Slant . The rumored Fox-Clumbia deal through. would have nothing to do with the Many causes have contributed to present Fox interests, which in- make the talkie game an attrac- clude the widespread Fox West tive one to indes at the present Coast, it is explained. William Fox time. is known to have been anxious to Slump One Cause get back into pictures on his own First and chiefly responsible is ever since the deal which gave the worldwide financial depression over the control of the William —a depression from which no na- Fox Corporation to Winfield Shee- tion is exempt except Bolshevik han and his financial backers. The Russia, where, under the Soviet Columbia proposition is regarded five-year plan, there is no unem- by him as this in, it is declared. ployment and where the average If Fox swings the alleged Col- salary and wage earner is getting' umbia deal, his agent will be A. C. a margin of money which enables Blumenthal, who long has been him to afford not only the necessi- the ' contact man for the picture ties of life, but also many of Its magnate on realty deals, it is said. luxuries. However Bolshevik Rus-. Not tying up Blumenthal in his sia is by no means the best market' real capacity, rumors have been for American pictures, and else- circulating that he himself is nego- where the market for the product tiating to buy Fox. Harry Cohn, of the bigger studios continues to returning here from the East, was decline. questioned concerning this, ' and For this reason the big studios was quoted as answering that at present are not making products “there is nothing to it; Blumenthal of the high class and, proportion- hasn’t got money enough to buy ately speaking, of the generous Columbia.” Which may be true OWEN FALLON cost to which they achieved in the enough, and Louella Parsons, who days when all the world was po- printed the so-called denial, ac- tentially a god market for each cepted this as conclusive. The At Solomon's Ballroom picture produced. The new limited alert and sentient Louella appar- field caused them to hike the price ently didn’t know the tie-up be- of pictures to American customers, tween Blumenthal and Fox. Cohn is reported to be demanding TO MANAGE FIFTH GRANVILLE HERE and that’s an in for the indes, who Cohn’s Services such an exorbitant salary for his always found their fertile field The .monkey-wrench in the way services as to give Fox pause. If SEATTLE, Jan. 29. —Tommy Ol- among those houses which wanted this one point Frederick of the deal is said to be Harry can be settled satis- sen has returned to his old home Granville of London is cheaper product than they could factorily the deal is on, the report the big studios. Cohn himself. Fox is understood town and will act as manager of in Hollywood studying sound, color buy from to have an extremely high regard concludes. Another Phase the big Fifth Ave. Olsen was for- and the picture situation in general for Cohn's ability, and to consider The financial depression also merly sports writer for the Hearst this ability one of the main assets SEATTLE, Jan. 29. —Sammy Sei- with a view to opening up offices operated in another phase to boost gel, formerly Follies, interests here before leaving and the inde game in Hollywood. Us- of the Columbia Corporation. In p. a. for the here and in New York for picture purchasing control of the organiza- left this week for Portland, where reporting to Washington, D. C., ing the term in its respectable production. Granville was here in tion he is understood to be de- he will assist George Appleby in for a Fox job. Olsen is well liked sense, the better class of indes are manding that Cohn come under his publicity for the Hamrick interests here and ought to be a worthy 1921, being brought from Germain what is known as sharpshooters, standard as production chief, but there. successor to Jim Clcmmer. by Carl Laemmle. (Continued on Page 2) — . mI — — — ——I —— — Page Two INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Saturday, January 31, 1931 Orpheum Stage Show Policy To Be Permanent Injuries* 421, 850 Ray’s $68 Tie-Up SACRAMENTO, Jan. 29.-—State Industrial Accident The cast of the floppo show, “Between the Covers,’’ Commission paid '-out $421,850 during the last five years don’t think Raymond Hatton is as funny as he’s re- injuries., in the motion picture industry, ? for deaths and puted, to be, ( capitol revealed. a report filed at; the. state The , reason is. that the screen comic is currently Fifty-five lives were lost, 68 workers suffered per- tieing up the Equity bond filed on the show, and the manent injuries and several hundred were temporarily mm others can’t their get money. injured, according- to the report. Queeerst of the freak Prologues will be a regular feature The show, which was produced by Sam Rourke and compensation awards was recorded in the case of Fred of the Orpheum Theatres, both in Los directed by Oliver M orosco at the Biltmore, went into Angeles and. San Francisco, starting Metz, who was pinched on the right eye lid by a lob- rehearsal December 6. It did an extremely brief run, with the atmospheric prologues which ster as he stooped to pick up another. then closed. will open in both houses February and 6 with the RKO feature film, “Cim- The Equity bond was oke and so would everything arron,” else have been had Hatton not claimed an extra night’s When announcement was- first made wages of $68 on his $600 a week salary. He attached Facts two weeks ago that by Inside the bond, and now everything is temporarily held up. the spots would go back to stage-and- scraen policy it was not definitely known whether there would be a re- IS FIELD BflS version to all-screen policy after the one picture. M etrd-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Portland However, it is understood that it is Portland ME (Continued from Page 1) office came in fourth on their sales now planned to keep stage shows as By ART ROGERS _ to- wit: men with a bit of money drive, pulling down a $2500 cash a regular part of the offerings for the ankle in upon a future. which they use to award. Manager Louis Amakcr was John Egan, manager of K.WJJ, BV OHtSIHE SPOT good proposition, or to jump into ably assisted by Mac Rubenfeld Bud Murray, prominent L. A. stage makes his own cigs—his own the breach of 'Some money-making and Joe Warren, salesmen. Office director and head, of the Bud Murray friends—well John made KWJJ managers, bookers, cashiers— every- T field not- seen by less shrewd School of the Dance, has been signed first station in . S. to. present F. L Hiding away on the county si rip York; and body comes in on the prize. bjr Cliff Work as general stage and acts over the air (says minds. .Naturally ..New and M. — west of Hollywood, the La Bo- market was the most * * * dance director for both the S. F. and John) —Mildred Allen Helen Rit- the. stock — heme Cafe is not within the pro- will — smiling girls of for their . operations Bill for L. A. Orpheums. Carlton Kelsey chey the KWJJ verdant; field Callahan, L. A. salesman hibitions of the local municipal when the be the orchestra leader at the local think fast—-work fast—go home , crash. But is recovering up until the M-G-M, from an at- ordinance which forces Los An- came and money got tight tack of flu and will back the spot.