STAGE PRICE lO CENTS RADIO SCREEN Only Theatrical MUSIC Newspaper on the Pacific Coast j EDITED BY JACK JOSEPHS ESTABLISHED 1924 Entered Vol. XIII as Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, at Post- office, Los. Angeles, Calif., Published Every Saturday at 809 Warner Bros Down- under Act ’ Saturday, of March 3, 1879 February 7, 1931 town Building. 401 West Seventh St., Los Angeles, Calif. No. 5 PLAN ‘JITNEY THEATRE’ CHAIN FOR PAC. COAST +- Press and MX Group Show Biz To Finance In Clash 10c Houses ' A war which has been , brewing leaf theatre ween local interests and A chain of miniature theatres, of the local press was all set to break two hundred seating capacity and oqt in dead earnest this week. to operate on a 10 cents admission Illustrated The Los Angeles schedule, is planned by a Nip-tY. -"k Daily, News, a morning- tabloid, orgr’fization which ha? fired broadside • • a into show busi- sodufcs on the toa-on. ove ness under a five-column line on prospects for nikiatiiifc Jha.., of page 2 their Thursday editions, here. panning the gala premiere policy to a fare-ye-well. While the News The plan is to spot the houses in shot was particularly at the pre- class picture neighborhoods, play- miere of RKO’s “Cimarron” at the ing opposition to the 65 centers and Orpheum Theatre, it was a crack relying for their draw on the smaii at the whole premiere practice. admission fee. ' Info from inside the battle lines, The program will be a feature, a coupled up with the fact that the comedy and a newsreel. Overlu ;< „ Orpheum has radically reduced its will be practically nothing outside space in. the News, was to the effect the house and film rentals. There that the -News pan was in retalia-. will be no staff apart from the man- tion for the cut-down of Orph. ad- ager and janitor. Entrance for the vertising in that sheet. customers will be through a turn- Is Widespread stile. which operates automatically The brewing battle is not con- upon deposit of a dime. fined to these two interests, . how- Two Phases ever. Publix-Paramount are under- The New York group are rely- stood to be at swords’ points With ing upon two phases of the eco- the Los Angeles .Evening Herald nomic situation give them the (Hearst), and the West 'Coast is m break which they think they will reported not so friendly with the -Los Angeles Times and with the get trom trfe project. First they News. There has been a noticeable point to the rapid popularity which diminution in advertising in these accrued to the miniature golf links various mediums. latst year. They declare this shows Local showmen are, by and large, the public will flock to entertain- highly incensed at the rates made ment cheaper than the high prices ~to them for advertising, as com- which the class houses now charge, pared to the amount of free pub- and which the neighborhoods ap- licity which they are allowed. proximate, considering the pro- • They, declare that the rates in grams they run. They think the Los Angeles run from 40 per cent ten cent houses will become drop- to 90 per cent over what the papers in places, just as the golf courses are entitled to as compared to cir- were. culation. Secondly, they figure that people List Overcharge actually cannot afford the present ,- They list this reputed overcharge high prices, despite the fact that as follows: they want to see pictures as much The Illustrated Daily' News, 90 as they ever did. They declare that per cent. the opinion that people are tired of The Times, 66 per cent. pictures is erroneous, and that the The Evening Herald, 47 per cent. real reason for the falling off in at- The Examiner, 44 per ceiit. The Record, per RICHARD tendance in the 'big houses is purely 44 cent. DIX The. Express, 40 per cent. economic. There is also said to be consider- Studio Tie-in _ able feeling among other picture The eastern people are still secre- producers over the amount of bally- OPENS OFFICES STOCK COMPANY OPENS CHANGE IN BOOKING tive about the particulars of their hoo given M-G-M pictures in the plan. They say, however, that they Two Hearst papers, the Examiner have an optional tie-up with one of and Herald, particularly when cer- Hardy C. Love, who has joined The Roy Claire Dramatic Stock The RKO offices have put a ban the big istudios to get an early third Tain M-G-M stars are having a pre- the staff of Inside Facts as south- Company opens February 14 at the on supplying unit show acts to the run release on their product, and miere. that west representative, has opened of- Grand Theatre, El Paso. Forrest State at Long Beach. The only this will carry the names of In addition to this alleged so- big stars and expensive production; fices at 203 Pacific Southwest boule- Taylor and Marion Burns are to reason given for the change in pol- called, “overcharge,” the showmen into their houses, thus preventing are riled regarding the amount of vard, Long Beach. Hardy’s head- play the leads. The cast includes icy was that the Long Beach house them from getting the derogatory- publicity show business is given as quarters will be in Long Beach, Norman Feusier, Rupert Drumtn, is some competition to the RKO nomenclature of “jitney spots.” compared to that of other busi- Theatre when both spots play from which point he will cover Alan Dailey, Fred McKaye, Jimmy the Money for the proposition is nesses which advertise. same acts. However, the RKO beach cities and continue through coming out of Wall Street, they s Ay, Others Break I Malone, Tove Linden and Mildred Get offices will continue to book other and intimate that one of the bank- For instance, they declare, the San Diego to the important spots Hastings. The Harry K. Blaney acts into the house, it is under- ing groups which is already heavily | (Continued on Page 11) in Mexico. Agency handled the casting. stood. | (Continued on Page 2) Page Two INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Saturday, February 7, 1931 George White On Trip To Los Angeles In Selling Activity Is Now At Lowest Point Theatre REPORTED TO 0E OEEIliS 10 TO L EXHIBS HOLD i By JAY PERRY SILVEY San Francisco Office, Inside Facts WRITE NEXT SHOW THEATRE SETS TOP Exploitation is a long misused word that oftime covers a multitude of ill TIES 10 the name advertising. Notwithstanding this, exploitation is often sins in of DeSylva, Brown and Henderson the additional factor in determining whether or not the ledger balances on may write George Whitels next the black or the red ink side, at the completion of a picture’s showing. PUCE ii LUXURY 10 TIGHT show-, according to a report in cir- in this line III The purpose of this department is to exchange ideas of culation this week. endeavor, and to proffer suggestions from time to time that might prove trip the let us White is currently on a to For beauty,, capacity, comfort of merit in planning a campaign. To this purpose, Mr. Manager, The theatre selling market is cur- Coast, with no announcement as to and convenience the New Los An- hear from you. Your successful campaigns—your ideas—that may aid an- rently at the lowest point of ac- equally tivity in years. fewer the purpose of his visit. However, geles Theatre, opened by the Gum- other. It should be remembered that most of these suggestions are There are sales these than the field has reports which seem to have a good iiincr Brothers with the premiere useful to other plays of similar type, and are not limited to use with the days are in circulation to the send it m. seen for a long time. foundation of “City Lights” can easily rate as title indicated. When you have a good idea, First glance would seem to indi- effect that the main purpose White the Southland’s leader. The Gum- of ad- cate that the nation-wide financial has in mind is to get the musical F'incr boys have spared neither There are many branches small water pump of the fountain depression is responsible, but this trio to give him the music and book money nor energy in the effort to vertising that come under the one variety on the truck which would mosi is error. A checkup by Inside Facts for his next production. give Los Angeles something new heading — exploitation, — the have enabled the whale to spout at and made among exhibs brought forth Brow'll and Henderson, two mem- and distinctive in the way of an natural of which is the tried ntervals. a general feeling that show busi- bers of the firm, were with White at auditorium. They have succeeded true window tie-ups. Very little in- These few items are but a drop get out a ness for the neighborhood and small the fights at the Legion Stadium expectations. genuity is required to n the bucket in comparison to the beyond town houses is on the up-and-up. was. striking display at little or no cost possibilities that may be obtained Friday night, and while nothing Everything in the way of service and that it is now a very poor oi to the theatre. In every feature pic- by a wide-awake manager. Exploi- forthcoming as to the purpose has been included in the architec- time to sell.