Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 August 1936 — Page 18

‘

Producers Wage Battles ~ With Dollars in Effort for Extra-Extravaganzas

VETERAN STAR

»

$1000-a-Second Spenders in Demand on Hollywood Lots}:

—at Least as Long as Money Holds Out, Commentator Observes. BY PAUL HARRISON

HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 15 (NEA) —Nobody knows bow. it’s all going end, but the rivalry in producing more and more lavish musical spec-

tacles is fun to watch just now.

The money still is holding out, but there's a shortage of chorus girls, f scarcity of tunes and a famine in creative talent. exhausted and gasping for adjectives.

“The person who can walk into a studio with a suggestion for spending $1000 a second on some extravaganza can write his own contract. It's quite a problem, really, and no Jonger one of sheer magnitude—the sets already are so large that people on them look like thumb-size

puppets. Busby Berkeley started it away back in the early days of sound, when 50 cuties made a chorus and a million dollars was a lot of money. Berkeley was called a dance direc‘tor, but he applied a Ziegfeldian touch on a Jovian scale to the first Cantor filmusicals. Then the Brothers Warner hired him and he went to town on “42nd Street” and a series of progressively bigger, but not always better, gal-and-gag operas.

Enter, the Mirror

The cycle faltered for a while, then swept ahead with “Gold Diggers of 1933” and “Wonder Bar.” In the latter picture Berkeley hit his stride with the mirror waltz. That . one item cost $150,000 to stage, and for years was considered the ulti= mate in splurging.

Now and -then an assault was made on Mr. Berkeley's récord, usually by some producer imported * from. Broadway for the purpose. George White, the “Scandals” man, was one. But they couldn't readjust their proscenium-arch perspectives to the vastness of the sound stages of Hollywood. They couldn't, for the life of them, spend more than $150,000 on a single ditty-and-dance number.

Quarter-Million Song

It was up to the Hollywoodsmen fo beat their own records. And it was done in glorification of the memory of the Great Glorifier,

. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer spent a sum

that generally is accepted as $250,000 for the “Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody” sequence in “The Great Ziegfeld.” But you haven't seen -anything yet. At Warner's they're putting together a number that again will outdazzle anything ever filmed. It is part of the Clark Gable-Marion Davies feature, “Cain and Mabel,” and will be known as the “Thousand Love Songs” sequence. It will run exactly .eight minutes and 15 ‘seconds on the screen, and will cost a cool $300,000. .

*At-$600 a Second

You may wonder how it is posgible to spend more than $600 a second for a piece of finished film. I'll enumerate a few items. In the first place, they had to raise the entire sound stage—a concrete building about 100 yards long. They raised it 30 feet and built new * walls under it, so the rafters now are almost 100 feet from the floor. The thing is so vast that the electricity to light it would illuminate a city of 50,000 people. Six different major sets will be erected in succession. There's one curtain—the largest ever assembled—that contains 2600 square yards of satin. One song in the sequence uses a living curtain of girls who are yanked skyward on wires. Altogether there are 225 girls, each with six costumes. Part of their costumes are 20,000 ostrich plumes. . Trees, 50 feet in height, move around with. the celerity of a ballet girl. For a couple of minutes the entire stage is flooded with real water, and on it floats a gondola. Then sections of stage mysteriously converge to form a platform for a dance. It's all astonishing, lavish and super-colossal.

All Vie for Bigness

Some other Hollywood musicals are scarcely less sensational, though less costly. Most daring ballet of the season is “La Bomba,” a writh-ing-rhythm item in “The Big Broadcast.” The Astaire-Rogers picture, Swing Time,” has a night club scene with trick mechanical stage effects which alone cost $100,000 Universal's “Hippodrome” is to re-create qn the Hollywood scale some of the spectacular devices

Sunday, Chevrolet Day at Riverside

Tomorrow is “Chevrolet Day” at Riverside amusement park. Chevrolet dealers from Indianapolis and central Indiana are sponsoring the afternoon and evening fun at the park, with all rides reduced to half price. In the evening a new car and other prizes are to be distributed by the dealers. A free children’s play. ground and a free

name famous years ago. M-G-M is racking its collective brains for lavish elaborations in “Born to Darice,” “Broadway Melody,” and “Maytime.” Twentieth Century-Fox has grandiose schemes for “On the Avenue” and “Sally, ‘Irene and Mary.” This studio also has signed Mr. Earl “Vanities” Carroll to help spend money on the first. edition of

to| 2

Press agents are

which made the theater of that |g

“Twentieth Century Follies.”

One of Hollywood’s real veterans whose popularity stays on a high level, Jack Holt, is the star of “Crash Donovan” first run picture opening at the Ambassador theater tomorrow. The other feature on the program is “It’s Love Again” with Jessie Matthews and Robert Young.

BY ETHEL

NA MAY stood admiring herself in the mirror. She had recently won two beauty contests and was soon to start for Hollywood to sign a contract—well, perhaps a contract. It all depended on the producers of Zenith Pictures.

Ina May did not need her mirror to tell her she was pretty. Even the cattiest of her friends lamented the fact. She had a mass of bright red hair that had never known henna. Her skin was soft. smooth, and delicately tinted. ' Large brown .eyes looked out from beneath long, curling black lashes. She now practiced with those eyes before the mirror, registering innocence, anger and scorn in turn. She pursed her lips in an imaginary kiss with Clark Gable. Then, she smiled an eager, childlike smile. No, she would not need much directing when she reached Hollywood. She and her friend Elise had talked everything over. “You've got to be ruthless to get to the top, Ina May,” Elisa had advised her. “To climb, you've got to step on people, and use them. You remember what we read about Flora Fane, who put everything and everybody aside for her art. You've got to be selfish.” “Umm, yes, I suppose I will have to be sort of hard,” Ina May Lad replied. She did not need to be told to: be selfish. She had been born that way. ‘ " # ® 2

ER father took her to Seattle to catch the boat that was. to take her down the coast to California. Along with her went four large bags and a hat box. Entering her cabin, on the prom= enade deck, she decided to take the bed—it looked more comfortable than either of the berths. She

started filling the closet: ‘with her clothes. One of the cabin mates entered. She was middle-aged and wore a gray tweed suit and substantial shoes. . Her iron-gray hair was-part-ly covered by a small black hat. She smiled a tired smile at Ina May, and said, “I'm afraid you have made a mistake. My ticket calls for the bed.” Ina May decided she might as well begin to be ruthless at once. “Evidently you haven't traveled much,” she said haughtily. “When the boat’s crowded like this, it's first come, first served.” “If you would lét ,me see your ticket . ... I wouldn't insist on the bed, only I become seasick if I don’t have enough fresh air,” Gray Tweed explained. Ina May ignored her and went on sorting things in her bags. When she heard the door close softly, she permitted herself a triumphant little smile. 2 » =

LMOST immediately, there was a thump at the door. “Come in,” she drawled. The purser entered. He was used 0. dealing with passengers like Ina

“Your ticket,” he demanded. She handed it to him. “Your reservation calls for the top berth,” he told her. “I'll call the room steward to move your bags. This room ig supposed to accommodate three people. You'd better get some of that stuff out of the way.” He turned and walked out.

BROAD RIPPLE PARK

Enjoy the day in our cool 'RIDES_THRILLS : AMUSEMENTS

FREE ADMISSION |

at All Times,

BOUND FOR STARDOM

Daily Short Story

spread out her bags on the bed, and

M. SEARS

Tweed turned over with a faint moan, She looked pale and worn. Finally, she arose, dressed, and went out on deck. Ina May then settled down to sleep until noon. In the afternoon, she passed Gray Tweed, stretched out in’a steamer chair, looking very haggard. She felt: a momentary twinge of conscience. She almost stopped to tell the woman she was sorry she had been such a little pig. Then she thought of Elise’s advice—“You’ve got to step on people to climb.’— and passed on without a word.

8 8 = the boat docked at Wil- ° mington, Gray Tweed was met

by a group of friends. As for Ina

May, she boarded a train and rode 20 uninteresting miles through industrial districts into’ Los Angeles, then took a taxi to a small hotel in Hollywood. Larry Getzman, of Zenith Pic-

tures, called next day and took her

to the studios.

“You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see the producers,” he told her. “They are busy selecting the cast for “Wild Heliotrope,” and I don’t want to rush things. In the meantime, let’s go to lunch.”

‘He feasted his eyes on Ina May’s beauty. She’d ‘be ‘a winner if he knew anything about it—would just fit the part of Maida in “Wild Heliotrope.” . Ina May ate daintily, and observed her" surroundings with frank curiosity. She hoped, oh, how. she hoped she would get a part! But of course, she: would. Larry Getzman seemed sure of it. i 2 8 = : HE next day, Larry sat facing a desk bearing a small placard marked, I. Gorham, producer. Larry was nervous. He knew he had a good thing in Ina May if they would only give her a chance.

I. Gorham was speaking, “You know, Larry, this part of Maida, even ‘though it’s small, is important. We can’t take-any chances. Now what do you know about this gir1?” “Well, knockout. seen her!” “Okay—trot her in. But remember our signal if I do not approve, and don’t argue or ask me to change my mind.” Ina May's hair was a flaming halo of red. She was dressed in a striking yellow sport outfit, and her cheeks were flushed with . excitement ‘as, starry-eyed, she entered the room with Larry Getzman. At the desk, sat Gray Tweed! Ina May stared at. her in sick amazement. She had not practiced registering amazement, but she did it very well. Then—Larry saw I. Gorham’s hands’ turn on the desk, thumbs down. Bewildered, he escorted Ina May out. She cast one longing look

for one thing, she's a Just wait until th

4 back into the room as the gates of

paradise closed to her. "THE END

hl?

Ri i Feature

a ol Bctitious,)

‘available. In the mel

Child Loser in Dispute,

Writer Says| J

Astor Case ; Free-for-All|]

May Mark Marylyn’s Life, Is View. .

Times Hollywood Correspondent

161s a long way fiopi the tive cry of “I want my baby” 'to. the overcrowded courtroom where Mary

Astor and Dr. Thorpe have been|

airing their professional careers and | love affairs. The

original purpose, of the trial was to find out which | parent was best able to foster the}

upbringing of a little: 4-year-old daughter. It was to have been a contest as to which parent most loved. the little girl.

The first days ‘of the trial brought sighs and sympathy from all parts of the nation. Miss Astor, sad-eyed |- ledy of the films, had never “neg-1{ lected her child” . . . “she had been a good mother.” Dr. Thorpe, an overworked medico, with little time to spend with his family,

“longed ‘for the companionship of his only

child after the separation from his

‘| wife.” It was to have been a Steal |

bout with the best man wining . all for the little child. But as the trial proceeded, bath contestants, and their lawyers, thought it pertinent to encourage a free-for-all, using all the weapons little Marylyn, “their baby,” was forgotten. “Dr. Thorpe was enver divorced from his Florida spouse.” “Mary Astor drinks straight whiskey.” “Dr. Thorpe has been over-friendly with a blond beauty from New York.” “Mary Astor has kept Jendezvuls with George Kaufman.” “Dr. orpe displayed vile ‘temper before ied “Mary Astor received many men callers and wrote a personal history of her romances in a little . book-iing bi 28 ender ink.”

The scathing accusations on ‘both sides ‘have ‘gone down in court rec-

ords. They have been read by mil-}

lions of people, they will be carried down to posterity—an inheritance for little Marylyn and her children. Such is the devotion of two people who started the battle for. their child, Maryiyn. F I J)

~Bsther Dale, a comedy actress, in her fifties, has played in 24 pictures in 19 months. She has just completed her role in “Fool for Blonds” with Victor McLaglen, and is anticipating an important role in David O. Selznick’s “Tom Sawyer.” . She began her career as a German Lieder Singer when she was 17, and sang with success in France, England, Germany and the United States. “‘Carrie Nation’ ended my singing career with a smash,” she said, “but understand, please, it was my husband’s play. based jon the life of the well-known “hater. of the liquor evil. I had been a singer for years, had never thought of becoming an actress. But Carrie Nation was dif= ficult to cast and after reading the play and knowing no.leading lady had been found, I said ‘I'll play it. We tried the play out at the Cape |C Theater in Falmouth, Mass. came to Baltimore and finally New York. I've been acting ever since but as yet haven't been able to convince Hollywood producers that I am a singer.” When Miss Dale first came to Hollywood she looked for a little house which would remind her of Vermont, where she lived when she’ was a girl. A quaint New England home is rare in a locale where stuccn, tiled roof California houses are rractical. The best she could do was a. barn-like affair, crude indesign, which stood in the rear of a property two miles from the sea. The rent was right—$20 a month. She

took it. She has to go out of doors to get up to her bedroom. An old-

Mrs. Bradford,” the picture which is to head the Ohio bill starting

Country Beyond,” the Ohio's sécond feature.

fashioned wood-burning only heat DUS. the the place has atmosphere and charm : Although Miss ‘Dale's salary is now $700 a week she still lives in the little place which she calls a “Bit. of Vermont.” : a a

Bette Davis, bored with her selfimposed expulsion from screen work, is winging her way to Canada. She and her husband, Harmon Nelson, are picking up a trailer in British

Columbia and are going into Cana-:

dian woods for a complete rest— or ‘change. Her status with Warner Brothers ‘Studios remains the same although «+ Warner publicity heads emphasize the fact that Bette soon will. return: to work. « y #® # n x 3% Dick : Powell is packing trunks— he has wanted to pack for over a year. He is rebelious and optimistic in turn. He wants a vacation; he wants to get out of the city which no longer makes him completely happy. He is optimistic because a

month is a long time for Warner |

Brothers to do without him. He may get as far as Chicago and get a wire to return by plane. Things are done that way by produc

“Im fed up,” he a. “1 want to]

see what is. going on outside of Hollywood; how the election is coming; how ‘business is, how men who aren’t actors are making out. You get marooned down here between the wall around your house and the one around the studio. They're both high—too high to look over. After a while you just don’t cmb to look.”

Ri 8 wen

Basil Rathbone is’ ‘going to England to play a romantic part in a romantic story. He is happy. “What ever started me playing villians? Gad—first it is a butler with a sinister. lift of one eyebrow, then a cruel father or“a mean third in a

triangle. Did I ever play the soft-

speaking Romeo? Yes, I recall I did. With Katherine Cornell, and not so long ago. It doesn’t seem possible »

RICE’S DAUGHTER IN MOVIES

Florence Rice, who will have the feminine lead in “We Who Are About to Die,” is the daughter of the famous ’ sports commentator, Grantland Rice. {

—GRAHAM’S OLD INN— End of . Beech Grove Carling Dance to DENNY DUTTON’S BOYS Friday & Saturday = WE SERVE BRUCK’S BEER . on tap exclusive

| DINE and DANCE ENJOY FRESH, COOL AIR

ALL NEW SENSATIONAL FLOOR SHOW

and FROG Di LIQUEURS. WINES= -BEER®

We Are Noted for:the Best CHICKEN, STEAK NERS

BOOKED

“CHEVROLET DEALERS. HAVE

ME AT RIVERSIDE

TOMORROW! ‘A BRAND NEW CHEVROLET WILL BE GIVEN AWAY=AND ALL RIDES WILL } BE CUT TO 5 CENTS! Just 1 UKE CHRISTMAS IN AliGUST " ZANE

| welfare, Work Insurance

| take examinations for jobs in the

The suave, sophisticated ‘héro, 1 William Powell, is. the: ‘head man, |

stove is the

"J08S RECEIVED

. Department Positions Goal of Applicants.

S—

A total of 1085 “%o

Public Welfare Departmen; and. the

ory HALL LIGHTING ‘CHANGES PROPOSED

Replacement of old ening fix-

New Sxturos,; mar to those une der consideration, already have been installed in‘the Wotks Board office. They -are considered satisfactory from both economic: and or lical standpoints; oi board members, who h the proposal. Costing approximately. $9 each, the lights would replace the multibulbed chandeliers which have been in the City Hall since it was built more:than 30 years ago. City Engineer Henry B. Steeg said the old fixtures are less than 85 per cent efficient, while the modern ones are. considered excellent by lighting experts.

V.F. W. EVENT TONIGHT

The Ladies’ _Auxili Augiliary fo . {the

Veterans’ ‘of ‘Foreign Wars, is to sponsor ‘a’dance at'the post clubroomsy 210 E. Ohio-st, tonight.

Lites

MOTORIST HIT BY BRICK Albert Lewis, Negro, was held today on charges of ‘assault and battery. in. connection with an alleged assault oh John Drees, 618 N. Illi-nois-st, - who fold police he was struck on the. head with a halfbrick. as he, sat in his car parked at Senate-av, and Michigan-st.

for treatment.

2 SCAFFOLD ROPES CUT T. O. Miller, 3607 Boulevard-pl, employed by the Shaffer Pointing .Co., today reported jo ‘police that three ropes on scaffolds which he is using in repair work at the ColumBus’ Cu) ‘had been. cut in the past wee

we toni, under scvest for alleged

Drees. was taken to Oy. Hospital

ayodg i

Left the House:

By United Prov:

night, and returned the following night to cart away the rest of it. :

BOOTLEG SUSPECT FREED UNDER BOND

- Louis DeFabis, 40, of 2622 Newlegal possession of liquor, was free under $1500 bond today. DeFabis and Frank Szalaiy, 29, of 2031 N. Capitol-av, were arrested late Thursday by George IL. Winkler, alcohol tax unit investigator.

Szalaly, charged of an unlicensed still, waived preliminary before United States, Commissioner’ Howard 8. . Young, and is in the Marion County Jail; unable to make bond of $1500.

DeFabis, who is said to have a previous record of liquor law violations, said he had not been living in the Newton-st address and knew nothing about the 109 gallons of illegal liquor confiscated there. He later said he was at the house

“1 when Szalaiy made delivery of 10 | cans of alcohol, H nen were beund over to the Sep-'

however. Both

tember grand jury.

CIVIL WAR VETERANS ARE TO BE HONORED

Installation of the Civil War veterans as honorary members of the Burns-West-Striebeck Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, is to be held at a special meeting Aug. 20, in the post hall, E. Washington and Denny-sts. “The Civil War Veterans to be | honored are David L. Osborn, 89, of [36 S. Ritter-av; Daniel Murray, 90, of 2031 E. Ngw York-st, and Heckman N. King, 95, of 5610 Lowell-av.

. CAMERA 1S STOLEN David F. Carter, 1241 N. Oaklandav, today reported to police that some one entered his unlocked automobile on the parking lot in the

stole an Eastman vollends camera valued at $46, ;

with operation |

rear of the Harrison Hotel and

ister in a newly created student endowment fund. The meeting of the national ase

sociation closed yesterday in

of veterans’ hospitals.

JEWELRY IS STOLEN Theft of a yellow gold bracelet and a yellow gold necklace, valued at $25, was reported to police today by J. R. Warren, 3121 Park-av.

Coaches Parlor Cars Club. Cars and

unge Cars, Dinin

Lounge < 5 Duin on LLM Monon Route trains between Indians apolis and Chicago. °

NO DIRT « NO DUST . NO SMOKE Always COOL, CLEAN and COMFORTABLE

Be Modem=—Travel hy Rail dots Furt Fuaphian Car i call :

"MONON i

Nothing

HT: x

Succeeds

EALTH

Nothing Builds Health

VT

What Is "Bait"

eo. im Advertising

The. appearance of this Service Message i in these Columns is evidence that this publication 'sub- - geribes to the principles’ ~ of the Better Business Bureau, and co-operates with the Bureau in pro-- | tecting you—even to the: ostent of Tofusing : to ac-

" Dictionaries define bait as "an

a snare, trap or the like to a

ing y used ona a houkl orin’ * "Any substance used

as a lure in catching fish or other animals.”

This description i is not ‘amiss when applied to a small presen’ day advertising by a very few business concerns, which is calculated fo

- centage of

ar. HN

“deceive and lure the customer into the store to sell other

than advertised. merthundise,