February 27, 1932

JOE E. BROWN PLANS NEW PERSONAL TOUR

Following the enormous success of his personal appearance tour last summer, during which he visited important cities of the Middle West and East, Joe E. Brown plans to make a similar tour at the end of March, according to latest word from Hollywood. If the present project materializes, he will set out from the cinema capital as soon as his next picture, “The Tenderfoot,” has been completed and will visit approximately half a dozen cities before returning to Hollywood to make another film. At the moment Brown is starring in a stage production, “Square Crooks,” in San Francisco.




GARBO’S SILENCE PUBLICITY STUNT, IT IS DECLARED

Now the secret is out as to why Garbo doesn’t talk. When she first arrived here she made a few indiscreet statements to newspapers and magazine writers – So Harry Eddington, her manager and a smart little fellow, decided that she should become “mysterious.” He apparently decided that it would be easier to keep her from talking altogether than to teach her what to say.
Most of Hollywood’s younger girls now are trying to look like Tallaluah Bankhead. That’s the price of being talked about. It used to be Garbo they tried to imitate.

SCREEN ACTOR GIVEN RELEASE ON BAIL
Los Angeles, Feb. 27 (UP)

Duncan Renaldo, film actor, was free on $1500 bail to-day following his arrest on an indictment returned Tuesday for making a false affidavit by which he obtained a passport to Africa where he went to take part in the film production, Trader Horn.
The indictment charges Renaldo represented himself to be an American citizen although he is a native of Rumania. His attorneys said he would deny the charge.




FILMS FORCE BROADWAY CLOSING WHILE DRAMA ATRACTING CROWDS
New York, Feb. 27 (AP)

Making an unexpected thrust at the drama, the films are forcing the closing of a Broadway hit before expected. This is Ben Levy’s “The Devil Passes,” which has been a play leader for twelve weeks and must go on tour while still attracting profitable audiences.
The comedy is a peculiar one which demands a group of ten stars, especially cast for their individual roles. Diana Wynyard, Basil Rathbone, Cecelia Loftus, Robert Loraine, Ernest Cossart, May Nash and Ernest Thesinger are among the players.
Most of them entered the play with previously signed contracts which demanded their early departure for Hollywood. So producer Arch Selwyn is sending the company out on a quick tour before leasing them to the movies. The tour begins in Boston on March 28.




GANGSTER PICTURE GETS TITLE OF “THE SCAR”
“Scarface,” the sensational expose of gangdom filmed by Howard Hughes will be title “The Scar” when it is released throughout the country some weeks hence. And this may be taken as final.
Since the title of “Scarface” was voted down by the powers-that-be, Howard Hughes and United Artists officials have been casting about for another which would fit this powerful film document. Several had been suggested, but none fitted it as well as does “The Scar.”
“The Scar” is confidently expected to create a national sensation, based as it is upon actual occurrences in American gangdom. It was filmed upon an ambitious scale after months of research, but because of its daring treatment and of its political objections, it was withheld from the public since its completion four months ago.
Following conferences in New York with Will H. Hays and certain national political leaders, producer Hughes obtained assurances of complete cooperation, and “The Scar,” with added sequences, and packing much more punch than ever, is now ready for public consumption. As it stands it is probably the first true picture of gangdom, and, because of that fact, probably will be the last. It depicts the gangster as he really is, and it gives the public one of its greatest thrills.
It is expected, too, to stir up a nation-wide demand for the extermination of the gangster through national supervision over inter-state traffic in deadly weapons.
Paul Muni portrays the titular role, and the rival gangsters are played by Boris Karloff, of “Frankenstein,” and Osgood Perkins, who will be remembered as the managing editor in the stage production of “The Front Page.”

NICKEL THEATER IS THREATENING, SAYS VARIETY

The nickel theater is looming on the horizon. Its return, according to sales sources, is imminent despite that no major producer at this time permits an exhibition under contract to play product at less than ten cents admission, says Variety.
This will not act as a positive deterrent, however, it is believed. According to distribution information a few exhibitors with ten-cent houses are already getting only five cents per patron through a subterfuge that may be difficult to check.

FILM ACTRESS DENIES WEDDING
San Pedro, Cal. Feb. 27 (AP)

Lily Damita, motion picture actress, and a man who steamship company officials said was Sidney Smith, New York broker, were among the passengers who left here today for Honolulu.
Smith, who numerous times was reported as having married Miss Damita, slipped aboard the boat. His name did not appear on the register list.
Before departing, Miss Damita denies she and Smith were married by declined to comment on his presence aboard, or what they would do in Honolulu.

WIFE DIVORCES JACK PICKFORD
Los Angeles, Feb. 27 (AP)

Because Jack Pickford, film and stage actor, was described as having “a terrific, jealous nature” and as a man who seldom ate or went to bed, Mary Mulhern, actress, today was in possession of a divorce.
“He would seldom get up until three or four o’clock in the afternoon,” Miss Mulhern, testifying against her husband, yesterday told Superior Judge Walter Guerin. “And it was a continual struggle to get him to eat.”

“THE MAN I KILLED” GIVEN NEW TITLE

“Broken Lullaby” is to be the title of the Ernst Lubitsch dramatic talking picture heretofore called “The Man I Killed.” The decision to change the title of “The Man I Killed,” was reached after the premier of the film when it was learned that the original name created erroneous impressions concerning the character of the story.




RICHARD BENNETT TO DESERT STAGE

Constance, Joan and Barbara Bennett have persuaded their father, Richard Bennett, to turn his back on the stage. The noted actor has been signed to a long term contract by Paramount. He will start work in Hollywood upon completion of his Los Angeles stage engagement in “Cyrano de Bergerac.”



NANCY TO SING

For the first time since she appeared with Charles “Buddy” Rogers in “Follow Thru,” Nancy Carroll sings in her next picture, “Wayward,” which has just been completed at Paramount’s New York studio.

BICKFORD IN NEW ROLE

Charles Bickford, he-man hero in “Dynamite” and “Anna Christie,” has been signed by Paramount to play a leading male role with Paul Lukas and Eugene Pallette in Tallulah Bankhead’s first Hollywood produced picture, “Thunder Below.”

MIZNER WILL ADAPT NEW SPORT PICTURE

Wilson Mizner, writer, sportsman and adventurer, will adapt “The Main Event,” James Cagney’s next starring picture for Warner Brothers, which is based on a story by Gerald Beaumont called “One-Thirty-Three-at-Three.” The story deals with the prize ring, and Mizner’s selection to write the screen version is significant in view of the fact that at one time he was closely connected with the ring as a promoter and manager of boxers. Cagney recently completed “The Crowd Roars” which is soon to be released.




From Luella O. Parsons:

Denverites will probably remember James H. Tabor, picturesque character who happened along during the silver mining days. He was known as Silver Dollar Tabor and his rise from poverty to affluence is a favorite story in and around Colorado.
David Krasner has written a novel called Silver Dollar, based on the life of Tabor. Daryl Zanuck after reading it from the galley proofs was so impressed with its drama that he immediately purchased it.
Just about the time the novel makes its appearance at the book stands Edward Robinson will be seen as its hero. Zanuck feels the part of Tabor is peculiarly suited to Robinson, and that it is a little different from the Oriental and gangster characters he has portrayed in the past.