April 1, 1932

CLAIRE WINDSOR WILL FIGHT SUIT

DENIES CHARGES

Los Angeles, April 1 (UP)
Announcing she intended to fight to the limit a suit for alienation of affections brought against her by Mrs. Marian Y. Read, wife of Alfred C. Read, Jr., Oakland broker, Claire Windsor, former screen actress, who is now appearing here in a stage show with Al Jolson, last night issued a formal statement in which she indignantly denied the charge.

“I met Mr. Read when I was in New York last September,” Miss Windsor said. “He was there on business. He was at several parties I attended. Later, he saw me in Los Angeles several times. And now comes this absurd alienation suit. But it’s terrible being so unjustly accused. I haven’t done anything wrong and I’m going to fight.”




CAREWE, PICTURE DIRECTOR, FREED ON $5000 BOND

Secret Indictment Charges Evasion Of Payment Of $108,547 In Income Tax

Los Angeles, April 1 (AP)
Edwin Carewe, the “maker of stars,” surrendered to-day to an indictment charging him with evasion of income tax law on four counts, involving as sum of $108,547.20. He was released on a bond of $5000.
The film director was named in an indictment returned secretly by the Federal grand jury Wednesday.

He declined to discuss the charges and his attorney, W. I. Gilbert, said he was not familiar with the allegation and could make no statement for his client.

The accusation covered a period from 1926 to 1929. In 1926 it was alleged the director’s income was $96,927.82 and that he failed to pay $8,385. In 1927, he was accused of an evastion of $18,377 on an income of $113,645. For 1928, it was alleged he failed to pay $6639.75 on an income of $34,795.16, and an evasion of $14,836.23 was alleged on his income for 1929 which was placed at $150,081.95

Carewe has directed such outstanding hits as
“My Son,” “Mighty Lak a Rose,” “Resurrection,” “Ramona,” “Revenge,” “Paris First” and “Evangeline,” one of his latest. He is regarded as the discoverer of many players who have reached stardom, among them Dolores Del Rio.

The director entered motion pictures 16 years ago after a notable career on the stage, where he played with Otis Skinner, Rose Coughlan, Laurette Taylor and the late Chauncey Olcott.

The indictment also named G. Wallace Forge, Hollywood income tax expert, who was accused of conspiring to make up false reports on Carewe’s income. Authorities said he was expected to surrender during the day.

Forge was convicted in 1930 on a similar charge and was placed on probation for two years. He had pleaded guilty to aiding Robert Edeson, the late stage and screen star, in preparation of an allegedly faulty return.

“I’m no bookkeeper,” Carewe said in the United States marshal’s office, “and I have no idea what this is all about.”

He protested vigorously against finger printing, but submitted on advice of his attorney.

Gwyne Redwine, assistant United States attorney, explained the indictment arose from diffictulties between Carewe and the Treasury department over profits from a picture produced abroad, featuring Dolores Del Rio. Carewe contends that, as his picture was not produced in this country, the government should not share in profits accruing therefrom.

Carewe is the husband of actress Mary Akin.




AIMEE WINS DEBATE BY 5000 VOTES

Los Angeles, April 1 (UP)
“The results are all wet,” said Walter Huston, actor, to-day after a count of ballots cast by the audience in his recent prohibition debate with Aimee Semple McPherson Hutton, evangelist, showed the latter had won by 5000 votes.

The final tabulation showed Mrs. Hutton to have received 19,471 votes for her “dry” talk while Huston, the “wet,” polled 14,583. Radio listeners balloted with those who packed Angeles Temple to hear the debaters in person.

“It was a great moral victory,” said Mrs. Hutton.




SCREEN ACTRESS HAS BREAKDOWN

Los Angeles, April 1 (UP)
Gertrude Astor, screen actress, was under the care of physicians today following a nervous breakdown. The actress collapsed in the county clerk’s office yesterday while she and her attorney were looking over the records in her suit against Vivian Duncan, actress, for damages alleged to have resulted from Miss Duncan’s occupancy of Miss Astor’s Hollywood home, which she had leased.
Miss Astor was appearing in an important role at the Tee-Art studios. Her illness will necessitate a complete rest at her home for several weeks, her physician stated.





BROTHER OF SCREEN ACTRESSES HELD BY POLICE

New York, April 1 (AP)
John J. Noonan, said to be a brother of Sally O’Neill and Molly O’Day, motion picture actresses, was committed to Tombs Prison to-day by Magistrate Earl Smith to await extradition papers from California, where Noonan is wanted for escaping from a prison road gang.

When he escaped, Noonan was serving a sentence for having robbed the Hollywood home of Ted Lewis, orchestra leader.




LILI DAMITA DENIES THAT SHE’S ENGAGED

San Francisco, March 31 (UP)
Lili Damita, motion picture star, stepped off the liner Malolo today, denied she was engaged to Sidney Smith, scenario writer, and confided she’s had a fine time shooting wild pigs in Hawaii.

Smith, a passenger on the same boat, also denied the reported engagement.




ACTRESS WAGE CASE APPEALED

Los Angeles, April 1 (UP)
The appellate court today considered an appeal against conviction of Mary Nolan, actress, on charges of failure to pay wage claims on the ground it set a precedence which might make all wives responsible for their husband’s debts.

Pleading her case, Attorney Arthur S. Guerin said:
“If Miss Nolan is required to pay debts contracted by her husband, every married woman in California could be criminally prosecuted if her husband engaged in a community business enterprise and failed to pay his debts.”




JOAN’S BRIDAL VEIL SETS WEDDING STYLE

Joan Bennett, the motion picture actress, wore a veil when she was married to Gene Markey, scenario writer, the other day. But it wasn’t a bridal veil. At least, not the usual kind. It was a scrap of wide-meshed net that audaciously stopped before it reached the tip of her nose. And it was worn with a smart spring turban instead of a white satin train.




From Luella O. Parsons

Los Angeles, April 1
I was the most surprised person in Hollywood to-day to hear that James Whale is bringing Ernest Theisaeger and Eva Moore from England for “The Old Dark House” for Universal. Surprised because Whale had written me a letter and told me that he was getting his English talent here in Hollywood.

I have never been one who criticized producers or directors for engaging foreign talent, but in this case I do not see why Whale took the trouble to deny importing an English cast when he probably had already made his arrangements.

There are so many competent people right here in Hollywood out of work who never get a chance that I think before any of the producers cast their pictures it might be well to look over the available lists.




With a characteristic disregard for words to say nothing of expense, Florenz Ziegfeld sends me a telegram in book form explaining about Lupe Velez. “Lupe,” says Ziegfeld, “remains with the Follies as co-star with Bert Lahr.

She has an Equity contract for the run of the play and it will be a long time before she is able to make another picture. She has taken her audiences by storm, and this,” says Ziegfeld, “is remarkable because she only had four days to get up with her part.

Later the Follies will be made into a picture with Lupe in the part she created on the stage. You won’t be hearing the catchy music from Hot-Cha for some time since it is not to be put on the radio or published while The Follies are doing such a big business.”




Joe E. Brown of the wide mouth and golden grin, has given Hollywood something to talk about by riding a bicycle up and down the boulevard. His line of march is usually from his home to the theater, where he is playing in “Square Crooks.” His purpose in doing it is to get practice for his next picture, “You Said a Mouthful,” an original by Lew Lipton. It’s the story of a six-day bicycle race, and if you have ever tried to go fast on a bicycle you know a little practice is necessary.




If you see David Manners walking up and down, absent-mindedly crooning and looking into the distance, it isn’t because he’s in love (although goodness knows he may be for all I know.) He is practicing to play the role in Crooners that Rudy Vallee was said to have had.

Rudy couldn’t get away, and if he could have I doubt if Warner Brothers would have paid him the huge amount of money he asked. David, it appears, has a natural voice, and he has been taking singing lessons to perfect himself in this delectable role.








I’m sorry now I didn’t get myself a horned toad when I was at Palm Springs last week to enter it in the International Horned Toad Derby today. Mrs. Nellie Coffman invited me to have an entrant, but I was afraid all the favorites had been selected. She is calling her two, Calvin Coolidge and John McGroarty. She said she hopes McGroarty will be in good form Derby day, because Calvin Coolidge may not “choose to run.”

Virginia Valli is calling her toad Sunrise. Rouben Mamoulian is calling his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Mrs. Darryl Zanuck has two, Polo and Los Indios.

Charlie Farrell also is entering two, April Fool and Hay Fever. Mervyn Le Roy’s is Little Caesar. Governor Rolph, Governor Olacheo Poncho and Governor George Hunt of Arizona, will give an official touch to this long-talked-of race.




Talked with Louis B. Mayer just after the Aimee Semple McPherson Hutton-Walter Huston debate “Is Prohibition a Success?” He, with the rest of the studio, was amazed at the flood of telegrams, telephone calls and letters that Walter Huston received. Seemed as if the whole world were listening to Aimee and Walter and that all the listeners wanted to express an opinion on prohibition.

I shall be curious to see what effect the debate will have on “The Wet Parade.” It ought to increase the attendance at Grauman’s Chinese theater, for who isn’t interested in the terrific penalty that America is paying since the eighteenth amendment went into effect?

Walter Huston’s popularity should increase after his masterly talk against Mr. Volstead’s law. And certainly Aimee won’t suffer, either. She held her own in the argument.


Snapshots of Hollywood:




The Chief brings back Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon to-day. They have been in New York, Philadelphia and other cities in the East for eight weeks, Bebe radioing, Ben in vaudeville.

Mrs. Borzage is cabling Frank that she will be unable to meet him in London. She cannot make the boat connections in time from Japan.




Warner Baxter is recovering from a bad case of laryngitis.




Constance Cummings, Billie Dove and other film celebs were dancing at the Roosevelt to the Halstead music. The new band was installed there with floral horseshoe and other first night trimmings.




GUILTY GENERATION IS WARNER BROS. FEATURE

“The Guilty Generation,” which opened yesterday at Warner Bros. Theater with Leo Carrillo in the stellar role, features one of the 1931 crop of Wampas baby stars – Constance Cummings, also Robert Young, a young screen player who is rapidly gaining popularity.
Boris Karloff, remembered for his characterization of the monster in “Frankenstein,” also has a prominent role.

How children suffer for the sins of their parents – how family ties make young inncents guilty – is the theme of the picture.

Constance Cummings and Young are the two children who almost come to disaster, not because of their own evil doings, but because they are their parents’ children.

To-morrow, Joe E. Brown will be shown at Warners in his latest comedy, “Fireman Save My Child.”




LIL DAGOVER IN NEW GERMAN FILM AT ROXIE

The Russian film “The Five-Year Plan” is finishing its run at the Roxie International theater this evening and is to be followed by Lil Dagover, in her greatest European talking film triumph, “Elizabeth of Austria” (“Elizabeth Von Oesterrich”) made in Germany and spoken in German. It is not necessary, however, to speak the language to enjoy it, owing to the skill of the artists.

It is an authentic picturization of history reenacted in actual historical spots on streets and in palaces. It is produced on a big scale and presented with a cast of Germany’s best artists.

Daily matinees are given at 2:15 and twice nightly at 7 and 9, with continuous performances on Sunday.