Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07

to Hollywood. The song
writer's and the song plug
a gers have packed up and
crossed the country. In the tu-
ture, Song hits will come from the
West Coast, and not from Broad
way. This mcve, aside from the
flow of stage actors and actresses
to Hollywood, is the biggest single
change made by the sound photo
plays. New York as a song pro-
duction center will be about as
productive in the future as Wash
ington.
The producers of photoplays are
now about as much interested in
producing a song hit as they are
in manufacturing a superb movie.
The picture which Is accompanied
by good lyrics and melodies will
have about as good chance to
succeed as a Mary Pickford effort
in the old silent days" Nearly
all of the leaders of the musical
profession have been lured to the
West Coast, and more are on their
way. And, In Hollywood, they find
a new manner of life and method
of work awaiting them. They
IluSG WTltC d1AO lOl1AROSC SAa oNAtSN
ule: They have to work by day,
and usually, all day. Studio
routine Is run on lines OF iron
discipline, and In certain OF the
studios these tune geniuses"
from the Great White Way are
punching time clocks.
The song writer's of the First
National Vltaphone organization
are housed in one big office build
inc, which Is Allied with the sound
of pianos, saxophoneS and voices,
together with some tap-dancing.
From morning to night. songs are
written and tried out and dialogue
scenes for the talkieS are re-
hearsed. Ten of the company's
writer's have turned out As &C
csptable songs since February,
and these are to be Incorporated
in new screen productions.
The composers and lyric writer's,
of course. work in pairs. Each
pair has an Office, and an entire
department is under the super
vision of one man. And, after all,
the sound pictures are proving to
be big money makers for the COM
posers-and the California climate
is reported to be much better than
that of New York.
x "
NOW that screen revues are
4 popular. all the producers are
taking whirl at them. The latest
announcement concerns the
Warner Brothers, who say they
will bring out revue with Char
lotte Greenwood and John Barry
mere in the cast. Al Jolson and
Ted Lewis may also have parts.
CHICAGO is in the midst of a
~ censorship fight. and one
Windy City newspaper character
ICES censorship boards as stupid
nuisanceS." The same writer, In
an editorial, says: mo trust can
be put in any board Of city
appointees whose job is regulation
and suppression. A censorship
beard will be stupid nuisance,
because 1t Is its nature to be. It
will not show any intelligence, be-
cause it does not contain any. Its
Job Is to prevent something"
Police Commissioner Russell OF
Chicago banned THE Trial OF
Mary Dugan." The reason given
was that Mary was not good
girl. The Billie Dove picture,
Careers" recently screened in
Washington, was allowed to be
exhibited in Chicago if children
were not admitted to the theaters.
The really big thing about CEN
sorship is the fact that it creates
new political jobs. There is one
State in the Union with a censor
ship board containing a news
paper man or two. A dramatic
critic who "censors" the movies
in his spare time draws down
$4,000 each year from the State
government. He chuckles about
the matter, and when queried, re-
plies: well, what am I going to
do? Must be little dummy and
turn down this six grand? Gen.
sorship may be the bunk and all
that sort Of thing, but 1T pays to
censor"
y
THE foreigners, through action
of various governments, have
dacided not tn 90 In too strongly