The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-06-20
Hollywood is full Of stars Nth more
money than brains. . Since they vouldnt
knop phai 10 do Nth either. somebody might
as nell take the former.

these cases the victims are absolutely innocent.
but the racketeers generally manage to get some
kind of a settlement out of court because the
stars cannot afford to have their names dragged
into scandals even though they know the charges
to be unjust.
Studios also come in for their share Of law
suits. although a good share Of these charge
plagiarism. Would-be writers from all parts
Of the country are continually suing various stu
dos for stealing their stories. Not one pei cent
of these persons ever are awarded damages by
a court. Nevertheless their practices are an
noyine and are largely responsible for the stu
dos discontinuing to buy stories on the open
market. All manuscripts submitted to studios
and there are thousands Of them every year
now are returned to the authors unopened.
The studios either buy published stories or en-
gage authors of known regulations.
Every movie star who rises suddenly to prom
inence and the huge salaries and sudden wealth
which 70 with il, lives in daily fear of lawsuits.
Such stars are Immediately marked men and
women, considered as fit subjects for suits by
anyone who can think Of 4 plausible excuse for
going to court. Not only breach Of promise
and similar suits face the men. but all kinds Of
personal injury suits are 2 perpetual menace.
Some Of the stars actually refuse 70 drive or
own their own automobiles because Of the ex.
cellent chance that unscrupulou, racketeers vii!
frame" an injury and 90 to court for alleged
damages. And the wealthy movie star, whose
money seems to come 50 easily, has little chance
for an even break before most juries.
PERPETUAL watch must be maintained
to prevent the Unauthorized use Of the
stars names. Unless they are on the alert,
they are likely to wake up any morning and
find that they have indorsed the eating Of
Clipped Bed Stats for breakfast. or the Rapid
Reducing Ray for Excess E4uators. though
they had previously heard Of neither.
Their names are in constant unauthorized use
by people using them as a reference. although
the stars may not even know. let alone approve.
the people they are said to recommend"
Only recently one Of the Hindu "Swamis."
who find 50 many eager devotees among lonely
encee the alleged fact that Mary Pckford.
Charles Chaplin. and George Arliss were de-
voices Of his cult. All these movie stars denied
that they even knew the Swami. and have prom
ised to testify to that effect when the Swami
goes into municipal court to face charges pre-
ferred by a woman who claims he wronsed her
after gaining her confidence by telling how the
stars swore by HIN.
Even theater owners out here might be ac-
cused of being racketeers. Certain ~long-run
houses make a practice of charging FIVE dollars
admission on opening nights. However. the
show is the same that can be seen the following
day for anywhere from so cents to a dollar and
a half. Nevertheless the house always is sold
out on the opening night. The stars pay their
FIVE dollars. doll up in evening clothes and 80
there to be seen.
And the other suckers pay their FIVE dollars
for chance to see the celebrities and with the
secret hope Of. being able to go home and say
they cat next to Clara Bow at one of Holly
woods ~prenieres. If that isn't a racket. we
don't know what is.
OUCH p~remieres unconsciously serve another
/ purpose. They give the kids = chance to
get in on this racketeerins business. The
kids know that anywhere from 500 to 5000
curious spectators will be crowded around the
entrance Of the theateIs to catch slimpse: Of the
stars as they enter, So they appear. with boxes
Of all shapes and sizes. ceiling them to the
throng for Is or 50 cents each. When the
crowd disperses. they gather up their boxes and
save them for the next opsnins.
Another racket upon which the youths have
a monopoly is that Of pointing out stars homes.
Saturdays and Sundays always find them
parked in convenient locations. their dilapidated
Fords covered with huge signs p~roclaiming to
the world that they will point out the homes Of
movie stairs for so cents. Sometimes they point
out the real homes Of the stars and sometimes
they don't. bus. since the touriats for whom they
act as guides don't know the difference. every
one goes home satisfied.
Yes. folks. Chicago may have its sanssters.
: but when it comes to real hish-class racketeer-
ing. Hollywood makes them look like babes.