The Washington times., 1935-06-25
Call the Shots

Nall ~ ~ ~ sSAS
In making the complaint spC
cific Motion Picture Herald cite
particular reasons why this typ
Of publicity is detrimental to tn
industry and the exhibitor. It says
'PattersOn's first protest was
made late in February when,
during the showing Of Warner
Brothers Devil Dogs Of the
Air. SkOlsky spread the news
that James Cagney, . daring
flying Marine In the picture,
was actually afraid to look off q
high building.
Following Mr.. PattersOn'S pro-
test, and his explanation Of how
much material might prove
harmful to the exhibitor, 1t was
agreed by the Free Press to
eliminate from the writer's
column anything that might
prove harmful. According to the
editors, q number of Skolsky's
statements which they thought
would be detrimental to the ex.
hibitOrs' interests were deleted-
but in spite Of their watchful
eye, repeated exposes Of pro-
ducer.tricks used in picture max
ing continued to find their way
into the paper.
"When M-G.M's 'Sequoia' was
showing in Detroit, the column
mist removed considerable audi
ence thrill by explaining that ia
. scene where a Chinese baby is
threatened with death from the
fangs Of . rattleSnake the baby
was really in no danger because
. piece Of plate glass protected
him from the snake.
"The same week that M-G-M'S
Reckless was p laying at
United Artists Theater, his col
umn carried the enlightening
news that Jean Harlow neither
danced nor sang in the picture.
being doubled in each case by
professionals.
''Writing of goth Century's
Les MiserabIeS,' Skolsky said
that one Of the pictures most
dramatic scenes, featuring
Charles Laughton and Fredric
March, was shot in two parts
with . month elapsing between
the first and second. Also, he
stated that Les MiserableS' was
shot in only "a days.
Destroys Illusion
Mr.. Patterson contends that
the use of the word "OnIy" can
be interpreted by the average
movie patron to mean nothing
else but that instead Of being a
carefully made picture, as 1t was,
lies MiserabIeS' was merely an
inferior, hastily-taken "quickie, ="
which it decidedly was not.
Other material in this column,
that finally led to the cancella-
ton Of United Detroit display
advertising in the Free Press, in
Cluded the statement that when
George Raft discovered the body
of . murdered man ON q de.
serted street at midnight, in
''The Glass Key" it was not mid.
night at all-but noon ON the
Paramount lot, and that the
door knob seen prominently at
the left, leads to Marlene Die.
trich's dressing room. that
Paramount was having consider
able trouble In arranging proper
adaptations Of Dashlell Ham
Tnett'S stories that public
Hero No. 1" was produced hur-
riedly and at small cost, in order
to cash in on the popularity Of
the Federal Agent type Of pic.
ture. and so on.
All in all, it is the contention
of protest that SkOIsky'S column
had the effect Of destroying that
0ll-impOrtant movie factor, illu.
sion, by exposing producer meth.
DDS, revealing production Sched-
UleS and locations for settings,
and by commenting upon the
difficulty Of getting satisfactory
adaptations Of stories by a IA
nous author.
Offer CoIumnist
Ed Sullivan, Broadway colum
mist, has been submitted to tn,
Fox Theater as a possible head
liner. He would head an assembled
vaudeville revue serving as Emcee
In New York this act is Of valu,
because Of the guest stars who cal
be induced to take, a bow and pre-
vide an unprogramed thrill. HOY
much a New York celebrity i
worth out Of town without tn
guest star trimmings is tn
booker'S problem.
Can Champ Do 1t?
Heavyweight Champion Jimm,
Braddock Is due to start q jaun
over the vaudeville circuits soon
He has signed with the William
Morris office and if audiences turl
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