Evening star., 1936-09-06

present solid array. On lin Pan'
Alley and in Hollywood opinion is
divided between those who vehemently
insist radio must be curbed and those
willing to let well enough alone.
Just how much radio, with its stay
= at-home appeal, is cutting into theater
gate receipts no one has yet been able
to show with any degree of accuracy.
That radio is steadily attracting more
and more film celebrities before the
microphone, let alone building up its
own stars who are attracted to the
films, is apparent from any evening
of listening to the programs on the
national networks, on some of the
larger local stations and on the in
creased number of electrical transcript
tions being carried on stations, large
and small.
WITH the National Broadcasting Co.
wv last year opening elaborate new
studios in Hollywood to be nearer that
source of broadcast talent; with Co.
lumbia Broadcasting System recently
acquiring powerful key station of its
own in Hollywood, and now laying
extensive plans for newer and bigger
studios there; with the radio trade
press constantly reporting veritable
hegira of advertising agency radio
executives to Hollywood to supervise
their sponsored programs emanating
Herewith ali these current develop
ments, some leaders of the film indus
try seem to be getting near to panisky.
Last week Jack Cohn, vice presi-
dent of the big Columbia Pictures
Corp, came out with the charge that
movie stars on commercial radio pro-
grams are detracting from attendance
at film houses, particularly in the
neighborhood sections. He said many
small theater operators are protesting
against this free offering of movie
talent, and he suggested that producer
contracts with stars should include
restrictions keeping them from ex-
plotting their movie-built personah-
ties on the air.
Earlier a similar outcry came from
the organized motion picture eXhibi-
torS-but this did not halt the trend
that started last Spring, continued
through this Summer and will gain
full flower this Autumn and Winter,
whereby more and more film stars are
'going radio" A few of the producers
have already written such restrictions
into their contracts with stars, but very
few. Some of the exhibitors, on the
other hand, are encouraging their
for fo hui
possible.
TODAY hardly a major luminary
of Hollywood has failed to appear
on radio programs, regularly or occa-
sionally, and no less directing per-
sonality than Cecil B. De Mile is cur
rently engaged as psoducer of the pop
ular Radio Theater" programs on
C. B. S.. while Louella Parsons. film
writer, each week brings film stars and
scripts Of film productions to the "Hol-
1ywood Hotel" shows on the same net
work.
Even Garbo and DIETRICH have been
on the radio, though only once, and
they are probably not featured regu-
1arly more because their appeal doesn't
register via the microphone than be-
cause they are not wanted for their
prestige. The situation in the movies
parallels that in the concert and stage
fields, in which you can count only
three big-name artists who have con-
sistently declined radio offers and who
have never been on the air in this
country-Kreisler, Rachmaninoff and
Paderewski.
So important is Hollywood becoming
as radio center that personalities
like Jack Benny and Amos n Andy
have announced that they will here
after make their homes there, though
by far the larger proportion of their
incomes come from radio. Mostly,
however, Hollywood's Importance to
radio, aside from the picking up Of
persons identified primarily with the
films, is the fact that so many radio
stars must divide their time between
that city and New York because they
have to fulfill movie contracts.
against its encroachments are met
with the arguments that leaders like
M. H. Aylesworth, former N. B. C.
president, now chairman of R-K-O.
insist the box Office has been aided
rather than hurt by radio exploita-
ton; that radio whets interest in new
films when short previews are offered
on the air; that radio itself has built
up many a personality into box Office
attraction, viz, such previous relatively
unknowns as Bob Burns, Bing Crosby,
Fred Allen, Burns and Allen, Nino
Martini and Rudy Vallee, to mention
only few.
Added to these are such former
vaudeville and musical comedy stars
as Jack Benny, Ben Bernie, Ed Wynn,
Eddie Cantor, Joe Penner, Milton
Berle, Phil Baker, Nelson Eddie and
scores of others who, while they were
previously well known, did not reach
the heights of fame and popularity
until after their radio build-ups. That
radios role is not to be deprecated BY
the movie people is evidenced by the
fact that most film stars are willing
and eager to get the four-figure SAL
aries and guest stipends that are now
being offered by radio, and will un-
doubtedly hold out against restrictive
clauses in their contracts. It is also
manifested by the current activities of
the Warner Bros, film producers and
exhibitors in the radio field.
HAVING recently attempted to go
- it alone with its musical copy
right supply. instead of remaining in
the big ASCAP copyright pool, the
Warner Bros. in only, six months saw
the popularity of their music and mu-
sical films wane when the radio net
works and most of the stations refused
to perform their music.