Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 5

JUNE-27, 1931 5. PURE SMI 2 ii i ii n.n.T.i MATERIAL BY PLAYMAKERS mm a inn Berkeleyans Present Golden; Comedy at City Clulrr Theater Again Tonight c. mi, Head of Comedy Productions Sees Big Changes in 20 Years kj t. V1UJ UAULIk JJUligf Stairs End Nowhere, Houses Roofless SATURDAY EVENING CHRISTIE GOES 'PIES' IS EKED: T9 IJEfl YORK lil GOOD STYLE FILM PIJMPLART. m- HOLLYWOOD.

June 27. War By MARGUERITE TAZELAAR, Al Christie, who heads the Christie Comedy Production, is making his first visit to New York in more WITH Mrs. Frank Bacon Jieading a competent cast. of the Berkeley Playmakers John Oolden's comedy. wag presented last nignt at the Berkeley Women' -City Club.

The play, familiar to bay region audiences through long runs a few years ago, was glv; en a fresh treatment by the local group. Bacon played tho rolet of Grandma SpencV for all Its broad comedy values and; sometimes, (by her vigor, lost effects, evidently misjudging ttre acoustic properties of the. theater. Among the Playmakers In "tho performance acting honors went to Stanley Pedder as Thomas Atklps Sr. His characterization was ly understanding and" projeotetp with subtlety.

Robert Kenwardj as-- 'i I v-r Xhlv A and Lewis Stone in 4., "ALWAYS GOODBYE" t-S Clive Brook and -1 r-" "THE LAWYER'S SECRET" tK JL ill II Fox Oakland I I l'ji Jf) John Davidson and il: Donella Donaldson A ft1.eV,HStA0,no'r i XF-i--V With Mrs. Fiske in his son, carried the juvenile nerm, part with accuracy an ddash after a few false starts In the first Martha McAnear was adequat as the girl who believed in pags as an aid to romance. She conquered. some difficulty with enunciation timing and a second perform ance should find her giving a smooth reading. Others In the ess -were James H.

Ingersoll, Ruth. Langelier, Ellen Irwin Winter. Wlghtman Smith, Clarence Gordon, and Hamilton P. Gait. "Pigs," written by Anne Is the story of exuberant: youth bounding over obstacles.sj sessing illimitable faith and gfeat-: cunning, and saving the homestead bv the simple expedient of buying sick pigs at $260 and-selling them, cured of ourse, for, $2400 in time to get rthe curtain, down on a scene abouindins; in good will, romance and lovo for, over after.

Allan R. Kenward directed tho piece and had the discretion to At- tempt nothing but straight comedyf interpretation. The play will b'a'; given its final performance this evening. R. O.

Rock Ridge De Molay. Installs Tonight Installation ceremonies at Roc It, Ridge chapter. Order of -will Induct new officers for the. coming term tonight, according to. Ed Golns, retiring master couu-, cilor.

Ernest Toms, newly elected mas ter, will be tented In the East, aa Rock Ridge chapter's leader dur- than a year for the purpose of obtaining new material and to get "pepped up." He ia visiting the theaters nightly, conferring with his business associates at the Educational Film offices they release his comedies nd he ia also lining up acting and writing talent for next year's program. He appears to find the outlook in the motion picture field optimistic, and plans to begin a heavy schedule of production at his Hollywood studios as soon as he returns west next week. GOES TO HOLLYWOOD Christie, a pioneer tn the film Industry, drew some interesting parallels between the eurly years when he was getting a start and the present. It was just 20 years ago, in 1911. that Christie and a handful of fellow workers set out for Hollywood following experi-nientH In the new field of motion pictures made In Bayonne, N.

Staten Island and Chicago. He had come to the' conclusion that sunshine, space and lack of rain were essential to making pictures on a targe scale, and had a hunch that California would offer an Ideal Bpot' for the- things he had in mind. Arriving In Hollywood, ht ac quired an old barn in what was-4 then a sleepy village, with dusty country roads, overhanging pep per treea and the blue haze of the mountains behind It. as now. He transferred the barn Into Hollywood's first motion-picture studio, using the stalls for dressing rooms and the barn proper for the stages.

His company consisted of a dozen or more players headed by Harold Lockwood and Dorothy Davenport, who later married Wallace Reld. PICTURES TURNED OUT. Three, directors turned out three pictures a week for Christie. The highest paid received $100 a week at that time and was the envy of his contemporaries. The stars got anywhere from $60 to $75 or $80 a week, while extras made $1 a day.

Usually a Western comedy and society drama were under way atrthe studio or out "on location." The films were one reel in length and were made by daylight, so that the elaborate lighting problem of present-day pictures was eliminated. Horses were bought cheaply from rangy cowboys, and sometimes the laconic owners were Induced to loin the extra ranks, to stive the Westerns a bona Iiae touch. For expenditures Christie received a weekly check of $1600 from his backers In the East. This had to cover all expenses including the building of the studio I. revamping the barn, paying salaries to the actors, director, studio mechanics, and covering the cost of properties, costumes and Incidentals, which meant that the young manager had to figure on approximately S500 a picture PRICES GO HIGHER "Now It costs hie $25,000 to make a two-reel comedy," he said.

"An average director gets $1000 a week. We pay our top stars from $3000 to $4000 a week and a large slice of money goes to the high-powered staff of writers who Invent the plots, gag them and dialogue them. Settings are more expensive todav than they have ever been, for the public has been taught to expect luxury and elegance In pictures, while costumes, too. must come up to scratch. "The producer of features, or long pictures, think nothing of spending $45,000 for the rights of a storv or play.

Immediately adding $25,000 to that, for Its adaptation. Extras make from $7 to $10 a dav, which Is so small Item when a thousand or more are used for weeks at a time," W-ovft Mart' Man to Be Sentenced Aug. 3 SAN DIECIO. June JT: (UPJ Sentencing of John P. Mills, wealthy real estate operator.

In connection with "love market rharges. was delayed until Aug. 3 hv Judge L. N. Turrentlne today.

Mills was a co-defendant with Alexander Pantages and others, but pleaded guilty and appeared as a state's witness. j( I I i jidc niTMP5TFAn.l Fir.H'M 1 1 Auditorium, June 30 4 TSSh Fulton "ILLICIT" -LS Century 1 r. Stanislaus Canneries Begin RODEO BEVEL AT Lack of Courtesy Blamed For Most Traffic Crashes Apricot Crop ularly those In reference to signals, ren William, popular Broadway leading man who left tins cast of "The Vinegar Tree" to fly to Holly wood for a. motion picture career, is compiling a modern "Alice In Wonderland" volume which he has titled "Adventures in Hollywood. William, who looks like John Barrymore and who is now play ing opposite Bebe Daniels in her latest First National picture.

"The Honor of the Family," declares that a discovery a day keeps the ennui away. "One of the first discoveries," he relates," was that all motion pic ture streets are crooked. No one ever saw a street built for motion pictures that was over a block or so in length. They all turn, In order to hide the fact that they are movie streets, ana naiuruiiy uo not extend for miles and miles." A second chapter in the book Is on movie stairways. They never lead anywhere.

If they go up, they run into a blank wall. If they sro down, they land In the dirt under the stage. STAIRS END "If you travel by movie Btalr-ways. you'll never get anywhere," William observes. "We have several in "The-Bonor of the They are beautiful stairways, very ornate and with beautiful carpets.

But I have quit trying to use them. They lead to nowhere." Another Item Is movie ships that never sail. Their decks sway with the waves, and their sails bulge with gusts of wind from wind machines, but they stay right in the same place, 20 miles from the nearest salt water. Then there are movie trains, elevated railways, subways and uch. "Like the movie stairways, they never go anywlfera either," William says.

"The trains never have an engine. They may be propelled by electric power, but they never go more than a city block. Luxurious Pullmans, English and French compartment cars, all built to scale and exact as to size and appearance, but they are no good for getting places." As for the perambulating Dun-slnane forest, there are Hollywood forests that put It to shame. They appear oh three different sets In a single week. In formal gardens.

In Kansas landscapes, and in Eng-llNh parks. Moved from set to set In their huge boxes, they are the modern traveling trees. Motion picture stores may he stocked with the finest goods In the market, but they have no cus tomers. ICHORS PUHE FAKES. Veteran motion picture Jurors have served months on Jury panel, but have never been inside of a real courtroom.

Motion picture judges have never been elected. Motion picture rouge and lipstick are brown, not red, because red photographs black. Cemeteries In' motion pictures have only imitation marble headstones. They have submarines that reallv dive, but do not travel under water. The houses nevef have roofs and the rooms never have ceilings.

This Is to enaDie me eipcirro i -rent their lights down onto the plavers from above. Motion picture fog Is made of mineral oil, shot through huge atomizers. A director must have a clear day for rain scenes, and he can make night scenes under a bright mld-dav sun. In motion picture battles, the firing Is all done by one man who explodes the mlnea and aerial bombs by electric control. "Hut I found one thing that Is genuine, much to my sorrow," William suld.

"That is duels. I fight one with Alan MOWDroy in mt Honor of the It Is a real-duel with real dueling swords, and Mowbray Is no slouch at the game. had the finest instructor In Hollywood who taught me for weeks before we made the scene. In Hollywood there Is no substitute for a duel. Now why did these smart technicians overlook that one." Sea Floor Studies Described in Report BERKELEY, June 27.

Determination of the conditions under which strata which now are dry land far above sea level were deposited millions of years ago may he made possihle through the work of a study completed by the University of California Scrlpps Institution of Oceanography. E. M. Thorp, research assistant who Is Author of the report. Indicated today that this far reaching effect might result from the explorations of the bottom of the up to more than three miles deep which he describes in the report.

The studies have been carried in during the Past two years In the North Atlantic and the Carri-bean districts by the university in collaboration with the U. S. coast and geodetic survey, the U. 8. bureau of soils and the U.

B. geological survey. Nearly 200 samples of the sea bottom were brought to the surface and studied. Thorp analyzed the samples for different kinds of minerals and different kinds of remains of organisms In them, end combined the findings in the report. Project for Mayor Emeritus Dropped A' project for the creation of another position of "mayor emeritus" of the city of Oakland for former Mayor Frank K.

Mott was started by the city council yesterday, but was not followed through. An ordinance creating the position and naming Frank K. Mott was given first reading by the council and was then ordered to be "held for calL" or placed In the file until it ie revived. Commis-missloner Ernest L. Thompson introduced the ordinance, declaring that "Oakland advanced more during Mott's term of office than thai of any other mayor." Mayor John Davie already Is mavor emeritus, having been named -to Jiold this non-salaried position after July 1.

"If we have more mayor emeri-tuses," said Commissioner Frank Colbourn, "we might as well round tip George C. Pardee, M. C. Chapman and many other distinguished ox-mayors of Oakland." Nobody seconded the motion. Work on 1931 PATTERSON, June 27.

Giving employment to Beveral hundred persons, canneries In Stanislaus county today are eiiRaged In their annual run on apricots. Although the crop is heavy and reported In good condition, the canneries are not expected to run as long as uHual. because many growers are drying their crops. producers, at a general meeting. decided there Is greater profit to be made by drying their fruit this year.

Swim Classes Ing tho next four months. Jack; -Bowles will be given the office of senior councilor, while Robert Clark will go Into service as junior councilor, the third member of tho chapter triumvirate. Ed Golns has tho program In. charge, asd will act as chief In- stalling officer, assisted -by JUles' Von Ndstitr, Henry Schaurer, ind Al Schuster. Dr.

Alexander Allen, pastor 'of St. Paul's Episcopal church by tho lake, will be the speaker of tho evening. Following the dance, open to all friends of the'' order, will be given. Pupils' Handiwork Shown at Church RICHMOND, June 27. A -dU- play of handiwork done by pupils of the Dally Vacation Bible school of the Stege Presbyterian church was shown last night at tho closing exercises of the school, Tho program which Included reading" and musical numbers was held tinder the direction of a' committee.

composed of Miss Eva Anthes. Miss Katrlna Andreason, Mrs. Meryl, Blah, and MUs Margaret Sklles. in- strustors. Agents Buy Booze And Arrest Seller SAN FRANCISCO, Juno 2t Mlml I per at was arrested yes-, terdav on a charge of violating tho prohibition act by federal agents who raided his apartment at 1 8 2 1 Hyde street.

Undercover agents said that Imperato fold them eight drinks of whiskey Ind a bottlo.oj whiskey. Although Impefrato rei cently took pauper's oathhs) Immediately provided a $1000 Several weeks ago he served J4 days In jail on a similar charge- For Businessmen, Women In a iitnmnlillA driving was held responsible 76 per cent of trarnn accmeins in address bv Douglas Evey the Eastbnv Safety, council before members of tho Fleet Owners' Accident Prevention association at a meeting yesterday at the Athens Athletic iluli. Disregard for the rights of others on the city streets, whether they are motorists or pedestrians, was held by Evey to be the "greatest traffic menace," In any American city. lie said that the truck driver, who In the past has been the direct cause of many accidents through lack of consideration for others on the streets and highways, now was emerging as a "safe and sane motorist." VICTIMS OP PREJUDICE "Truck drivers," he said, "are now victims of public prejudice, and they are striving earnestly to correct this impression through safe and courteous driving." Members of the association constitute representatives from various organizations using fleets of trucks and delivery cars, and Is operated as part of the Safety council, which Is one of the 63 Community Chest units. L.

F. Hacklev, chairman of the association, and a representative of a local cab company, presided at the Athens club meeting. He said that the association's members would endeavor to work on behalf of "greater traffic safety at all times." Evey said also that he Intended to recommend tn the Safety council that some system of reporting Instances of courtesy on the part of automobile drivers be adopted Immediately. GREATER CARE PRGED He urged greater care In observing the traffic regulations, partic MEMBERSHIP speeding and driving on the wrong side of the street. "A truck driver Is a public representative of the company for which he works, and if he continually practices discourtesy on the streets through failure to grant the right-of-way and other lnfractlons of the law he Is bound to lose business for that organization, he said.

Plans for launching a courtesy campaign throughout Oakland are now being formulated by the Safety council with Evey. as general chairman. It Is Intended to direct attention to "those specific angles of discourtesy which cause the majority of accidents" In the campaign. Mother of Army And Navy Is 99 COLMA, June 27. Mrs.

Minerva Hartman. who lives at "Minerva's Fort," near here, and who was dubbed the "mother of the United States army and navy" by act of congress, celebrated her ninety-, ninth birthday today. She claims to be the only living woman nurse who served on the battlefields of the Civil war, and also tells of how she worked with Florence Nightingale during the Crimean war. Mrs. Hartman was born June 26, 1832.

Her home, known as the "Fort," was recently moved high on stilts by state and county officials to make way for widening work on the main peninsula highway. The road runs past her door. APPLICATION More than 800 tons are expected to be' handled at the El Dolyo ranch near here. In addition to drying Its own crop, the ranch company, through E. 11.

Watt, superintendent, has announced It will handle the output of local Independent growers. Under the El Solyo plan, the fruit Is dried there In big and, If the grower desires It, Is packed under the ranch or private brand and marketed through the organization In sizes reaching upward, from one pound. Tomorrow the coupon published on this page and present It. signed and addressed, to the bath house attendant, who will direct you to Miss Hill. Do this when ypu are' ready for your first lesson, as there is no advantage in signing before you are prepared to swim.

Community History Related for Club SAN LKANDRO, June 27. The romance, the history and the tradition of Snn Leandro were told by Mrs. Belle Hopper, member of the Soroptlmlst club, at a luncheon and meeting of the organization yesterday. Mrs. Hopper presented a number of old photographs of scenes and persons of early day San Leandro.

Thn pictures are part of a valuable collection gathered by the local woman over a long period of years, San Leandro, formerly a county seat. Is replete with historical associations, the speaker explained. The site of the city was a small part of an Immense, land grant given Don Peralta by the king of Spain, according to Mrs. Hopper. Mrs.

Minerva Peterson was guest of honor at a birthday fete In con junction with the meeting. Dailv student take time out from The TRIBUNE'S free swimming lessons tomorrow when business men and women take part In the weeklv special It will be the third Sunday of the campaign, and judging by the turnout of employed persons In the first two. Miss Martha Hill, Instructor, Is expecting about 70 students. These Sunday lessons begin at 10 a.m. and extend over two one-hour periods until noon.

There were two at the same time this morning, but most of those who participated were members of the regular weekday classes. I)uring the week women students predominate. Most of the men get their opportunity for free instruction only on Sundays. Several men are Included in the daily classes, with husbands and wives on their vacations forming a small percentage of the attendance. Miss Hill prescribes a course of fundamental instruction which Is easy to learn.

Her students. In most cases, have picked up the rudimentary knowledge In four lessons and on their fifth they have dived into deep water like veteran swimmers. The only requiBjte for registration is that the applicant must be over 10 years of age. To gain ad- mlttnnrp t-i the classes, jnwt clip 1 FOX OAKLAND Old-time western whoopee, with plenty of cowboys and cowgirls, trick ropers and bull-warkers, will characterize the big midnight rodeo revel slated for the Fox-Oak land theater sturtlng ut 11:30 tonight. The event Is being staged as a prologue to the JJverntora rudco.

scheduled for July 3, 4 and 5, and the major share of the talent Is be ing furnished by Llvermore Uoilco association. Plans are In charge of T. B. Norrls, president of the association, and Frank New man, theater manager. A low per cent western allow Is guaranteed.

Of particular interest will be the appearance of several rodeo champions, among them the famous Johnson Brothers, two youngsters of 1 2 and 14, noted for their trick J-rank Dean, Australian champion trick and fancy roper and bull-whacker; Reid Whiting, accordionist, and Marco Borello, trick and fancy riding champion of Llverinore'a 1930 rodeo. Sixteen special acts are being ar ranged for presentation. As an added attraction. Fanchon and Marco's "Three Klg Figures Idea," an elaborate stage revue, will be given a post-mldnlKht showing and will be followed by Paramount's film drama," The Lawyer's Secret." Clive Brook, Charles Rogers, Richard Arlen and Fay VVray are the prlnclpul players. Berkeley Burglars Make Three Hauls June 27.

Fifty dollars and 60 cartons of cigarettes were stolen from a chain grocery at 1403 Grove street during the night. The theft Wds discovered this morning when the store was opened for business. More than 1100 worth of clothes was taken from the home of John Nelson, 2698 Sacramento street, by a burglar who climbed through a rear window. At the honiepf Gertrude Gant- ful prow lers broke a Indow, looted the Ice box of foodstuffs and departed. Florida Prison Escape Finds He Is Not Wanted SACRAMENTO, June 27.

Proving that a man's conscience sometimes tortures too well. J. J. Lewis, 41. walked into the office of Clarence Morrill, chief of the state bureau of criminal Identification.

ves- terday to surrender as a fugitive from Justice, end discovered hewas not wanted. Lewis told officials of the bureau he escaped from a Florida road camp In ,192 after serving two years on a charge of assault with a dealjr weapon. His conscience had always bothered him. he said, and he wanted to get matters right. Telegrams were immediately sent to the Florida authorities and si hour later tbe reply cams, saying Lewis was not wanted.

The Lack of Money makes any trouble twice as hard to bear! Unemployment, illness, worry these are hard to bearl But twice as hard with the additional worry of no funds with which to meet them! Remember we are here to help you! We will lend you money on your household furnishings or on personal property of tangible value such as diamonds, jewelry, watches, silverware. Our rate of interest Is. only 1 a. month 5 fee on furniture loans only. OAKLAND REMEDIAL Membership in the Oakland TRIBUNE Airplane Model League only costs you a 2-cent stamp.

The TRIBUNE has arranged to run a brand-new series of articles on outdoor model airplane construction, leading up to spectacular and thrilling junior races at Oakland airport. Job with other air-minded boys and girls of Northern California, fill out the coupon below and send it, with a stamped envelope, to Airplane Model Contest Director, Oakland TRIBUNE. Oakland, California. I wish to enroll tn The OAKLAND TRIBUNE Airplane Model League for 1931. Please send me without chsrg or obligation, my membership card I encloaeva stamped, self-addressed -envelope to cover postage.

Free School of Swimming Sixth Annual "Learn to Swim" Campaign June 8 to August 8, inclusive Present this coupon at NEPTUNE BEACH BATH HOUSE FOR FREE SWIMMING INSTRUCTION Name Addiesa City LOAN ASSOCIATION 516 Sixteenth Street TE mplebar SchooL TIMK OF CXA.NSES DAILY CTJtSSES Morning- lo 10 4b to 1 1 to 12:11 I Dally Kxcept Saturday and Sunday! Afternoon to 2:00 to 2 4i to Ilially Except Saturday and Sondsyl Special Claseea for ployed Herone 8ATI RIAT AND SPNIAT MORNING 10 to 11:08 and I10 to 0s Applicant must be over ten years of in Begnlar admission charge1 to park and pool Ag Horns Addr City Phone Kiobir. A.