The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 45

The a in -toe 1 ORAjtfA BOOKS AKT MUSIC I. Vol. xlviii. SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 12, 1929. WHERE TO GO.

CAMERA TYROS MAKE RECORDS Every Man His Own Motion Picture Director May be Realized in Near Future LIGHT SHED ON SOUND PICTURES First uTalkien Film Shotcrt Here in 1910 Amateurs Doing High-Grade 4 Picture Work More Than 5000 Cranking Machines Here Early Experience Resulted iri Decided Flop Screen Stars Taking to Fad With Enthusiasm Synchronization Struggle Ended in Failure ws is -nits only 'SHfeerX fat i I I wmt Ths ufe 1 ft I BY MTEIEL BABCOCK 'The. rise of the amateur and the home screen Is today one of the striking developmentsof motion-picture photograpWy. Amazing strides In the taking of "moon pitchers" by the home folks have been achieved In the last year or two. A conservative prediction Is that there are perhaps 150,000 amateur camera users today throughout the United States probably 5000 of these In Los Angeles county and almost 10,000 in the State of California. Thus, curiously enough.

It will be seen that the West, pioneer to motion pictures, again takes the lead In this remarkable development of Interest on the part of those entirely without the theatrical profession the home folks. The amateur movement strikes peculiarly human notes. Junior, In his first rompers, is being preserved to posterity nowadays, not in the family album, but in the film can. When company comes calling there is no searching through un-catalogued envelopes of snapshots of last summer's automobile vacation trip. Instead, the projection machine is dragged from its corner in the hall closet, lights turned off and lo, on the home screen flashes a continuous moving picture of all that happened on the big trip.

SOME FINE WORK DONE Practically every kind of picture, from portraits to travel films, from impromptu bits of drollery to serious pieces of dramatic action most of them caught on the fly or from home-prepared scenarios are being shot Some really fine pieces of camera work are being done by individuals governed entirely by a desire to create for themselves. Robert J. Flaherty, known for his "Nanook of the North" and one of the pioneer amateur photographers, some time ago said that the amateur In motion pictures would do for films what the amateur theater has done for the stage. 1 'jrt ''f I Mi llW llittiU 4 -V Mrmti 1 iUTO AID 5RATUY IN PRESERVING-THE -1 is i i i m. crn I a.taflk.

I UF FAMILY CAf USfcLJ fcJJ UP ITAMILV CAT t) BY WILLIAM HAMILTON CtTN'S The silent movies, long "in then? infancy," having discovered thai they are really half a century old-dating their origin from an expert ment made to Palo Alto that long ago let's throw a little Hght on tho antiquity of the latest phase of tha flickers, now creating a furore in the industry the talkies. As a matter of fact, they're not so new as some folks would have you thinlc not by any means. The first movies, made la 1879, were achieved on a race track at Palo Alto where a series of cameras were planted, with a string from the shutter of each stretched across the course. A trotter broke eacn string and snapped each shutter as he went along, and the series of pictures, flicked rapidly, showed tha equine racing and proved that an four feet were off the ground an one time, which was the reason for taking the views, and the only rea son. The "movie' angle was Just overlooked, that's all, till Edison made the idea into a business and thence evblved the movie of today; I don't know who added tha "talkie" feature first, but I do know that about 1910, possibly earlier, E.

A. (Pop) Fischer sunk a lot of money presenting the first talkies in new presenting the first talkies in. Los Angeles and they were called "talking pictures" then, as now. "Pop" had a musical comedy the, ter to San Francisco before tha 'quake and Are, and used to present the old Weber and Fields shows, with Kolb and Dill to the original parts. They were great shows for that day, and "Pop" made a fortune.

Then the disaster, and ha was well nigh wiped out He cama to Los Angeles, opened a little musical comedy theater, the Princess, in First near Main, and rapidly worked back. Out of that small playhouse came many of tha best known "coast defenders" of the early century years, by the way; it lived till the city took over the site for tha City Hall. BUYS TALKIE RIGHTS Pop" was a keen, shrewd" German; a natural-born showman. Ha early put pictures into his Princess show. Then somebody evolved ina first so-called talkie and "Pop" got wind of them, went east and bought the rights.

He rented a storeroom in Spring street, next to the Angelas, covered it with electric lights, put down a tile sidewalk to which "talking pictures" shouted forth, and opened up. Then he took the prize flop of his career. The talkies wouldn't talk; they were dumber than the proverbial oyster; something was wrong; nobody ever discovered what "Pop" lost a heap of money, and finally gave up tha ghost. For years, only memories and "talking picture" lettering the sidewalk reminded Angelenos that such things ever were dreamed. However the ghost, like that of (Continued on Page 21, Column 2) SvrwS Tcowe 00T OP TtG DP "me.

Bauu TO eeNATCWBlX FROM PITCHING TO MOVIES How Fred NeWmeyer Came to California With Lame Arm and Became Famous as Director TALIOE SONGS NOT EASY Writers of Lyrics for Spoken Movies Cannot Wail for 4 Inspiration; Must Produce to Order Oscar Leoant and Sidney Clare, tong iorilert for radio plcbres, have compiled tome interesting facts about the neat technique of motion picture long writers which may be of help to those tcho mould compose. was time when, the aspiring song writer, courted by the musical muse, rushed to his rented piano in a hall bedroom, and labored and sweated over the keys through the wee sma' hours until he had BY SPEED KENDALL A baseball pitcher came to California to 1912 to pick oranges. "Bone-setter" Reese of Youngs town, famous to baseball circles, dispatched him to the Southland because his left flipper went bad on him. Lehrman's "Roaring Lions on the Midnight Express." But when the lions got a little bit rough I thought it was time to quit again. "I don't know what possessed me to do it but I paid Roach a visit He asked me if I could make up for a sea-dog.

I was fairly good at make-up so when I returned as Neptune, Hal told me if I would stick around the lot for a year he might give me something good to do. "For some reason I stuck around until one day when Roach almost knocked me for a loop. He called me to his office, handed me a sheet of paper and told me to go out and make a picture. In those days the scenarios were written on one piece of paper for a one-reeler. "Snub Pollard was the headline attraction for the picture.

It all scared me to I told Hal that (Continued on Page 28, Column 3) Raymond Griffith, one of the most enthusiastio amateurs of Hollywood, reiterates this statement and ex pands upon it. "The reason for this," he explains, "lies in the fact the amateur creates for himself. He prepares his own story material The producer takes novels, plays and scripts gotten together by some one else and has them put on the screen. The amateur thinks and creates for himself. What he does is much more interesting and exciting from the standpoint of artistic achievement and growth." Although few people outside his drcls of friends realize it, G.

Allan Hancock of Los Angeles is one of the finest of amateur photographers and has a collection of work of unusually high quality. Earle C. Anthony, T. L. Tally, Charles E.

La-throp, Harry Haldeman and Dr. Continued on Page 2L Column 4) NATION'S SCULPTURE SHOWN Tonnage and Quality Compete for Visitors Attention in Exhibit at San Francisco HOW ASTOR FORTUNE GREW New Book Tells Vioidly Story of Founding, Growth of Merchant Princes Wealth BY THOMAS F. FORD JOHN JACOB ASTOR. Landlord of New York. By Arthur D.

Howden -) Smith, J. B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, In this masterly biography of John Jacob Astor the author has found fertile field for picturesque narrative. In it we have a panoramic picture of America developing from crude pioneer beginnings to a rich nation with factories springing up everywhere and great cities emerging BY ARTHUR MILLIER The colossal exhibition of contemporary American scultpure, which opened April 27 for six months at the California Palace of tha Legion of Honor, San Francisco, offers the West an unparalleled cross-section view of the national achievement presenting 1327 exhibits which occupy sixteen galleries and the forecourt of the building besides a section of tha TTVS H0M6 OVJG maybe! No more can he sit placidly by awaiting inspiration. The term "theme song" has become as well known as the word "movies" itself.

As indicated by the expression, a motion-picture song must capture the theme of the feature with which is identified not only in lyrics, but in tune as well. In musical comedy, songs were composed for situations. Some might be commercial, and some might not If a song held particular promise, an entire situation might be bunt around it In motion pictures, however, the film is the thing. The story comes first and the song, to be efficient, must be incidental. Of course, if number appears strikingly potential, the dialogue in a given sequence might be changed to conform with the piece.

In most cases, though, the song merely illustrates the story. Because they think in terms of dialogue and story, talking-picture executives are apt to think lyrics before they think tunes. In other words, there may be certain "lines" bits of dialogue that suggest that they should be Incorporated into theme song. The song writer knows, however, that the tune must always come first Unless a lyrlo writer knows composition, it is very difficult to adapt a strain to words. The procedure runs in the ether directionthe words must be fitted to the tune.

Where there are some songs in a musical comedy that may never have a popular appeal, but are incorporated in the show to bring out situation, the motion-picture tune should be one that will be hummed and whistled by the millions who see the "talkie." From the viewpoint of the trade, the song must help to "sell" the picture to the public. If the number thus aids the picture, the picture will help sell sheet music and records of the song. Song writing for motion pictures has this point in common with composing for musical comedies that the rendition of the song, by the members of the cast will largely determine its success or failure. There is no particular type of song that must be followed in pictures. Successful theme songs have included waltzes, fox-trots, tangoes and one-steps.

It appears that a "one-song" picture is destined to pass. From now on, with song writers as permanent members of studio staffs, there will be several songs in the course of a single feature. A good love song stands a better chance than any other type of piece. love song is a love song the world over, and, after all, motion pictures are concerned with romance. At the present time, composers and lyric writers are striving to avoid long words.

They are trying have lyrics carry nothing but monosyllables, as far as possible. As perfect as sound recording has become they are not taking needless chances. Similarly, they are trying avoid words ending in and any other final syllables that may cause a hissing sound. It is more important than ever before that the tune and the lyrics should fit well together. An improperly placed song not only involves an investment of musltf publishing, but carries the additional hazard that it may affect the success of a picture costing hundreds thousands of dollars- BOWL TO BE PUT UNDER NEW POLICY Plans for Season Provide for More Soloists, Fewer Conductors More -soloists, fewer conductors) Such are the new season plans for the BowL Announcement two weeks ago of the pruning down of the directorial family tree to Bernardino Molinari, Eugene Goossens and Bruno Walter has occasioned swirls and eddies of comment in Los Angeles music circles.

"We are about to announce our full quota of soloists and special attractions for the Impending season and there will be more of them than have appeared in conjunction with the orchestra at any previous season, with the possible exception of the original one," said Mr. To-berman, vice-president of the Bowl "I might add that if Justification other than an effort to improve standards were necessary in making this change of policy and in reverting in a general way to that of the early years of Bowl history, it is to be found in the striking fact that this great Institution wound up the initial season of Its existence with a profit Anyone conversant with the history of musical enterprises on a vast publio scale understands the significance of that It has been the common history of such of these undertakings which have survived that they have faced many years of deficits before achieving financial stability." VAN DYCK MEMORIAL UNVEILED NEAR GRAVE A memorial to 'r Anthony Van Dycfc was recentunvelled in the Painters' Corner of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, on the 330th anniversary of the artist's' birth, reports the London Times. The memorial Is a framed tablet inclosed in an architectural design and surmounted by a bust of Van Dyck. It was designed by Mervyn Macartney and executed by Henry Poole, R.

A. The site i selected is near the graves of Van Dyck, Reynolds, Turner. Hunt Slr; Christopher Wren and many presidents of tho Royal Academy, 5 THEATER HAS With the advent of the talking pictures, many, patrons with impaired hearing have registered protests against the 'talkies" and have expressed themselves as in a-vor of the silent pictures. In order that the talking picture might continue to i entertain the theater patrons whose hearing is impaired, Messrs. M.

A. Tauber and Bernle Loper, operators of the Gateway Theater, Glendale, have conducted numerous experiments in order that the partially deafened might hear as well as see talking pictures. Last Wednesday afternoon to the Gateway Theater, the first test was conducted with temporary installations and equipment made to connection with talking-picture apparatus, previously installed in the theater. The demonstration was given especially for Mrs. Jane K.

BIgelow, vice-president of the Los Angeles League for the Hard of Hearing, end several members of the club. In commenting on the experiment, Mrs. BIgelow said: "It was wonderful, and since hearing all of the dialogue as well as seeing the picture, I must admit that the talking pictures are more entertaining than some of the silent pictures of the past Given the proper -equip- is is I in LIBRARY OF GRAPHIC ART CELEBRATES Formal Opening Next Week Accompanied by Addresses of Notables The formal opening of the new Graphlo Arts Library will be held on Tuesday the 14th inst continuing to Saturday the 18th inst, inclusive, on the two top floors of the Printing Center Building, Maple avenue near Pico. The enterprise a realization of the vision of L. Scovllle, well-known in the field of the graphlo arts throughout America.

The mala purpose of this library to bring to hand the greatest examples of art and craftsmanship that are today being given to the world by leaders to the graphlo arts, including every character for the conveyance of knowledge to picture and printed word. The finest specimens of catalogue, magazine, scenic folders, printing, lithographing, engraving and book-making are here shown. The library contains special rooms, ftlmvwi council chambers and lecture and banquet halls, each named for some outstanding artist or promoter of today. Prominent lecturers in the field of the graphic arts from various sections of the country have promised to appear in lectures and demonstrations of the achievements in every branch of the arts. The following program of exercises has been arranged: Tuesday evening as graphic evening, 7:30 o'clock, 1 Harry Spencer Stuff, chairman.

Speakers will discuss printing, typography, lithography, advertising, typefoundlng paper, supplies, machinery, catalogues, bookbinding, ruling, steel and copperplate, signs, writing, stamps and stencils. Photographlo evening, the 16th inst, at 7:30 o'clock. John S. Mc-Cune, chairman: Cinema, photography, telegraphy, rotogravure, telephotography, stenography, painting and all the reflective arts. Sister States and cities, Judge Henry H.

Rolapp, chairman: Mayor John F. Bowman, Salt Lake City; Mayor George E. Cryer, Los Angeles; Haywood H. Hunt, San Francisco; Dr. James E.

Talmage. EARPHONES talking pictures may be enjoyed by the person of imperfect hearing, there would be no protest on the part of the large numbers of handicapped patrons throughout the country. We certainly want to thank the members of the Gateway Theater for an interesting afternoon entertainment." Speaking of the experiment, Mr. Loper declared: "We installed to the Gateway Theater a microphone stationed directly in front of the speakers located on the stage and ran it through an amplifier contacting a series of head sets worn by those of impaired hearing who are witnessing the picture. Various stages of deafness required the installation of shock colls on each head set permitting the adjustment of each individual set to the volume necessary for the individual.

hope in the future to have all our theaters equipped with a sufficient number of head-set outlets order that our Olendale patrons with impaired hearing can continue to enjoy the entertainment qualities of our theater screens." National Hearing Week has been observed in Los Angeles throughout the present week and will conclude today, with open house and tea from 2 p.ra. to 6 p.ni. at the clubrooms, 2028 West Ninth street The publio if fcrritti- Reese thought that if he came out here to reach for oranges the resultant exercise might Improve his left But this baseball pitcher soon discovered it wasn't any fun and besides he didn't want to become a champion orange picker, anyway. Furthermore, he saw the handwriting on the wall and knew his baseball days were over. So he gave up both.

4 FRED It might seem a little strange to be discussing the great American game off the sporting page, but all of this is to explain why Fred Newmeyer, more familiarly known to his friends as "Bugs," happened to become connected rith the motion-picture business. Now he is one of its most successful directors, establishing an enviable record to silent pictures and producing a sensation for his first talkie. ALMOST AN ENGINEER Newmeyer confessed the orange-picking episode is indirectly responsible for his career in filmland, but to Hal Roach, the comedy producer, he awards the plush-llned bathtub for giving him his start To begin with, Newmever's late father, a coal mine operator of Colorado, had big plans for his boy. In fact. Fred was all slated to be a mining engineer.

The motion-picture business in 1912 of course, was in its Infancy and Newmeyer looked to this new industry for a living. It was a slim living to begin with, he admit, for ha started as an extra and to those days the atmospherio talent got little more tnan enougn to buy their ham and eggs and to keep one shirt clean. Things dldnt go so wen with Fred as an actor. He dldnt know Just why, but finally when Roach and Harold Lloyd were making "Sampson and Delilah" at the old Universal lot at Sunset and Cower, he cot a Job as second assistant director at $20 per. That was prety- ty good loot then, for Otis the topnotcher at that time was getting only $150 per.

"Although Roach gave me my start in pictures, it Is a strange thing that he razzed me constantly," Newmeyer asserted laughingly. "'You're the most terrible actor fa the he would tell me. Why I tOOK It irom nun never snew. Guess it was on account of my stomach. Well, anyhow, we started out on location one day.

I was to get $5 for working. ROACH WAS A "RAZZER "They loaded a flock of extras to a bus and started out for the lo cation. Roach began razzing me amain, repeating his compliments on my acting ability. He noticed that it disturbed me and he made it all the worse. I was sulking in my seat sore at being the goat for the whole party, when he asked: "'Don't you nice itr "No, I told him.

"Roach ordered the driver to stop the bus. He kicked me out makeup and all and I had to walk all the way back home. "That incident easily could have been the turning point In my motion-picture career but I guess it's like everything else that is fascinating. I couldn't get out of it. I wandered about the studios and finally landed work at the Fox lot got job as ft blackface in Henry brought forth a new popular number That was Inspiration! But now the song writer has gone into conference.

His conferees are motion-picture magnates. Instead of waiting for inspiration to move him on any one of a thousand different tunes and themes, he sits down with producers, directors and dialogue writers, and with them picks out the sequence of a screen script that should be embellished with song. i Ones the scenes are picked, they next decide the type of song to be created. When that is decided, all the song writer has to do is to create -the song. Simple, what? tlons of the present-day ainrreza' tions of capital known by that term, they were as far-reaching in their ramifications and as completely organized and pyramided as any of the giant organizations of today.

While fur was his major industry, on which his huge fortune was founded, it was not the only one in which he played an Important part. Tea, that magical product that laid the foundation of so many of the early-day fortunes, called to him. At one time he was one of the giants in the China trade. A cargo of tea entering New York had to pay an enormous duty. But it sold readily at auction, often giving the owner 50 per cent on his venture.

At that time the Treasury Department permitted the merchant to pay the duty in six, twelve and eighteen months, so that the merchant was practically made a present of a working capital of the amount of the duty. Interest free, for the period lapsing" between the time of paying the duty and the arrival of the cargo. Astor and his competitors took full advantage of this and it is recorded that the Treasury lost more than $250,000,000 as a result of this leniency, for many of the more Irresponsible speculators took advantage of the government and allowed their bonds to default, LEFT MANY MILLIONS John Jacob Astor, fur king, father of the trust, apostle of empire and landlord of New York, died March 8, 1848, leaving a fortune estimated at between $25,000,000 and $30,000,000. His will, which bequeathed less than $2,000,000 to public institutions, disposed of this vast estate to his various descendants of the first, second, third and fourth degrees. The Astor estate today is estimated at $500,000,000.

The author is to be congratulated on his work. This is a fine piece of biographical writing. But it is more than that It is, in addition to being the account of a remarkable man's life, a very clear and vivid picture of the first sixty-four years of our national it a or a a A to to ol ArchiDenke but two. while Gaston Lacnaise ana Kaipn stacspoie. oo not appear at alL This is not always tha society's fault.

All artists were invited to submit works to its Jury. But the tone of the advance publicity given out by Adolph A. Weinman, president of the society, so patronized nonacademic sculpture that many an original worker was prejudiced from the beginning and sent nothing. SOLDIERS AND GODS It is human to believe in our own brand of work and thought and, however disinterested, tha sculpture society officials may have imagined themselves to be, tha exhibition they have assembled' in San Francisco is to effect an attempt to convince the public, by weight and numbers, that American monumental sculpture is a thriving, authentic art Evidently it is thriving, as the innumerable "Columbias," holding everything from swords and palm branches to ship's lanterns, and the graceless likenesses of "unknown soldiers." to say nothing of the countless Greek deities, amply attest. But the mass of these things offer us correct measurements, bulk, illustration, technique, sentiment baggy trousers, anything and everything except sculptural art For this last-named product one must, with few exceptions, ignore the pressure of the heavyweights and often the famous names, and concentrate on the smaller works.

My own discovery here is that, among the welter of laughing frog babies, dancing fanns, "Awakenings," elephants, eagles, buffaloes and what-nots, which come in all Rizes, the simpler, direct stone carvings by the younger generation of sculptors hold out a very real hops for the future of American sculpture, the great mass of which lacs behind painting back to the days of "Washington Crossing the Delaware. Emotion is the power of art, thought guides its application and, in the case of sculpture, certainly, form is the resultant product The mass of. soatcrnporari sculpts-1 adjoining grounds. This Is. the largest gathering of American sculpture ever brought to gether in one place.

The exhibition, arranged by the National Sculpture Society of New York, was made possible by an unsolicited gift of $100,000 from Archer Huntington of New York, son of the late Collls P. Huntington and husband of Anna Hyatt Huntington, noted sculptress. That the exhibition will stimulate a wider popular interest to sculpture would seem a foregone conclusion. Whether it will aid public taste remains on the knees of the gods. How many visitors to these crowded galleries will be able to sift the small quantity of grain from the mass of chaff? Chaff is not quite the word, lor it is a peculiarity of our sculpture that the heavier it is the worse it looks.

And the present exhibition at San Francisco wears a terrific tonnage of memorials war, Lincoln. Washington and others like so many millstones about its neck, and they are almost witnouc exception very bad sculpture. Add to this the acres of pseudo-Greek confections to plaster and bronze, the majority of the animals and portraits, and the mass of the exhibition is accounted for. But sometimes only one or two in a gallery, sometimes many more, there are here quits a number of fine works which make the exhibition something more than a mammoth display of plaster platitudes. But the visitor must work to find them, for the National Sculpture Society's accent is decidedly on the platitudes.

Thus one finds a whole room devoted to Daniel Chester French. Lorado Taft's vapid Lincoln and Copplni's pompous Washington flanking the portal of the palace, but looks in vain for even a photograph of Georg Gray Barnard's "Lincoln." Jacob Epstein, easily the most vital exhibitor, is not illustrated in the handsome "Contemporary American Sculpture." which contains the biographies of the 343 sculptors represented and about 150 illustrations; and sculptors like Elle Nadelman and Maurice Sterna have only ono tmtH work each to th showing, magically at strategic points, Opportunity was everywhere: it needed only industry, driving power and a modicum of foresight the vital spark in business success to turn a peddler into a merchant a speculator Into a financial magnate. John Jacob Astor arrived in New York early in 1784 with two shillings in his pocket, the clothes on his back and seyen flutes that be had purchased from Astor Broadwood in London, the firm that had employed him for four years and the senior partner of which was his uncle. He made great haste to find his brother Helnrtch, who, having come to America during the Revolution with a detachment of Hessians, was at this time the owner of a small butcher's stall in the Fly Market in -New York. Aster's first Job was as a baker's assistant He peddled cakes on the street from a cart, he helped with the ovens, sold goods over the counter, and worked for his employer with the same unflagging energy that he later put into his own enterprises.

A Job with a fur broker followed. He packed furs on his back over thousands of miles of forest trails, drove canoes laden with barter up and down the streams, shouldered his packs and his canoes across wide portages, and labored unceasingly, night and day. FORTUNE GREW RAPIDLY He soon got on his own. While his wife conducted a little music shop he traveled from Eastern Canada to Mackinac trading in furs. His fortune, once started, grew lka magic, The story of this sturdy German peasant's trafficking In the furs of the West is in reality the most dramatic chapter in the fur trade of America, a story that has its epic qualities.

Astor's American Fur Company, with its far-flung brigades of trappers sad traders extending from coast to coast, was the first "trust" to be formed in America. While Its operations were tst 09 extensive as art the epera- I In ths theaters whereby ths.