NEWS FROM THE STUDIOS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17976, 22 March 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

NEWS FROM THE STUDIOS.

MARY PICKFORD’S SALARY

£112,000 IN A YEAR. SAVING £84,000. Miss Mary Pickford as the thrifty star of Hollywood is the picture given by herself in the Los Angeles (California) court as she protested against the inheritance taxes levied on her mother’s estate. She declared that in 1917 she saved £84,000 out of. an income of £112,000, thus living on £28,000 a year. In 1919, the year before she began producing her own pictures, she was earning £2160 a week. She slated that in 1916 she paid her mother a salary of £5200, which in the following two years was raised lo £10,400. “What did your mother do lo earn such salaries?" asked the court. “Oh,” said Miss Pickford, “she was very valuable. She was Inking care of our personal expenses and donations and paying bills. The children. Jack and Lottie, lived witli her, and she was head of the family.” Miss Pickford's mother, Mrs Charlotte Pickford Smith, died in March, 1928, leaving an estate of £210,000. Miss Pickford is contending that £156,000 of this amount was in three

trust funds held jointly by the mother and daughter, the survivor to inherit all. The State of California has already collected £10,400 from the Smith estate, and Miss Pickford is protesting against an attempt to collect a further £7657. The hearing was adjourned.

Some Talkie Productions.

Why Do They Do It? In the Hollywood Revue, screened in Hamilton this week, the Balcony Scene from ‘‘Romeo and .Tuiet” was given by Norma Shearer and John Gilbert. The romantic scene was in colour, and was wonderfully beautiful, and made a deep impression on the audience. But immediately afterwards the scene was burlesqued by the same players, with dialogue brought up to date —in the American fashion—with “Baby,” and “Boy Friend,” and “0.K.," and all those other American slang expressions of which audiences are becoming so tired. To burlesque one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful scenes in such a crude way showed a peculiar idea of humour and was in the worst possible taste. Only the Americans could have done such a thing. William Heughan in Hollywood. When the mail left William Heughan, the popular Scottish actorsinger, was in Hollywood, with the intention of entering the “talkies.” Allan Talbot, formerly of Auckland, is acting as Mr lleughan's personal representative. * Violinist with English Films. Manuel Hyman, who has appeared in Hamilton as "The Dancing Violinist,” and later had control of orchestras at the Dunedin Exhibition, the Adelphi Cabaret in Wellington, and the Ambassadors, Sydney, is playing for

the talkies at the Elstree Studios, in England. Suit for Annulment of Marriage. Loretta Young, a film actress, who is 17 years of age, was married last month, and two days later was awaiting the result of an annulment suit filed by her mother. Wilh a film actor, Grant Withers, aged 25, Miss Young left Los Angeles. California, by aeroplane for Arizona, where the couple were married. But into Hie happy picture stepped Mrs George Bclzer, mother of the bride, declaring that her daughter was too young for the responsibility of married iife. "“I believe,” said she, “that Loretta should wait another year; then if they feel like getting married I will not object. They have both admitted that they were impulsive and have agreed to a separation.” Meanwhile (lie mother has filed a suit in Los Angeles for the annulment of the marriage, but there may lie difficulties. The minimum age for women to marry in California is 18, but in Arizona it is 10. Mr Withers has already been married and divorced.

A later message says that the couple again eloped, and the girl’s father considers that a “good hiding” would do the bridegroom good! 16,000,000 More Patrons. Figures just published reveal that attendances in picture theatres in America increased during 1929 by 15,000,000 a week, a figure 50 per cent, higher than was expected. One English exhibitor said that the talking pictures had increased his patronage lay 5000 —that is to say, not that he has quite so many more attendances a week, hut that he finds I hat 5000 more people in his town, all of whom were previously not filmgoers at all, now come to his theatre at. regular intervals. Maurice Chevalier’s Next. Paramount has purchased “Strictly Dishonourable” as a starring vehicle for Maurice Chevalier. Tills play opened at the Avon Theatre, New York, and proved the first big legitimate hit of the season. Tickets have been at a premium ever since the opening night.