THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1936.
SENSATIONAL PLAGIARISM CHARGE Noted American Author Enters Action Against Korda
ASTAIRE
AND
ROGERS TO PART
THEIR FILMS HAVE TAKEN £1,000,000 THE most successful film
team-Fred Astaire and Ginger Rovers-is to ̈split.
Both will go on making films. But with different partners.
Two years ago they had never met. He was a famous stage dancer, but he wLA considered lacking in screen personality. Ho had starred in only one picture:
She was a rising young actress, but
not a star.
Them in quick succession, they made "Gay Divorcee," "Roberta, and "Top Hat." Fach was sensa
Each made ⚫tlonally successful.
more money than the last. Audiences have already paid more than $1,000,000 to see the Astaire
s films, and they are still making i Rogers
money.
Top Hal" broke all records in its first week in New York. It took £20,000 in seven days at the Radio City Munic, Holl.
Record Profits
It is now in its fourteenth week ini the West End of, London, and opens at the Alhambra Theatre in Hongkong next wock.
-No starring team has ever made a"film company so much money for it auch a short time.
The decision to part, which has licen forecast several times in Hollywood, is indicated by, the an nouncement that Astaire's partner in his next film will be an American stage dancer, Harriet llocter. -The Astaire-Rogers partnership will be seen once more, hawever, for they have just finished their fourth pleture,
མལ་་ C "Follow the Floet."
Astaire recently signed a new con- tract with Radio Pictures, by which MINA he will earn $100,000 in 1936. Rogers salary was raised from £275 to £600 a week.
GINGER ROGERS She was a rising young selṛena.
Rumours have gone around Holly wood for a long time that Astaire ..and Miss Rogers did not get on well
together.
THE POOR MAN'S AEROPLANE
Clyde Pangborn, famous ocean nier, was pictured in New York
in the cookpit of the "Flying Flen" poor man's aeroplane- before he took it off the ground for a test flight around the fold, Not everything was satisfactory to the test pilot, but he succeeded in getting it off the ground and flew it at an altitude of 100 feet, and at a speed of approximately 60 miles an hour, The machine, recently received from England, is only 10 feet long, and has wing spread of 20 feet. It has a 20 horsepower, two-cylinder en- gins, and the trouble that Pangborn experienced with it in the. test was caused by the facts that it lacks the ailerons and cleva- tors of larger planes. It can be made to sell for between U.S. $300 and $350.
11
£50,000 ESTÁTE OF
THELMA
· TODD
ONE DOLLAR TO EX-HUSBAND
Hollywood, Dec. 28.
THELMA TODD'S lawyer, Ronald Dutton, revealed at the inquest. on the film star to-day that her estate was estimated at 250,000 dollars (550,000).
To her former husband, Pasquale balled the door on Sunday morning Deciceo, from whom ahe was and went to bed, after 2 a.m. divorced last March, she left one dollar. Her estate was bequeathed
to her mother.
Maid's Denial
"PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY THE EIGHT”
"UNWARRANTED AND BLATANT PIRACY”
ALLEGATION
One of the most sensational charges of plagiarism recorded in American legal history, involving hundreds of thousands of pounds, has been filed at the Brooklyn Court, New York.
Francis Hackett, author of the famous biography of Henry VIII, has entered an action against Alexander Korda, London Film Productions and United Artists, for damages in respect of what he claims to be their "unwarranted and blatant piracy” 'in the film, "The Private Life of Henry VIII.", of character parts, episodes and incidents abstracted from his book.
He is represented in this action by, he discussed its adaptation for screen Miss Fanny Holtzmann, the Amarl-purposes with various film companies. can lawyer who won verdict for Negotiations were started, but none Princess Youssoupoff, alece of the late had been completed, Tear, in the Rasputin libel case brought in Landon against Metro Goldwyn-Mayer.
"About that time, I chanced to see the presentation in Dublin of Mr. Korda's film "The: Private Life of Henry VIII, and to my astonishment The cass is brought under the copy- right laws of the United States, under saw parade across the, screen the which a successful complainant is en-living evidence of the interpretation titled to collect the entire profits rea- hnd gleaned by laborious years of Heed by the defendant as the result detailed research.
"For some time after this nany
of using the plaintin's original text. The profits in this instance are esti- friends begged me.to bring an action, because of what they considered to mated at very lar
BUMB.- largo
it
an unwarranted and blatant plagiarism.
With his complaint Mr. Hackett filed a copy of his book. He demands
"I hesitated, however, partly, I sup-, that the defendants. Ikawise Ale
pose, from the natural inexperience of copy of their film so that the court an author and partly because I could may examine both.
not conceive that Mr. Korda would An answer to the charge is asked fell to realise the Justice of my point within 20 days, and the demand of view. made that an immediate injunction bej
"On my arrival in America, how. issued prohibiting any further show-ever, I found, to my amazement, and ing of the film
of regarded as a person Mr. Hackett domanda payment of all great nilluence. When I asked my profits derived from presentations of American friends, Where do
the present liting a seitlement that to my chagrin, that I was i
του
the film, and asks that the court order think all my alleged wealth comes the defendants to produce their books from? they all replied, "Why, jus and accounts recording the profits that imagine how much money you must have accrued.
be making out of your film..
Mr. Mackolt claims that the picture!
"Fellow authors in America were in "wilful and deliberate piracy" of Insistent, that 1 should take advantage his book. He asserts that:
of the copyright laws of the United "The defendants copial and used States to protect my rights. Finally, the characterisation of Henry VIII, therefore, persuaded that there had and other persons mentioned in his been a deliberate intention to ignore book, whose characters. are portray-my legitimate claims; I concluded that ed in the film, in that episodes, inci-1 could no longer, remain inactive and dents and, in general, the atmo dociled to bring the action sphere created by the complainant America."
in
were incorporated in the picture; When, and if the case comes before The complainant's new and ori- the Court, a number of well-known ginal conception of the personal actors and authors are expected to habits and method of living, of he subpoenaed to give evidence on Henry VIII, and other principal Mr. Hackett's behalf, including Mr. characters, built up and developed Charles Laughton."
by the complainant in his book, and It was Mr. Laughton who created the dialogue and incidents therein the title-role in the "Henry VIII." assembled and published as the re-film, and had, Mr. Hackett told me, sult of several years of
readmitted to him on several occasions
search and study, were ariated that it was Mr. Hackett's portrayal of and used in the production of the the king that had been his chief In- picture without recourse to the spiration. Mources from
Korda's Reply which the complainant obtained his original material."
"No one situation on episode of His theory was that having dis- i
Interviewed at his New York hotel While Miss Todd was at Idamissed the chauffeur who drove her Mr. Hackett anid, "Over 1,000,000 Mr. Hackett's has been used in the Just as Lupino's party at a fashionable home from Ida Lupino's party at a Americans have read my book, and picture," Mr. Alexander Korda said. Hollywood restaurant. on Saturday Hollywood restaurant on Saturday many more millions have seen-Mr. "Froude could sue us with
based not on Mr. Hackett's life of night it was disclosed that Deccico night, Miss Todd found that she was Korda's presentation Bf the same much justification. Our film was "I had been living in the United Henry VIII, but on Henry VIII's life was at a party on another floor of locked out and rather than awaken subject.
the chauffeur, she had walked up the same restaurant.
the hill to the garage, started the States for many years until the neces-as lived by himself. With embellish sity for detailed Historical research ments, of course, for we set out to engine of the car to keep warm took me to England. In Europe, for present the story not as a contribution and was overcome by fumes,
several years prior to the publication to history, but simply as entertain of my book, I gathered material by ment and good fun. extensive research, not only in Eng-
is the action brought in America and land, but also in Paris and Italy.
"After my book was published and not here? And why wolt
The whole thing is simply had reached the stage of a beat-seller years? my agent went to Hollywood, where ridiculous."
Conflict of Evidenco
Miss Todd's beautifully-gowned body was found on Monday at the wheel of her car in.a garage at her roadside cafe. She had apparently died from carbon monoxide poison-
These storles were always promptlying. donied.
Astaire is thirty-five. Two years ago ho married Mrs. Phyllis Potter. Viler private fortune is estimated at £3,000,000. She has n son by her former marriage.
A baby is expected to be born to her within the next few weeks.
VILLAGE
Conilleting evidence was given on
Mika Todd's negro maid, May Whitehead, gave evidence, however, which contradicted this suggestion. She said that she handed Miss Todd a key to the side entrance before she left for the party.
The maid added that she put the
the question whether she had gone key in Miss Todd's purse"the to the garage after being locked out game white purse found in the gar- of her apartment.
age."
Her partner at the cafe, Roland. West, told the coroner that he
HATED
HIM ONCE--NOT NOW
•
L
Threat was a Joko
Roland. West's evidence was fol- lowed closely by the crowded court, which contained many film stars.
"If this claim were legitimate, why
BRITAIN GUARDS
GATE TO INDIA
three
He had been quated by the police Aircraft And Tanks Unloaded -
as saying that he warned Miss Todd
that he would not let her into the house if she returned later than +2 n.m. But to-day he explained to the coroner that he had made the threat jokingly. Shortly before 2
a.m. on Sunday he received a tele- phone call that Miss Todd was about to leave the party.
He went for a walk with the dog.
Under Glare Of Arc-Lights
The following message has been received by air mail from Reu- ter's special correspondent in the Suez Canal Zone:--
AN
NXIETY about future events in Egypt is unallayed
by the daily reports of peace talks in Europe...
All night long, under the glare of are-lights, British soldiers
Hurstbourne Tarrant (Hants), Jan. 1. SIXTY-EIGHT old men and women in this little Hampshire village took part in a modern version of Dickens's "Christmas Carol" to-day. A heavy snowstorm completed the picture, In 1920, Mr. Henry Wy' Pros-English beef cach, and n gallon of On his return he locked the cafe are unloading war material on the quays at Alexandria, key point on
airplanes, guns, lorries, ambulances and tanks, and thousands_ofTM ser, a one-time engineering million- beer, a quarter of a pound of to door, bolted it and went to bed and the route to India. Many steamers from England are loaded with aire, came to live in his shooting bacco for the men and one pound to sleep.
At 3.30-he was awakened by the rolls of barbed-wire.
In the desert at Sidi Blehr, on grey; even the sky is busy with alr box, The Windmills, a mile outside of tea for the women. Each also
received half-a-crown in cadh, a dog whining. He heard water run- the village-turned it into
total value of 12s. 10d. for men and ning in the building and assumed the outskirts of Alexandria, six planes and seaplanes exercising.
Imiles of barbed-wire entanglements that Miss Todd was home. es, 10d. for the women," twenty-roomed house..
He added that Miss Todd was in enclose a canvas military township, To-day the old people of Hurst-fine health, except for, fainting complete with macadamised roads," But during his lifetime Mr.
a previous occasion cinemas and cafes. Prosser was not liked by the village, bourne Tarrant are only remember spells. On He fought the parish council ining Mr. Prosser's many individual when locked out she had smashedFive thousand tents are an the courts over questions of rights acts of kindness and forgetting the a pane of glass to rouse him and their, way from England, and of way over his 2,000 acre estate.
A year last November he died, aged seventy-eight.
But Mr. Prosser wanted to be re-
hostility.
let her in.
NEW ZEALAND LOSES ITS MOST practising gunnery daily on the
membered by the village which FAMOUS DOG IN BOAR FIGHT
hated him. He left a field for a recreation, ground and £2,000 to provide overy working man and woman over sixty of ten years' residence in the parish, with an annual Christmas present.
there is talk of more, troops arriv ing shortly.
Lines of warships exercising and horizon. are no longer a novelty. Residents have become accustomed to the crashing of anti-aircraft guns on the sea front.
Wooden barracks and offices are One of the most famous dogs in New Zealand, a mastiff named springing up at strategic points of the town. Visitors arriving at Tiger, was recently killed in a fight with an "Old Man" Boar, which Alexandrla by airplane from Cairo 1 obtain their first glimpse of Brit had hitherto defied all hunting, parties,
Nearly eighty warships are assembled at Alexandria, and for the first time in history the har bour is full, There is no room for more warships, and a special an chorage has been. made for two cruisers, which will remain outalde to make room for smaller vessels.
Mystery Region The western desert, "Hampstead Heath" of Egypt, Juns become a region of mystery, Topled with sol- dlers and airmon, it is Gosely guarded against intruders. Entry is by special pass..
measures,
A committee of Briday experts and high British and Egyptian alleinis has been formed In Alex-
of andria to study the question combating polson-gas and to in- struct
the pubile on air raid The first sharò-out took place to- Tiger had good claim to being one of the finest pig-dogs in the ain's defences in Egypt as they
Full of Warships
Large consignments of airplanes day. All day, the vicar, the Rev. country for it is estimated that in the last eight ytars he had helped approach the gate into Alexandria.
Here a amall village of black continue to arrive, and although the H. C. Threlfall, distributed colour- ed tickets to thirty-six old men and to kill more than two thousand wild plys Twice he had saved his
and guns, surrounded by n walk of Egypt is: a closely guarded secret thirty-two old women out of the vil-master's life when the latter was in danger of being savaged. High huts, barracks, trenches, dugoute, number of British aircraft in lago's 650 Inhabitants.
prices have boon refused for him. Included in his other accomplish-barbed wire, has sprung up almost it is known that British air trength in the Near East is for The tickets represented credit ments Tiger was a first-rate caitļa dog, gun-dog and retriever, while overnight.
Warships at anchor in the har greater than the present Italian Air with local tradesmen for 51lbs. of the would dive from a height, and even swim under water.
bour form a solid background of Force in Libya.
I said to meh
"The man who drowns JOHNNIE WALKER deserves to be ignored :./ I said to biot
**The man who ignores JOHNNIE WALKER deserves to be drowned .......!"
Remember this unhurried maturing gives to your Johnnie Walker the sensitive flavour Only when appreciate.“ and bouquet you so ripely aged does it reach bottling stage. No matter in what part of the world you drink ́ your Johnnie Walker-it comes to you with that refinement of quality which names it as surely as its label.
Ду Appointment во
Johnnie
Elis Majesty the King
Walker
Born 1820
Sull going Strong
Sale Agents for China
CALDBECK MACGREGOR & CO. LTD.
HONGKONG
DANGERS OF IMPURE BLOOD
MIXTUR
In LIQUID OR TABLET form of all Chemba and Dolari.
The root cause of most diseases
is impure blood.
If you suffer from Skin Disease,
Ulcers, Sores, Glandular Trouble,
Boils, Rashes, Bad Legs, Rheu-
matism, Painful Joints, etc.-
you MUST remove the CAUSE 'by purifying the blood. Clarke's · Blood Mixture is the foremost
and genuine blood purifier,
bealer and tonic. It will restore
your health and vitality.
CLARKE'S
AKIINAL BUBON PURIFYING MLOLIMB
BLOOD MIXTURE
Travel Chats
That's an interesting way to go Home.
gade you think of it?
The Travel Experts suggested it.
The
journoy takes a little longer but 1. shall
the additional cost-in Ine
os. Cook & Son, Ltd. Thos. Cook
Phone: 21524.
Queen's Building.
J