Exhibitors Herald (1927)

22 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 19, 1927 Vitaphone Music for Every Warner Film Next Year (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, March IS. — Every picture coming from Warner Brothers studios next year will be accompanied by a Vitaphone musical score. This will be made possible by the recent acquisition of a studio for Vitaphone on the Coast. Such was the announcement made by H. M. Warner upon his arrival here this week. He is here primarily to confer with Jack Warner on production for the coming year. He will be on the Coast one month. United Artists Gets Kansas City Liberty as 10th Circuit House Negotiations for the tenth theatre in the United Artists Theatre Circuit chain of twenty prerelease houses have been completed at Kansas City. The Liberty theatre has been taken over and will be remodelled into a 1,000 seat structure. It will open in September. The first convention of the circuit was opened in New York last week. Laemmle Arranges for Employees Insurance in U. S. and Canada ( special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, March 15.— Carl Laemmle has completed arrangements with the Travelers Insurance Company at Hartford for the installation of a far reaching group insurance plan for Universal employes. A flat $1,000 policy at an exceptionally low rate has been made available to all Universal employes in the United States and Canada. Postpones Decision on F.P.L. Case, McCullough Reviews Proceedings (Washington Bureau of the Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C., March IS.— Several weeks will elapse before the Federal Trade Commission takes up the Famous Players-Lasky case for final decision, the delay being occasioned by the desire of Edgar A. McCullough, latest appointee of the commission, to participate in consideration of the case. Roxy Picture Cathedral Opens in Blaze of Glory (Continued from page 19) following message : The new theatre, I am informed, is a splendid testimonial to Mr. Rothafel's energy and business enterprise and I congratulate him. The orehestra had descended to a level below the stage during the screening of these documents. When it eame upon the stage again (on the elevator platform), Erno Rapee officiated as conductor. Airs from the opera “Carmen” were played as a prelude to the screening of a Vitaphone feature, a scene from the second act of Bizet’s masterpiece. The efforts of the musicians were greeted with hearty applause and then Giovanni Martinelli and Jeanne Gordon were heard and seen (on the screen) in this scene from “Carmen.” Signor Martinelli’s rendition was as fine as his initial presentation, “Vesta la giub Students Join Fight for Sunday Showings f Special to the Herald) CANTON, N. Y., March 15.— Students at St. Lawrence university distributed handbills throughout the village last week in doing their part in a campaign for Sunday motion pictures. The campaign has also enlisted the support of the business men, who have found that many go to adjoining places on Sunday and considerable business is slipping through their fingers on account of Canton being without Sunday shows. A special village election will be held soon. bia,” from “I Pagliacci.” His voiee burst from the screen with splendid synchronization with the movements of his lips. It rang through the great theatre as if he had himself been on the stage. Miss Gordon’s part in this performance was also striking. Following the Vitaphone presentation the feature picture, Gloria Swanson’s “The Love of Sunya,” was started, and here again Roxy gave the audience a surprise. Without even showing the title of the production, cast, credits or anything else, the picture came on, breaking right into the action. Lighting Effects Remarkable There was much discussion after the show, and there will be still more, as to whether Gloria Swanson’s first picture for United Artists is a great picture or not. Regardless of the outcome of this. Director Albert Parker has given the screen a production that is different from anything we have yet seen. In its building he has gone after remarkable lighting effects ana got what he went after. One striking feature of the photographie handling of the production is caused by the innumerable black backgrounds against which the characters stand out with almost third dimension distinctness. The photography is credited to Robert Martin and his ingenuity has produced many unusual and pleasing effects. The picture is from a screen story by Earle Browne, based on Charles Guernon’s and Max Marcin’s stage play, “The Eyes of Youth,” and the clever art effects with which the production abounds are the work of Hugo Baffin. To attempt to give a list of those in attendance at the opening would mean the printing of a roster of most everyone well known in motion picture, official and social life in New York. To Revise Clauses in Amendments of Music Bill; Suit Dismissed ( special to the Herald) VANCOUVER, B. C., March IS.— Amendments to the Canadian Copyright Act, as introduced in a biff in the Canadian House of Commons by L. J. Ladner, M. P., Vancouver, B. C., will undergo important revision before they are finally considered by the Parliament at Ottawa. Clauses in the biff affecting performing rights will be withdrawn so that theatres, radio broadcasters, faff fairs and bands will not be required to pay continuous royalties or block fees. The Canadian Performing Right Society, Limited, of Toronto, has lost its first legal action in Canada, a suit for $10,000 damages against Famous Players Canadian Corp., Toronto, for alleged infringement of copyright which the plaintiff society claimed to hold. Authors Council Formed by FP-L To Get Originals ( special to the Herald) NEW YORK, March 15. — An Authors Council, formed by Famous to develop originals and encourage authors to write directly for the screen, will begin functioning next month in the new Paramount Building. The Council is also to be a clearing house for information on story needs of Paramount stars and directors. It will be organized by William LeBaron. With him will be Owen Davis, president of the Authors League of America, Frederick Lonsdale, representing the British, and Alfred Savoir for the French. “A bulletin will be posted daily in the council room giving the latest information as to the story needs of the studio for our stars and directors,” Vice-president Jesse L. Lasky said. Police Ban on Books Branded as Boomerang The action of the Boston police last week in barring nine “best sellers” will result only in publicizing the prohibited books, according to Chicago bookshop owners. “I find that the average person has an excellent taste in literature,” said A. Kroch, Michigan avenue shopowner. He said the best selling books at his store are those with such titles as “The Story of Philosophy,” “The Nature of the World and Man” and “Napoleon.” Eastmans Case Ends Before Supreme Court (Washington Bureau of The Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C, March 15.— Arguments on the case of the Federal Trade Commission vs. the Eastman Kodak Company, involving the disposition of three film finishing laboratories owned by the latter, were heard before the LTnited States Supreme Court March 11. Famous May Adopt New Corporate Name ( special to the Herald) NEW YORK, March 15. — A proposal to change the name of Famous PlayersLasky Corporation to the ParamountFamous-Lasky Corporation is included in a notice of the annual meeting of the corporation stockholders Alarch 29. Lutjen Promoted, Ryan in Vitaphone Position ( Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, March 15.— Harry Lutjen, assistant purchasing agent at Warner Brothers, has been appointed purehasing agent to succeed C. C. Ryan, who has been transferred to the Vitaphone Corporation. L & T Opens Belpark 25th Theatre in Chain The Belpark, twenty-fifth theatre in the Lubliner & Trinz ehain, opened last Saturday at Belmont Park, Chicago, after an elaborate campaign in the newspapers. The new theatre is of representative American art in design.