Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

38 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 6, 1928 SYNCHRONIZED PICTURES Columbia Enters Field of Sound Producers; to Use W. E. System (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 2. — Columbia Pictures has entered the ranks of sound picture producers. The company has signed a contract for the production of sound pictures with Electrical Research Products, Inc., subsidiary of Western Electric Company. The system of recording and reproduction is the same as that employed by Warner Brothers in Vitaphone, according to J. O. Brandt, president of Columbia. "We have given a great deal of serious thought to this matter of sound pictures," stated Brandt. "We felt that the subject of sound pictures was too large to warrant our jumping into it without first investigating the many systems offered and the organizations equipped to furnish the necessary technical personnel not only to record properly sound, but to reproduce it as well. We gave careful consideration to the attitude of the exhibitor toward the respective systems, and finally committed ourselves to the Western Electric system "We are particularly fortunate in having among our vehicles for the Season 1928-1929 a large number of outstanding stage attractions. These are now being seriously weighed and considered for production as sound pictures Among the plays that Columbia has on its 'Perfect 36' program are 'The Donovan Affair,' one of the outstanding mystery stage plays of its season, written by Owen Davis. Another vehicle is 'The Younger Generation,' which will be adapted from Fannie Hurst's noted stage play, 'It Is to Laugh.' 'The Fall of Eve,' a stage play by John Emerson and Anita Loos, is a third. "Also on the program is 'Acquitted,' a story by Mary Roberts Rinehart, as gripping and as poignant as 'The Trial of Mary Dugan,' and 'Redemption,' the world-famous stage play byCount Leo Tolstoy which served as the basis of an unpreccdentedly successful vehicle for John Barrymore some years ago. "The plays just mentioned, and several of our other stories, are all being carefullyweighed from the point of view of sound production. The industry can rest assured that when Columbia finally does decide to put a vehicle into production as a sound picture it will have all the necessary values and qualities to make it a superlative box-office attraction." Irving Berlin 9s First Ta Iking, S in gin g Film To Be Made by UA (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 2.— A talking and singing motion picture, written by Irving Berlin, is soon to be put in production in a New York studio by United Artists. John W. Considinc, producer, and Alan Crosland, director, will leave for New York from Hollywood in a few days with a cast of players and production staff to take part in the production. "Say It with Music" is the name of the picture. Harry Richman, now appearing in George White's "Scandals," will be featured. George White will stage a special dance for the production, and eight Berlin songs are now being written for it. Berlin will personally supervise the production. Voice Tests Given Stage Actors for Mary's All -Talkie (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 2.— Broadway stage players were given voice tests last week for roles in Mary Pickford's first all-talkie, "Coquette," at the Famous Players studio on Long Island. The results are being rushed to Hollywood now for the actress' inspection and selection. Among those taking the tests were Weldon Heyburn, Rollo Peters, Inez Clough, Frederick Perry, Marion Kirby, Harry Beresford, Lester Lonergan, Harry Davenport, and Fannie De Knight. James Rennie and Ben Smith had previously made tests. The tests were made under the supervision of Monta Bell, who is attached to the Long Island studios. "Singing Fool" Draws $55,000 Advance Sale (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 2.— Al Jolson's latest Vitaphone picture, now in its third week at the Winter Garden, has drawn for Warner Brothers an advance sale of $55,000, and according to the company, has played to standing room at every performance. The picture was recently given a $2 midnieht premiere at the Aldine theatre, Philadelphia. M G M Tests 200 Voices A Week for Talkies (Special to the Herald World) HOLLYWOOD. Oct. 2.— An average of 200 voices a week are being tested at the M G M talking stages. The applicants for voice tests range from vaudeville stars to inexperienced youngsters who have never before faced the public, it is said. Two Publix Theatres Drop Stage Band Pit Orchestra for Sound (Special to the Herald-World) ATLANTA, Oct. 2.— By a radical change in policy, the Howard theatre, Atlanta ; and the Alabama theatre, Birmingham, both Publix de luxe presentation houses, have abandoned stage unit shows entirely and have gone to Vitaphone and Movietone. Not only have these theatres dispensed with stage band shows, but likewise they have not retained pit orchestras. The unit shows playing last week closed Saturday night, and Monday morning saw the inauguration of a new policy of "the whole show on the screen." The Howard has been a presentation house since it opened in December, 1920. Before the advent of Publix unit shows the Howard featured elaborate prologues, dancing revues and soloists as well as big vaudeville singles and teams. When Publix created the unit shows the Howard was on the circuit. It has never been a straight picture house. But the advent of big pictures with sound has served to emphasize the importance of the feature picture, and the conviction that it is the feature picture that draws at the box-office seems to have taken root. The Alabama has been a presentation house since it opened as one of the biggest links in the Publix circuit back in January-. The new policy will bring the Alabama its first all-picture program. The decision to go in for a straight sound picture policy without the benefit of stage shows is more significant in view of the excellent box-office showing of these theatres during the past several months. It is manifest to the casual observer that the Howard has enjoyed one of the best periods in its history; also it is certain that the Alabama has shown more strength than at any time since it opened early in January. Two Directors to Make FB O Talkie (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 2.— Negotiations were completed today for the purchase of "Stepping High," a novel by Gene Markey, which will be made into an all talking motion picture by F B O at Sound Studios, Inc. The picture will be codirectcd, by two men; one a picture director, the other, an expert stage director. See "The Toilers" (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 2.— A private showing of the Tiffany-Stahl production, "The Toilers," a Reginald Barker special, was held in the auditorium of the RCA Photophone studios in New York before a representative audience recently. The score was written by Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld. The production will -.oon be seen on Broadway for an extended run.