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

4-1 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 6. 1928 Cicero Wizards Smite Hollywood Ears With Qalvanic Lingo Western Electric s Influence Dominates Modern Litany; Jack White Films for West Coast; Golden Gate Opens; Newman to Oakland By DOUGLAS HODGES HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 2.— George O'Brien is talking about his "playback" last Tuesday; Billie Dove is referring to a dozen "mikes" standing about the set; and D. W. Griffith is "baffling" the room thoroughly. But O'Brien has no thought of football ; Miss Dove no thought of stage door pests ; Griffith no thought of magic. HOLLYWOOD'S tongue is twisted. It is learning a new language which has smitten it, with the introduction of practical sound apparati. Hollywood's diction is feeling the influence of the Western Electric laboratories of Cicero, JfL "Playback" is a disc. It is a record made for the purpose of the director and cast who hear it and check for errors after the scene has been 6hot. "Mike" is the easiest term to learn. Six to 12 stand about the set to record sound — microphone. "Baffle" is a large portable wall draped with special material to prevent echo and resonance on the sound set. "Amplifier" is the electrical apparatus similar to that in modern radio sets, which magnifies the human voice during the recording reproducing process. "Synchrony" — The process of keeping the recording apparatus in step with the cameras, so that a player's words will be heard in the theatre at the same time he is seen to utter them on the screen. "Mixer" — The engineer and his equipment, designed to maintain a proper volume of sound during the recording process. "Monitor" — The engineer on the 6et where the talking picture is filmed. He is in constant telephonic communication with the mixing panel, recording room and amplifying room "Tank" — A sound proof booth with a plate glass window in front, designed to keep the noise of the camera's mechanism from being picked up by the microphones on the set. Both camera and cameramen work inside the tank. "Tormentor" — See "Baffle." "Interlock" — A word indicating that the cameras and the voice recording apparatus are in perfect synchronization. "Disc" — The wax record on which the voice and sound effects are recorded. "Photo-electric Cell" — The small, sensitive vacuum tube which transforms the voice into black and white light-lines of varying intensities on the sound film. "Frequency"— An electric term denoting the sound wave characteristics and range of the amplification system. Talking picture apparatus is capable of registering all tones audible to the human ear. Paramount Famous Lasky has a dictionary with other terms that you'll hear about sooner or later. # * * West Coast Buys Jack White Output WEST COAST THEATRES, INC., this week bought the entire output of JackWhite Productions from Educational. They will be released through Educational over the entire West Coast circuit. Word of this is simultaneous with the announcement that one of the White films, "The Quiet Worker," starring Jerry Drew, has displaced all two reel comedy records with a run of eight weeks at the Embassy theatre in New York. White discovered Jerry Drew and other stars such as Dorothy Devore and Big Boy. Others who have profited by his tutelage are Al St. John, Lupino Lane, Monte Collins, Vernon Dent, Amber Norman, Betty Boyd and Estelle Bradley. Some Actors Don't Tell Wives All Their Jobs (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 2.— After a still appeared in the Herald-World last week showing a wellknown star holding up an airplane pilot, a call came on the telephone. It was the wife of the actor. She demanded to know why this paper dared print a picture of her husband with a caption to indicate he had appeared in this picture (a two-reel air thriller). She declared he had appeared in no tworeelers in the past five years. (He appeared in a lead role of "The Iron Horse" a few years back.) She said the picture is unjust to her husband, and she demanded something or other. The Herald-World editor rushed to the studio, looked at a print of the two-reeler in the projection room, and came out smiling. There are actors in Hollywood who don't tell their wives about ALL their jobs. ALFRED A. COHN Stif>crt isinf> "The Carnation Kid" (In Cutting) Christie-Paramount Stone's Problems In Cannon Picture The effects of jazz on the young married man is the problem confronting Arthur Stone. Arthur said so. He admitted however that it is the problem which confronts him in his role in "Husbands Arc Liars." It's a comedy feature being made by Fox under direction of Raymond Cannon. June Collyer is in the leading feminine role. * * * Frank Newman this week assumes the management of the new West Coast house in Oakland, Cal. A parade was staged in his honor last week in Long Beach, his home for the past few months, and the mayor delivered a farewell speech in his honor. * * * Newmeyer's "Calamity" Superfeature Fox Film Fred Newmeyer's first picture at Fox will be "Calamity" under the supervision of Luther Reed. It is reported to be a superfeature which will cost well up in five figures. Movietone effects throughout. * * * Whadd'you Make Of This, Watson? Charley Dunning writes that Estelle Taylor stopped in front of the Majestic theatre in New York to get a look at the new frames of herself and Jack. She was standing there facing a half dozen big photographs of herself when a gent sidled up to her. "Wanta see the show tonight m'am? I got some fine seats, right next to Jimmy Walker's for only 50 bucks." And allatime it was Estelle that was in the play the fcllawasplugginticketsfor ! Come on back to Hollywood, Charley! * * * Clara's Due to Learn About "Copy" When Clara Bow begins work on "The Saturday Kid* she will learn the ins and outs of copywriting and advertising layouts. The plot is set in an advertising agency. No difficulty likely in injecting "appeal" into the copywriters' copy. * * * Motion picture players, exchange men and studio officials from several lots attended the big opening of the Golden Gate theatre in Los Angeles September 26. The house takes its place in the West Coast Junior Circuit of which Harry M. Sugarman is president. A deluxe policy of screen and stageshows will be followed in the Golden Gate with Fanchon and Marco supplying the stage acts. Seating capacity 1,700. Lynn Yost will mana.ee the new theatre. * * * Hanshaw's First Three Talkings Dale Hanshaw announced today that the first three talking pictures to be synchronized by Han-a-phone are "The Expensive Sex," "The Eternal Triangle," and "Romance a la Carte." Dialogue will be used in all of the 12 pictures Hanshaw plans to make this year. Thunder Bay Films, Inc., Gets Hollywood Interiors (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 2.— Thunder Bays Films, Ltd., of Fort Williams, Ont., are shooting interior scenes in Hollywood for "The Spirit of the Wilderness." All exteriors were made in the Head of the Lakes District of Ontario. Sargeson V. Halstead and Director Louis W. Chaudct are making a series of six features featuring Dorothy Dwan. Exteriors for all six pictures will be taken in Ontario and Manitoba. To Direct 2 More (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 2— First National has signed Benjamin Christensen to direct two more pictures, the first of which will be "Seven Footprints to Satan." Christensen has just completed "The Haunted House," another mystery story for First National. He also directed Milton Sills in "The Hawk's Nest." Producers Aid Storm Fund (Special to the HeraldWorld) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 2.— The Association of Motion Picture Producers this week contributed $2,500 to the fund for relief of hurricane sufferers.