Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

March 30, 1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 37 Laura La Plante Voice Insured for $200,000 (Special to the Herald-World) UNIVERSAL CITY, March 26.— Universal has contracted for a $200,000 insurance policy covering the voice of Laura La Plante against injury or loss. A movietone test was made of her voice in order to preserve the evidence of its present quality. In case of injury the test would show to what degree her voice had changed. Miss La Plante is now working on the singing and dialogue sequences of "Show Boat" under the direction of Harry Pollard. "Mary Dugan" Into Embassy; Follows "Broadway Melody" (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, March 26.— "The Trial of Mary Dugan," all talking picturization of the stage success of the same name will begin an extended run at the Embassy theatre, March 28th. "Mary Dugan" ran on the stage for more than one year on Broadway and is nowbeing presented by eighteen road companies in this country and in Europe. The picture has an all star cast headed by Norma Shearer, Lewis Stone, H. B. Warner and Raymond Hackett. The voice of Miss Shearer is reported to be one of the best among screen players, despite the fact that she has had no stage experience. "Noah's Ark" Given British Premiere At Piccadilly Theatre (Special to the Herald-World) LONDON, March 26.— Warner Brother's "Noah's Ark" was given its British premiere at the Piccadilly recently. This is the second Warner Brothers to play at this house since Warner's took it over. Dolores Costello is starred in the picture. "Tenderloin," another production starring Dolores Costello, was given a general release this month throughout Great Britain and has proved a big hit in many houses. "Tenderloin" has bettered the record of Warner's "Home Towners" which was a big success here. National Campaign To Teach Public of W. E. Sound System (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, March 26.— To familiarize the motion picture public with the facts concerning the recording and reproduction of sound and dialogue motion pictures by Western Electric Sound System, Western Electric is instituting a huge national advertising campaign to be printed during the remainder of the year. A circulation of more than 8,000,000 will be reached by the Saturday Evening Post, Liberty, Colliers, Photoplay, Motion Picture Classic, Time, College Humor, The New Yorker, and The American Boy. The first advertisement will appear May 6 in the Saturday Evening Post. Lobby displays are being prepared for the use of theatres that are using Western Electric Systems. Fox's Stock Company Circuit To Solve Need of Audien Talent New Players and New Plays Will Be Developed Through Theatrical Stock Units in Dozen Theatres — Movietone Contracts for Leaders (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK. March 26. — A school of the speaking screen, already started by Fox Film Corporation in the form of a theatrical stock company at the Fox Palace theatre in Hartford, is to be expanded into nationwide branches in a dozen theatres with the use of the stage as an ally for the development of audiens. With the ambition to stimulate new talent in acting, writing, and producing, it is hoped by the Fox executives that the plan will produce both new players and new plays as a constantly growing source of talent for Fox Movietone. Of course, current Broadways hits also will be presented. William Fox made no announcement of his proves promising, he will receive a Movietone plans until they had been tried out for two weeks at the Fox Palace, following upon a campaign by Fox to acquire talent for talking pictures. It had obtained such outstanding players from the footlights as Mary Duncan, Sylvia Sidney, Sylvia Field, Helen Twelvetrees, Lumsden Hare, Helen Ware, Dorothy Jordan and Charles Eaton. Broadway Sapped of Talent But it also was found that Broadway was being sapped of desirable talent. Many stars were magnetized into the field of other talking pictures. Also many of the old line of seasoned talent, the veterans of the stage, were either passing on or retiring, due to the unfavorable conditions on Broadway this season. Youthful faces were likewise difficult to find. Winfield Sheehan, vice president and general manager, encountered some very striking experiences along this line. To get the right players for the leads in "Speakeasy," the alltalking picture of New York now at the Roxy, the director, Benjamin Stoloff, literally hunted high and low all over the city for several months. Besides frequenting vaudeville and Broadway productions, he studied faces on the street, at athletic meets and atop busses. He finally hit upon Paul Page from variety and Lola Lane from "The War Song." Similar difficulties had been encountered for "In Old Arizona." When every possibility had been canvassed for the leading woman in Hollywood and New York, it was only the chance discovery of Dorothy Burgess by Raoul Walsh in a Los Angeles production of "The Squall" that gave Fox officials the girl they wanted. Likewise, when Walsh was prevented from playing the bandit role by an injury to his eye, the Fox company was reduced to a still more deperate condition in a hurried quest for his successor. This problem was solved by Sheehan's bold determination to take a chance with Warner Baxter, with gratifying results already known to the world. Stock Units to Stop Uncertainty Similar drawbacks were met in the way of plays and playwrights. It was decided that the founding of stock companies would eliminate this uncertainity. The Fox company, already dedicated to youth in the roster of its screen stars, will foster young players suitable for the talkers. The stock troupes throughout the country' will provide a big casting directory for Albert Lewis, producer now with Fox. As any player contract from Winfield Sheehan. One such player with the Hartford company has already been thus rewarded. With many players within the Fox fold in the stock companies, there is far less likelihood that a desirable actor, deemed essential for a certain part in a talker, will be tied up with another film organization. New plays, besides metropolitan hits, will be presented. The new plays can be thoroughly groomed and worked over, before a pcssibile presentation on Broadway with their embodiment in celluloid to follow. Gives Small Town Chance Furthermore, cities outside Nev York which have felt a lack of touring t'icatrical companies but have indicated a still strong appetite for stage offerings, by supporting Little Theatre movements, will now have their wishes fulfilled. Their favorite standby, the stock company, long missing in many cases, will be restored to their midst. The Fox Palace fittingly commenced its new policy on Inaugural Day, March 4, pr sen'ing "This Thing Called Love." This was followed by the mystery thriller, "The Spider," Broadway leader of recent date, which likewise played to capacity. Next comes the entertaining vehicles of the Gleasons, "The Shannons of Broadway," followed by "The Big Pond" and "The Command to Love." The house, which is managed by Charles Nelson, was declared on a recent visit by Herschel Stuart, head of the Fox circuit in New England, to have the best stock productions he has ever seen. Featured in the company most of whom have had Broadway parts — are Jean May, who has had five years of stock in Buffalo, and Edward Lieter, who has played in Cleveland and Kansas City, as well as on the Pacific Coast. Others in the unit are Lorraine Bernard, Maude Richmond, Frederick Zozere, Joseph Eihan, Gertrude Moran and Carleton Hilliard. Saunders Named New Supervisor R K O Houses (Special to the Herald-World) MINNEAPOLIS. March 26. — Claude Saunders of New York will succeed Frank N. Phelps, resigned, as supervisor of R K O theatres in the Denver, Omaha, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Winnipeg territories with headquarters at the Hennepin-Orpheum theatre. What Exhibitors Are Saying About Exhibitors Herald-World "I sure get lots of pointers out of the Herald-World and wouldn't think of running a theatre without it." — Sun theatre, Plaintvell, Michigan.