Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

40 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD March 30, 1929 SOUND PICTURES Huge Sound Studio Chief of $300,000 Pathe Improvements IMPROVEMENTS totaling approximately $300,000 have been launched at the Pathe studios in Culver City. Chief among these, according to William Listrom, general manager, is the building of a tremendous sound studio which will be one of the largest in the world. It will house three separate sound-proof stages, or chambers, where three different companies can work simultaneously. The very latest methods of sound proofing ment department, which will be devoted to the will be utilized, with much attention being paid to the practical side of making dialogue attractions. The building will be 252 feet in length by 76 feet in width and will have a 42-foot ceiling. Each separate stage, or chamber, will be entirely sound proof so that companies working on the adjoining stages cannot possibly interfere with each other. The building will be constructed with double walls, with air chambers between to aid in making them absolutely sound proof. The new sound theatre, which is a miniature picture palace, is rapidly nearing completion. Few big theatres will be better equipped than this one for the screening of audible productions. The interior of the theatre is more than 60 feet in length by 30 in width and will seat nearly 100 persons. It will be equipped with three complete sound projectors, arc illuminated. For sound and voice reproduction eight huge dynamic speakers will be used. Another interesting development at the Pathe studios resulting directly from the sudden success of talking pictures will be the construction of a sound research and equip lmprovement of sound recording equipment. A new miniature and effects department also is being planned. Photophone Opens Kansas City Office; To Cover 7 States (Special to the Herald-World) KANSAS CITY, March 26.— C. F. Barnman of the home office of R C A Photophone, Inc., has opened an office in this city. This office will cover the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Samuel E. Murry, III, formerly survey engineer of the Chicago territory, has been assigned to the office, located at Seventeenth and Main, in the Davidson building. RCA held its first convention for Western representatives March 20-21, at Kansas City. Those attending were J. O. Smith, M. O. Smith, G. B. Cummings and W. I. Brown, with Bamman in charge. CaneO WHERE SOUND FRiDAYjEBir SOUNDS BEST Sunday.Feb.24t THE VOICE OF \ S\ X 4, Ik This is how the J. Real Neth Theatres, Columbus, O., took advantage of national advertising. Instead of using the column reserved for the purpose, Neth arranged with the paper to use the reading space at the top of the page for his ad, thereby making it count for the houses running the picture instead of merely accessory to Vitaphone in general. . The Grand is Nelh's first-run downtown house ; and the Cameo, a 600-seat suburban house recently remodeled. Farrar Sees Audien Opera At Picture Show Prices (Special to the Herald-World) NEW ORLEANS, March 26.— Grand opera at motion picture prices is a possibility is the opinion of Geraldine Farrar. Miss Farrar, the noted opera singer is resting at the St. Charles hotel after a concert jaunt of 21,000 miles. She says: "At the present time voice reproduction has not arrived at a sufficient degree of perfection to justify putting opera into the movies," "closeups now shown in talking pictures are accompanied by the voice, but the amount of volume is not in keeping with the size of the close-up." Western Electric Issues First Press Sheet to Exhibitors (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, March 26.— In line with its national advertising campaign to boost sound pictures and to aid the exhibitor in his local exploitation, Western Electric has just put out the first number of a press sheet called "The Voice of Action." This sheet goes to every exhibitor using their equipment and is also sent to the executives of all theatre chains. "We are doing more than advertising 'Western Electric,'" an official of that organization told the Herald World today, "we are trying to make the public sound conscious, something which will help almost every branch of the motion picture industry." The press sheet emphasizes advertisements appearing in the leading weeklies and urges the exhibitor to let these books work for him. Copies of Western Electric advertisements appearing in magazines like the Saturday Evening Post are reproduced and exhibitors may send for the mats if they want them. There are also the usual canned stories for local newspaper insertion. Warners Sign Stage Stars and Orchestra For New Sound Films (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, March 26.— Minnie DuPree will play opposite J. C. Nugent in her first audien under the direction of Byron Foy in a sketch entitled "The Veteran." Miss DuPree will be remembered as the original Katy in "Heidelberg." She also appeared with David Warfield in the "Music Master." Tosie Heather, the famous Scotch comedienne has just finished a short audien for Warners. Leo Reisman and his Hotel Brunswick Orchestra recently completed a short Vitaphone act. For eleven years he was at the Brunswick hotel in Boston and for two years at the Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf-Astoria Roof in New York.