Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

October 5, 1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 35 Italian Exhibitors Rapidly Equipping Houses with Sound (By Special Correspondence) NAPLES, Oct. 1, — Italian exhibitors are rapidly equipping their houses for sound and by the beginning of next season every important town will have at least one house for audiens, according to an announcement coming from the Pittaluga Film company. The sound systems used will be Vitaphone and Movietone, which is claimed to be giving the best results at the present time. In Rome, Milan and Turin only one theatre, at present, is showing sound pictures but this number will be increased to two and perhaps three in a short time. The pictures to be shown will include the Pittaluga releases and all those now in production in the studios at Rome, which the equipped with Western Electric recording equipment. The Superfilm company at Rome has completed three sound pictures, "The Minstrel of Venice," "Myriam" and "La Sperduta di Allah " Four other companies now ready for production are the S. A. C. I. A,, Augustus, Suprema and A. D. I. A. The National Institute for Cinematography has bought the film "Sole" from Augustus and will release it throughout Italy and abroad. Sono-Art Signs Up Reginald Denny for Talking Film Series (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1.— Reginald Denny has been signed to star, in a series of audiens for Sono-Art to be produced at Metropolitan studios, according to O. E. Goebel, president, and George W. Weeks, vice president of that company. Denny has been a feature picture star since 1926, and, most recently has appeared in about 12 pictures. He won his greatest popularity in the "Leather Pushers" which Universal released and it is the success of that series which won him a feature contract. Prior to his motion picture work he appeared on the English stage for several years. His first picture for Sono-Art will be announced in a few days and it is thought that the company plans to star him in a light comedy role, several which are now under consideration. Postal Telegraph Tieup Boosts Warners' Picture As part of their campaign of exploitation for "Gold Diggers of Broadway" at the Winter Garden, Warner Brothers have effected a tieup with the Postal Telegraph whereby a special enlargement of a message will be placed in the windows of their 156 branch offices throughout the metropolitan area. The enlargement, measuring 22x17 inches, is signed by Ann Pennington and is addressed to her friends in New York, urging them to see "Gold Diggers of Broadway" at the Winter Garden. W B Promote McGann (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1— William McGann, who was an assistant director at the Warner Brothers studios, was promoted to director by J. L. Warner. McGann's first directorial responsibility will be "On the Border," starring Rin-Tin-Tin. WE Operating 100% in Every Land But Germany: Otterson (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1. — In the midst of conflicting and erroneous reports regarding patent suits in Europe on sound picture equipment, J. E. Otterson, president of Electrical Research Products, Inc., who has just returned from abroad, makes the authentic statement that Western Electric equipment is operating 100 per cent in every foreign country except Germany. Installations in England are proceeding at a rapid rate and even application for a temporary injunction has been withdrawn. The London offices have more than 700 people employed, 250 theatres are using W. E. equipment and 250 additional theatres are waiting for installations. "Despite any published reports," he declared, "the situation in Europe is, as a whole, very favorable to the Western Electric Company. "Within the past two weeks the courts in four different countries have denied applications for injunctions brought by the German interests against Western Electric or theatres using its equipment. Writ Denied in Budapest "In Budapest, contrary to the printed report which stated that an injunction had been granted and a theatre closed, the courts denied the application for an injunction and we have had cable advices that the theatre which is to show sound pictures over our equipment will open on schedule time. "In Switzerland the injunction proceedings having failed, and there has been no interference whatever with theatres already operating. "The report of an injunction closing a Vienna theatre was also incorrect. We have had cable advice that the court in Prague has denied the injunction asked for in this case. Hearing in Germany Oct. 25 "Germany is the only country in which we are under injunction and a hearing on the suit to which this injunction is related is scheduled to take place Oct. 25. "In England Western Electric activities are proceeding at a rapid rate, the application for even a temporary injunction there having been withdrawn. Our Lon don office now has a staff of more than 700 people and installations are proceeding at a rapid rate. Two hundred and forty Western Electric equipped theatres are in operation in the British Isles and 50 in other countries in Europe, while there are 250 additional theatres awaiting installations. Taking the foreign field outside of America, Western Electric has equipped about 600 theatres to date and has orders on hand for as many more. Says Litigation Was Natural "Looking at Europe as a whole we see no occasion for apprehension as to the future for the Western Electric Sound System. The litigation is only such as might be expected when a manufacturer enters a foreign field in which local manufacturers feel disposed to maintain the market exclusively. "There never has been any doubt in our minds of the fundamental soundness of the Western Electric patent position but foreign manufacturers are entitled to the full protection of the law; and wherever these issues have been taken to court we can simply hope for their earliest possible determination, feeling full confidence in the outcome. Our experience to date strengthens this confidence." Major Bowes Returns to New York NEW YORK — Major Bowes, managing director of the Capitol theatre, and vice-president of M G M, returned to New York September 29, after a month's business trip to the Coast. SUPER MELLAPHONE "A Reproducer of Merit" Triple guarantee against flutter or sound vibrations assured by Equalizer-Filter, Balanced Fly Wheels and especially cut gears. Equipped with Resynchronizer. Smooth and constant pitched tone maintained. $500.00 per pair complete with Pick-Ups., Fader, Projector connections. With Amplifier and Speakers, $775.00. Write for Literature MELLAPHONE CORPORATION ROCHESTER, N. Y. Territory Available for Dealers