Kinematograph year book (1927)

Events of -the Year. 27 CCTOBE^. The Trade gathered in record numbers at the Connaught Rooms, on Tuesday October 12, to honour W. Gavazzi King, who was formally presented with a cheque for the Testimonial Fund and also with a gift from the Branch secretaries. The revival of the Quota campaign was signalised by the presentation of a new Memorandum to the Government from the F.B.I, in which it urged the quality of recent British films as an argument for the policy. It was understood that a majority of British producers were in agreement with the F.B.I. The C.E.A. Council's resolution to oppose Quota legislation in Parliament was, however, still in force. At its October meeting the C.E.A Council unanimously rejected a request from Carl Laemmle that the ban on " The Phantom of the Opera " should be rescinded. Inconclusive results appeared to have followed the discussion of production problems by the Imperial Conference which opened in London on October 19, but the matter was to be further investigated by the Economic Sub-Committee. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister stated the problem facing that body to be to " help efficiency in film production by giving it some measure of security." Staff Changes and Appointments. Dan Godfrey, musical director of the Gaiety, Manchester. E. A. Sawkins, general manager, J. C. Vickers, musical director and Mr. Elliman, chief operator of the New Popular Pavilion. F. Cooper, exploitation manager of European. R. G. Coleman, assistant manager of the Central P.H., Hull. Joe Mitchell opened as a film agent in Dublin. W. Peet Leslie joined Famous I.asky Exploitation Staff. G. Wrightson succeeded William Burnell as lessee of the Electra Palace, Elsecar. W. Hunchliffe succeeded Norman Bain at F.N.'s Manchester branch. T. Connors joined J.M.G. at Manchester. Norman Bain joined Wardour in Manchester. Julius Harris charge of Stolls' Leeds office. S. F. Downing joined the Mercury Film Service, Leeds. H. W. Harwood, manager of the Olympiadrome, Shoreditch ; Bennett Kaye succeeded him at the Queen's, Forest Gate. J. Pounds, management of the Central. Dublin. Reg. E. Askew, branch management of Butchers, Liverpool. Guy K. Austin, appointed to F.N. publicity department; Granville Stutely succeeded him at Norwich. P. M. Rogers, publicity manager, Graham Wilcox. Alec. J. Braid retired from position of Stoll's publicity director. F. Bloomfield manager of P.D.C.'s Leeds branch vice H. Harrison. G. Turnbull charge of Vitagraph's Newcastle branch. Mr. Owen succeeds the former at Cardiff. R. G. Coffin, managerial charge of the Paik Kinema, Birkenhead. Victor Collingridge, manager. Eugene Old, musical director, George F. Somes, organis t , all Putney Palace appointments. A. H. Thomas, management of the Perfect P.H., Crouch End. Harry Houston succeeded by Mr. Buckett at the Finsbury Park Cinema. Stephen J. Ryan management of the New Barnet Kinema. James Colville joined F.B.O. in Glasgow. Willie Mann transferred to F.B.O. 's Newcastle office. Ernest Colton joined P.D.C.'s Manchester branch. Mr. Chisnail succeeded Jack Hampson at Vitagraph's Manchester office. Sidney F. Lyndon, manager, M. de Blanc, musical director, and E. Peto, organist, at the Grand, Edgware Road, London. W. H. G. Newman, control of the Court Kinema, Darlington. A. S. Barber, promoted to the managership of Fox's Manchester branch. " Chic k " Ellis, Tommy Murphy and G. Gothorl joined F.N.'s Glasgow branch ; Ernest Pyser W. & F.'s Scottish staff ; Nat Winters representative for Schofield, Glasgow. Kinema Re-rpenings, etc. The Poplar Pavilion opened.- Putney Palace, opened. George Alexander acquired the Kinema, Horn Lane, Acton. Picture Palace, Keith, re-opened. — — Palladium, Aberdeen, re-opened. The Grand, Edgware Road, opened. The Cinema, Manningtree, Essex, was acquired by J. Graham, junr. Obituary. A. Bowler-Reed, well-known film reviewer. ■ George Kutnow, 68, of Brondesbury. NOVEMBER. European acquired the distribution of British Screen Classics and the Empire New Bulletin. William Vogel of P.D.C. confirmed the news of the Pathe-P.D.C. merger in America. "P.D.C. — THE HOUSE OF VARIETY.'