Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

2178 Motion Picture News Lloyd Considering New Idea for Next Comedy FOR several months Harold Lloyd has been working on a new idea for the production which will follow "Speedy." While in the East recently, he had conferences with several of the foremost technicians in the "sound" field, and was introduced to two new developments along this line, which as yet are still studio secrets. These have been placed at the bespectacled comedian's disposal, and if it is found practicable to synchronize the type of comedy produced by Lloyd, his new picture will contain the latest developments in this field. Lloyd has never discussed for public consumption the possibilities of "speakie" comedies. He has a splendid talking voice himself, developed through his long stage experience, which dates back to his first appearance in "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" at the age, of twelve. His entire staff is now engaged in making "tests" and investigations of the newest ideas in sound and lighting, so that when he is all set to go on his successor to "Speedy" he will be right up to the minute with all technical devices. Court Decides Theatre License Tax Illegal The Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma in a decision handed down this week in Oklahoma City upheld the district court of Creek County in its decision that a license tax required of theatres in the city of Drumright was a revenue measure only and therefore illegal. The Strand Amusement Company, operating two theatres in the city of Drumright, brought suit against the Mayor, chief of police and other city officials to enjoin them from enforcing an ordinance which required the payment of $100 annually as a license fee, payable quarterly in advance. Testimony was introduced, according to the Appellate Court, to show that since the ordinance was passed, it had been used solely as a revenue-producing measure and was contrary to the state law. "The Little Angel" Norma Shearer's New Vehicle "The Little Angel," an adaptation of a serial by Leroy Scott, will be Norma Shearer's next starring vehicle for Metro-Goklwyn-Mayer. Production of "Ballyhoo," originally intended as Miss Shearer's first picture following her recent return from Europe, has been deferred until the completion of ' ' The Little Angel. ' ' Sam Wood will direct. First National Completes 2 New Productions "Oh, Kay!" and "The Night Watch"— two new First National productions, have been completed at the Burbank studios of First National. A third one, "Waterfront," was started last week. At the present time, filming is expected to start on four other features, "Show Girl," "Hard Rock," "Do Your Duty" and "Outcast." Corinne Griffith has finished "The Di vine Lady" and is now ready to start her new role in "Outcast." Meanwhile, cutting, assembling and titling will get under way on the completed vehicle. Billie Dove is also in readiness to begin her new role. "Waterfront," co-starring Dorothy Mackaill and Jack Mulhall, was started by William Seiter last week. The company is now on location in San Francisco where it will remain for three weeks. Richard Barthelmess has been working on "Out of the Ruins," which will have a new title, for a month. In the cutting rooms at Burbank are : "The Butter and Egg Man," "The Head Man," "The Whip," "The Glorious Trail" and "Heart to Heart." Editing and titling is finished on "The Barker," "The Wright Idea" and Harry Langdon's new comedy, as yet untitled. FBO Holds Regional Meet in Cleveland, June 24 A regional sales meeting was held at the Statler Hotel in Cleveland on Sunday, June 24, by the F B 0 sales forces. J. I. Schnitzer, senior vice-president in charge of distribution, attended and Lee Marcus, general sales manager, presided over the meeting. Among the branch managers present were : A. J. Mertz, Cleveland ; H. J. Michaelson, Cincinnati; A. H. Schnitzer, Pittsburgh; H. Dixon, Buffalo; and E. M. Elliott, Detroit. Salesmen who were in attendance were: G. Lefke, F. H. Hathaway, N. H. Gerson, H. H. Hull, Cleveland; S. H. Nesbit, C. K. Kendall, L. Rosenfeldt, J. G. Wilson, M. Strauss, Cincinnati; M. M. Schulgold, M. J. Gould, C. B. Kosco, C. Steinberg, Pittsburgh ; C. E. Goodwin, L. P. Murphy, E. C. Welsh, Buffalo; E. C. Murphy, H. S. Schilds, C. S. Whitaker, W. G. Sturgess, Detroit. Bookers in attendance were: J. J. Kennedy, Cleveland; G. L. Boudot, Cincinnati ; Wm. Schmidt, Pittsburgh ; Elmer Lux, Buffalo; T. J. Halliran, Detroit. Fox Net Profits Large for First Quarter FOX FILM CORPORATION and subsidiaries for the first quarter of 1928 report net profit of $1,363,561 after charges and taxes, equivalent to $1.78 a share earned on 767,216 combined shares of class A and class B stocks outstanding at the end of quarter. This compares with $806,983 or $1.61 a share on 500,000 shares of combined stocks in first quarter of last year. The increase for the first quarter of 1928 was partially due to the acquisition of Wesco Corporation. The full effect of the Wesco acquisition will not be realized until the last quarter of this year, Fox executives state. Consolidated income account of Fox Films and subsidiaries for the quarter ended March 31, 1928, is as follows: Profit after charges $1,451,842. Federal taxes $88,281, net profit $1,363,561, dividends on Class A and Class B stocks $767,207, surplus $596,354. Balance sheet as of March 31, 1928, shows total assets of $56,438,811. Current assets were $19,676,601, including $3,775,116 cash, and current liabilities $4,187,087. Holbrook Blinn, Stage and Screen Star, Dies HOLBROOK BLINN, an important luminary in the American field of acting, prominent on both the stage and screen, died at his home at Croton-on-the-Hudson last Sunday evening, June 24th. A few days before he had been thrown from a horse with the result that an infection of the arm set in which caused circulation of his right lung to be cut off, thus bringing on his collapse. He left a wife and a sister. The funeral services were held at 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Ossining, with the Rev. Gilbert W. Harris officiating. Burial was at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. A native of San Francisco, the actor made his debut at the age of six in 1878. He appeared in several motion pictures, his best screen contribution being in Mary Pickford's "Rosita." Also active as a director as well as actor, his screen activities date back to such early productions as "The Butterfly on the Wheel" and "Prima Donna's Husband." His last screen roles were in Paramount's "The Telephone Girl," First National's "The Masked Woman" and Associated Exhibitors "The Unfair Sex." Sam Lears, St. Louis Film Man, Dead Funeral services for Sam Lears, pioneer motion picture theatre operator and theatre equipment man, were held in St. Louis on Monday, June 25. He died suddenly June 23 in Chicago, where he had made his home for the past six years. About six years ago he purchased a large interest in the Arlington Seating Company of Arlington Heights, near Chicago. Prior to going to Chicago he operated a theatre equipment house at Broadway and Market street, St. Louis. Lears wTas a picturesque figure in the St. Louis political world at one time and was credited with being the "keyman" in the investigation of graft in the St. Louis Police Department in 1906. Musicians Caused Closing U. A. House, Says Report It is formally stated at the home office of West Coast Theatres that the closing of the United Artists Theatre, Seattle, was due to the insistence of the musicians' union that the theatre employ a minimum of 15 musicians, whereas the theatre could not afford more than eight. West Coast therefore deemed it less expensive to close the theatre down than to operate it under the circumstances, the statement reads. Warner Bros. Schedules 4 New Season Releases The first four releases which will come from Warner Bros, as its initial new season features have been announced, although no definite dates have yet been set for their respective releasing order. In the order of their release, they are : ' ' State Street Sadie," "The Midnight Taxi," "Women They Talk About" and "The Land of the Silver Fox."