Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

July 5, 1930 Motion Picture N e iv s 42c Situation Desperate Did you hear the story" about the producer who met an actor friend on the boulevard? "S-s-say," stuttered the actor, "c-c-can you 1-1-lend me t-t-ten bucks until this t-t-talkie craze b-b-blows over?" — Harrison Carroll in L. A. Herald. Urbansky Bids High For Ohio Chain of 10 Cleveland, O. — The ten theatres of Ohio Amuse. Co. offered at auction in Judge Baer's court, went to Greater Cleveland Realty Co., of which Thomas Urbansky is president. Urbansky offered $161,379 for all the houses with the exception of the Capitol and Savoy, including chattel rights to all ten houses. John Kalafat bid $106,000 for the entire circuit. M. B. Horowitz of the Washington offered $52,000 for the Five Points theatre, and an additional $5,000 for the Knickerbocker. After all bids were in, Judge Baer announced that he would take them under advisement, later announcing successful bidder. Houses of the chain are: Jewel, Savoy, Dennison Square, Five Points, U-No-Garden, Capitol, Knickerbocker, Lincoln and Southern. Kelley Promoted to S. S. Buyer for RKO in West Jack L. Kelley, RKO's director of theatres in Chicago, will headquarter in New York where he will have entire supervision over short subject buying for houses west of the Windy City. The promotion brings about a number of staff changes, with Michael Poller becoming assistant to Jules Levy, general manager of film booking, and John J. O'Connor in charge of booking Metropolitan circuit, assisted by Marie G. Tracy. Fred Meyers will supervise booking of straight film houses in the East, assisted by Julie Nincheri, and Sam Lefkowitz will supervise booking of theatres east of Chicago, assisted by Anne Busch. Warner New President Of M. P. Relief Fund Hollywood — Jack Warner was elected president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund at annual meeting held at Pickfair. Other officers elected include Nicholas M. Schenck, first vice-president ; Mary Pickford, second vice-president ; Will H. Hays, third vicepresident ; Conrad Nagel, fourth vice-president ; M. C. Levee, treasurer ; A. W. Stockman, secretary. Trustees elected for the three year term are : Fred Beetson, Charles Chaplin, William S. Hart, Jesse L. Lasky, E. H. Allen, Winfield Sheehan, Antonio Moreno, Milton Sills, J. L. Warner, and Ronald Colman. Division Heads Confer Herb Mclntyre, western division Pathe sales chief, is in New York for conferences with Phil Reisman, general sales manager. Harry Lorch and Harry Graham, Middle West executives, already are in New York. Vaude Socked Midships in K.C.; Midland Cuts It Out Kansas City — Loew's Midland has inaugurated a summer policy of eight weeks' duration which consists of straight picture programs, a price cut and Friday openings. Vaudeville has been eliminated for the time being, at least. The programs are to consist of feature, corned}-, cartoon, news, and trailers. The Midland, which has a capacity of 4,000, formerly charged sixty cents top price, and is now to play to a forty cents top. Since the Pantages cut out vaudeville some time ago, this makes the Mainstreet the last stronghold of vaudeville in Kansas City at the present time. Thugs Nab $200; Pass Up $250 More; Now in Jail Seattle — A short time after they held up three employees of the Embassy, second run house in the heart of the city's business district, two men were arrested and lodged in jail by the police. They have been identified by theatre employees. The hold-up occurred earl)' in the evening and the bandits obtained more than $200 in cash from the box-office, overlooking more than $250 in a sack on the floor. Bankruptcy Closes Up Duffy Chain on Coast San Francisco — All houses in the Duffy string at Los Angeles, Oakland and 'Frisco are dark following an order from Receiver G. A. Blanchard, who closed the theatres pending "readjustment and reorganization," necessitated because of bankruptcy proceedings. First creditors' meeting has already been held and further action will be outlined at the next confab. Bell and St. Clair Get "U" One-Picture Contracts Hollywood— Universal has signed onepicture contracts with Monta Bell and Mai St. Clair to direct for that company. Hobart Henley is also reported to have contracted with Universal to direct the talker remake of "The Flirt" which is on the schedule for production in the late fall. Henley made the original silent version of "The Flirt" several years ago. Exhibitor Opens 4 Houses In 1 Week; Lives to Tell Pembroke, Ont. — Meet an ambitious exhibitor : the Pembroke Ottawa Valley Amusement Co., which opened four theatres in a week and lives to tell the story. The houses are in Pembroke, Renfrew, Arnprior and Almonte. All of them are named O'Brien as a beau geste to Senator O'Brien, who backs the company. J. H. Bruck is general manager. St. Louis to Honor Greenman St. Louis — Film row will celebrate Harry Greenman's 25th anniversary in the theatre field at a banquet scheduled for July 9 at the Chase Hotel. Greenman is now managing Fox's house on Grand and Washington Blvds. Gov. Henry Caulfield and Mayor Victor Miller are on the guest list. Fox will supply entertainment, using a Fanchon & Marco show. Back in the Army Hollywood — When Buster Keaton introduced Jack Mintz, assistant director on his new M-G-M army picture, to Billy Steele, one of the actors, they all got a surprise. For the two had last met in the Argonne, when both were wounded in action. They had never seen each other since. Sources Used in S. M. P. E. Progress Fall Report (Continued from page 27) 1S V. S. Pat. 1,738,054; Brit. Pat. 321,540; French Pais. 33,191, 33,487, 33,724 (add. 635,828), 652,735, 654,750; Ger. Pats. 476,041, 483,894. " Ex. Herald-World, 98, Sect. 1 (Jan. 18, 1930), p. 35. 20 Los Angeles Times, Cream Sheet Section (Mar. 23, 1930). 21 Ex. Herald-World. 99 (Apr. 5, 1930), p. 11. 22 Filmtechnik, 5 (Nov. 9, 1929), p. 465. 23Schultz, R.: Filmtechnik, 5 (Nov. 9, 1929), p. 467. 24 Henley, A. T.: Kinemat. Weekly, 152 (Oct. 3, 1929), p. 61. -'-Film Daily, 51 (Feb. 9, 1930), p. 11. 26 Bioscope, 80 (Aug. 21, 1927), p. 37; also Kinemat. Weekly, 151 (Sept. 19. 1929), p. 43. 27 Umbehr, H.: Filmtechnik, 5 (Nov. 9, 1929), p. 470. 28 Danashew, A.: International Phot., 1 (Dec. 1929), p. 7. 28 Emmermann, C, and Seeber, G. : Filmtechnik, 5 (Aug. 31, 1929), p. 381. ■" Xoulei, L.: Photo-Revue, 41 (July 1, 1929), p. 195. 31 Ex. Daily Review and Mot. Pict. Today, 26 (Nov. 30. 1929), p. 12. 32 U. S. Pat. 1,729,520; Ger. Pat. 475,981; Fr. Pat. 650,957. 33 Stull, W.: Amcr. Cinemat., 10 (Feb. 1930), p. 9. 34 Everleigh, L. : Bioscope^ 80 (Aug. 7, 1929), p. iii. 35 Natebus, F. : Filmtechnik, 5 (Nov. 23, 1929), p. 496. 36 Fear, R. G.: Intemat. Phot., 1 (Oct., 1929), p. 41. 37 Amer. Cinemat. 10 (Jan., 1930). p. 11. 3S Lubitsch, E.: Amer. Cinemat., 10 (Nov., 1929), p. 5. 39 Cowan, L.: J. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., 14 (Jan., 1930), p. 108; also Report of the Standards and Nomenclature Committee, ibid., p. 131. 40 Owen, R.: Intemat. Phot., 1 (Oct., 1929), p. 14; also Mot. Pict., 5 (Oct., 1929), p. 7. 41 Lieberenz, P. L.: Filmtechnik, 5 (Oct. 12, 1929), p. 436. 42 Seeber, G. : Filmtechnik, 5 (Nov. 23, 1929), -p. 497. "Smack, J. C: /. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., 14 (Apr., 1930), p. 384. 14 Henri-Robert, J.: Bull. soc. franc, phot., 16 (May, 1929), p. 141. 45Jonson, G.: Intemat. Phot., 1 (Dec, 1929), p. 39. 411 Intemat. Phot., 2 (Feb., 1930), p. 16. 47 Lichtenstein, W. : Filmtechnik, 5 (June 8, 1929), p. 248. 48 Mohr, H. : Amer. Cinemat., 10 (Nov., 1929), p. 34. 49 U. S. Pats. Re. 17,443 of 1,355,543; 1,719,205; 1,720,744; 1,730,045; Canad. Pats. 290,803; 293,037; Brit. Pats. 311,411; 314,001; 314,991; 315,360; 316,255: 316,302; 317,489; 319,406; 320,378; 320,379; 321,683; Ger. Pats. 471,058; 473,948; 474,055; 477,807; 478,904; 480,588; 41,165; 483,736; 483,743; 483,805; 484,625; 485,236; French Pats. 633,405 (2nd add. 32,870); 633,180 (add. 33,466): 614,421 (add 32,830); 650,949; 651,512; 652,214; 652,298; 652,642; 657,082. 31 Kinotechnik. 11 (Mar. 5. 1929), p. 124. 51 Ger. Pats. 474,650; 485,413. 52 Filmtechnik, 5 (May 11, 1929), p. 214. "Emmermann, C. : Phot. Chronik, 36 (May 28, 1929). p. 205. 54 McCoy, J. L.. /. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., 14 (Mar., 1930), p. 357. 55 Fr. Pat. 651, 580. Bell to Make "East is West" Hollywood — Monta Bell has been signed by Carl Laemmle, Jr., to direct "East is West," which will star Lupe Velez. Constance Talmadge starred in the silent version of the play by Samuel Shipman and John B. Hymer. Writers Get Contracts Hollywood — Denison Clift and Marie Baumer, Paramount staff writers, have signed new contracts. Clift's next assignment will be adaptation of a Nancy Carroll production and Miss Baumer is writing the dialogue for a future Richard Arlen story.