Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

42d Motion Picture News July 5, 1930 Houses in Loop Adopt New Policy Of Open Bookings Radical changes in booking policies in Loop theatres have been noted recently. The Fox Munroe, knocking down its admissions to a 25c-40c schedule with the inauguration of an open product policy, took the Universal picture, "Young Desire." It formerly used Fox second runs. The RKO Woods took "The Richest Man in the World" (M-G-M) in mid-week, representing the first time in years a Cosmopolitan production has had a Loop opening in any but a B. & K. house. "Richest Man" is Louis Mann's first picture of the company's new product. The other departure was noted at Warners' Orpheum, which took "The Divorcee" (M-G-M) for its third Loop week. This picture is playing in Chicago on a "pink" (adults only) permit. It did tremendous business in its first week at the Chicago (B. & K.) and showed its exceptional qualifications by being sent into the Oriental for a second Loop week, an unusual procedure here. B. & K. then gave it to the Paradise, Uptown and Tivoli theatres simultaneously. This week it is playing the Orpheum concurrently with B. & K.'s Riviera and Harding theatres. With it, the Orpheum inaugurates a change in policy from a first to a second run house, and during a trial period of this policy will use everybody's product. If profitable, the policy may be permanently adopted, according to Max Schlott, manager. Warner Golf Bugs to Get Chance to Swear The Chicago Warner Club will launch its summer social season July 10 with a golf tournament at Cog Hill Country Club. The following sharp-shooters are favorites to carry away the bulk of the trophies to be awarded: Earl Silverman, Bill Lyman, Jimmy Coston, Sheldon Shulz, Norman Moray, Clarence Parrish, Ward Perry, Walter Donovan, Carl Leserman, Tom Gilliam and H. F. Neil. This event will be followed on August 2 with a picnic outing at a location to be designated later. Publix Managers Meet Convention of Publix managers of the Chicago and Detroit divisions opened at the Edgewater Beach Hotel here, July 1. TWO barefoot girls from Marion, la., were jugged by local gendarmes when picked up on the streets here after an unsuccessful effort to get to Hollywood and be starred in pictures. The gals related that they had attained Phoenix, Ariz., when the dough and shoes gave out, and then managed to get back here without either. Held here until pa drove in with the fliv from Marion. Evelyn Laye, English prima donna, transferring luggage here en route to Hollywood, zvhere she will make "Lilli" for Samuel Goldzvyn. The Sons of Italy running a benefit performance at the Majestic with pictures of the royal wedding of Prince Humbert to Marie Jose of Belgium as the draw. This picture, an official Italian government film of the ceremony, did three weeks of stand-out biz at a Little Italy theatre here previously. Jack Miller to the 5-5-5 conference at Atlantic City. * * * B. & K. making a bid for return patronage during Will Rogers' week at the Chicago by advertising "new program each day." Rogers' impromptu chatter the basis for the ad. Al Kvale finished his trial week as m. c. at the Oriental and was replaced by Frankie Masters. Frankie's second trial in the house. * * * Hal Young to N. Y. C. on biz. * * * Midwest Enterprises about to open the new Midwest at Oklahoma City, proclaiming it to be the "finest in the state." * * * Joe Hartman, formerly salesman here for Educational, now handling the short subject end for Tiffany locally. Howard Winner here to handle the national angle stuff for Universal Newsreel, working under the Kinogram home office. * * * Harley L. Clarke elected a director of the Central Trust Co. here. * * * B. & K. putting out the hand of welcome in its advertising in the dailies to 15,000 Rotarians here for organization's Silver Jubilee convention. * * * Henri Ellman to Nezv York for the final conferences on Tiffany's new production schedule, not settled at the national convention here. * * * Nice comments on United Artists' pre-view of "Raffles" at the United Artists theatre here. * * * /. R. MacPherson, assistant manager of Ara When Was Regal Opened? Problem Is a Tax Puzzle The building housing the Regal, B. & K.'s large south side colored show house, was permitted to escape paying more than $31,000 in 1928 taxes as a result of the erroneous exemption of the building by the board of assessors and the refusal of the board of review to take subsequent action in the matter, state tax commission auditors charge. The building, which covers almost a square block, contains in addition to the theatre, a ballroom, department store and drug store. The original appraisal of the property placed the full value of the land at $594,767, the assessed valuation being $220,066, and the full value of the building at $1,505,776, the assessed valuation being $557,138. The owner, Harry M. Englestein, filed a complaint with the board of assessors last October. He claimed the building was not completed by April 1, 1928, and that the land value was excessive. Two hearings on the complaint were subsequently held, for the first of which the state's auditors were unable to find any record. It is supposed that at that hearing the building was ordered taken off the books for 1928. At the second hearing the land was reduced in assessed valuation from $220,066 to $156,314 on the argument by the owner that the land was 'vacant April 1, 1928, and therefore was not worth as much as if it had been improved. The auditors charge that their investigation revealed that the building was completed and occupied in the fall of 1927, and quoted a community newspaper article announcing an inaugural performance on Thanksgiving Day, 1927. tion-al Screen Sennce here, back at work after a lengthy illness. * * * Louie Abramson and Ann Bar welded on Sunday, now honeymooning it in the east. * * * Charlie Lowenberg back from the land of missing men. * * * Jay Fagan, manager of the Regal, doing an eastern intermission. * * * Henry Hcrbel on the sick list. * * * The father of Henry Rudda, manager of tine Lane Court, killed in an automobile accident. KANE