Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

44 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 4 , 19 3 1 OP NEW PLAN RECORDS via PHONE WIRE €N WABASH AVENUE CHICAGO A former Chicago exchange manager is selling the theatre "give away" idea to gasoline service stations — merchandise premiums to accompany a tankful. His former Film Row colleagues are buying stock in the project. AAA The Main Street Crusader, radio entertainer, has extended his crusadinc, to include chain theatre operation. He lectures regularly in whatez>er independent theatres are offered him gratis. AAA Helen Dolak, formerly of the Film Board, is Phil Dunas' new secretary. AAA Tiffany exchange's free parking space has proved to be one of the few Film Row commodities that meet ivith the complete approval of all exhibitors. AAA The first release of Educationars "Romantic Journeys" is playing McVickers. AAA Sue Carol and Nick Stuart will play the Uptown, Paradise and Tivoli triangle in April. AAA Father Dineen, "the thorn in the side of Rogers Park theatre owners who misbehave, is quoted as saying he no longer believes Miss Effie Sigler is temperamentally fitted for her position as chief censor. AAA With May first — the moving season deadline — approaching, exchange managers again are seen eyeing I3th street locations. AAA Victor Fisher, president of Fisher Steel and Wire Rope Company, plays an organ in a north side theatre at night. AAA The Woods ran an all-Tiffany program, with a Chimp comedy and a Voice of Hollyii'ood supporting "Single Sin." AAA The Cinema Art theatre, ordinarily regarded by the local trade as being about as remote from local controversy as an editorial in the Evening Post, became a center of contention last week when it succeeded in playing "Cimarron" ahead of Dave Balaban's Windsor. AAA "Dracula's" gross ran ahead of "Cimarron's" for the first four days of the first week of each, but "Dracula" failed to maintain the pace and fell behind by the end of the week. "Dracula," of course, ran considerably more shows a day than did "Cimarron." AAA Hal Young and Cress Smith met on a Chicago-bound train returning from New York. Jini. Darst of Pathe Neivs still carries shrapnel iJiat he first encountered in 1918. AAA Two of Columbia's Buck Jones pictures, banned by the local censors months ago, have been "lost" in the corporation counsel's office. AAA What circuit theatre executive, out of town for the moment, is having his office files inspected by a home office agent? AAA Gene Couer has an office near his old Pathe News haunt where he does some occasional ittriting. It's not generally known, but Gene and his ivife "ghosted" the prize war novel, "God Have Mercy on Us," which split the American 'Legion's $25,000 prize. The story was based on the experiences of William ScanIon, a brother-in-law of Couer, whose name the book bears. AAA Illinois Allied unit will have luncheon meetings on first Tuesday of each month throughout the year. KANE Nothing Succeeds Like — Chicago (QP)— B. & K.. months ago unimpressed by the cast of "Little Caesar" and crowded with bookings at the time, turned down the gangster picture. Soon afterward, the picture opened in New York and the rumor spread that quite a few cash customers dropped in to see it. B. & K. was willing to reconsider, but in the meantime Warner had sold the Loop run to the Woods. There were some words but they ceased when, in the discussion, it was learned that Warner wanted the picture for the Orpheum anyway and that the intention was to play it day and date with the Woods. When and if "Little Caesar" emerges from the police building detention camp, both theatres expect it to break house records. The Woods management is confident of a new high gross despite the fact that it will lower its admission to sixty cents top for the picture's run in order to equalize the Orpheum competition. Chicago Sponsors Ready For Commercial Field Said to Obviate Transportation of Sound Equipment Between Sets or Location Chicago (QP) — Half of the local membership of the S.M.P.E., together with representatives of theatrical publications, witnessed a new sound recording over telephone wires last week. The feat was staged by the developers of a system which now is ready for commercial marketing. It comprised the shooting of 5,000 feet of film in the studios of the Chicago Film Laboratories on the 21st floor of the Furniture Mart, the sound being recorded by telephone wire in the Jenkins & Adair laboratories on Belmont avenue, eight miles distant. Orchestral music, dialogue and vocal turns by members of the cast of Earl Carroll's "Sketch Book" comprised the shots. The negatives were rushed to New York by plane for development and transposition and were back in Chicago three days later for a showing at the Castle Theatre. The practical advantage claimed for the new recording system is that it obviates the necessity of transporting sound equipment between separated sets or locations. The "mikes" and a portable mixer are the only sound equipment which accompan" the cameras. The actual recording equipment is located permanently at a central laboratory, synchronization being obtained by voice signals over a direct telephone wire and by the timing of acts in rehearsal to conform to the recording speed of 90 feet a minute. Whitman Sound Corporation of New York, which co-operated with Jenkins & Adair in developing the system, announces that contracts for its installation have been completed with major studios. 3,000 Expected at N. V. A. Benefit Affair in Chicago Chicago (QP)— Concluding the N.V.A. drive to gather $1,000,000 as a national benefit fund, a dinner dance will be held at the Hotel Stevens on April 11, at which 3,000 are expected to be present. Stage and screen stars are expected, as well as several of the city's best known dance orchestras. Film houses will show "Stolen Jools," two reel novelty, during the week. William E. Burlock is executive director of the drive for this zone.