The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

32 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 7, 1925 B* P* Schulherg Joins Paramount; Will Produce in the Lasky Studio Famous Also Takes Over Clara Bow, Donald Keith, Alyce Mills, Qilhert Rowland, Wm*Wellman—No Personnel Change OFFICIAL announcement was made this week by Jesse L. Lasky that B. P. Schulberg, one of the best known producers, had joined the production department of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation under a longterm contract. Mr. Lasky also declared that under the arrangements made Famous takes over four players and one director whom Mr. Schulberg had under contract. The four players who will be added to the Paramount Stock Company are Clara Bow, Donald Keith, Alyce Mills and Gilbert Rowland. The director is William Wellman. "In embarking on the greatest production program in our history," said Mr. Lasky, "it gives me great pleasure to announce the addition of Mr. Schulberg to our producing forces. Mr. Schulberg will produce pictures in the Lasky studio and we e-xpect that his coming will be of immense help in the ambitious program we have prepared for ourselves. "I wish to emphasize that Mr. Schulberg's coming to the Lasky studio is an addition to our forces and does not mean in any sense that there will be any change in the producing personnel of the production department. "By adding Mr. Schulberg to our forces we will be able to devote even greater care and attention to each individual picture. We have just finished our schedule of fall releases— the Greater Forty. Great as these pictures have been, it is our purpose to make our spring product even bigger in individual production values. Today there is no such thing as seasons in the picture business ; the spring and summer pictures must be just as big, just as attractive, as the pictures that open the fall season. The public demands it, and we are prepared to give both the trade and the public a group of pictures next spring which will be the best we have ever made. "Our policy of making our pictures in si.xnionth blocks, rather than attempting to line up a full year's program, makes it possible for us to get behind our spring group with greater effect than if we had to scatter our energies over a full year's schedule. Thus we are able to meet the constantly shifting demands of the business ; we are not set and frozen for a full year and unable to take advantage of changes in public taste, changes in exhibitor demands. "The acquisition of Mr. Schulberg, as 1 said, will help us to carry out that policy. " "The only successful producer is the producer whose resources make it possible for him to produce the kind ot pictures he wants to produce." This wa= the slatenieiu of .Mr. Schulberg, in commenting upon his return to the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation as one of the producers at the Lasky studio in Hollywood. In the early days of the Famous Players Film Company, Mr. Schulberg was one of Adolph Zukor's right hand men and was in charge of publicity and advertising. Since then he has been producing pictures for himself, and in the last few years, despite lack of resources and a heavy burden of worry and expense, has made some of the biggest box-office attractions in the history of the business. "I cannot tell you how glad I am to get back to Paramount," said Mr. Schulberg. "I know the men in Paramount. I know Mr. Zukor, Mr. Lasky, Mr. Kent. I know what they have done. And I appreciate to the fullest the immense opportunity which they are giving me "One of the fundamental necessities of the motion picture business is ideas. Without ideas you cannot produce pictures. But another essential is ample resources, and that means organization, man power, money. Without resources your most brilliant ideas will never come to fruition. With resources at your back there is nothing that can stop you except your own limitations. "The Paramount organization has these resources. For years I have been making pictures out in Hollywood and I have looked with envy on the facilities which are available at the Lasky studio. When a director wants a certain novel or play, there are men and money to get it for him. "I will continue to have as my personal assistant Sam Jafife, who has been closely associated with my producing activities for the past five years." MOBERLY MANAGER FINED J. W. Cotter, owner-manager of the Fourth Street Theatre, Moberly, Mo., was fined $52 and costs in the Randolph County Circuit Court w'hen convicted of a charge of operating his theatre on Sunday. The action of the court sustained the Moberly City Court which previously haJ fined Cotter. He appealed the case to the Circuit Court to test the city ordinance under w'hich he was arrested. He plans to carry the case to the Missouri Supreme Court. Circuit Judge Walker ruled that the City Council had full authority to regulate or suppress many lines of business including shows. H. D. GOLDBERG LEAVES FAMOUS Harry D. Goldberg, assistant to Harold B. Franklin in the operation of Paramount's theatre booking department, has resigned because of poor health. For three years he has been buying and booking pictures for the whole circuit, and he also superintended the routing of road shows, vaudeville acts and stage shows. B. P. SCHULBERG Million is Pledged by Adolph Zukor for Jewish Drive One million dollars is the amount that .Adolph Zukor, president of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, has pledged the Theatrical and Motion Picture division to raise as its share of the $4,000,000 fund for the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. Mr. Zukor is chairman of this committee, which is extremely active in the drive to raise this fund for the use of the ninety-one Jewish charities in the Federation. Mr. Zukor and the chairmen of the subcommittees met at the Hotel A?tor on October 28 to formulate detailed plans for the drive. A one-reel picture called "Human Dividends" and showing the work of the different charities has been made and will be shown in every picture theatre in Greater New York and in places where Jewish workers congregate. The drive will end November 19. Among the chairmen of the various committees are the following: H. M. Warner. Sydney Cohen. B. S. Moss, M. J. Mintz, P. J. Morgan, A. L. Libmann, Samuel Zierler, Joseph Hornstein. Joseph Seider, David Picker, Sol Brill, J. Chadwick, Samuel Eckman. Joseph Weinberg, Joseph Dannenberg, J. B. Basson. SEEK N. Y. STATE POSTS One exhibitor, Irving I. Goldsmith of Saratoga Springs, and one projectionist, Harry M. Brooks of Troy, are candidates for seats in the New York State Assembly and each is working tooth and nail in the hopes of being elected.