The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

Last M i n u t e News From Everywhere SHOOT! Whilf Miirion DavicK iiuikrs "Tilly the Toiler,*' HaiT>' KeiciK'iiiiacli will re-issue "Tilly's punctured Romance," Marie Dressler's ininiorlal film. Tliis opens the "Tilly" season. MOVING PICTURE WORLD A MORAI^T dueen Kontana. champion producer, \ylth a record of 1,17.1 eggn laid In live years. Is dead from overwork. I.s there a moral In this? Vol. 83 New York, November 6, 1926 No. 1 Richards Asks Only That He s The Last to Die Saenger Manager Is a Sad Pessimist B. V. Richards, Jr., of the Saenger circuit, New Orleans, is in New York, having attended the First National conference last week at French Lick Springs, Ind. Though one of the real authorities on motion picture subjects, getting an interview out of him would be aii achievement paralleled only b) the conquest of Mount Everest. Mr. Richards was coralled at the First National home office. He cheerfully remarked that he hadn't given out an interview in years. Then he declared himself a disciple of optimism and "a bear on film prices and a bull on the .South." Bunk in the film business he humorously decried. Mr. Richards sees a future of intense theatrical competition in the South. Many will fall by the wayside and many will be the 'heartaches, he said, but that is economically unavoidalile in any business. "I'm just trying to be one of the last to die." he elaimed. According to the latest odds posted, he will be. Prizes Distributed The personnel of the twentysix First National exchanges which succeeded in passing their quota in the recently closed summer drive, are now in receipt of their prize awards, totaling in all cases an extra week's salary. A maximum of .'V52 First National employees are benefitted by the awards. More Product Greater than I lie product released during,' any one period in its history will he the group •>* Paramount iitlractiiMi.s plajins the theatres this eoniiuBMprtni; and summer, ,lesse 1,. I,asky, first vi»«'-president in charge ot production, told representatives of the Dep.-irtment of HistrlhUition In convention at IfVench I,lck, Ind.. October 2.-. to 2H. Sir. l.asky declared that of the :tl> attractions MChednled for release durints the new season, 15 or more ivould he of loniur-rnn c.-iHbri-. 'i'his Krnup of specials does not Include the company's roadshow pictures, he said. Late Chicago News Notes Fred .lacoliN iil:iiis a 2,000-seat movie theatre of Eyry-ptiJin desiij;-n in Kdison Park on the West Side. It will cost .liT.jO.OOO. Work will start in thirty days. Fitzpatrick & MclClroj t<»i»k over the property at I>lichiK-:in avenue and 110th street place from William .>lc.\itt for a larse theatre and commerci;iI pro.ic<*t. W. W. Anderson Surveys The Florida Territory W. W. Anderson, iiianagcr cf the Atlanta branch of Pathe Exchange, Inc., accompanied by Salesman H. R. Klstler, last week completed a motor tour of the storm-stricken area of Florida. He found VVe.st I'alm Beach practically unini'jrol. Pompano caught it Ijadly. In Dania the only theatre was a mass of ruins. Fort L.auderdale also was liard hit. Hollywood is in terrible shape. A Biscayne Park theatre that was all but completed is in ruins. At Tjittle River both theatres escaped. Miami Beach is very dilapidated. The I'alni Airdrome at Hialeah was only slightly damaged, but the Hodges Theatre was badly wrecked. At Coral Gables the Dream Airdrome suffered only minor injuries, ns did the Coral Gables Theatre. All Buena "Vista was badly torn up. Miss Borden 111 Olive Borden is ill in San Francisco, it is reported. She was making personal appearances, and, it is said, wus rushed to a 'hospital. Fighting New Tax The German film trade is in the throes of waging war against the imposition of taxes. The central government has issued certain -egiilations by which municipalities shall collect entertainment tax. Quebec Bans British Picture; Canadian Industry Astonished "Nell Gwyn" Rejected on Ground That Nudity Is Displayed — ^Boycott Threatened By Sumner Smith Old sores have been reopened in Canada because the Quebec Board of Moving Picture Censors have decided to condemn "Nell Gwyn,'' an important recent British production. This action was taken in spite of the aimounced policy a few months ago on the part of the Quebec Government representatives to favor British and European film productions as a result of a threatened boycott of Quebec by United States producers. "Nell Gwyn" has been rejected on the ground that nudity is displayed. Incidentally, this is the third time that a British release has been banned by the Quebec censors, the other two being "Chin Chin Chow" and "Reveille." The forpier also was London Cable By W. E. ALLISON-BOOTH Moving Picture World Bureau, London, October 26. Mystery attaches to London life film. This picture was never shown to the trade before it left England. English papers state that the producer did not give a correct impression of English life at the Imperial Conference. It has been proposed that the government shall give financial ..id to British films. "So This Is Paris" went over very big at the Capitol. Gaumont is handling a talking picture concern here. New Arbitration Battle Impends; Ignorance, Interference Alleged Kecent iadications are that serious trouble over the arbitration question impends in many places. It will be discussed at the Ohio convention on October !» and also at the Texas Convention. October 16. A letter signed by exhibitor heads in Ohio, Minnesota, North and South Oikola, Indiana. Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas and Michigan, itself an outgrowth of the Michigan convention, has been sent Will Hays. It al leges ignorance of duties on the part of arbitration boards and interference by the Hays office in making decisions. Two of the paragraphs follow: "The purpose of this conference was to consider the fact that arbitration in each of these states, individually, as well as in the other lilm centers, has not licen working in a salisfactoiy manner, due to the fact that the distributor members of the varl(C'onthiucd on page 2) rejected on the ground of nudity, while "Reveille" was turned down because an illegitimate child figured in the plot. "Romola" was also banned by the Quebec censors, but was passed some weeks later after it had been reconstructed throughout. The decision regarding "Nell (Jwyn" is surprising in view of the statements of Quebec officials. Premier Taschereau of Quebec announced that the time had come when Quebec should get good British films. He also said: "We will certainly be pleased to get our films from the British firms and, in addition, I think that t.he French producers will also easily be interested in supplying us with good artistically-prepared films." Dr. Ix J. Lemieux, Quebec agent at London, England, also cabled: "In view of the proposed boycott of distribution of American films in Quebec Province, picture producers of London arc ready to furnish to the cinemas of Quebec Province large quantities of very good modern moving picture films." During the past fiscal year, the Quebec Board condemned 204 releases and modified 492 others, the number of pictures accepted as submitted being l,."i28. New Propaganda Accordlnli; to ro|iurtK from Italy, the Itnllun World Wiir Veterans linve iidopted n new form of ediiciitlnniil |> r o i> n mciindii. TIiIn lejB^lon hiiK InNtnllcd n motion picture uinclilne on a vehicle and will project tlirniifchonit Italy aerlcultiiral and patriotic plctiireM, princlpall.v for the edlHcatlon of e\-KOldlern. ThlN Itinerant motion iiletiire Hbow haw JuMt commenced In S4»uthern Tyr<»l.