The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

MOVING PICTURE WORLD 3 Ralph R. Ruffner Dies Suddenly in Vancouver Ralph R. Ruffner, manag-er of the Capitol Theatre, Vancouver, B. C died at his home in that city November 12 after a few hours' illness that was regarded as only a slig'ht indisposition. He leaves a wife and a son; the latter just 2 years old, for his death followed a birthday party given in the young' man's honor. "Ruff" was about 4.j years of age. He was born in Denver but engaged in railroading in the Northwest and became interested in pictures in Vancouver, Wash., about 15 years ago. His brilliant exploits soon attracted the attention of Jensen & Von Herberg and he managed houses for that firm in Portland and Seattle. He also managed houses in Butte and San Francisco. Five or six years ago he came east to the exploitation department of First National, but soon resigned to resume theatre management. He missed the excitement and personal contacts to which 'he was accustomed. He made connection with the Canadian Paramount Company and under his management the Capitol, Vancouver, became one of the best paying houses on the circuit. Ruffner was a natural born showman and for years his oddities in phraseology attracted widespread attention. Publicity Heads Organize Pete .Smith, president of the W. M. P. A., has appointed a studio publicity directors' committee. Barrett C. Kiesling, P. D. C. publicity director, who authored the idea, is chairman. The others are Pete Smith for M.-G.-M., Arch Reeve for Paramount, Hal Wallis .'or \Varnors, Tom Reed for Universal, Rntert Yost for Fox, Arthur Hagerman for Hal Roach, Harry Brand for Joseph Schenck, Mark Larkin and George Thomas for Pickford-Fairbanks, Pat Dowling for Christie, and George Landy for First National. The plan is to further co-operation between the various departments of existing studios. Get Western Distribution Treasurer Jack Cohn of Columbia and Louis Weiss of Artclass have signed contracts whereby Columbia will distribute four series of Artclass western features in Michigan, Iowa and Nebaska. Twenty-eight pictures are involved. Cruikshank with Telegraph Herb Cruikshank is the new film editor cf the Morning Telegraph, New York iCity, and Regina Crewe has been made associate editor. Wanted: A Buyer? F'raiik J. KemhiiKOh may Mrll his string of fourteen Iniliaiin theutres, MOVING I'ICTIJRE WOULD nn■loiineed IiiMt iveek. 'Vhin broiigpht the following note from F. J. R.: "Dear Friends, Where do you Ket thlM dopef No one ever even mnde n itn.NK. I would sell for eiiouKli. Who would not? But a buyer Im the Arm necesHarj' thing:." Ohio to Fight A combination of individual theatre owners to prevent the spread of large chain theatre ^oups in Ohio may be elTected during; tlic coming year, following the convention of the M. P. T. O. of Ohio. During the convention various speakers. Including Business Manager P. J. Wood, urged a pooling of theatre men's Interests for protection. William M. James of Columbus was re-elected president; J. J. Harwood, Cleveland, vice-presidentat-large; J. A. Ackemian, Cincinnati, first vice-president; H. T. Palmer, Fairport Harbor, second vicepresident; Harry Bieberson, Jr., Delaware, third vice-president; George M. Fenburg, Newark, secretary, and Sam B. Lind, Zanesville, treasurer. De Mille Denies Opposing Pathe-P.D.C. Merger Plan Neil S. McCarthy, attorney for Cecil B. De Mille, now in New York representing Mr. De Mille in the negotiations involving P. D. C. and Pathe, issued a Ilat denial of the report ih.U Mr. De Mille is opposed to tlie consolidation. Mr. De Mille sent the following telegrams to every P. D. C. branch manager: "In view of the many published rumors concerning negotiations now under consideration by P. D. C, X wish to assure you that you may have no misgivings concerning the future. I am fully acquainted with the matter and you may be certain that, when ararngements are completed, our organization will be greater and stronger. There will be a big part in it for everyone who carries on now. Kind personal regards." Plan New Chicago Houses Chicago reports that the Edison Park Theatre, Inc., has been organized by Joseph Hopp of the American Theatre Corp., O. G. Waskow, L.. Bennett, F. Baginiski, S. J. Christy, Charles Stark, J. E. Waggoner, C. D. White, O. P. Hoffman and H. B. Zerrien. The capital is J.IDO.OOO. A new theatre will be built. The Bailey Construction Co., with a capital of $100,000, is financing a new theatre, site to be announced later. The principals are Fred L. Bailey, Frank B. Keough and B. M. Wells. Kane Full-Fledged Manager Arthur S. Kane, Jr., is now iTianaging two hou.sc-j in Chanute, Kas. They belong to the Universal chain and are -watched over by Fred S. Meyer of Hamilton, Ohio, fame, who is now Kansas-Missouri Nebraska district manager for Univers.il. Kane has had wide experience in distribution and production, and now he's learning the theatre end. Star Turns Scenarist l^eah Baird, star of the screen, has turned scenario writer. She has completed "Stolen Pleasurcs " for Columbia. New Eastman Classroom Films Big Step in Educational Work Fifty Separate Pictures Designed for Schools in Twelve Cities — ^Two-Year Experiment Ey far the longest single stride toward the really educational motion picture is now being taken in the Eastman laboratories in Rochester, N. Y., where scientists, educators and the technical staffs of the Eastman Research Laboratories are engaged in actual work on a series of fifty motion picture films especially designed for use in the classrooms of schools in Rochester, Springfield and Newton, Mass.; New York City, Atlanta; Winston-Salem, N. C. ; Kansas City, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Diego. While fifty film subjects are in process of production, work is being concentrated on a series of twenty titles which It Is hoped will be fully completed by the end of the year. Ten of these are geographical films, five treat of general science and five deal with physical culture and health preservation. These are designed for use in the fourth and higher grades In the selected schools, and the entire fifty will be shown within the two-year period assigned for the experiment. If expectations are realized. It is probable that Marriages May actress Quirk, Allison, motion picture and James Robert publisher of Photoplay Magazine, were married on November 15 at the El Mirasol Hotel in Santa Barbara, Cal. • • • Miss Dorothy Mackaill, First National actress, and Lothar Mendes, German director for Arthur S'. Kane, were married this week in Hollywood. A Boon to Humanity UcTb Crooker, C. C. Burr's irrepressible press agent, and Johnny Hines, the comedian, claim to be working on an invention that would mechanically arrange a theatre screen so that every picture would begin as each patron entered. It is understood that when this is perfected, they will undertake discover life on Mars. to Frank Cambrian Dined Frank Cambrian, seven years production manager for Balaban & Katz, in Chicago, is now head of the Publix Theatres production department in New York. Fellow workers in Balaban & Katz gave him an expensive wrist watch at a farewell dinner at the Hotel Sherman last week. H. G. Wells Story Sold H. (!. Wells, famous English autlior, will soon come to the United States to confer with production executives on a story, "The Peace of the World," which he has written especially for the screen, says, Edward Oodal, who is at the Hotel Astor. The company which bought the Wells story is not named. the films will be generally adopted for class room work In all progressive schools and the original fifty films will be amplified into complete courses. Unlike all previous experiments along these lines, the films will not be assemblings of negative from various sources such as scenics and the news reels, but will be laid out with the definite idea of following prescribed teachings. One of the geographical films, for example, will show the various maps of the world as known to the ancients as contrasted with the more exact knowledge of today. Others in thi3 series will deal with the territorial possessions of the United States, one on Alaska being devoted to the mineral and other natural resources of a country for which we paid about 2 cents an acre. Exirert Supervision In the general science classification there are films on iron and steel, each showing the influence of these metals in the development anad advancement of civilization. Each picture is being assembled by scientists and pedagogues with especial reference to classroom work and yet with a full realization that to be instructive the picture must also be interesting. The only other definite experiment along these lines was announced by Universal some years ago, that company working in collaboration with a well known firm of publishers of school texts. Nothing definite seems to have ever come of that idea, but in the present experiment there are assured at least 50 pictures which, if successful, will eventually become the basis of a huge collection of titles. Vitaphone Moves Vltaphone bas moved it" ottlees to the Fisk Building', Broadway and Fiftyseventh street. New York Olty. Albert t,. Warner and Sam Warner «1H take charge at that oHlce and supervise Vitaphone as an organization entirely distinct from Warner Bros. "We arc making Installations nil over the country In a quiet, peaceful way, without any huUaballoo,» A. I<. Warner told viHitorM.