The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

4 MOVING PICTURE WORLD Film Athletes Fade What happened to the foutball game between Kansas City exhibitors and exchangemen? That's the qnestion agitatlngr Kansas City. The hoar was set. the publicity sent oat and bets made, but neither team pat In an appearance. In fact, not a man on either team showed up. 'Tls said that somebody painted a dollar Hign on the only available football, and that Will Hays feared the game would get too rough, and called It off. To Road Show "Glory" Wayne Pierson has been appointed general manager of all roadshow activities in conjunction with "What Price Glory," Wlnfield R. Sheehan of Fox announces. He is assembling a staff. Mr. Pierson has never known failure in the show business, though he started in it twenty years ago. The recent Florida hurricane, however, ended his interest as a Miami manuf.icturer and he has returned to his first love. Hits Long Run Gait Paramount's comedy, "We're In the Navy Now,'" is proving itself a long run special. Booked for :hree days at the Lyceum Theatre, Duluth, Minn., Clinton & Meyers extended the run to ten days following the first screening. It is now in Its fourfh week at the Rialto. New York, where it has established a record at general admission prices. Colvin Brown Sails Colvin W. Brown, vice-president in charge of the foreign operations of F. B. O., sails on the Olympic, Friday, with Mrs. Brown. He will visit Kngiand. France and Germany while abroad, and it is repoited will conclude a number of imporl.ant negotiations for F. B. O. which were initiated when he and President Joseph P. Kennedy were on the other side last summer. Last Minute News Flashes Paris, Dec. 1. — By cable. — "The Big Parade" got a remarkable reception here tonight. It looks as though the film is in for an endless run. French emotions were so stirred that gasps and sobs were heard everywhere, and some women had to leave the theatre. * * * Paris, Dec. J. — By cable. — Film men are again in difficulties over names. Duke de Brissac wins 75,000 francs damages from Paramount for use of his name as a low character in "Zaza," though it was shown its use was wholly unintentional. * * * Joseph M. Seider has resigned as business manager of the M. P. T. O. A. He will devote himself to other phases of organization work. "Reel Exchange" Shown All available employees of the New York exchanges of all companies attended a showing of "A Red Exchange," the Hays Organization fire prevention film, at the New York Theatre roof last Thursday afternnon. The picture, made with the co-operation of all companies included in the Hays Organization, under the direction of J. S. MacLeod, manager of exchange maintenance for M.-G.-M., will be sent to all excTiange centers in the country for the Instruction of film employees in protective and fire prevention measures. New "U" Theatre Universals new 1,000 seat house, the Capitol, in Danville, Va.. now under construction, will be ready to open February 1, according to advices from Dan Michaelove, supervisor of theatres for Universal. E. M. Frost, at present manager of the Strand Theatre, Tampa, Fla., will be in charge of the new house. A Special Organ for Ra<fio In the Roxy Theatre on Seventh avenue, New York, now nearing completion, a broadcasting room is being installed that is hailed as the last word in efficiency. It has its own especially built organ, its own room for orchestral and chorus broadcasting. The walls and ceilings are so constructed that production will reach a quality not hitherto known in broadcasting, says Herbert Lubin, who is building it. Fox Suing Comedians Application has been made to Justice Wasservogel of the New York Supreme Court by counsel, on behalf of Edward P. Gallagher and Al Shean, to compel the Fox Film Corporation to furnish them with a bill of particulars in an action for alleged breach of contract. The suit brought by the Fox Film Corporation seeks to recover from the comedians $118,610 damages said to be due the Fox corporation as the result of an alleged breaching of the contract, which provided for Gallagher and Shean to appear in motion pictures. LiU'an Gish Star in Enemy^ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has purchased "The Enemy," Channing Pollock's stage success, In which Fay Bainter starred on Broadway, as a starring vehicle for Lillian Gis'h. June Mathls has been signed to write the adaptation and continuity. No director has yet been assigned. The negotiations were handled by J. Robert Rubin, dealing with the New York producers. Fitzer Buys Out North Morris Fitzer has acquired the interests of Bobby North in the Bond Photoplay Corporation. Mr. Fitzer has for fifteen vears brtn identified with exhibitor interests In Syracuse, N. Y. Sydney Samson, who has been general manager of the Buffalo and Albany offices of Bond since It was established, remains in charge. UFA Wants New Loan? News from Berlin is to the effect that UFA will seek to negotiate another loan In this country. The rumor also says that its dividend will be passed at the next directors' meeting. A Smiling Arrival John Gilbert is in New York »eeing the showa and chatting with M-G-M officials. He is stopping at the Ambassador. U. A. Meets in Chicago The second United Artists sectional sales convention was held November 28 and 20 at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, the midwestern division sales managers having been summoned by AI Lichtman, general manager of distribution, as the eastern sales managers had been gathered for conferences in New York the previous week. Beside Mr. Lichtman Arthur W. Kelly, vicepresident and treasurer; Cresson E. Smith general sales manager for the Midwest Division; Paul N. Lazarus, general sales manager for the Southern and Western Divisions, and Victor . M. Shapiro, advertising and publicity director, went to Chicago for the convention. Shuberts Buy Cosmopolitan Within a few daj-s the Shuberts and William Randolph Hearst are expected to close a deal for the transfer of the Cosmopolitan Studio, New York, to the former. Lee Shubert announces the prices as $1,000,000. The building will be used as a warehouse and rehearsal hall. There is no hint of motion plctuie i)roduction attached to the deal, says Mr. Shubert. Favor "Unknown Soldier" Though considerable opposition developed in England over the presentation of the American picture, "The Unknown Soldier," this feature was shown In Ottawa, the Canadian Capital, for a week without a single protest. It wa.s presented at the Capitol, the general manager of which Is Harry O'Regan. Gould Handling Publicity Syrpon Gould, director of the Film Arts Guild, Is handling the publicity and advertising on ••Potenikin," the Russian film, which is opening at the Biltmore Theatre, New York, for an Indefinite run on December 5. Irvln Shapiro, former director of the Motion Picture Guild, Washington, X> C, is assistincr. Our Stock Market By Ervin L. HaU The quotations used in this summary are compiled daily by Newburger Henderson & Loeb, 100 Broadway, New Vork City, exclusively for the Moving Picture World. .N'othing startling has happened this week on the Exchanges. A few specialties like Baldwin Locomotive have been run up, but we can see no signs of a general market advance. There have been some unfavorable factors disclosed recently which in most cases have been attributed by Wall Street to seasonal business. Car loadlngrs have fallen off, for Instance, for the first tim» In a long while, steel production has slackened, and the basic Industries are not showing any particular rush of business. All of this tends to keep the market a professional affair, and there is very little chance of much activity one way or the other between now and the end of the year. riLH STOCKS Fox Film "A" has been quite active this week, especially during the latter part, running up to 74% on December 1, with a turnover of 10,000 shares. Warner Bros. "A" took a new lease on life this week and on a turnover of 26,100 shares ran up to 51 on November 26. Prom that point, however. It continued to slip off, ending the week around 42. This is not a bad range for a period of one week. The shorts should have made a lot of money. Loew's. Inc., is doing very nicely. It Is still holding its price between 44 and 4.'5«s, and the latest reports show that the company is earning about 16.03 a share. This compares with $4.44 in 1926. These figures are based on 1.060,788 shares. I>iist week we reported the net Income of Motion Picture Capital and stated that the earnings were equivalent for the ten months ending October 81, 1926, to $1.86 a share on the Common stock. Latest reports estimate that the earning per Common share for the entire year of 1928 will amount to about $2.16. This, of course, after providing for Preferred Dividends. THEY SAY. that Pox Film A" is likely to give a nice Christmas profit to purchasers. A Record Gross The n<»w Paramount Theatre on Broadway KroKNed SM4MKO. a worid'x revord, for Its first week, as folloit-s: Waturdny, .flX074 1 Sunday. S14„t*Ki| Monday, S9.9I0I Tuesday, SIO,002; Wednesday, S9,4«0i Thursday, S14r400| PrMay, 9».010. Thin Is all the more remarkable because the opening show ran about two hours and a half, prvvrntiBK a quirk turn-over.