The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

416 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 11, 1926 ^"^Don Juan" for Release; Safier to Handle Sales HM. WARNER, president of Warner liros. Pictures. • Inc., announced this week that all of the Warner Extended .Run Productions will be released to, exhilntors over the country at once, and that the first to be oflfered for booking will be John Barrymore in "Don Juan," now in its fifth month at Warners Theatre, New York City. To handle these releases, Mr. Warner stated, he has created a separate sales organization and has appointed Morris Safier, for the last five years with United Artists Corporation, as its head. Mr. Warner said that all of the Warner Extended Run Productions will be sold separately and on their individual merits. Exhibitors, he said, negotiating for these productions will not be obliged to buy any other Warner pictures. They can buy each Extended Run picture separately. Furthermore, these productions will be handled by individual salesmen who will sell nothing else. The physical distribution will be through Warner Bros, exchanges. Mr. Safier, who heads the special sales department, has for fourteen years been connected with the selling end of the inFor the last five years he has dustry in executive positions, been with United Artists Corporation, having charge of the entire Middle West for that period. Beaudine Preparing To Film Cohn Story Having selected a story by Al Cohn, "Frisco Sally Levy," as the basis for his initial M.-G.-M. production, William Beaudine is assembling his staff for early filming. George Webster, who has assisted the director during recent years, will probably be Beaudine's first lieutenant. Vernon Smith, in collaboration with Cohn, will prepare the continuity. Morris Safier, recently appointed head of Warner Bros.' newly created Extended Run Productions Sales Department. Dorothy Revier, star of Columbia picture*, in a lovely po«e. "Barbara Worth" Held at Strand Tho iTo« d»-il h o II M «• » whk-li hav« greeted ever>IierforniniK'e of '-The Winning; of Ilarlwini "Worth" :it the Mark Strand Theatre have induced ManaeIhk Director JOMeph Plunkett to continue the big Snniiiel «old»vyn production for n second week. Tlie picture i-s a screen version of Harold Boll Wright's novel of the reclnmsition of the va.st Innds of the W'est and the love story of Barbara Wortli, with Vilma Banky as Barbara and Ronald Cnlman ns the young engineer who Winn licr heait. Henry King, the director, and n large company, spent nearly a year in the Western deserts making the big scenes which includie a real sand storm and the flooding of towns by the overflowing waters of the Colorado river. ViUna Banky is said to have attained the height of her perfection In this role, the most striking of her distinguished career In pictures. Second Roxy Theatre Opens December, 1927 HERBERT LUBIN announces the acquisition of a valuable plot of ground at Lexington Avenue, 58th and 59th streets and will immediately proceed with the erection of the second Roxy Theatre which will be opened in December, 1927. His first enterprise was the creation and financing of what is acknowledged to be the world's largest theatre, seating more than 6,000 and costing $10,000,000. This theatre, located at Seventh Avenue and 50th Street, is rapidly nearing completion and S. L. Rothafel, Director General of the Roxy enterprises, expects to open it in February. The second theatre will cost about $5,000,000, and will have a seating capacity of 3,500. Mr. Lubin announces that Mr. Rothafel (Roxy, as he is known the world over), will have charge of the new theatre. Mr. Lubin, when asked regarding reports that there have been current for several months to the effect that these theatres will be united with existing chains of theatres in the Metropolitan district, said : "The motion picture industry has always been a hot-bed of rumors. Instead of following the usual plan of announcing many plans to be accomplished, I am reversing the procedure and accomplishing first. I can only say that the first theatre in my plans is now nearly completed. "Operations will commence immediately on the erection of the second Roxy Theatre. I am considering several other sites, but have not yet closed. As far as consolidations are concerned, nothing tangible has developed yet." "Tongues of Scandal" Print for Sterling Sterling Pictures Distributing Corporation has just received from Hollywood a print of the first picture made for Henry Ginsberg and George E. Kann by Roy Clements Productions. This is "Tongues of Scandal," featuring Mae Busch and William Desmond. It was both produced and directed by Roy Clements. It is scheduled for December release. "Tongues of Scandal" was adapted by George L. Sargent from Adele De Vore's story and is a highly dramatic story of love, politics and society. Chadwick Signs Virginia Corbin I. E. Chadwick, president of Chadwick Pictures Corporation, has assigned Virginia Lee Corbin to the leading feminine role in "Driven From Home," which James Young is directing at the company's West Coast studios. Other members of the cast of "Driven from Home" are Ray Hallor, Sheldon Lewis, Virginia Pearson and Melbourne MacDowell. Edith Hibbard and Ethel Hill wrote the adaptation from the stage success of Hal Reid. Girls' Organization OK's "A Regular Scout" Mrs. Jane Deeter Rippin, Director of the Girl Scouts, after viewing "A Regular Scout," F. B. O.'s production dedicated to the Boy Scout movement, has placed her official endorsement on it. She says "the picture appealed to us as a clean and wholesome one, replete with action, and splendidly portraying the true Scout spirit that should hold the inte.est of girls, boys, and grown-ups as well." This endorsement automatically places at the disposal of exhibitors playing "A Regular Scout," close to 200,000 Girl Scouts in addition to the 2,000,000 Boy Scouts already lined up. Duane Thompson, late comedy star, who has made a name as a feature player with Charles Ray in Chadwick's "Some Pun'kins."