Variety (Dec 1928)

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Wednesday, December 5, 1928 P I C T U R E S VARIETY 15 Publix Resumes Charge of Pacific Coast Houses-Staffs Organized ■ I ■ • ■ San Francisco, Dec. 4. Publlx Theatres resumed opera- tion of its Pacific Coast houses Dec. 1 after some IB months' operation hy West Coast Theatres Circuit. With th^ split, San Francisco be- comes coast division headquarters, with Publix outnumbering Its West Coast opponents three to ono here jn the matter of houses, though In the minority in Los Angeles, Port- land and Seattle. Herman Wobber becomes the ex- ecutive head of Publix coast opera- tion. Wobber Is now general man- ager for all Publix and Paramount distribution activities on the en- tire Pacific slope. Actual physical operation is In charge of R. E. Crabill, who holds title of Pacific Coast division man- ager. Charles Kurtzman, for the past' few months manager o£ the Granada here. Is San Francisco division manager, in charge of the three Publix houses, Granada, Cal-; l^ornia and St. Francis. Hpuse Men • Sydney Dannenberg has been brought here f rbm Birmingham, Ala., for the Granada, and J. C. Smith from Atlanta at the Gali- fornia, replacing Sam , Peckner, Horton Kahn is house manager at the Granada. Joe Frazer continues at^the helm at the St. Francis Herbert Polin, recently publicity for West Coast Theatres in Portland, is assistant to Kurtzman and will devote most of his time to adver- tising, Gardner Wood is in charge of local publicity, with Jewett Bubar as art director. Al S^ort Is in charge of all music, program planning, talent, stage bands and leaders for the entire coast divi- sion.- joe bietch, ifrom the Publlx home office, is Installed herei as divjslon booker. C. J.'^Iartin has charge of accounting and bookkeeping, as- sisted by A. M. Ahlscog, who will also, look after maintenance and ALFRED BROWER World's Fastest Russian Dancer Direction WILUAM MORBIS Effective Dec. 16, Glno. Severl, for-merly. musical director ; at' the California, becomes orchestra leader at the Granada but will not officiate as m. c. In L.6s Angeles, Gus Eyessel con tinues at the Metropolitan, with John Nylen as house mahapor. Bel. R. Olmsted, formerly in the, Publix home omces,- will, dolmblicity for. the Met. Charles Pincus is trans- ferred to Portland as manager, with Jack Gault on publicity. Bob Blair gets Seattle, with Eddie Hitchcock handling the publicity. West Coast Theatres now has one house locally to operate, Loew's Warfleld, but with Its Oakland ac tivities recently enlarged -by the opening of the hew Oakland, W. C has moved its horthern division headquarters from the Granada to the" Warfield buildiiig,' with person nel practically intact. Brokers With Cooneys Must Stand Trial I Too Many Friends Milwaukee, Dec. 4. Disadvantages of having too many friends is demonstrated here by an unique incident , in the business career of L. Or- \ove, former manAger; of the Mirth theatre. As manager of this house of less thaiT 4,000 seats, Orlove attracted the attention of Joe 1^0, vice-president and gen- eral manager of the Wiaconoin Fox enterprises. He was sub-, sequehtly. promoted to district manager, but the customers of the Bmali Mirth 8tarte<i to squawk. They wanted Orlove back as manager, and practically boy- cotted the house. A lengthy petition was composed by the customers stating they missed Orlove as friend and manager and would be grateful if he were restored. Leo answered the petition explaining that Orlove had been pvomotod, and that as friend a they should be pleased to know it; But tho customers arc not pleased They want Orlove. pi-lovo may yet be forcod back to his old job" by loo many friends,' I Pettijohn Smoothly Tell» Of Gov't and Film Boards Warners After 100% of Stanley for Full Operation-May Buy Partners C ARIiEM A DIAMOND (DANCING HARFI8T SUPREME) Direction.: Visiter Meyers, of Wm. Morris Agencj HELENE HUGHES ROY SMOOT Featured ^vlth FANCU^N and MARCO BOBBY GILLEITE and His Banjo Master of Ceremonies Alexander Theatre, Glendale, Cal. Chicago, Dec, 4. Frederick Pierce, G. K Barrett and John Walker, brokers (Barrett & Co.) indicted with the Cooney Bros, on charges of conspiracy to violate the Illinois securities law oh stock and bond issues for National Playhouses, circuit of 10 houses now bankrupt, posted a bond of $25,000, each, last week to insure appearance at opening of their hear ing bee. 6. Mass meeting of stockhloders last week held internal bickering. Re quests from some members that Verdell, the stockholder who caused the Indictments, be furnished with $15,000 to continue the prosecution was refused. Another proposal to overthrow the present stockholders' committee and appoint a. new one was likewise turned down. ,. Fox Takes Embassy, Wajtham Boston, Dec. 4. William Fox has taken over the Embassy, Waltham, Mass., with William Murphy its manager. House links in nicely with Fox's Poll chain in New England. Em bassy Is opposition to the Gordon house in the town. fMKHOIIS^ MARCO IDEAS The Original of Their Type, the Most Consistent of Their Kind. And Sure-Fire at the Box Off ice U. S. Govornnment vsi Film BoarJs of Trade goes to trial in February. The action will be' heard in the federal court, either in Chi-' cago or New York, depending on convenience of location to the ma- jority of witnesses. . Whether the boards will or won't be, is now settled by Charlie Petti- john, their chief counsel and chief adviser, as well as Will Hays. Charlie is certain that the boards will continue. Just as any trade as- sociation functions in any trade. But Charlie is certain that the dourt wiU dennltely define a line whieh will mete out punishment to all produ<:cr, distributor, exhibitor— who step over it. 'That's the kind of. ruling we want," said Pettijohn. "We wel^^ come the government <nvestlgatl6n." Charlie admitted that as things stand with the boards, they may be a little over the line right now. He acknowledged his expectation , of changes In the board's credit com- mittee. 'But I expect," said Charlie, that the court will commend the splendid activities of our women secretaries. Of the 60,000 cases they have listened to there has not been.a squawk against one of them." Charlie said he has never met Sir Joseph Ginsburg or his discro<litod son. Sir Joseph Gihzberg, Jr. (spell- ing okay). COOL HEADS STOP FHtE PANIC Toledo, Dec. 4, A fire in the projection room of the Bijou, neighborhood house here, occurred Tlianksglving night when the house was crowded. Cool headed men in the audience averted panic by taking command of the situation. Damatie, $20,000. "Leatherneck" Special Los Angeles, Dec. 4. . After completing the first .editing of "Leatherneck" planned as a pro- gram feature, Pathe decided to add more scenes and embellish the pres- ent version. to make a special. , This will require an additional two weeks of shooting. It will be released with sound and dialog. Olympia, Worcester, Chanfles Worcester, Ma.ss., Dec. 4. 01ym))ia'theatre here has been acquired by K. M. Loew. of Boston. Warnor . Brothers are undorstotnl to be after the ^tanloy Company stock 100 per cent., for complelc operation of the Stanley chain by them. To accomplish tliis objcotiye, the Warners must buy the 25 per cent: of stock remaining with the Stanley- controlled subsidiary cir- cuits' partners,. Mark, Fabian, Cran- dall, etc. Negotiations are proceeding look- ing toward this end, it is said. The 25'per cent, of Stanley stock with held by the partners as an outcome of their circuits previously merging with Stanley,, carries the. individual operating control of the Mark, Fa biah and Crandall houses by the re- spective' men. This is thfe interfer- ence, to complete full Stanley opera tioh by Warners, that the Warners would like to remove. Of those sub circuits incluao.il In tlio Stanley buy by Warners, and laUhiK in the Stan ley chain proper, Fabian's is the most extensive, but wholly in New Jeisoy. A report spread prior to the War- ner stockholders' hiocting yesterday (Tuesday), at Wihhington, Del., of possible objection by minority hold crs to'the ratification of the Stanley deal, for which purpose the meeting was/called, did not appear to alarm those most interested. No block was anticipated in the meeting. A meeting to.elect a directorate is set for Dec. 10. Moving to Warners Arrangements are reported under way for the Stanley staffs in Phila delphia. and New York to move to the Warner general oinee building on West 43rd street around Jan. 1 Among these to become stationary at Warners at that time is Spiro. ^■Skouras, who will be the Warners' theatre operator for the Stanley chain, . It is with the idea of giV ing Skouras full sway that the pre- liminaries, have been started to buy out the Stanley partners. Nothing is reported as to any fU ture Rl^n^ if they sell, held by Moe Mark," Simon Fabian and the others associated with thom a:t present All of the partners concerned have been in the show business for. a number of years. When the Warner- Stanley deal went over, they dis- posed of "75 per cent, of their Stan ley holdings for partly, cash and Warner stock, the latter easily con vertlble. The remaining 25 per cent of Stanley's, hold out by the part- ners, amount to varying quantities. Fabian is said to be the largest stockholder among them, percent, reaching 100,000 Interests absorbed by .ihr Warner- AVall street pi)ol.. .. As Ihini;^ now e.Ni.st, First Na- tional has been ordered to .stand by for orders that may keep it in its present quarters on Miuli.soh .avenue for another six months, \vheri, it is claimed,Warners will hayc com- pleted construction of the new- building. In that event Stanley will evacuate Its Philadelphia headquar- ters and move into the three vacant floor.s on 44th street. In the course of most recent con- ferences it has been practically de- cided, however, that First National on Madison avenue will be tem- porarily aufliclently accessible to Warnerite.s. Stage Bands Out at Chi Chicago. Dec. 4. Chicago Theatre. B. V4; K.'s ace Loop House, is reported quitting the stage band policy after Jan. 1, and returning to Its original class pre.sentafion policy.; This-was the first hou.se In Chi- cago to use picture house prosenta-. tipns, with orchostria In the pit.. H«lmer Air Co. Bankrupt Helmer Air Conditioning C9., 103 Park avenue, engaged in the busi- ness of artincially refrigerating picture theatres, has- gone broko with $200,000 in estimated liabilities. Samuel Falk has been appointed receiver. The company estima-tes it has $30,000 in claims due a.nd also admits some cash on depo-sit. 1 Charles Althoff present his 25 shares. New Office Annex Warners have purchased three lota adjacent to their present build- ing on West 43rd street and will construct shortly an annex duplicat- ing in height and structure the present o.fflces. The annex will be used to house all home offices of "VARIETY" "Ab perfect a characterization aa was ever portrayed on any atage." Add. Care JeriT CarKllI, 1660 B'way, N. Y. JESSE CRAWFORD ORGAN CONCERT PARAMOUNT THEATRE NEW YORK WEEK OF DEC. 1 « "CHALITA" (Chappell Harms, Inc.) POPULAR SONG PARADE An Orijfinal Novelty MISS PERSONALlTY-iN THE PERSON OF THPETTY AT THE PARAMOUNT, NEW YORK Many thanks |o Publlx officials MR. FI^ MY SPONSOR; MR. NIGGEMEYER, MY PRODUCER