Exhibitor's Trade Review (May-Aug 1925)

Page 24 Exhibitors Trade Review MAYER LAUNCHES METRO'S HEAVY 1925-26 PROGRAM On his return East from the coast, Louis B. Mayer, in charge of production at the Culver City studios, revealed Metro-GoldwynMayer's production plans for 1925-26. While in New York Mr. Mayer attended the organization's international sales convention. "Starting August 16," said Mr. Mayer while discussing these plans, "we shall embark on our most ambitious program of one production a week. "Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, Ramon Novarro, Lon Chaney, Lillian Gish, Buster Keaton, Marion Davies, Mae Murray and Jackie Coogan will star in our productions. Among the players who will be featured in our new pictures are Eleanor Boardman, Aileeh Pringle, Pauline Starke, Mae Busch, Lew Cody, Carmel Myers, Claire Windsor, Conway Tearle, Renee Adoree, George K. Arthur, Paulette Duval, Harriet Hammond, Conrad Nagel, Sally O'Neill, Gertrude Olmsted, ZaSu Pitts, Bert Roach, and some twenty-five others. "Among the directors are Monta Bell, Tod Browning, Marcel de Sano, Alf Goulding, Edmund Goulding, Rupert Hughes, Hobart Henley, Rex Ingram, Robert Leonard, Fred Niblo, Al Raboch, Victor Seastrom, Mauritz Stiller, King Vidor, Josef von Sternberg, Marshall Neilan and William Wellman." ^ ^ ^ WARNER BROS. TO OPEN 8 NEW EXCHANGES IN U. S., CANADA Warner Bros, plan to open eight new exchanges. Twenty-nine exchange offices were acquired through the purchase of Vitagraph. The new exchanges, which will be in operation in a few days, will be in Portland, Me. ; Charlotte, N. C. ; Butte, Mont. ; Portland, Ore. ; Jacksonville, Fla. ; Indianapolis, ]nd. ; Vancouver, B. C, and Calgary, Can. BERMAN DISTRIBUTES 13 CHADWICK FILMS Louis Berman, of the Independent Film Corporation of Philadelphia, former Warner Brothers franchise holder, will distribute the entire 13 Chadwick pictures for the 1925-26 season. Independent Film Corporation is the first distributor to contract for distribution of Chadwick pictures under the new franchise plan. The Independent contract is for Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Southern New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The first of the Chadwick product to be released by Independent will be "The Wizard of Oz." BUFFALO, N. Y., May 29.— New state officers as well as new chairmen and boards of directors for the Buffalo and Albany zones will be elected at a meeting of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York, Inc., at Hotel Onondaga, Syracuse, Tuesday, June 2. The present boards of directors will meet June 1. A large delegation of exhibitors will attend from Buffalo and other western New York towns. BARRYMORE TO STAR IN TRUE STORY FILM Lionel Barrymore will be the star of the first True Story Film Company's production, 'The Wrongdoers," to be offered to independent exchanges by Astor Distributing Corporation, of which Harry Rathner is president. Barrymore was chosen for the leading role in the production bv Mr. Rathner and Nat G. Pendleton, general manager of True Story Film Company, Inc. It was Mr. Barrymore's work in the famous stage play, "The Jest" which convinced both Mr. Rathner and Mr. Pendleton that he would be able to do justice to the role. There being a strong element of romance in "The Wrongdoers," two important players were selected for the juvenile roles, Charles Mack and Ann Cornwall. # * * Appointed by Herman Jans, president of Jans Productions, Inc., as sales manager, George Samuels is touring the middle west. Gilbert E. Gable presents A S S O C I AT E D ife Sky Raider with Jacqueline Logan and Capt. Nungesser (Worlds greatest living Ace} From the romantic story "J he Great Air Mail 'Robbery Jack Lat't j\ T. Hayes Hunter Production Played to tremendous business at the Fulton Theatre, Jersey City. Has proven its worth as a go-getter at every engagement. Exhibitors Physical Di&trtWtor ■ PatKe E>clu njie luc J0lin S. VJooty, President Foreign Representative Sidney Garrett JERSEY M. P. T. 0. CONCLAVE JUNE 29 Asburg Park, N. J., Mav 29.— Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New Jersey, here, discussed plans for the New Jersey convention June 29, 30 and 31 here. Following convention committees were appointed : entertainment committee, Henry P. Nelson, Morris Kitinsky and Leon Rosenblatt ; committee on attendance, Sidney Samuelson, chairman, with twenty-one members still to be selected; finance committee, William Keegan, Jacob Unger and William H. Lamont ; reception committee, Fred Mertens, Peter Adams and Pierson Hume; business committee, Harry Hecht, William Hunt and Louis Rosenthal; registration committee, Benjamin Schindler, Eugene Steinhardt and Louis Castlebaum ; speakers committee, I. M. Hirshblond, Charles Hildigner and George Jacobs. R. F. Woodhull, Preident of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, addressed the meeting. The reduction in power rates was taken up and a letter sent out by Joseph M. Seider, president of the state organization, to all members. Three engineers were engaged by the New Jersey organization on a contingent basis. If they are successful, a saving to the theatre owners as well as a rebate for overcharge since 1914 may follow. The board of directors approved of the report of the National Convention delegates. New Jersey members were asked to sign ■pledge cards allotting part of their play dates to independent productions and await further advice from the national organization whose board of directors meets on June 3 and 4. ihcse present were: President, Joseph AI. Seider; vice-president, Charles Hildinger and Peter Adams ; secretary, Henry PFelson ; treasurer, William Keegan ; board members, chairmen, Sidney Samuelson, R. F. Woodhull, Benjamin Schindler, Louis Rosenthal, I. AI. Hirshblond, Leo Juskowitz, Leon Rosenblatt and W. C. Hunt. President Seider's report on the month'; activities was read and approved. Schulberg Lot Speeds Productions for Fall There will be no summer shut-down on the B. P. Schulberg lot where activities are already well under way for the production of eighteen releases for the coming season. In the cutting room are the two pictures which conclude this year's schedule, "Faint Perfume" by Zona Gale and "My Lady's Lips," from John Goodrich's story. The casting office is busy selecting featured players for the three stories which will open the fall program. They are Gasnier's "F in ■ sian Love," from F. Oakley Crawford's story ; "With This Ring," a novel by Fanny Heaslip Lea and "The Girl Who Woudn't Work," by Marie B. Wentworth James, which Marcel DeSano will direct. In addition preliminary scenario work has begun on several other of the Schulberg stories, "The Plastic Age," by Percy Marks, "Shenandoah," stage play, and "Dancing Days" by J. J. Bell. * * * FOX NEWS STRENGTHENED Two new Fox News staff cameramen have been appointed for the southern territory with headquarters in El Paso, Tex., and Atlanta, Ga. Jack McFarland, a field repre-> sentative of the newsreel for the past three , years is elevated to staff cameraman for the;; southwest. ,": Tracy Mathewson, as Fox News field camerman in Atlanta to assume the more responsible duties of staff representative for the south, east of the Mississippi.