Exhibitors Daily Review and Motion Pictures Today (Jul-Dec 1930)

6 Exhibitors DAILY REVIEW and Motion Pictures TODAY, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1930 POWERFUL NEW ZEALAND CHAIN GOES 100 PER CENT TALKIE Fuller Legitimate Stronghold of 60 Theatres Abandons Stage Shows <> DENIES PROPAGANDA IN “DRIFTERS” FILM and Is Wiring All for Sound LONDON, July 2. — According to cables received here from Melbourne, Australia, the last stronghold of the legitimate theatre in New Zealand — the Fuller-Hayward circuit of 60 houses — has given up the struggle, passing to the control of Sir Ben and John Fuller. It is stated that Sir Ben has declared for a hunder per cent film policy for both Australia and New Zealand. The Fuller-Hayward houses have been regarded as the backbone of vaudeville for many years, but the recent failure of a revue company at the Adelaide Majestic, following a gradual decline of popular interest everywhere in stage shows, was regarded as the handwriting on the wall. The Fullers are believed to have put up between $500,000 and $600,000 to get control of the circuit, which it is expected will be equipped with Western Electric in place of various existing sound systems. Stage shows will be absolutely taboo in the future and the orchestras will be disbanded. “The legitimate stage is gone for ever” is said to represent the Fuller official policy. The British home reaction to this news is reflected newspaper editorials, a leading film trade organ saying, in part: “Perhaps the most fitting pomment on the recent press prophecies of the ‘death’ of the talkies is that contained in the news, not from England, but from New Zealand where one would be justified in believing that sparseness of population would lead to any decline in public liking for the sound film being very quickly felt. “What has happened there? Just this: Fullers, the proprietors of between fifty and sixty legitimate theatres, have decided that stage shows of any type no longer pull the public, and are making every one of their houses one hundred ^er cent talkie! “The news is the more significant in that Fullers, who began as vaudeville and ‘legitimate’ proprietors in Australia, where they adopted silent films several years ago, made special plans to retain ^e human element in the New Zealand houses by a special arrangement with the Hayward interesis and are switching to the talkie^ as the result of hard practical experience.” IN “COLLEGE LOVERS” Gujnn Williams has been assigned aj prominent role in “College Lovers,” First National’s forthcoming comedy drama. Marian Nixon is leading lady. Jack Whiting is to be leading man, and Frank McHugh has a big comedy part. The 55th Street Playhouse, where John Grierson’s “Drifters” is current, has received a letter from Captain Harold Auten referring to questions asked in the British Parliament about the film being shown as propaganda for American fishing industries. The writer wishes it made plain that “Drifters” is a film of the British herring fisheries carried on in the North Sea and has nothing to do with the American industry or with Gloucester, Mass. P^LI^OE HOLDS OVER “PATRIOTIC” ACTS The Palace Theatre reports a highly successful “Patriotic Week”, with Ruth Etting holding over with new songs. Lou Holtz is another holdover in the capacity of compere, working again with Miss Etting. Foremost among the new arrivals are Joe Smith and Charles Dale, originators of “The Avon Comedy Four.” With them will appear Pal Mario and Lou Lazarin, in “A Hungarian Rhapsody,” a hoke-character comedy hash of laughter, song and dance placed in an East Side restaurant. More comedy of a different nature is offered in “A Night in Venice” with Joe and Pete Michon. Gloria Foy, Sam Cricherson and Alan Davis, who between them, have appeared in sixteen Broadway shows, offer “A Movie Musical.” STUDIO SNEEZES $250 EACH LONDON, July 2. — Sound and .talkie production at Elstree, none too active under the most favorable conditions, is sOig’gering under an additional burden due to the location of the British Hollywood. Etstree is in Hertfordshire, and Hertfordshire from July to October is the native haunt of hay fever. Consequently, the high cost of sneezing on the sound stages — $250 per sneeze re-take — is being viewed with alarm throughout the British film industry. CONCERTS CONTINUE AT BEACON THEATRE The concert this .Sunday, from 3 to 4 P.M., at Warner Bros. Beacon Theatre, will be devoted almost exclusively to the works of Tschaikowsky and Victor Herbert. The concert will be given by the Beacon Theatre Symphony Orchestra (formerly the Vitaphone Orchestra), with Harold Levey conducting. Noted soloists will assist. The concert will be broadcast by radio station WGBS. ALVARADO ADDED TO “A GAY CABALLERO” Warner Bros, have signed Don Alvarado for a featured role in “A Gay Caballero,” according to announcement made by J. L. Warner, vice-president in charge of production. PATHE’S ‘HOLIDAY’ AT RIVOLI TODAY The opening of “Holiday,” screen version of Philip Barry’s stage success, at the Rivoli Theatre today, gives Pathe two of its 1930-31 specials on Broadway, with “Swing High” continuing its run at the George M. Cohan Theatre. These attractions are the first two completed in the group of twenty specials being produced by President E. B. Derr at the Pathe Studios in Culver City. “Holiday” is played by a cast headed by Ann Harding, Mary Astor, Edward Everett Horton, Robert Ames, Hedda Hopper and William Holden. COMPANY TO LEAVE SOON FOR ALASKA HOLLYWOOD BUREAU, July 2. — With all arrangements completed in Alaska for the filming of Radio Pictures’ “The Silver Horde,” Rex Beach’s story of the salmon industry, George Bertholon, business representative; Tommy Atkins, assistant director, and Eddie Cronjager, cinematographer, have returned to Hollywood. The cast will include Evelyn Brent, Joel McCrea, Jean Arthur, Louis Wolheim and Raymond Hatton. “RAINBOW” NOW “COSTELLO MURDER” Sono Art-World Wide’s latest, heretofore known by the title of “Rainbow” will, be released as “Costello Murder”. The story, by F. McGrew Willis, features Tom Moore and Lola Lane, and is now in production under James Cruze’s supervision, with Walter Lang handling the megaphone. TWO ADDITIONS TO “OUTSIDE THE LAW” Tod Browning has added Rockcliffe Fellowes and Louise Beavers to the cast of “Outside the Law,” new season Universal special, starring Mary Nolan, with Edward G. Robinson and Owen Moore, now in production at U City. “LITTLE CAESAR” Ralph Ince will have one of the leading roles in “Little Caesar”, soon to go into production at the First National Studio under the direction of Mervyn LeRoy. No leading lady has yet been selected for this screen version of the successful novel of Chicago gang life by W. R. Burnett. Ince’s role is that of a gang leader. ANSWER IS NO “Is Censorship Sensiis the subject of the lecture to be delivered by Louis Nizer, attorney of the Film Board of Trade, over WMCA at .S:.S0 o’clock Sjiturday afternoon. 13 RAMBLING REPORTER REELS FOR COLUMBIA ❖ Seeing the world with “The Rambling Reporter” is the title of the series of 13 single reel travel films to be released by Columbia Pictures during the coming year. They are to be produced by Bray Pictures Corporation. The talks and sound effects which will accompany the travel pictures are to be supervised by Malcolm LaPrade, known to radio listeners as “The Man From Cook’s”, He has been entertaining over the microphone for five years on the National Broadcasting chain and is renowned for his travel talks. At present, La Prade has charge of the Collier radio hour. He has delivered hundreds of travelogues covering almost every spot on the face of the earth and is one of the pioneer radio artists. The music effects will be supervised by Tom Griselle, winner of the Victor Talking Machine Company’s $10,000 prize for the best composition in popualr style, with his Two American Sketches: “Nocturne” and “March.” He is one of the leading exponents of the classical-jazz type of composi tion and an experienced conductor, pianist, and musical arranger. 1,600 EXTRAS FOR RADIO’S “HALF SHOT” Sixteen hundred “extras” are to be employed by Radio Pictures’ for “Half Shot at Sunrise”, featuring Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. Work on the film starts next week in the San Fernando Valley, near Los Angeles. Rex Bailey, casting director, has selected five hundred men with army experience; two hundred machine gunners, and many others versed in the technicalities of war, for this picture. The remainder of the large list of “extras” are to be French types. Fifty large tents have been set up in the San Fernando Valley, to house the “extras”, for three weeks. In the cast supporting Wheeler and Woolsey are: Dorothy Lee, Hugh Trevor, Edna May Oliver, Leni Stengel, Roberta Robinson, J b )i n Rutherford, George MacFarlane and Eddy de Lange.