Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD IjWtMHUiipiUIIIIUIUMIIUIH I UNIVERSALE SURVEY COMPLETED [ E. H. Goldstein, General Sales Manager, Back In East After Swing Around Country — Finds Exhibitors Are Improving Their Showmanship ;.-mi:i: ;, n , i::;; 1 1 u i; :, : . ; i .: j ::. ijuiUdUUuittUMUWitutii'iHiiJiiiiuniinN^itilliaili Niiiuiiillliiliu I niiii 1:11:1 1 Mill 1 1 ill [i : : ji: : :i ; i : : I., ; , i ::i : , i.:: : 1 1 .:. ;i i . i;i 1 1 I n: : :i ! 1 11:1 1 1 1 , l: . i i:::n i!i:[rn7= That the American exhibitor of motion pictures is becoming a showman of original ideas and that he compares equally with the showmen of stage attractions is the statement made by E. H. Goldstein, Universal's general salesmanager, after he returned last week from a two months' tour of the United States. Mr. Goldstein visited practically every Universal exchange west of the Mississippi river and some east of it. His trip was made to determine the wants of the exhibitor for the coming year, not only in the line of pictures, but his wants as they relate to posters, lobby displays and press matter. The outstanding fea E. H. GOLDSTEIN General sales manager of Universal, who has just completed a survey of conditions throughout the country. ture of his trip, according to Mr. Goldstein, was that the exhibitor is beginning to think for himself and to make known the type of pictures he prefers. Exhibitors Seek New Films "1 found many exhibitors," Mr. Goldstein said, "who told me they were sick and tired of the stock picture, with a stock theme and above all the stock ending — in other words, the fade-out with the kissing couple. They want new types, real honest-to-goodness drama and high-class comedies." The fall and winter program made for the exhibitor by Universal has a larger variety of subjects and a higher class of good features than any other on the market today, is the belief of Mr. Goldstein. Exhibitors told him, he states, that Universal had improved its quality to a larger and more consistent degree than any other one producing company. "I was really surprised," he said, "to find that the Universal productions had gone so far in advance. I had not thought it possible for any company to get out such a well-rounded program that meets with the approval of the ex hibitors as Universal has done. It was indeed pleasing to meet an exhibitor and have him congratulate the company I represented." Mr. Goldstein took with him a print of "Blind Husbands," the UniversalJewel production by Eric Von Stroheim. Mr. Goldstein while on this two months' trip was instrumental in the closing of bookings for "Blind Husbands" in the "America" at Denver, the "Ogden" at Salt Lake City, and the Frisco theatre, and the "Strand." Besides those the entire circuit of Jensen and Von Herberg booked the production for their theatres in Portland, Seattle, Butte and Tacoma. Short Features Gaining The shorter features produced by Universal, such as "The New Screen Magazine" and "Lyons-Moran" comedies, he says, are gaining rapidly in popularity. Mr. Goldstein pointed out the fact that the "Screen Magazine" bookings had increased 22 per cent within the last ten weeks. The comedies, especially the Joe Martin ones, are being featured in many leading houses he stated. "I am convinced," Mr. Goldstein said, "that the exhibitor of today wants a variety of productions and a consistent showing of pictures that will make his income a steady one. The day of goodone-week and poor-the-next is past is the belief of the exhibitor and the producer who keeps up his standard will win out. I need no better proof of the quality of Universal productions than to tell all exhibitors to ask the exhibitor who books Universal productions." Robertson-Cole Sell Canada Comedy Rights Robertson-Cole announces that the Exhibitors Distributing Corporation Limited of Toronto, Montreal, St. John, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver will exploit Supreme Comedies within the Dominion of Canada. After the exhibitors in the United States showed their favor for those ever laugh producing productions, exhibitors throughout Canada followed suit and the demand was so great that Robertson-Cole concluded the contract for a Canadian agency to handle these comedies in Canada. The Canadian firm is spending considerable money in exploiting the worth of the Supreme Comedies. Advertising both in the newspapers and trade magazines and a well backed publicity campaign has been planned for the Canadian tour of the Supreme Comedies. South and Southwest Abound in Prosperity Pathe Official Says With the pockets of every farmer, merchant, and tradesman in the South and Southwest literally bulging with money, and every bank almost begging their patrons to borrow from them, those sections of the country have gone amusement mad. This is the report brought back by Elmer R. Pearson, Feature Sales Manager of Pathe Exchange, Inc., who has just returned from a four weeks' trip which brought him to Washington, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Dallas, New Orleans, and Atlanta'. "Not in my many years experience in the sales departments of several motion picture organizations," said Mr. Pearson, "have I found conditions so generally roseate for exhibitors of screen dramas. The same thing is true in virtually every city visited. Particularly in the South, and the Southwest, are exhibitors enjoying an unprecedented era of prosperity." Star Returns to Stage Having completed her first two Selznick pictures, "A Regular Girl" and "The Imp," Elsie Janis is now in the midst of her winter offensive on the legitimate stage. Mrs. Sidney Drew to Resume Film Work Speculation as to whether Mrs. Sidney Drew would resume making of pictures following her husband's death, was put at rest this week with an announcement from the Pathe Company that she would soon appear in a new series of two-reel comedies. Her work will be based on Julian Street's "After Thirty" and John Cumberland, known for his excellent work in many stage plays, has been signed by MRS. SIDNEY DREW Who will personally direct and produce a series of domestic comedies at her studios, 361-363 West 125th street, during the coining; year. Mrs. Drew for the part of Shelley in the new series. Work has already been begun in the studio in 125th street. "Though I have been out of pictures for a few months," said Mrs. Drew, "I have no intention of remaining off the screen permanently. My new series will be based on Julian Street's 'After Thirty' which I recently obtained through my broker, Julia Tutwiler. The story is the sort of thing Mr. Drew and I did before his death, the characters being similar in many respects to Polly and Henry." 62