Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Sep 1924)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD August 16, 1924 Universal’s First Run House in Los Angeles Opens Jackie Coogan Departs on Near East Mission — Marilyn Miller and Jack Pick ford Celebrate By HARRY HAMMOND BEALL HOLLYVv'OOD, August 5. — Jack Pickford and Marilyn Miller celebrated their second wedding anniversary this week with a party at their Elden avenue home. A jade bracelet was the husband’s present to friend wife, who will soon leave for New York to start rehearsals for Charles Dillingham’s stage production of “Peter Pan.’’ T NCIDENTALLY, too, Doug and Mary JL are due back this coming week after their trip abroad. What they will do next is as yet unannounced, although Ernst Lubitsch has been engaged to direct Mary in her next. This will have to be some time off, however, for Lubitsch is slated to do Pola Negri’s next feature for Lasky. * * * The opening of the Cameo theatre as Universal’s Angeleno first run house was an event of the week. The festivities took place on the night of August 1, with Clarence Brown’s “The Signal Tower” as the inaugural offering. The Cameo is in the heart of the downtown theatre district, and was for many years known as Clune’s Broadway, having been built by “Billy” Clune, the film pioneer of Southern California. Hosts for the occasion were Julius Bernheim, general manager Universal City ; Noirman Sprowl. William Koening, Bennie Ziedman, Director Brown, C. L. Theuerkauf, general manager Universal exchange, and Oral D. Cloakey, the managing director of the theatre. Genial King Baggot of the Big U’S directorial staff acted as master of ceremonies. Guests of honor in addition to Jack Dempsey, and the stars of the pictures were prominent California railroad men, who gave co-operation in the creation of the Brown railroad drama. George Landy, Brown’s publicity impresario put over a whirlwind pre-opening publicity campaign. ^ ^ ^ Jackie Coogan shook the dust of Hollywood from his tiny boots this week and started on the first leg of his journey to the kiddies of the stricken Near East. Jackie will visit the key centers before sailing New York on the Leviathan with his million dollars in relief supplies. He is accompanied by Pater and Mater Coogan, and Maestro Arturo de Bernstein, business manager for the Coogan interests. * * * Hunt Stromberg has signed Chet WiTHEY to direct Priscilla Dean in “A Cafe in Cairo” her second picture for the boy producer of Culver City. * * * Jack Hoxie has gone in for “doubleshooting.” Not that the big jolly Western star is trying to “double cross” his friends, but instead his director, Clift Smith is trying the experiment of shooting exteriors for two productions at once, to cut down the overhead on location trips. Not a bad idea, if it works out. * * * Louis St. Pierre, general manager of the Orpheum Pictures Theatres Company of Chicago, was a recent visitor to Universal City, as the guest of Elmer E. Sheeley. art director of the “U.” * * * Phil Rosen is trying to set up a record for himself as a speedball director. He has been with Warner Brothers since April 16 and is already starting his third picture. “This Woman” is the title of his latest production in the making. Tom Reed, who modestly styles himself the greatest publicist in the world is trying to prove to Tom Ince how good he is by starting a National Smith Club with A1 Smith of New York as president and Charlie Ray as vice-president. The first public meetings of the club will be held in the various cities at the premier of “Dynamite Smith,” Ray’s first new picture under the Ince banner. * * * Irving Cummings, sometimes hailed as the handsomest director in filmdom, is busier than the proverbial one armed paper hanger taking the final scenes for “In Every Woman’s Life,” which Mike Levee, grand boss of United studios, is to present to a feverishly waiting public via Associated First National. * * * Dick Nail used to be editor of Filmograph, Hollywood’s leading picture weekly. Now he has followed in the footsteps of many good men and true and turned press agent. Here is his first effusion to reach the writer’s desk : “New York may have more high-priced film and stage stars than Hollywood. At has a statue of liberty — and Hollywood hasn’t. “It has Tammany, and Nicky Arnstein, and a subway — and Hollywood hasn’t. “But when it comes to talented kids for motion picture work. New York compared to Hollywood is like the guy who stood on the corner and watched the snails whiz by. “So thinks George Winkler, comedy producer, now busy with the filming of six comedies at the Century studios. “Mr. Winkler arrived here several weeks ago from New York. After making arrangements for studio space and other facilities, he organized a gang of local movie kids into ‘Winkler’s Regular Kids,’ and started shooting. “Billie Butts, widely known as Hollywood’s ‘character kid,’ is a featured member of the company, much of the action revolving about his yellow head, freckled face and shuffling feet. Other members are Carter De Haven Jr., Jackie Downs, Buddy Williams, Turner Savage, Herbert Jenkins and Speck O’Donnell. “Bryan Foy is directing the series, with Mr. Winkler personally supervising production.” * * * Charles E. Ray, Jr., motion picture star, was yesterday named defendent in a suit filed in federal court by First National Pictures, Inc., in which the recovery of $19,639.43 is sought from the actor. Ray has refused to pay the interest, it is alleged, and the amount on a $100,000 advance for a picture listed as due from this source was set at $1^,513.70. The other account involves a “scrap” over the royalties and rental payments made to Ray by First National Exhibitors’ Circuit. Sol Lesser, vice-president of the plaintiff corporation, “subscribes and swears” to the complaint as being true. Joins Vitagraph Staff NEW YORK. — Julian M. Solomon, originally with Bosworth-Morosco and later with Famous Players and more recently advertising manager for Haring and Blumenthal theatres, has been added to the publicity staff of Vitagraph. He will look after trade papers, newspapers and fan magazine plblicity. Carnivals Override Troy, New York {Special to Exhibitors Herald) TROY, N. Y., Aug. 5.— Exhibitors here are bitterly complaining these days over continued street carnivals, which injure their business. According to some of the exhibitors, there has been a carnival going on in some section of Troy ever since last spring. The situation has become so serious that the exhibitors are now talking of taking up the matter with the board of aldermen and asking that carnivals in the future be confined to sections of the city which are some distance from the motion picture theatres. The theatres have a rather just claim, in view of the fact that in Troy, they are heavily taxed for the purpose of maintaining a fireman on duty throughout the afternoon and evening in each of the houses. Would Put Emergency Lighting Unit in All Pennsylvania Theatres {Special to Exhibitors Herald) PHILADELPHIA, PA., Aug. 5.— An effort is now being made on the part of the department of labor and industry in Pennsylvania to have installed in the theatres of the state a so-called emergency lighting system which is intended to take care of the illumination in the theatres in the event that the entire lighting current of the city or town is turned off. This has caused a storm of protest on the part of theatre owners generally and according to M. J. O’Toole of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. In the 1921 session of the Pennsylvania Legislature, an amendment was made to the Labor and Industry Code, which authorized the head of that department to force the installation in theatres, churches, schools, and all other places of public assemblage, of an emergency lighting system, the idea being that this would become operative at once when the regular current would be discontinued. But the situation in Pennsylvania, according to some exhibitors, is that there is a disposition to favor certain forms of emergency lighting systems and the law states that any lighting system installed must have the approval of the State Board. It is claimed that the systems approved are too costly. Mr. O’Toole has taken the matter in hand and an effort will be made to have this rule so changed that the theatre owners will be able to install any satisfactory form of system that will be of a kind to meet every possible emergency and at the same time be put in place at a minimum of cost. Made Assistant Theatre Manager for Universal (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Aug. 5. — Announcement was made yesterday of the appointment of Charley Raymond as assistant general manager of theatres for Universal. J. W. Greeley, owner of a chain of theatres in Portland and for many years connected with the industry is general manager of the Universal theatres. Mr. Ravmond is also a veteran in the business having managed numerous theatres throughout the country.