Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

January 10, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 21 Your Radio Presentation Radio presentations staged by leading theatres have drawn big box office returns in all parts of the country. Your radio presentation, “The Radio of Tomorrow,” an original production by Albert B. Coppock, is published ready-to-stage in this issue, pages 38 and 39. Friend Announces Formation of Big Theatre Circuit (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30. — Announcement was made today of the first definite step in the formation of a chain of motion picture theatres to be erected in at least nine of the large cities, including New Haven, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit, Buffalo and New York. New Haven will get the first house. The announcement of the venture was made by Arthur S. Friend, who, acting for Arthur S. Friend clients, purchased from the Kinney Realty Company the Rialto theatre property and an adjoining piece in New Haven. The purchase price was $375,000. The property, directly opposite the Hotel Taft and the Shubert theatre, has a frontage of 186 feet and a depth of 216 feet. Construction will commence immediately on a 2,600 seat theatre and office building which will be opened in August, 1925. The purchase of this property is one of the many negotiations in which Mr. Friend has acted for the same group of clients in the other cities mentioned. Mr. Friend said the company is free of control by producers and distributors and that no one connected with the big companies is financially interested in the venture which is sponsored by New York capital. Hearst to Quit Films at Behest of Brisbane, Says New York Report (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30.— -Confirmation of reports that William Randolph Hearst contemplates becoming inactive as a motion picture producer has aroused no end of conjecture as to the causes behind the noted publisher’s decision to wtihdraw from actual production. A report current here, and coming from what is considered a reliable source, declares that Hearst’s action was taken at the behest of Arthur Brisbane, associate of the publisher. Just what prompted this intervention, as reported, is not certain, but it is understood that Mr. Brisbane felt that the Hearst newspapers needed the undivided attention of their publisher. Peter Pan Returns in Glory to City She Left Unheralded Hundreds Greet Diminutive Star on Her Arrival in ]New York to Appear in Person at Presentation of Her First Stellar Production NEW YORK, December 30. — Betty Bronson is having the time of her young life in New York. It is unnecessary to explain that Betty Bronson is the diminutive person selected by Sir James M. Barrie to play the title role in his classic, “Peter Pan.” Leaving New York a few months ago practically unknown, little Miss Bronson returned last week probably the most talked-of star in the film world. On the station platform when her train arrived were more than fifty girls in “Peter Pan” costumes, a score or more fairies, a large group of newspaper writers, a row of cameramen, 200 boy scouts from Brooklyn and Manhattan and a large squad of Junior League girls, in addition to hundreds of spectators. Thousands Gather at Station as Star Arrives Accompanying Miss Bronson were her mother, Jesse L. Lasky, Dorothy Richardson, the novelist, and Miss Bronson’s aunt, Mrs. Smith of Bi'ooklyn. Thousands of curious persons packed the waiting rooms and gathered around the crowd of automobiles before the party started for the Hotel Plaza where Miss Bronson is quartered. Betty Bronson, star in Paramount’s “Peter Pan,” greeted on arrival in New York by Jesse L. Lasky, first vice president of Famous Players, and scores of admirers. In strange contrast was this arrival to Betty’s departure some months ago, when with her aunt as her companion and with small parts in half a dozen or so pictures as her screen career, the now famous little star left the same station for Los Angeles with only the promise of one small picture job in sight. Even in the most rapidly moving industry, little Miss Bronson’s transition from a seeker after minor parts to a star of the first luminosity was startlingly rapid. Arranged as a sort of a debut for Miss Bronson to the motion picture critics of the New York and daily press, a dinner and dance were given at the Hotel Plaza the evening of her arrival. All the critics of prominence were there and the impression made by Miss Bronson was all that had been said of her — and more. She is only 17 and looks it. On meeting her the critics could easily understand how Barrie selected her for the most important part in his precious piece which he has guarded for the last twenty years against anyone filling the part who in his opinion did not have the dainty, distinguished Maude Adams’ conception of the role. In many ways they saw Betty Bronson as a Peter Pan of the screen. Her air of natural innocence suggests it as she walks, talks and dances. Beginning Sunday, Miss Bronson commenced making appearances at the Rivoli and Rialto theatres where “Peter Pan” is being shown simultaneously and the critics who made her acquaintance off the screen at the Paramount dinner and dance had their first opportunity of seeing her on the screen. Among the guests at the Paramount party were : Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Zukor, Mr. and Mis. Jesse L. Lasky, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Zukor, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wanger, Mr. S. R. Kent, Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. A. M. Botsford, Mr, and Mrs. Frank Pope, Mr. Jerauld, Miss Barakat, Mr. Blumenstock, Miss Hudson, Mr. Wingart, Miss Freer, Mr. and Mrs. Crozier, Mr. and Mrs. Reichenback, Mr. Alvine, Miss Brilator, Miss Cohen, Mr. McKeon, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. Bamberger, Mr. and Mrs. Geyer, Mr. J. J. O’Neill, Miss Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, Mr. and Mrs. Craven, Betty Bronson, Mrs. Bronson, Dorothy Richards, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Brenon, Miss Goldstein, Mr. Jules Goldstein, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, Miss Sophie Smith, Mr. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Ed. King, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Shaucr, Mr. and Mrs. John Clark, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. George Weeks, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ballance, Mr. Jules Glaenzer, Miss Lee, Miss Eliabeth Perkins, Mr. Boyden, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Loew, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hall, Mr. C. Belmont Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Kelcey Allen, Miss Harriette Underhill, Mr. Anthony Jouitt, Mrs. Louella Parsons, Mr. Peter Brady, Miss Dorothy Herzog, Mr. Laurence Herzog, Mr. Edward Silton, Miss Regina Cannon, Miss Mildren Spain, Mrs. Frisby, Miss Irene Thirer, Mr. Geo. Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Isaac, Mr. George Gerhart, Miss Smith, Miss Rose Pelswick, Mr. Jas. Thompson, Mr. E. S. Colling, Miss Nicholson, Mr. Frank Vreeland, Mrs. Vreeland, Jack Cohen, Mr. Karl Kitchen, Miss Riordan, Mr. Chester Keel, Miss Mary Boyle, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Gatchell, Miss Helen Klumph, Mr. Bert Landon, Miss Florence Osborne, Mr. Alvin Meland, Miss Susan Brady, Mr. W. A. Doyle, Miss Gladys Hall, Mr. Russell Ball, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Mitchell, Miss May Ninoniya, Miss Wynn Holcomb, Mr. W. A. Roberts, Miss Currie, Mr. and Mrs. Talley, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Welsh, Chas. Sewell, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Moen, Mr. Jos. Dannenberg, Mr. Maurice Kann, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Howe, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Sparges, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Comly, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Shader, Miss Maiie Fergue, Mr. Robert Todd, Miss Ethel Rosemon, Mr. Paul Swinehart, Mr. J. W. Dean, Mr. C. 11. and Juliette Brenon.