Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

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EXHIBITORS HERALD 23 January 10, 1925 Brabin Is Signed; Universal Assigns Stars to Pictures (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30. — Following closely the announcement that Charles Brabin had been signed, Universal Pictures Corporation states that the director has been assigned to direct Norman Kerry in “The Prince.” William A. Seiter, whose work in “The Fast Worker,” “Dangerous Innocence” and “The Mad Whirl” has been one of the outstanding features of directorial activities at Universal City, has been assigned to direct “The Teaser,” starring Laura La Plante. Clarence L. Brown of “Signal Tower,” “Butterfly” and “Smouldering Fires” fame, is to do a newspaper story, “The Goose Woman,” by Rex Beach. It will have an all-star cast. Erie Kenton, who directed Jack Dempsey, is to be Reginald Denny’s next director. He is now engaged on preparatory work on “I’ll Show You the Town,” from the story by Elmer J. Davis. Harry Pollard, who directed “K, the Unknown” and many Denny features, is to direct Universal’s filmization of Chevalier’s “My Old Dutch.” Barthelmess Is After New West Point Yarn; LePs Find It for Him Richard Barthelmess, who has just completed his Inspiration picture, “New Toys,” for First National, is concerned about one thing in particular — stories. Where to find them; where to find them! The star is confident that another West Point story would make a good box office bet, but it seems that few writers have devoted their energies to that type of yarn. Here is an opportunity for the Richard Barthelniess atreowners, through the Herald’s department, “Stories Exhibitors Want Filmed,” to suggest a suitable vehicle for the star. Barthelmess, in company with Walter Camp, Jr., president of Inspiration Pictures, and Frederick James Smith, advertising and publicity director, were in Chicago on Saturday, December 27, en route to the West Coast on business. Cohen Discussion on Arbitration, Printed in Herald, Endorsed The articles of Sydney S. Cohen, former president of the Motion Pictures Theatre Owners of America, dealing with arbitration and published exclusively in the Herald, were endorsed in full by the M. P. T. O. of Ohio, in convention December 16 and 17. The resolution approving the articles reads ; RESOLVED: That this convention endorses in full the articles written by Past President Sydney S, Cohen covering this subject of arbitration which were published in the Chicago **Exhibitors Herald** We recommend that a more simplified and equitable contract be devised and that the matter be taken up by our National Board of Directors with the Producers and Distributors Association at the earliest possible moment with that end in view. The resolution was signed by John L. Damm and Sam F. Deutch. Public Relations Is Basis of Exhibitor Progress: O’Toole Naitonal President of Theatre Owners’ Association Declares These Activities Have Won Good Will of Federal State and City Governments (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30. — Public relations, in the belief of M. J. O’Toole, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, and R. F. Woodhull, chairman of the board, has contributed more perhaps during 1924 than any other factor in cementing the friendly relationship between the theatre and federal, state and city governments and the public. Address New Year Message to All Exhibitors This view is expressed in a New Year’s statement just issued from national headquarters and addressed “To all motion picture theatre owners.” Their message to exhibitors reads in part : “The year just about to close has been featured with many happenings and circumstances which greatly influenced the business affairs of the motion picture theatre owners of the country. “Through the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America we have endeavored to develop and direct the energies of the theatre owners of the nation in such a way as to secure for them along all lines the greatest amount of material advantage. “Theatre owners received their greatest concessions in tax reductions from congress and the year also witnessed the substantial advancement of other remedial moves which we hope to have consummated in the present session. We are indeed very proud of the record of achievement of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America in this relation, but our most pronounced gratification in this connection is that we were able to give the service through out national organization and that it has operated to the signal advantage of every theatre owner in the nation, our industry as a whole and the great theatre-going public. Builds Up Good Will “Through the public service work of the theatre, directed by our national organization, in co-operation with United States government departments, state governments and in other ways, we have succeeded in building up such a pronounced degree of official and public good will for the theatre owners that our position is doubly fortified to resist the passage of unfair discriminatory legislation in state and nation. In no other way could this very gratifying state of affairs been brought about and this screen service of our theatres to governmental agencies continues to win for our industry daily an ever-increasing measure of this very essential public favor. “Having advanced and consolidated our position in this relation, making the theatre a center and the theatre owner a community leader, we have immeasurably strengthened ourselves to successfully combat all other evils within the industry. “Theatre owners must, however, take full advantage of this situation and be ever on the alert to fully protect their interests as forces are now in operation, the efforts of which must be curbed through organization processes, or much of what has been gained will be lost and the theatre owners’ position rendered more precarious. “Our national organization has made gratifying advances in the year just closing. We have worked constructively for the direct and specific advantage of the exhibitor as the results obtained and in prospect amply prove. Advances Are Gratifying “Our national officers could not do this without the substantial measure of co-oper ation which was given them by state and regional officers and theatre owners generally. We know we can speak for them as well as ourselves in thanking all within our ranks and others who have aided us in any way and pledging to them renewed loyalty and service for the future. Without assuming to invade the realm of prophesy, we firmly believe that 1925 will be a very prosperous period in the United States and we again earnestly urge theatre owners to unite firmly with us in the laudable effort to obtain for themselves the fullest measure of this new prosperity. “Eternal vigilance is the price of their business liberty and security.” Says Roadshows Hurt Subsequent Showings in Loop The value of roadshowing motion pictures is negative insofar as subsequent downtown runs are concerned. That statement was made emphatically, and without reservations, to a representative of the Herald by a man who is “in the know” on matters pertaining to box office receipts at Chicago’s loop theatres. Though admitting the possibility that roadshow presentations are beneficial to outlying houses and to theatres in other cities and towns, the Herald informant, who asked that his name be withheld at this time, declared that he knew of few instances in which downtown first runs houses had profited on roadshow attractions. One of the exceptions, according to thisinformant, was “The Birth of a Nation,”' and the receipts on this picture, he saiL were below normal. Citing “Douglas Fairbanks in Robinr Hood” and “The Covered Wagon” as further examples, this man claimed that both pictures failed to do a profitable business at first run downtown houses in Chicago following their presentations in dramatic theatres. The story of these pictures in cities and towns outside the roadshow centers, however, is different. Reports to the Herald’s “Box Office Record” show that their box office performances have been exceptional. This is not true, however, of all roadshow attractions. The Roosevelt and Orpheum generally play subsequent downtown runs on roadshow attractions.