Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

36 EXHIBITORS HERALD February 21, 1925 Wampas Frolic at Ambassador a Credit to Publicists Raise Enough to Start Club House for Organization — Fox Picks John Ford to Direct Important Films By HARRY HAMMOND BEALL Hollywood, February 10. — The 1925 Wampas Frolic has passed into history with added laurels to the Hollywood publicists, and approximately ten thousand more pesos in the clubhouse fund as a result of the evening of fun and festivity at the Ambassador auditorium last Thursday night. Added to the funds raised by last year’s fiesta in San Francisco the scribes have enough cash on hand to get busy on a permanent home for the organization. The ball was a brilliant affair and the catch line used in all the advance advertising “All the stars will be there” was not one whit exaggeration. DERT LYTELL made an ideal master of ceremonies, with Charlie Murray as master of mirth, and practically every celebrity of the industry was on hand to do his or her bit to make the affair the most talked of social event of the year. The 1925 baby stars were : Betty Arlen, Violet Avon, Olive Borden, Anne Cornwall, Edna Gregory, Madeline Hurlock, Natalie Joyce, Joan Meredith, June Marlowe, Evelyn Pierce, Dorothy Revier, Duane Thompson, and Lola Todd. The presentation of the thirteen was an event in itself alone worth the price of admission. The massive auditorium shook with cheers when the announcement came that to Colleen Moore, in private life Airs. John M. AlcCormick, had been awarded the screen achievement trophy, a loving cup of exquisite design and immense value, donated by Arthur J. Klein, the fur king of California. Every actress who has ever been a baby star was considered in the competition by the editors of the various papers and magazines who acted as judges, and it was practically unanimously decided that “The Perfect Flapper” was the one who had attained the greatest heights since being accorded “Baby Star” recognition by the cinema publicists. Bands galore were a feature of the affair. Abe Lyman’s dance orchestra started the festivities, then came Fred H. Solomon’s trio of orchestras, including the famous Dixieland Blue Blowers, Guterson’s band of all nations, and Lewis Syncopators supreme, all of them donated by the Angelena dance magnate. Herb Weidoft’s jazzers and Glenn Oswalds orchestras added to the gaiety of nations, with alluring Sylvia Grogg as their sponsor. Congratulatory hands extended to Norma Manning the director general of the whole affair, and to Ray H. Leek, the black-haired boy, who has been the general manager of this year’s Wampas Ball and Frolic and too much praise cannot be given to E. O. Van Pelt, who handled the complex details of the entertainment program. ♦ * * Ford to Direct "Lightnin’ ” Immediately following his arrival here this week, \\niliam Fox began to figure prominently in Hollywood news first through announcing that John Ford has been chosen to direct “Lightnin’ ” and “Thank You,” two big John Golden successes, and the next day by concluding negotiations with Sid Grauman whereby “The Iron Horse” follows “Ramola” at Grauman’s Egyptian, another triumph for director Ford. Emmett Flynn will direct “The Seventh Heaven,” Fox announced. ♦ * Theodore “Teddy” Hayes, Jack Dempsey’s secretary, will appear in New Jersey to answer a charge of conspiracy to transport prize fight films in interstate com merce. He waived a removal hearing on a federal indictment charging him, with Tex Rickard, Fred C. Quimby, Jasper C. Muma, Frank B. Flourney and others, with transporting films from Jersey City to New York following the Dempsey-Carpentier fight in 1921 before a United States commissioner in Los Angeles. * * * The Alotion Picture Directors’ Association in annual session in Hollywood elected officers as follows ; Director, William Beaudine ; Assistant Director, Harry L. Franklin; Technical Directors, Thomas Ricketts and Henry Otto; Treasurer, Murdock AlacQuarrie ; and Secretary, Harold Shaw. The members of the executive council, governing body of the organization, include George L. Sargent, 'Thomas Ricketts, Henry MacRae, Ferdinand Earle, Wilfrid North, Henry Otto, Edward Laemmle, Frank Cooley, Norval MacGregor, Harry L. Franklin and Clarence Badger. * * Jack Holt, Lionel Belmore and Willie Collier displayed new and unsuspected talents on location when they headed a volunteer force which rescued a grand piano and other furniture from the blazing home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Flanders of Pebble Beach. The house, a $20,000 structure, was destroyed, but the furniture was saved. Holt suffered slight burns. * * * Mary Writes Her Own Mary Pickeord, who has not appeared before the camera for more than a year, soon will start work on “Little Annie Rooney,” written by the star herself, to be filmed in the Pickford-Fairbanks studio. She last appeared in “Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall.” William Beaudine, who recently signed a long term contract with Warner Brothers, has been loaned by the latter organization to direct Miss Pickford. John Schulze, author under contract with Edwin Carewe, is loaned to prepare her story for screening. Harry Beaumont, director of “Beau Brummel” and “Main Street,” is resigned by Warner Brothers to "direct “Rose of the World,” from Kathleen Norris’ famous story. Under the terms of the contract signed this week, he will continue to direct Warner features for a considerable period of time at terms said to place Beaumont among the highest salaried directors of the screen. * * =1= Colleen Moore Hurt Colleen Moore is under the care of a physician suffering with a badly bruised neck following an accident last week on location with her company in Barstow. Miss Moore was supposed to be propelling a hand-car with a trailer attached on a track, the principal motive power of which was furnished by A1 Born, business manager of the company, who had a cable attached to Miss Moore’s car. When Born put his weight into the pull, he slipped and fell, the resultant jerk throwing the actress on her head between the trailer and the hand-car. An X-ray failed to reveal broken bones. * * ♦ Dorothy Farnum, stellar Hollywood scenarist, and Alaurice Barber, her husband, general manager of the Cinema Finance Company, are speeding east to sail on February 17 for a round the world tour. * * * Larry Semon’s “Wizard of Oz” was given a brilliant world premier at the Forum on Saturday night with an unusually elaborate presentation created by Managing Director Julius K. Johnson. * * * Holl5rwood is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the “Ben Hur” party to welcome their home-coming for resumption of work on the film here. Director Fred Niblo, Mrs. Niblo, their daughter, Dorothy, May AIcAvoy, Carmel Myers and others of the party are expected this week. Niblo is quoted as stating his belief that the picture could have been made just as well in Hollywood as in Rome and Miss McAvoy vehemently denies rumors of her engagement to Bobby Agnew in messages received by friends from the party. ^ ^ “The White Desert,” by Courtney Riley Cooper, has been chosen by Reginald Barker for his next production for MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. Barker’s, “The Great Divide” follows “Greed” at the Criterion here. Ball Rolling for Meet of M. P, T. O.; Film Buying and Tax Will Be Issues (Special to Exhibitors Herald) MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 10.— Wisconsin exhibitors look eagerly forward to breaking attendance records by attracting 1,500 here to the national convention of the AI. P. T. O. of America. Henry Staab, executive secretary, has arranged for special reduced fares with the railroads. Encouraging forecasts are made in a letter from Sydney Cohen, past national president, who is chairman of the administrative committee. Cooperative film buying and the music tax, it is thought, will provide generous issues for discussion in the convention. Committees named by Fred Seegert, president of the state organization, have planned for the use of two large halls in the great Municipal auditorium for the bigger sessions while small sessions will be held in several smaller halls. The Wisconsin hotel will serve as headquarters. Efforts are being made to have John J. Blaine, governor of Wisconsin, and Daniel W. Horan, mayor of Alilwaukee, on the list of speakers. Weather Darkens Show (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NORTH ROSE, N. Y., Feb. 10.— The Palace theatre was compelled to close its doors this week due to competition of the weather man. The local territory has been in the heart of succeeding blizzards, heavy snows and zero weather for such a time that business has been extremely dull. The house will be reopened when the weather is better. Theatres Lease Rink (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 10.— The Heights Theatres, Inc., leased from H. M. Rambach and Oscar Grosberg, both of Boston, the Ice Skating Rink.