Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

February 28, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 37 Warners in Theatre Field in Earnest; Explain Hays Stand Enter Wall Street to Finanee Expansion in Production and Exhibition — Offer of $1,000,000 for Gloria Stands — 26 Pictures to Be Made Next Season For some time the questions have been asked : Are Warner Brothers going to sever relations with the Hays organization? Are Warner Brothers really going into the theatre field? Exhibitors Herald this week can answer both of those questions officially, Harry M. Warner stating the company’s attitude toward the Motion Picture Producers’ & Distributors’ Association and Jack Warner supplying the information relative to the firm’s activities in the exhibition field. Pathe and A. E. to Have New Building by Fall Chicago’s film row will have another handsome exchange building in a short time. Ground has been purchased at 105355 South Wabash avenue by the Pathe Exchanges, Inc., and work will begin soon on a two story brick and concrete exchange to house both their branch and that o£ Associated Exhibitors. The plans have been completed by the architects, Holabird & Roche, and when the present tenants of the property move out buildings will be torn down and work on the new exchange started. According to plans the first floor of the exchange will have film vaults, projection room, shipping department and salesrooms. On the second floor will be the booking offices, the poster department and executive offices of Manager Fred C. Aiken, James Harris and Assistant James Gillick. The new building will not be ready for occupancy before fall. Quimby to Take Over Two Fox Sales Units (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 17. — ^The drive by Fox Film Corporation to increase the distribution of Fox News reel and the new production unit. Fox Varieties, will be made under the personal supervision of Fred Quimby, considered a highly efficient short subject salesmanager, it is announced. Mr. Quimby has signed a contract to take over and build up the sales department of these two important production units of the company. He will work with Sidney Meyers, the general sales manager. He will endeavor to make the distribution of Fox News and Fox Varieties distinctly separate entities in no way conflicting with the sales of the other productions produced by the Fox corporation. Wolfe Heads Credit Film Board Committee (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 17.— The Albany Film Board of Trade has named the following to the credit committee: M. M. Wolfe, chairman, manager of the Metro-Goldwyn exchange; Jack Krause, of Bond; Charles Stombaugh, of Pathe; and Frank S. Hopkins, of the Producers’ Distributing Corporation. On the fire prevention committee, Howard Morgan, manager of Educational’s exchange here, has been made chairman; O. R. Reiffel, of Fox, and Herman Stern, of F. B. O. The Film Board of Trade has completed moving its effects into its new headquarters in the, Mark Strand building. Committee Kills Bill for Censorship Repeal (Special to Exhibitors Herald) KANSAS CITY, MO., Feb. 17.— Not only exhibitors but blue noses received a jolt in the Kansas legislature this week when the bill to abolish the State Censor board was killed in the house by the committee on public welfare. Also, the Endres bill, for the prohibition of any distasteful pictures, and which was introduced by blue law advocates, was killed by the same committee. Exhibitors are not discouraged. It is believed that another bill to abolish the board may be introduced in the senate. Kley With DeMille (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17.— Fred Kley, formerly with Fox and Lasky, will manage the Cecil B. DeMille studio at Culver City. Warner Brothers are not going to resign from the Hays body, said Harry M. Warner in a statement declaring that “Warner Brothers do not withdraw or quit; we try to build up, not tear down.’’ As for the company entering the theatre field. Jack Warner said, “We are. We will buy, build or put up tents if it is necessary for us to get bookings.’’ Harry M. Warner said that there was no truth to rumors that his company would leave the Hays alliance. “There are a number of things now functioning under the Hays organization that should be, and can be, remedied for the benefit of all parties concerned and these we will insist on,” he added. Rerturn to West Coast The Warners passed through Chicago last Friday for the Coast where, according to H. M., “I shall take up with Mr. Hays several matters that we think should be remedied by him personally.” “These are matters,” he continued, “too numerous to mention that not only affect us, but everyone in the business. From what I know of Mr. Hays I do not think there will be any trouble in remedying them. I have always found him most fair and open to suggestion and working hard for the good of the industry. He has a tremendous problem and we shall work with him to the end that everyone connected with motion pictures will be ultimately benefited.” He said further: “To return to the main problem of the Hays office. How to satisfy all the individuals in the association. I want to say that Mr. Hays, in this one particular alone, has a mammoth job on his hands. Not because any of them are particularly wrong as they see it, but because of their own ambitions and personal desires. This desire has been in existence since the world began. There are men who want to rule, to be over-lords of their particular field. There are men who want to work for others, and there are also men who want to be charitable and, in the spirit of fair play, give everybody a chance. “We believe that time will right all the existing conditions that are now problems, but 1 for one contend that only by the principles connected with each company sitting around one table in open discussion and being fair and equitable with the other fellow as well as with himself can the conditions now existing be righted.” Will Not Compete Jack Warner, in discussing the company’s theatre activities, stressed the point that Warner Brothers will not offer competition in localities where their pictures get a fair break. Only in towns where they cannot get bookings will theatres be acquired. The company’s first theatre, he said, would be erected in downtown Chicago in association with Lubliner & Trinz. The deal for this house has been closed. Other theatres will be acquired or erected in New York, Los Angeles, Portland and Detroit. Just previous to the departure of the two brothers from New York negotiations were closed with McClure, Reid & Jones for the placing of Warner stock on the stock market in Wall Street. This, according to Jack Warner, will permit the company to expand its production and theatre activities. Next year the company will produce twenty-six pictures, two of which will be Ernst Lubitsch specials. As in the past successful fiction will be adapted. The first attractions on next year’s program, beginning on September 15, are: “Rose of the World,” Harry Beaumont director; “Bobbed Hair,” the story by twenty authors with Marie Prevost starring and James Flood directing; “Golden Cocoon,” with Helene Chadwick and Huntley Gordon featured and Millard Webb directing; “The Limited Mail,” a big melodrama with Monte Blue starred and George Hill directing; “Why Girls Go Back Home”; “The Wife \Vho Wasn’t Wanted,” with Irene Rich starring and Alan Crosland directing, and “Below the Line,” a story of the Kentucky hills with Rin-Tin-Tin starring. Jack stated that the Company’s $1,000,000 offer to Gloria Swanson for four pictures still held. Negotiations, he said, were pending. ; Shire^s Purchase of Five Theatres Points to Hostettlers ’ Evacuation (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OMAHA, NEB., Feb. 17. — Eli Shire is the purchaser of the Lincoln chain of theatres in the first two moves which will result eventually in the complete retirement of Hostettler Brothers from the exhibition field. They have been an important factor in the middle west for several years. The remaining move is under way and will see the transfer of about 40 more houses of the Hostettler circuit throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas. Under the arrangement the new Lincoln theatre being built by Paramount will be opened under the ownership of Shire and Famous PlayersLasky, as will the Rialto theatre. Other Lincoln houses include the Orpheum, Liberty, Lyric and Colonial. L. M. Garmon will manage the latter four. A large eastern theatrical combination is negotiating for the bulk of the remaining houses, it is said. With this report comes the rumor that Harry Weinberg, of the Blank organization, is building up a circuit of suburban theatres with the purpose of counteracting the influence expected from the Hostettler deal.