Exhibitors Herald (1925)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 41 June 6, 1925 Franchises Will Be Offered Exhibitors by Warner Bros. Harry M. Says Producers and Distributors Should Operate Key City Houses — Opposes Acquisition of Other Theatres, However, Unless Forced to Buy A franchise plan, the details of which have not been prepared for public announcement, will be offered to exhibitors by Warner Brothers. Warner Brothers are convinced that the large downtown theatres in key cities should be operated by producing-distributing companies. Only Adverse Conditions Will Force Theatre Acquisition Theatres outside the key cities should remain in the hands of the individual exhibitors, however, and Warner Brothers have no intentions ot entering this field of exhibition unless forced to do so to gain representation. Universal Closes Large Contracts With L. & T. and Ascher Brothers Contracts just closed with Lubliner & Trinz, associated with Balaban & Katz, and with Ascher Brothers give Universal the best representation it ever has had in Chicago and assures Chicagoans of seeing all Universal Jewels. L. W. Alexander, manager of Universal’s Chicago exchange, has completed a deal with Max Ascher, president of Ascher Brothers, which calls for showing two pictures a month as released, and for placing International Newsreel in all Ascher houses and six Universal serials in most of their theatres. The contract is said to represent one of the largest service deals ever completed in the entire country. Mr. Alexander also has consummated a transaction with E. Stern, general manager of Lubliner & Trinz circuit, for practically the same line-up in first-run houses. 1925 Business Good as 1924; 11 Incorporate (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., May 26. — In the number of motion picture companies incorporating in New York State, this year is showing up as well as the corresponding period in 1924, and with indications that before the end of the year the 1924 figures will have been surpassed. Despite symptoms of quietness in certain business in New York State last week, 11 motion picture companies incorpor9.ted, one of the number having a capitalization of $100,000. The following gives the names of the newly incorporated companies : Checkers Photo Play Corporation, $100,000; Goodwill Comedies, Inc., $50,000; Loucks and Norlingf, Inc., $10,000; McLean Amusement Corporation, $10,000; Harlem Productions, Inc., $10,000; Ned Jakobs, Inc., $10,000; Charles O. Seesel, Inc., $10,000; Fred Clark Productions, Inc., $10,000; Dessey Corporation; Cunningham Studios. Inc.; Hemisphere Pictures Corporation. Film Commission Gets Democrat Appointees (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., May 26. — Following the appointment of Mrs. Elizabeth V. Colbert, commissioner on the New York State Motion Picture Commission has come several appointments which replace republicans previously on the board. T. J. Donnelly of New York replaced Fred Wightman as deputy; Mrs. Sally Minsterer of Brooklyn succeeds Mrs. Burton of Rochester ; Mrs. .\nna Connelly of Yonkers replaces Edna LaRose as deputy. Youth Shouts **Fire*^ to Get Seat; Lands in Jail (Special to Exhibitors Herald) SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 26.— He had an idea. It worked. But he' landed in jail. When Bernard Rath, 17 years old, couldn’t find a seat in a crowded neighborhood theatre, he shouted “Fire” and several were hurt in the ensuing panic. Rath was watching the show alone when police arrived. 130 Theatres Affected by Australian Merger (Special to Exhibitors Herald) MELBOURNE, Australia, May 26. — Capitalized at £3,000,000, the AustralianNew Zealand motion picture interests merged last week. The organization will control 130 theatres and produce pictures. Herald representatives were given this information by Harry M. Warner during his stopover in Chicago en route to New York from Los Angeles, where a meeting of the former Vitagraph managers had just been held. The franchise, said Mr. Warner, will cover a period of ten years, and will assure exhibitors during that period a box office product at a fair and equitable price. Just how the “fair and equitable” price would be arrived at, Mr. Warner declined to state at this time. On this one statement, however, he laid particular stress : “Given the same story, Warner Brothers can produce a better picture for $150,000 than one of the 'big three’ can for $225,000.” Says Burden Is Too Great In his declaration that the big downtown houses in the key cities should be operated by the producing-distributing companies, Mr. Warner explained that the expense involved and the responsibility were too great to be shouldered by the individual. Mr. Warner reiterated his statement made on the Coast that the “big three” constituted a trust which owned or controlled 80 per cent of the first run theatres of the country. At the Coast convention, the lineup of 40 Warner attractions for the coming season was announced. Scheduled are two Ernest Lubitsch productions; two with John Barrymore, two with Syd Chaplin, four with Marie Prevost, four with Monte Blue, four with Irene Rich, two with Lowell Sherman, four with Matt Moore and Dorothy Devore, four with Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller, four with Rin-Tin-Tin and eight with all star casts. Lists 1925-26 Product Following is the schedule ; John Barrymore in “Captain Alvarez,” by H. F. Sheldon, directed by Millard Webb, scenario by Bess Meredith. Romantic story of the life of Maximillian, emperor of Mexico. Catherine Brody’s “Why Girls Go Back Home.” sequel to “Why Girls Leave Home,” with l\farie Prevost. Harry Beaumont, director. “His Majesty, Bunker Bean,” by Harry Leon Wilson, another great comedy for Matt Moore and Dorothy Devore. Directed by Roy Del Ruth. An Ernst Lubitsch production, “The Third Degree,” by Charles Klein. “The Limited Mail,” railroad thriller by E. E. Vance, with Monte Blue. Directed by George Hill. “The Pleasure Buyers,” thrilling mystery novel by Arthur Somers Roche, with Irene Rich. Directed by Chester Withey. “Bobbed Hair,” by 20 celebrated authors, starring Marie Prevost. Directed by Alan Crosland. Rin-Tin-Tin in “Below the Line,” by Charles Logue. Directed by Herman Raymaker. “The Love Toy,” author anonymous, with Lowell Sherman. Directed by Alan Crosland. “The Man on the Box,” by Harold McGrath, starring Syd Chaplin. Directed by Fred Newmeyer. “The Golden Cocoon,” by Ruth Cross, with Helene Chadwick, Huntly Gordon. Richard Tucker, Margaret Seddon, Frank Campbell. Directed by Millard Webb. “The Climbers,” by Clyde Fitch, with Irene Rich and Huntly Gordon. “Three Weeks in Paris,” by Gregory Rogers, with Matt Moore and Dorothy Devore. Directed by Roy Del Ruth. Rin-Tin-Tin in “Clash of the Wolves,” by Charles Logue. Directed by Herman Raymaker. John Barrymore in “The Social Highwayman,” by Elizabeth Phipps Train. Directed by Harry Beaumont. “Red Hot Tires,” by Gregory Rogers, with Monte Blue, Patsy Ruth Miller, Lincoln Stedman, William Lowry, Charles Conklin, Fred E. Smelton. Directed by Earle Kenton. “Hell Bent For Heaven,” by Thatcher Hughes, with Monte Blue. Directed by William Beaudine. “The Passionate Quest,” E. Phillip Oppenheim’s greatest novel, with Marie Prevost, Huntly Gordon, John Roche. Directed by James Flood. “Satan in Sables,” by Bradley King with Lowell Sherman, John Harron, June Marlowe. Directed by James Flood. “The Fighting Edge,” by William McLeod Raine, with Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller. “The College Widow,” by George Ade, starring Syd Chaplin. Directed by Charles Reisner. Rin-Tin-Tin in “A Flower of the North,” by James Oliver Curwood. Directed by Herman Raymaker. “Compromise,” by Jay Gelzer with Irene Rich. Directed by Chester Withey. “The Vengeance of Durand,” by Rex Beach, with Irene Rich and Clyde Brook. “Wild Youth,” by Sir Gilbert Parker, with Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller. “The Wife Who Wasn’t Wanted,” by Gertrude James, with Irene Rich. Directed by James Flood. “The Honeymoon Express,” mile-a minute laugh sensation, with Matt Moore and Dorothy Devore. Directed by Roy Del Ruth. “The Gay Ones,” by Charles Hanson Towne, with Marie Prevost, Clyde Brook, John Roche. Directed by Millard Webb. Rin-Tin-Tin in “The Fighting Chance,” by James Oliver Curwood. Directed by Herman Raymaker. “The Priceless Pearl,” by Alice Duer Miller, with Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller. “Rose of the World,” by Kathleen Norris, with Patsy Ruth Miller, Alan Forrest, Rockliffe Fellows, Pauline Garon, Alec Francis, Helen Dunbar, Directed by Harry Beaumont. “The Inevitable Millionaires,” by E. Phillips Oppenheim, with Matt Moore and Dorothy Devore. Directed by William Beaudine. “The Cave Man,” by Gellet Burgess, with Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller. Executives Return East Accompanying Harry M. Warner on his trip East were Abe Warner, Sam E. Morris, Meyer Lesser and Herman Starr. Harry M. Warner said that his company was acquiring as rapidly as possible the Warner product formerly distributed by franchise holders. The Vitagraph offices in Kansas City, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Los Angeles have replaced the former Warner distributors in those territories. Hope Hampton Signed (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, May 26.— Associated Pictures has signed Hope Hampton for four more pictures following her “Lovers Island,’’ produced by Diamant Berger at Paragon studio. Technicolor will be used throughout in the next film.