Exhibitors Herald (1926)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 21 January 1, 1927 “Tell It To The Marines” Is Given Welcome at Embassy Chaney Appears as Hardboiled Sergeant and Regular Human Being — Titles by Joe Farnum Play Big Part — Thrills and Beautiful Photography Abound By JOHN S. SPARGO NEW YORK, Dec. 28. — “Tell It to the Marines,” the second Metro special production to be given a New York premiere during the week, was shown to an invited audience at the Embassy theatre last Thursday evening. That the picture, which followed the long Ben Hur run, will “get over” is a foregone conclusion based on the enthusiastic first night reception. While “Tell It to the Marines” is not a “Big Parade” nor yet a “Fire Brigade,” there seems every reason to believe that it will settle down to a long Broadway run. Here’s Chance for Projectionists to Win National Prize “Projectatory Contest” open to projectionists throughout the country is announced by the American Projection Society. Cash awards are offered in three classes for protographs and descriptions of the best designed and equipped projection rooms. Under the contest the country has been divided into five zones and in the classification of “A” have been placed theatres having a seating capacity of over 2,000 Class “B” theatres are designated as those having a seating capacity between 750 and 2,000. Class “C” theatres will be those having a seating capacity up to 750. Announcement of the prizes to be offered will soon be made. Three prizes will be awarded in each zone and one prize in every class. In the event of a tie, contestants will receive the full prize award. Judges named for the contest are: Lester Isaac, Supervisor of Projection, Iowa’s Circuit, New York; Arthur Gray, Lancaster Theatre, Boston; John Griffith, Ansonia, Conn.; F. II. Richardson, Moving Picture World, New York; P. M. Abbott, Motion Picture News, New York; George Edwards, formerly editor of “American Projectionist,” New York; Roger M. Hill, U. S. Motion Picture Service, Washington; Lester Bowen, New York; J. H. Hallberg, New York; J. Hopkins, Publix theatres. New York; Frank Healy, Editor of “American Projectionist,” New York; Harry E. Holquist, Exhibitors Herald, Chicago, 111. Projectionists desiring to enter the contest may make application for contest questionnaire to the American Projectionist Society, 158 West 45th Street, New York City, or blanks may be obtained from any motion picture supply dealer. Rosenthal Group Plans New House for Dubuque (Special to the Herald) DUBUQUE, IA., Dec. 28.— The Rosenthal interests held a conference December 22 to go over plan details of a theatre, hotel and store building they propose to build here. At the conference were Rueben Levine and Paul Axelrode of the R. Levine company, builders and financers of the proposed building; William P. Whitney, architect; and Harry P. Munns, legal representative for the Rosenthals in Chicago and a director of the Rosenthal Theatre corporation. The Rosenthal interests hold options for the purchase of a large frontage on the west side of Iowa street and 54 feet frontage on Main street. The proposal provides for the erection of the theatre auditorium, around which will be the hotel. The lobby will be connected to the theatre auditorium by a viaduct extending over an alley. 7 New Companies Are Listed in Film Field (Special to the Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 28. — Last week saw a spurt in the number of companies incorporating in the motion picture business in New York state, seven companies having received charters. Each shows substantial capitalization. The companies are: Mamaroneck Playhouse Holding Corporation, Mamaroneck, $100,000; States Cinema Productions Corp., $10,000; Silver Eagle Productions, Inc., $100,000; H. and M. Amusement Co., Inc., $10,000; Industrial Amusement Company, Inc., $250,000; Glen Cove School Corporation, Glen Cove, $200,000; Malcolm Film Laboratories, Inc., capitalization not specified. A story of the Marines, those soldiers of the seas who are always “the first to fight,” this production directed by George Hill, and photographed in various parts of the world, has much to commend it. It is fast moving, with plenty of thrills and a pretty love story, is exceptionally well cast and beautifully photographed, the latter being credited to Ira Morgan. No small amount of the enjoyment of the pictures is furnished by the titles. These are exceptionally good and in many instances screamingly funny, and Joe Farnum, recognized as one of the best of title writers, adds no small glory to his reputation by the work he has done in this instance. Chaney Plays Sergeant Another interesting feature of the picture is the fact that Lon Chaney, playing the part of the hardboiled Sergeant of Marines, is shown for the first time, at least in a number of years, made up as a regular human being, sans the disfiguration or crippled condition in which we are accustomed to seeing this remarkable actor. William Haines, as Private Skeet Burns, the young smart aleck sheik from Kansas City, who attempts to outsmart the Marines to the extent of joining only for the purpose of getting a free ride to the Tia Juana Theatre Razed in Series of Mysterious Fires ( Special to the Herald) AYLMER, QUE., Dec. 28.— Following a series of mysterious fires which burned the high school, railway station, a church hall and skating arena and other places, fire destroyed the Family theatre of Aylmer December 1J6 with a loss of more than $ 15,000 . Mrs. George Lavigne, proprietor, carried only $2,000 insurance. Flames were discovered in the theatre at 2 a. m. The theatre was erected 20 years ago by Mrs. Lavigne. Included in the loss were the films which had been shown the previous night. races, boosts his stock by a performance which places him in the ranks of the young men to be watched in the future. Eleanor Boardman, the other end of the love romance, gives her usual capable performance, this time as a nurse in the Navy, and loved by both the hardboiled sergeant and the unruly private. Marine Corps Co-operates While the story, which is by E. Richard Schayer, is built on the regular routine of LTncle Sam’s sea soldiers, and filmed with the active co-operation of the United States Marine Corps, there is injected much good comedy, and the audience is moved many times backwards and forwards between the serious and ridiculous. The consensus seems to be that “Tell It to the Marines” will more than do. Following is the cast : Sergeant O’Hara, Lon Chaney; Private “Skeet” Burns, William Haines; Norma Dale, Eleanor Boardman; Corporal Madden, Eddie Gribbon; Zaya, Carmel Myers ; Chinese Bandit Leader, Warner Oland ; Native, Mitchell Lewis; General Wilcox, Frank Currier; Harry, Maurice Kains. Publix Is Name Given New Fort Worth House (Special to the Herald) OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec. 28.— Publix is the name chosen for the theatre housed in the Worth hotel, Fort Worth, Tex. The house will seat about 2,400. The theatre is rapidly nearing completion. Among the theatres recently opened in the Southwest are the Perry at Perry, Okla., and the Liberty at Sand Springs, Okla. W. E. Seago has leased his Majestic at Jenks, Okla., to W. H. Martin. J. A. Mason has leased the Rialto and Royal theatres at Clinton, Okla. A. B. Momand and J. W. Cotter have bought the Holdenville, Okla., Dixie, and R. P. Waid has bought the Bixby, Okla., Liberty. Griffith Brothers are building a new house at Earlsboro, Okla. ; a new house is under construction at Stinnet, Okla.; and J. G. Jenson is to build a theatre at Goza, Okla., in the near future. John Howard Goes South in Position for Saenger (Special to the Herald) DAVENPORT, IA., Dec. 28.— John Howard, who for almost a year has managed the A. H. Blank Capitol here, has gone to New Orleans as manager of a large Saenger house there. He is succeeded in Davenport by Lawrence Wegener, formerly manager of the Fort Dodge Rialto. Lon Chaney