Exhibitors Herald (1927)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD June 18, 1927 Final P.D.C. -Rathe Meeting Closes; DeMille Tells Plans One Company W^ill Encompass All Phases of Industry from Manufacturing Raw Stock to Presenting Pictures, Banqueters Told (Special to the Herald) Hollywood, June 14. — Before 800 people, invited to the Producers-Distributing Corp.-Pathe banquet Friday, June 3, in the Fiesta room of the Ambassador hotel, Cecil B. De Mille outlined the plans of the newly combined companies for the coming year. For the first time in the history of the film business, Mr. De Mille pointed out, one company will encompass all phases of the industry, from the manufacture of raw stock to the presentation of pictures on the screen. OTHERS who spoke during the evening were Elmer Pearson, vice-president and general manager; Charles McDonald, editor, Timely To'pics; Rod LaRocque, De Mille star ; Robert Edeson, William De Mille and several of the branch managers. Pleasing Program Given A very pleasing program was arranged by Barrett C. Riesling, who had charge of the banquet. The entertainment was given by Johnny Burke, Alice Gentle, Mosconi Brothers, Daphne Pollard, Demarest and Collette and Mack Sennett beauties. Among the film celebrities who attended and w-ere introduced by the two toastmasters, Edeson and De Mille, were Beatrice Joy, Mack Sennett, Charles Christie, Marie Prevost, Franklin Pangborn, Harrison Ford, Rod LaRocque, Jetta Goudal, Jeannie Macpherson, Phyllis Haver, William Boyd, Jacqueline Logan, Lois Wilson, Victor Varconi, H. B. Warner, Aileen Ray, Vera Reynolds, Leo Maloney, Monty Banks, Buddy Roosevelt, Walter Miller, Buffalo Bill, Jr., James Cruze, Lois Weber, Paul Stein, Karl Brown, Elmer Clifton, Donald Crisp, E. Mason Hopper, William K. Howard, Rupert Julian, Paul Sloane and Frank LTson. Makes Own Raw Stock De Alille prefaced his remarks by stating that the new concern through its associa tion with Pathe-Dupont and Pathe interests, manufactures its own raw stock, cameras, home projectors, and with the affiliation with the Keith-Albee and Orpheum circuits, provides an outlet for its product. He spoke with pride of the amalgamation of the oldest (Pathe.) concern in the picture business with the youngest. He stated it represented the independence of artists, a studio where everyone was given his opportunity that its slogan was youth and advancement. O^Brien Named Shreck^s Successor at Paramount (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, June 14. — Richard B. O’Brien has been appointed to the position in the Paramount publicity department vacated by Jay M. Shreck, who recently resigned to join the staff of the Exhibitors Herald in Chicago. Storm Damages Props (Special to the Herald) INDIANAPOLIS, June 14.— Water flooding the basement of the Starland theatre, Anderson, Ind., as the result of a storm, damaged equipment of the Mildred Austin Stock Company, the loss amounting to several thousand dollars. Proper Capital and Goodwill Essential in Industry, Says New Finance Official Program for Great States Involving Million Dollar Bond Issue Completed by Theatre Financing Corporation Theatre financing along lines which have won success for some of the nation’s largest business institutions is being sponsored by the Theatre Financing Corporation, of America, a comparatively new concern which already has undertaken several important theatre chain campaigns. The organization, of which John C. Schwartz is president, Donald Despain, vicepresident, and Arthur Bogue, secretary, soon will announce several financing campaigns to take care of expansion of a number of important theatre circuits. Great States Program Finished The new corporation recently completed a financing program for Great States Theatres, Inc., Balaban & Katz subsidiary and largest theatre chain in Illinois. This involved a one million dollar issue of preferred stock which was distributed to approximately 2,500 Great States patrons. Since its organization a little over a year ago, the Theatre Financing Corporation has made an intensive study of the motion picture industry and has trained a large staff in all phases. “In this new era of modern business, two things are necessary to a corporation of an industry before it can be said to have an assurance of permanency and success,” said Mr. Schwartz. “They are proper capital and goodwill. “The Theatre Financing Corporation of America is far more than a sales organization. In rendering service to a client we concentrate all our facilities in the various departments of research, analysis and exploitation toward an education program acquainting the public with the fact that the industry in general, and the business of the client in particular, has grown from childhood to manhood, has been clothed with sound business principles and now represents a business of strength, service and stability. Briefly, the service rendered involves : “(1) The supply of needed capital; (2) The establishment of the asset of Good Will through the development of a large stockholder family; (3) The installation of an efficient public relations policy; and (4) Implanting of an enthusiastic spirit of loyalty and healthy morale in the employe organization. The Theatre Financing Corporation has published an informative booklet which may be obtained at its offices, 162 N. State Street, Chicago. 5 Film Boards Report Over $85,000 Added to Red Cross Flood Fund (Special to the Herald) Exhibitors in five film board territories contributed over $85,000 in receipts from benefit shows to the Red Cross flood relief fund the past few weeks, according to reports from Film Boards of Trade. This amount is considerably less than the expected total for the districts reporting, since many benefit performances are yet to be given, while neither does it include the sums now being raised in several important localities, including Chicago, where 120 exhibitors have booked pictures for from one to five flood relief shows. In Chicago, Joe D. Abramson, secretary of the Film Board, expects to report within a week or two the addition of at least $10,000 to the fund from exhibitors in that territory, with many more shows yet to be given. The boards reporting at this time and the amounts raised are as follows: Boston, $23,275; Memphis, $8,495; Washington, $32,207 ; Indianapolis, $5,947; San Francisco, $16,000. More Imagination in Production Is Vital, Says William Fraser (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, June 14. — Deploring what he terms “a flock of ‘sheep’ productions,” William R. Fraser, general manager of Harold Lloyd Corporation, declares that a vital need of the motion picture industry at this time is more imagination and less imitation in the making of its pictures. The moment a picture of a certain type was successful, he said, the market was flooded with similar attractions, and this, in his opinion, “does not help raise the standard of entertainment.’ He said that the Harold Lloyd pictures had been the inspiration for scores of “sheep” productions. Lloyd’s next picture for Paramount release will be a story of New York. Wanda Wiley, Actress, Saved by Dallas Fireman ( Special to the Herald) OKLAHOMA CITY, June 14.— Wanda Wiley, motion picture actress, narrowly escaped death by fire at Dallas, Tex., when she was saved by Fireman B. C. Hilton from flames menacing the porch where she was sleeping. Paramount has merged its Dallas and Atlanta district offices and appointed Harry G. Ballance, former manager of the Southeast, to head the entire Southern division. H. G. Rosebaum of the Dallas office, will be given a new assignment. Local interest will erect a $25,000 theatre in South Hot Springs, Ark., while in Hot Springs another $25,000 theatre is to be built. (juy M. Butler is now assistant manager of the Community and Vance theatres, Russellville, Ark. Swift Opening Chicago Branch for Vitaphone Paul Swift has arrived in Chicago officially to open the Chicago exchange of the Vitaphone Corporation at 839 South Wabash avenue. This branch will serve immediately 48 theatres in the Middlewest and Northwest. Minder Gets Trophy ATLANTA — William G. Minder, manager of the Tiffany exchange, has received a silver cup from the home office in tribute to his sales record during the spring drive.