Exhibitors Herald (1927)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 23 Columbia’s Star List Grows Fast Columbia rapidly is acquiring an imposing group of stars for its product for the coming season. The three latest to be signed are shown above and include Ricardo Cortez (left), Claire Windsor and Conway Tearle. Cortez appeared in a number of Paramount productions, including “Sorrows of Satan.” Miss Windsor formerly was on an extended contract with Goldwyn and M-G-M. She will be in two Columbia productions. Conway Tearle is one of the highest paid free lancers. These three now join a number of others signed by Columbia, including Lois Wilson, Hobart Bosworth, Jacqueline Logan and Richard Arlen. Exhibitors of Maryland Hear Woodhull Plead Organization M. P. T. 0. A. President Proposes Managers School for Every District — Predicts Complete Nationwide Body Within Few Months (Special to the Herald) HAVRE DE GRACE, MD., July 26.— R. F. Woodhull, president of the M. P. T. O. A., carried the membership campaign of the National Organization into Maryland last Thursday at the annual meeting of the M. P. T. O. of Maryland. Aims to Organize Every State The M. P. T. O. A. aims to organize every state and division of the country and have a complete nationwide organization within a few months, Mr. Woodhull told the Maryland exhibitors. July 30, 1927 Milwaukee Man Condemns Blue Laws in Speech (Special to the Herald) ST. LOUIS, July 26. — Puritan blue laws and attempts further to curtail personal liberty were condemned by Eugene Wengert, district attorney for Milwaukee, speaking before the annual meeting of the Lutheran Walther League at Washington University at St. Louis last week. The subject of Wengert’s address was “The Church and Politics” and he quoted the Bible as supporting his views for the separation of all churches and the state. He denounced especially those denominations which are seeking to force on the American people their very narrow views concerning blue laws and Sunday observance. “Nowhere in the Bible has St. Paul said that the church as an organization should enter politics,” Wengert said. ** Judgment of the Hills” to Be F B O’s Fifth in Month on Broadway (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, July 26— F B O’s “The Judgment of the Hills” has been booked into the New York Hippodrome for next week, making the fifth F B O picture on Broadway in four weeks. Except for the interval of one week, it follows at the Hippodrome the same producer’s “The Great Mail Robbery,” which was enthusiastically received by both spectators and press. “Judgment of the Hills” was directed by J. Leo Meehan, and stars Virginia Valli and Frankie Darro. The cast also includes Orville Caldwell, who has the male lead in Meehan’s “The Harvester,” now being completed. The former is an adaptation of a magazine story by Larry Evans. A. H. Woods to Stage New Play by Fred Rath (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, July 26.— Fred Rath, of the Paramount advertising staff, has terminated negotiations for the sale of his play, “Beautiful But Dumb,” to A. H. Woods and it is slated for early production, according to announcement from Woods’ office. This is Rath’s first play for the “legit.” “Beautiful But Dumb” is an American comedy prepared in collaboration with Joseph J. Garren. It will be the second production of the current season from motion picture advertising men ; the first was a musical play, “The Merry-Go-Round,” written by Howard Dietz and Morrie Ryskind. James Craze Enters Independent Ranks; Forms Own Company (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, July 26.— James Cruze, who has made many notable pictures for Paramount, has entered the ranks of the independent motion picture producers. He has formed a $100,000 film company bearing his name, according to papers filed with the secretary of state. Cruze is working on his last production under his Paramount contract. President Herman Blum of the Maryland exhibitors presided and in introducing Mr. Woodhull said he brought to them a man whose knowledge of the motion picture business equalled that of any within its ranks and whose loyalty and aggressiveness knew no question. In discussing the matter of organization before several hundred exhibitors, Mr. Woodhull praised the loyalty of Maryland to the National Organization and said that there would be cooperating bodies in all states and that these organization processes would commence at once. Another matter Mr. Woodhull advocated was a managers school in districts where every theatre owner and manager could meet at given periods and hear the technical and detailed elements of the business discussed by experts. Woodhull contended that every manager should know how to handle all phases of theatre operation, so that in any emergency he could take hold of any division himself and successfully carry on. He discussed the extended use of presentations and light vaudeville in motion picture theatres and said he believed it would be better to concentrate on pictures, properly exploiting and advertising them, as the public liked a well presented picture better than side issues. President Woodhull was accompanied to Havre de Grace by Chairman A. Julian Brylawski of the board of directors of the M. P. T. O. A. and President Charles Picquet of the North Carolina M. P. T. O., both of whom made brief addresses. The officers of the state organization are : Herman A. Blum, president ; Wm. M. Whitehurst, vice-president; Frank A. Hornig, treasurer; J. Louise Rome, counsel; board of directors — Frank H. Durkee, Walter D. Pacy, Harry Cluster, Dorothy Devore Sues Krellberg for Salary (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, July 26.— Dorthy Devore, playing leads with Educational, has brought suit against S. S. Krellberg and the Krellberg Pictures Corp. for $1750 salary. The film actress alleges she was refused salary by Krellberg, after signing a contract on April 12, 1927, to play the role of Kitty in “The Little Girl God Forgot.” The firm never started the picture, Krellberg stating the delay was due to the death of the scenario writer. Samuel Back, Louise Garman, J. W. Bauers, Phillip Miller. The business manager is Wm. E. Stumpf.