Exhibitors Herald (1927)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 17, 1927 F-N, Pathe, FBO Merger Rumor Served Up Again as Hash Executives Spike Six-Months-Old Report — A. M. P. A. Election Postponed Week Due to Loew Funeral JOHN S. SPARGO NEW YORK, Sept. 13. — How will you have your rumors served this morning? If you have any choice in the matter, just skirmish around a little and you can get them in any style you desire, with plenty of alleged substantiating evidence to make each style appear the proper diet. THE latest and apparently the most popular dish of rumors is a consolidation of First National, Pathe and FBO, which is probably all right except that the persons who would naturally have most to do with such consolidating, assert that they know nothing about it. This rumor has been sprung several times within the past six months, and was recently revived with one of those “wheels have been set in motion” by “conferences between the heads of the companies” stuff. Only in this particular instance, if any conferences were held, it was not recently, as these “heads of companies” have been widely separated. Kennedy and Murdock Haven’t Met Joseph P. Kennedy, head of FBO, and J. J. Murdock are supposed to have been conferring recently, but they have not. Mr. Murdock has been in New York for the past month. Mr. Kennedy has been in the White Mountains for the same length of time and they have not met. Elmer Pearson is on the Coast and it is unlikely that Mr. Murdock is doing any conferencing without having Mr. Pearson somewhere in the neighborhood. John McGuirk and Sam Spring, of First National, have both spent considerable time in New York recently, and may have known that Mr. Murdock was also in the city. But so far as the “pool,” “consolidation,” “amalgamation,” or what have you, is concerned, they all say it is news to them. Still, you never can tell. In this film business anything may happen, and happen quickly. And again it may not. But in the meantime, you can have your rumors served hot or cold, or as you wish. * * * A. M . P. A. Election Postponed The annual election of officers and the weekly luncheon of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers, which was booked for last Thursday, was called off out of respect to Marcus Loew, and many of the advertisers attended the funeral of the Metro chief. The election will take place this week and Thursday’s session will be a closed one to permit of the balloting. The ticket, to which there is no opposition, follows : President; Bruce Gallup Vice-Pres.; Lon Young Treasurer; George Harvey Secretary; James Zabin * * * What becomes of the theatre ushers when they decide to quit ushing, is given one answer at the Roxy theatre this week. When Roxy was the directorial head of the Capitol he had in his employ a clever young usher named Roy Ellis. In the divertissements at the Roxy is a clever number featured as “Tambourin Chinois,” in which two talented thespians named Teddy Walters and Roy Ellis do their stuff. Yes. It’s the same Roy Ellis who used to “ush” for Roxy at the Capitol. * * * “ Ben-Hur ” Held Over “Ben-Hur,” the big Metro-GoldwynMayer spectacle, did such a whaling business at the Capitol theatre that Major Ed ward Bowes is holding it over for a second week, with the prospects of it staying at least one week longer. In order to accommodate the early crowds the doors of the Capitol are being opened at 12 :30. * * * The first steps looking toward an eventual consolidation of Universal Pictures Corporation and Universal Chain Theatres Corporation have been taken by the directors of both companies, it was announced last week. The board of directors of Universal Pictures Corporation has voted, in consideration of the acquisition by the corporation from Carl Laemmle and others of a substantial majority of the common stock and all of the management stock of the Theatres Corporation, to enter into an agreement under which the Pictures Corporation will guarantee for two years from Aug. 15, 1927, and under certain conditions, dividends on the first preferred stock of the Theatres Corporation. * * * Theatres’ Earnings Increase The proposal was accepted by the directors of the Theatres Corporation and it is expected that the agreement will be closed immediately. In connection with the payment of the September dividend, further details regarding the guaranty will be mailed to stockholders. Daniel Michalove, general manager of Theatres Corporation, reported to directors of the Pictures Corporation that earnings of the theatre company had materially improved toward the end of summer, and that with the opening of five new houses now under construction within the next two months, a further substantial improvement in earnings was expected. * * * British Appreciate Roxy That American showmanship, especially that kind dispensed by Sam Rothafel at the Roxy theatre, is appreciated internationally is pretty well evidenced by the following from the current issue of Bioscope, the big British film trade paper: “British Brunswick, Ltd., makers of the ‘Panatrope,’ this week announce a big advertising opportunity to exhibitors already in possession of one of these instruments, and a strong inducement to investigate its capabilities to the shrinking number of those who do not. “They are issuing two double-sided 10inch records on which four organ solos recorded on the mammoth three-console organ in the ‘Roxy’ theatre, New York. They are: No. 3488, ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘Honolulu Moon ;’ No. 3489, ‘It All Depends on You’ and ‘Trail of Dreams.’ “The Roxy, with its 6,200 capacity, its takings of £25,000 weekly, and above all, its great organ, demanding the services of three musicians, is a household word with British exhibitors, and the advantage, now open to the smallest hall in the country, of advertising ‘intermission by the organ of the Roxy theatre, New York,’ is one which will be appreciated.” Industry Halts to Pay Final T ribute to Loew at Brief Funeral Rites ( Continued from page 21) had gathered when the funeral party passed through the gates at 1 :30. The services at the grave were marked with the same simplicity as those at the house, and were entirely in Hebrew. Messages to C. C. Pettijohn showed that in all cities of the United States and Canada where Film Boards of Trade have headquarters the film exchanges suspended operations for five minutes on Thursday in tribute to Mr. Loew and theatres remained closed until 2 p. m. Throughout New York the film industry was practically at a standstill during the hours of the funeral, almost every one of the companies and theatres suspending operations until after the remains of Mr. Loew had been laid away in the cemetary. The Loew theatres remained closed all day, as did the Metro offices and the offices of the M. P. P. D. A. Scores of picture and vaudeville theatres throughout New York had posted on their doors the following; This theatre will be closed until 2 p. m. today out of respect to the memory of Marcus Loew, one of the ablest most respected and best beloved pioneers in the motion picture industry. By his splendid talents, sound judgment and that rare and admirable attribute— eternal humaneness — he built for himself in the hearts of all friends of motion pictures a place that time will not destroy. He was a friend of all men and all men were his friends. Among the prominent persons who assembled at the Loew estate for the funeral services were Adolph Zukor, David Warfield, Lew Fields, Joe Weber, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas M. Schenck, Mr. and Mrs. John Golden, Lee Shubert, Will H. Hays, Arthur Brisbane, J. Robert Rubin, Charles M. Schab, Judge Mitchell Erlanger, Ben Roeder, Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis, E. F. Albee, Hal Roach, Willian Randolph Hearst, James J. Corbett, Arthur Hammerstein, Oscar Hammerstein 2d, E. A. Schiller, John J. McGuirk, Sam and Abe Warner, A1 Boyd, Henry King, Martin J. Quigley, W. R. Sheehan, J. J. McCarthy, Nora Bayes, Julius Tannen, former Governor Charles E. Milliken, Major and Mrs. Edward Bowes, C. F. Zittel, Jules Hurtig, Wm. De Lignemare, Magistrate August Dreyer, Dorothy Dalton, Felix Feist, Edgar Allen Wolfe, William Collier, Judge Mitchell May, Judge Lazansky, Lou Anger, Nathan S. Jones, Sylvan Levy, Howard Dietz, J. K. Emmett, Mrs, Sailing Baruch and George Manker Watters. Tributes From All Over World A wreath from members of the Loew family was made up of all varieties of flowers growing on the Glen Cove estate, and this formed one of the most arresting floral pieces on display. Two other intimate tributes came in the form of wreaths of red and white roses made up by the employes at “Pembroke.” Telegrams of condolence came from India, Austrialia, Argentina, England, Paris, Hollywood, Africa — in fact, from every corner of the globe. Among the cables to be received were dispatches from Mayor Walker, who is now at Lido, Italy, and one from Carl Laemmle sent from Munchen, Germany. The mayor’s message read : “Death of my dear friend Marcus a terrible shock. Please accept my deepest sympathy.”