Exhibitors Herald (1927)

September 24, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 21 Press Commends B & K Price Raise, Lauds Modem Shows Theatres Give “Generous Value,” Says Editorial Writer — Change Long Contemplated Due to Growing Operation Costs, Declares Barney Balaban Decision of Balaban & Katz to increase admission prices in six of its eight large Chicago houses, starting Monday of this week, brings the comment from an editorial writer in the Herald-Examiner that the motion picture theatres “give generous value for the price of admission even at the advanced scale.” Not Entirely Due to Strike The increase of ticket prices is not entirely due to the recent strike, according to Barney Balaban. “The change was long contemplated, had been considered for months, and it was put through only when the increase in operating costs required it,” he said. “An accumulation of increases in all forms of operating costs, starting from the realty and up, has necessitated the change in order to maintain a normal return. B. & K. has very seldom changed its prices.” Blue Law Prosecutor Arrests Theatreman But Show Goes On ( Special to the Herald) MILFORD, IND., Sept. 20.— A large crowd attended the moving picture show at the Comus Theatre here last Sunday night. Sheriff Frank McKrill was on hand to arrest Frank Parish, manager, his wife and two employes. No attempt was made to close the show and the regular program was given. The four persons placed under arrest on warrants and taken to Milford by the sheriff, were arraigned immediately to give bond and released. These cases for violation of the Indiana blue laws will come up for trial before a jury in the circuit court in Warsaw, Ind., during the fall term. The prosecutor appears to be determined to close the theatre on Sundays and it is reported he plans to continue making arrests whenever the house is opened on the Sabbath. Sam Sax of Gotham Denies Rumors of Independent Merger (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 20. — Rumors that Gotham Productions would merge with any other independent organization or that Gotham productions would be released by any other than its own distributing organization have been emphatically denied by Sam Sax, president of Gotham. “That Gotham will merge with any independent company is absolutely untrue, and that its productions will be released by any other independent organization has absolutely no basis in fact,” declared Sax. Mrs. Wallace Reid, who is making a personal tour of the country in “Evidence,” a dramatic playlet in conjunction with her picture, “The Satin Woman,” a Gotham picture, will end her tour in Jersey City on December 10. July Film Exports Increase Over May9s (Washington Bureau of the Herald) WASHINGTON, Sept. 20. — Exports of motion picture films in July exhibited a healthy increase over the preceding month, totaling 27,903,405 feet, with a value of $741,831, according to the monthly statistical report of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. The month’s shipments included 5,382,746 feet of raw stock, valued at $136,124 ; 748,270 feet of negative film with a value of $94,473, and 20,427,892 feet of positive film worth $493,983. Exports to non-contiguous territories totaled 1,344,497 feet with a value of $17,251. With the exception of exports to non-contigious territories, all classes showed a substantial increase over June. Ginsberg of Sterling Returns from Europe (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 20.— After a six weeks’ tour of Europe, Henry Ginsberg, president of Sterling Pictures, has recently returned to New York. “Our company has made rapid advance in foreign sales,” stated Ginsberg. Joe Rock, Sterling producer on the Coast, will come to New York to confer with Ginsberg. The increases are not made flatly throughout all the theatres of the parent B. & K. organization. In the four loop theatres— the Chicago, Oriental, McVickers and Roosevelt — prices were changed from 65 cents to 75 cents daily. The Saturday night, Sunday and holiday charges remain at 75 cents as heretofore. No changes of any kind were made at the Norshore and Central Park. Daily matinee prices remain unchanged at both the loop and outlying theatres. Outlying Theatres’ Prices Change Price changes at the Tivoli and the Uptown (outlying theatres) are as follows: Evening prices are changed from 50 cents to 60, while the prices for Saturday night, Sunday and holidays are raised from 65 to 75 cents. The editorial article in the Herald-Examiner stated that “movie theatres are raising their prices since the settlement of the strike,” and continued: “This action may seem to some patrons uncalled for, but there are others who feel that the ‘movies,’ day in and out, give generous value for the price of admission even at the advanced scale. “The new generation may not altogether appreciate the quality of entertainment they get in the big modern moving picture theatres. They, perhaps, are not old enough to have memories of ancient theatrical entertainment and what it cost. “Oldtimers, however, recall the 25 and 50 cent shows of thirty-five years ago. Compared to the programs put on in a modern picture house at even twice that cost of admission, the old shows were extremely high priced. “In the natural advance in the cost of living — as living gets more and more worth while — entertainment has been lifted up almost to the plane of a public necessity. Its quality has improved enormously. “In more than one of Chicago’s magnificent motion picture houses it is almost worth the price of admission to sit in the refreshing, cooled atmosphere, enjoy the delightful spatial effect of what often are really fine architectural proportions of the auditorium and listen to the excellent orchestra.” At other circuits in Chicago it was stated that no change in admission prices had been made as yet. Exhibitors Smile as Daylight Saving Ends (Special to the Herald) ALBANY, Sept. 20. — Exhibitors in Albany, N. Y., as well as many other cities and villages in New York state, will breath a sigh of relief on September 25, when the daylight saving period ends. It has been a costly period for many of these exhibitors although business generally has been satisfactory. Few, if any exhibitors in places having daylight saving time, have been able to attract patronage for the early shows. Al Cohn Goes East ( Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 20.— Al Cohn left Sunday night for Chicago and New York to attend the world premiere of “The Jazz Singer,” Warner Brothers’ production, which opens October 7. Grauman En Route (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 20.— Sid Grauman left for New York Friday to negotiate for a picture for his Chinese theatre to follow “King of Kings.” Ill Heat Wave Blows Somebody Good; Pupils Fill Theatres As Schools Close It’s an ill heat wave that blows nobody any good. That was decidedly true last week during the spell of mercurial St. Vitus dance that forced the closing of the public schools of Chicago three days. And the ones who prohted were the owners of modern motion picture theatres. At Beloit, Wis., a similar situation was experienced. The theatre solved the situation for harassed mothers in a number of Chicago homes. The theatres, with their modern ventilation and cooling systems that made homes sweatboxes in comparison, became the mecca for all, mothers and children. The theatre even settled a strike among 250 high school pupils at Beloit. The “heat strike” started with a parade through the downtown streets after the students had rebelled at attending classes, and wound' up in the cool auditoriums of the motion picture theatres.