Exhibitors Herald (1927)

22 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 24, 1927 Fox “Sunrise,” Said to Set New Standards; Is Given Premiere Murnau Charged 14 Months Ago by Fox to Make Finest Picture — Cost Twice That of “W 7 hat Price Glory ” By JOHN S. SPARGO NEW YORK, Sept. 20. — The premiere of “Sunrise,” which will take place Friday, at the Times Square theatre, means something more to William Fox than the Broadway debut of an important picture. This picture was made as a deliberate attempt to set up a new standard of excellence for the industry. G'OURTEEN months ago, at a dinner in the Crystal Room of the Ritz-Carlton, a distinguished audience heard William Fox, in a memorable speech of welcome to Fred W. Murnau, utter the following command: “Mr. Murnau, I charge you with the responsibility of making only the very best and finest — the idealistic and the beautiful — and of making for us a motion picture which will win the approval of all classes, everywhere, and bring new friends to the motion picture.” Takes Eight Months in Making “Sunrise” is the result of that charge. Its making occupied Mr. Murnau for eight months. Its cost is three times that of “The Iron Horse” and twice that of “What Price Glory.” As soon as Murnau arrived in Hollywood, Winfield R. Sheehan, vice-president and general manager of Fox Films, took personal charge of the “Sunrise” project and kept the pledge of William Fox that every assistance would be given to the director. When Mr. Murnau asked permission to build a set (representing a city square), a mile and a half in length, it was granted. When he decided to build two more sets of gigantic proportions — one an amusement park and tbe other a complete village — he was given a free hand. Approval was likewise given for his revolutionary methods in the use of the camera, in the handling of subtitles, in the development of plot, in character delineation, in scenic architecture and in lighting. “A Song of Two Humans” “Sunrise” is described as “a song of two humans.” The scenario was prepared by Carl Mayer, based on a story by Herman Sudermann. Rochus Gliese, who came to this country with Murnau, served as art director, and Charles Rosher and Karl S'truss are credited with the photography. The leading roles have been entrusted to George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor, both of them the selections of Murnau. Others in the cast are Margaret Livingston, Bodil Rosing, J. Farrell MacDonald, Ralph Sipperly, Jane Winton, Arthur Housman and Eddie Boland. Mr. Fox has chosen the occasion of the premiere of “Sunrise” to introduce another property which represents a step forward for the whole industry — a Movietone presentation of Mussolini, in which the Italian premier delivers a copyrighted address to the American people in English. This will be retained as a regular feature at the Times Square theatre along with the Murnau production. (Pictures on Page 20) E. J . Hiehle Will Manage Newark , Ohio, Houses (Special to the Herald) MARIETTA, O., Sept. 20.— Edward J. Hiehle, for the past five years manager of the Hippodrome and Putman theatres here has resigned to assume the management of the Auditorium and Alhambra at Newark, O., the leases of which have been purchased by the Midland Theatre Co. Fred E. Johnson has been promoted to managing director of the four Cambridge and Marietta Amusement Company’s theatres. Writ Gives Sunday Pictures to Galesburg (Special to the Herald) » GALESBURG, ILL., Sept. 20.— As the result of a temporary injunction, motion pictures were shown here Sunday for the first time in the history of the city. The injunction was obtained by Dave Dubin of Chicago. Frank Lydon Is III (Special to the Herald) DORCHESTER, MASS., Sept. 20.— Frank Lydon, owner and manager of the Hamilton theatre, Dorchester, Mass., and the Olympia and Imperial theatres at South Boston, is seriously ill at his home here. Lubliner and Trinz Plans Completion of Paradise Theatre Completion of the Paradise theatre project at the Southeast corner of Maypole and Crawford aves., Chicago, which had its inception five years ago, was promised last week when Lubliner & Trinz Theatres, Inc., entered into an agreement to purchase the property from the National Theatres Corp. Negotiations were secured by an earnest money payment of $10,000. Construction of the building, a fourstory structure, is to be resumed at an early date, it was stated. The theatre, to be known as the Paradise, will have a seating capacity of 4000, and the total investment will be approximately $4,000,000. John Eberson is the architect. Automobile Accidents H urt T wo Film People ( Special to the Herald ) BOSTON, Sept. 20. — Two well known persons in the film district were victims of automobile accidents last week. Virginia Ticket, who has just joined the advertising sales department at Paramount, being transferred from Southern Enterprises at Atlanta, was struck by a taxi near the exchange and is at the Charleston hospital. Thomas Conlon of the Pathe exchange, salesman for Western Massachusetts, was struck by an auto in front of that exchange the same day. His injuries were less serious. Frederick L. Cornwell Is Sued for $164,333 ( Special to the Herald) MOLINE, ILL., Sept. 20.— Frederick L. Cornwell, an attorney and at one time president of the Famous Players Missouri Corporation, has been sued in the St. Louis Circuit Court for a total of $164,333 in connection with the building and operation of a large hotel and theatre in Moline, 111. His brother, Benjamin S. Cornwell and the John T. Craven Engineering Company have filed the suit. Fox Players Win Film Baseball Championship ( Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 20. — The motion picture baseball championship was won for the second successive year by Fox Films when they clinched their claim to the title by defeating the strong Pathe team by a 7 to 1 score at Protectory Oval on Saturday. The Fox tennis team registered four wins in six tennis matches with the Pathe racket wielders last week in an inter-club tournament. Ralph Block Leaves Paramount for Pathe ( Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 20. — Ralph Block, who resigned from Paramount as editor-in-chief, bas signed to produce a number of pictures for Pathe-DeMille. Block came here last year when the Long Island studios of Paramount closed. Tiffany Exchange Moves (Special to the Herald) SEATTLE, Sept. 20.— The Tiffany Seattle office formerly located at 2015 Third Ave., is now occupying the ground floor at 2419 Second Ave., Seattle. Dog Races in Galveston Hit Snag When Closing Injunction Is Asked (Special to the Herald) HOUSTON, Sept. 20. — The first legal snag encountered by greyhound racing at Galveston developed last week when William Glover, Houston attorney, hied application in the Fifty-Sixth District Court for an injunction to restrain the Galveston Kennel and Fair association from operating a greyhound track there. Hearing for the case was set by Judge C. G. Dibrell for Sept. 21, with the races continuing to operate in the meantime. Greyhound races have been in operation in Galveston since eaily July, when a 90 day season was opened. The season ends the latter part of this month, so the injunction will have little or no effect on receipts this year, but it will mean the abolishment of races in this part of the country if it goes through. The races carry thousands of theatre patrons to Galveston every night, and form one of the greatest competitive units to Houston theatres.