Exhibitors Herald (1927)

26 EXHIBITORS HERALD “Make Haste” If You Want to Join New N. Y. Film Club Charter Membership Limited to 200 — PickforcTs Latest Opens at Rialto, While Fairbanks Film Is Scheduled for “Legit” By JOHN S. SPARGO NEW YORK, Nov. 8. — From present indications it appears that if any of you people who read this desire to become charter members of the Motion Picture Club of New York, it will be necessary for you to send in your application without delay. And with the application don’t overlook sending your check, the $100 initiation fee, for that’s the way it’s being done. AT a meeting of the club to be held Nov. 10 — that is Thursday of this week — the temporary secretary and treasurer, Bruce Gallup, will report close to ISO already elected to charter membership, all paid up and everything. As the limit of the charter membership is 200, there is little doubt that this number will be reached before the next meeting, which will be in about two weeks. When 200 are enrolled the initiation fee moves up to $150. Film men who reside outside of New York, but who make frequent trips to the Metropolis will find the Motion Picture Club, with its quarters right in the Times Square district, of great value to them both in a business and social way. A number of applications for charter memberships have been received from prominent film men in the key cities. * * * Mary Gives Doug the “Break” Mary Pickford’s newest picture, “My Best Girl,” and said to be one of the best she has made in recent years, was given a world premiere last Saturday night at the Rialto theatre, where it is expected to settle down for a long run. “The Gaucho,” the new Douglas Fairbanks production, will have it New York premiere Nov. 21. For this the Liberty theatre has been selected, and it is expected that the opening night will witness a typical United Artists premiere with all the usual frills, and probably some new ones that Victor Shapiro has thought up. This showing of a Pickford picture in a regular picture theatre, and a new production from the other end of the family in a so-called “legit” house, is something new again. Both are United Artists releases and as a usual thing our Mary insists that her pictures be given as big a ballyhoo as those of her talented husband. Still, all things in this picture business are subject to change, so if Mary doesn’t worry about it, let’s not acquire any wrinkles for ourselves. * * * The annual Supper and Ball of the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce is to be held at the Hotel Plaza on the evening of Friday, December 16. The committee in charge, consisting of J. Louis Geller, chairman. Max Felder, Lee A. Ochs, Marty Schwartz, Sam Sonin, and Henry Suchman, anticipates that the affair will be one of unusual excellence. * * * Leila Hyams Wed to Phil Berg Two hundred guests saw Leila Hyams, Warner Brothers player, married to Phil Berg, Hollywood casting agent, at Sherry’s on Saturday evening, November 5. Miss Hyams’ parents are Hyams & McIntyre, famous stage team. Her maid-of-honor was Betty Bernard, daughter of Sam Bernard. * * * “Pajamas,” with Olive Borden, a William Fox picture, replaced “The Main Event” at the Roxy theatre last Saturday. The picture is based on a story by William Conselman telling of the romance of a very modern girl. Supporting Miss Borden are Lawrence Gray, Terry Miley and John J. Clark. * * * UFA Super at Small House The UFA super-production, “At the Grey House,” received its first showing in New York last Saturday, at the 5'5th Street Cinema, a tiny playhouse on 55th Street, just east of Seventh Avenue. This film was originally shown under the title “The Secret of the Manor,” over a year ago in Berlin at the Ufa-Palast, and is a most striking screen drama. It was directed by Arthur Von Gorlach and was his first and last production, as he died soon after it was finished. “The Grey House” tells a story of a medieval feudal magnate and his family who fought and destroyed one another. It has been conceded to excel “Caligari,” “Siegfried,” or “Faust.” For sheer beauty, the picture offers one of the most striking examples of an atmosphere that is rarely seen on the screen. The “sets” are all “originals,” as most of the action was made at an old castle found near Berlin. * * * Joseph M. Levenson, for many years associated with Moe Mark in the Mark Strand Theatre enterprises, at a meeting held in Philadelphia, was elected a vice president of the Stanley-Mark Strand Theatre Corporation. * * * Many of the members of the A. M. P. A. thought they knew about all that is to be known about the art of photo engraving, but last Thursday they discovered they were all wrong. The discovery was due to an address on the subject by Harry A. Groesbeck, Jr., general manager of the Walker Engraving Company. Mr. Groesbeck, he knows how! The session was presided over by that live wire, President Bruce Gallup, and at the close of Mr. Groesbeck’s talk many of the members asked questions and learned a lot about the making of cuts. “Wings” Business Tops Criterion’s Capacity (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8.— For the first 10 weeks of its run at the Criterion, “Wings” has exceeded the weekly capacity receipts of the theatre by over $600, according to A. Griffith Grey of Paramount. The average receipts for the 10 weeks have been $16,300, or more than $600 over $15,700 which is the capacity. This discrepancy is explained by the fact that 3,100 persons have paid $1.10 each to stand for two and a half hours while viewing the picture. November 12, 1927 Wayne Pierson Heads “U’s” Newly Created Roadshow Department (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8. — Wayne Pierson has recently been made general manager of Universal’s newly created roadshow department. The new department was established to market “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which opened in New York November 8, and three roadshows, “The Man Who Laughs,” “Show Boat” and “ B r o d w a y ,” which are to follow in the next two years. Pierson was formerly general manager of the Fox roadshow department and also for “The King of Kings,” and has served with roadshow departments for a number of other important pictures. Carrol Sax Is Made Production Manager of Gotham Pictures (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8. — Carrol Sax has recently been made production manager for Gotham Productions on the West Coast, and has already assumed the duties of the position. The appointment came as a result of the resignation of Sam Bischoff who has resumed active charge of his own production affairs. Carrol Sax is a brother of Sam Sax, president of Gotham Productions. Withey III, Claudet Finishes “Outcast Souls” (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8. — Louis Claudet, independent director, has completed the filming of “Outcast Souls,” the third Sterling picture for 1927-28 which was begun by Chet Withey, who was forced to cancel his contract because of illness. This film is the first completed by the Sterling production company in Hollywood, recently reorganized by Henry Ginsberg, president of Sterling Pictures. The picture will be released December 15. First Division Names Carlin Publicity Head (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8. — George A. Carlin has been elected director of publicity and advertising for First Division Distributors. Carlin was formerly with Warner Bros., and also with MetroGoldwyn. “Comrades,” a war picture written by James Ormont, is now in production on the West Coast. Rosen III, Archainbaud Directs Tiffany Picture ( Special to the Herald ) NEW YORK, Nov. 8— Phil Rosen, who has been directing the Tiffany production “A Woman Against the World,” has suddenly been taken ill and his friend George Archainbaud will handle the megaphone until Rosen’s recovery.