Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

18 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 25, 1928 Reisman Announces Changes in Fathers Sales Personnel Force Capable of Handling Company's Diversified Product to Best Advantage, Declares General Salesmanager A NUMBER of changes in the sales force of Pathe were announced Saturday in New York by Phil Reisman, general salesmanager, just before his return to Chicago to sit in on the Uniform Contract Committee sessions. Reisman is a member of the distributors' group. THE changes, which went into effect Mon 'Em Yale," "Walking Back," and "Midnight day of this week, leave the leading per Madness." sonnel as follows: Harry Scott, short subject salesmanager; Les Weir, Western divisional manager; Stanley Jacques, Mid-Western divisional manager ; Dan Michalove, Southern divisional manager; Haydn O. Duke, manager, physical handling department; L. W. Kniskern, assistant to Reisman. Branch Managers Named The branch offices and branch managers are : Albany— C. J. Stombaugh; Boston— R. C. Cropper; New Haven— L. J. Hacking; New York— W. E. Raynor, with Robert Wolff as salesmanager; Philadelphia — W. C. Humphries; Washington — R. C. Robin. Atlanta— W. W. Anderson; Charlotte— E. L. McShane; Dallas— E. C. Leeves; New Orleans — Guy C. Brown. Buffalo— Oscar Hanson; Cincinnati— J. A. Harris ; Cleveland— O. J. Ruby ; IndianapolisOscar Bloom; Pittsburgh— Robert Mochrie. Chicago— H. S. Lorch, with Harry Graham as salesmanager; Detroit— Henry Zapp; Milwaukee—J. H. Maclntyre; Des Moines— A. Levy; Kansas City— E. S. Olsmith; Memphis — L. J. Duncan; Oklahoma City— Albert Danke; St. Louis— C. D. Hill. Denver— A. G. Edwards; Los Angeles— J. S. Stout; Portland— H. L. Percy; Salt Lake City; A. J. O'Keefe; San Francisco— M. E. Cory; Seattle— L. A. Samuelson. Special Representatives Designated H. W. Peters, formerly Pathe Circuit manager in the Western division— Los Angelesis now special representative in the same division for Topics of the Day & Aesop's Film Fables. W. A. Aschmann, formerly Pathe manager at Milwaukee, has been engaged as assistant general representative for Topics of the_ Day & Aesop's Film Fables — mid-west division — under Tom North, general representative. With this personnel, Reisman said, the Pathe executives feel that the cornpany has a sales organization equal to any in the industry and one capable of handling to the best advantage the diversified Pathe product. The current group of features produced at the Cecil B. DeMille studio for Pathe contains many of the best pictures made this year, not only by DeMille, but by any company, Reisman declared, citing "Chicago," "Skyscraper," "Stand and Deliver," "The Leopard Lady," "The Blue Danube," and "His Country." Nearing completion at the studio are "Hold Maurice Henle, Wesco Worker, Writes Film Tale (Special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21.— Charles R. Rogers will make three specials this year, in addition to the six Ken Maynards to be re, leased by First National. One of the specials is titled "The Army of Silent Women," and is the original effort of Maurice Henle, _ a young man working in the offices of West Coast Theatres. One of the remaining two specials is the work of Kenneth Perkins and Will Chapel, called "Gold." It concerns Pioneer days. The third as yet has no title. Each special will have a male star, Rogers says, but while he has four players under inspection, their names were not divulged. Maurice Henle Exchange Head's Violin Publicizes Educational Over Radio From Omaha (Special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) OMAHA, Feb. 21.— Unusual publicity for film product to come from an exchange manager, as the result of his own volition and talents, is that contrived by Leo Blank, manager of the local Educational branch. Flaying the violin over the radio, with his wife accompanying him, he gives a program called "Educational Hour" over station WOW every Saturday night, also making a short talk on Educational product and stars. Blank is arranging to send nearly 200 special trailers to his accounts to tie up the broadcasting with the box office. The trailers will give the program, its purpose, and the time of broadcasting. He also sends postcards to his exhibitor friends announcing the programs, while further Educational publicity results from the bi-monthly announcements sent out by the station. Drama League Seeks $1,000,000 to Save Legitimate Stage from Death by Films According to newspaper dispatches, a trust fund of $1,000,000 to save the spoken drama in America from extinction by motion pictures will be sought by the Drama League of America. It is reported that there are now only 400 theatres in the entire United States devoted exclusively to legitimate and musical comedy, whereas in 1910 there were 1,500 outside the metropolitan centers. Through its trust fund, the league hopes to better the situation of the professional theatre and to encourage amateur efforts and to carry on the work of educating the public to a better appreciation of the spoken drama. William Lyon Phelps of Yale University is chairman of the executive committee for raising the fund and Rufus C. Dawes will act as the fund treasurer. Re-Takes WELL, I see the title writers are going to form a union and charge union prices for "And then came dawn," "Next Day" and "That Night." Anyone caught selling bootleg titles will be expelled from the association. ijJ * If they become too hardboiled and try to hike the prices the producers will likely imiport a lot of titles from Russia, Germany, France and China. ^ ^ ^ "Here's How" Friends of Rob Wagner, artist and writer, are trying to persuade him to get out his brushes and paint a picture of "The Pre-war Cocktail Hour at the old Alexandria Bar." Wagner says he'll do it if he can get the original cast. * * * Something to Worry About I see the United States has only one gorilla. And this one lives in a Philadelphia zoo. What this country needs is more gorillas and fewer mystery plays. * * * Sounds Fishy Fable : Once upon a time there was a cameraman who never invented a color process for films. * * * Some Crowd Ruth Taylor, the 1928 Wampas star, who has just returned from a personal appearance tour of the country, has invited 7,000,000 to this year's Wampas Frolic. Now the Wampas boys are worried as to where to put them if they all show up. * * * Sounds Good Bert Dorris, who writes pieces for the trade papers, says they're making a picture at Metropolitan studios "which will be filmed exactly as called for by the screen play, which was written in New York." All right, Bert, I hope they do. It'll be the first time. * * * Famous Last Words "And they didn't alter a line of my script." ^ * * Get the old Tux. pressed this week. Meadows, the Wampas Frolic is Sat. nite, you know. R. M. Warner Brothers Take Larger Home Offices ( special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) NEW YORK, Feb. 21.— In order to have greater facilities, Warner Brothers will move office headquarters Thursday to the Film Building, 321 West 44th Street, according to an announcement from Albert Warner, vicepresident. Following a general policy of expansion this season, the firm will occupy three floors in this newly completed building devoted to the motion picture trade. Many of the biggest stories on Warner Brothers schedule for this year will be released during the spring months, according ot Warner. "As we announced in December," he said, "our 1927-28 program was all finished at that time. And we have reserved many of our finest attractions for release during March, April, and May." Fire Threatens Theatre WATERVILLE.— Theatre owned by F. M. Belts had a close call, when the firemen had a hard time keeping sparks, that destroyed three business blocks, from igniting the theatre.