Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1929)

June 23, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD 33 Schnitzer Speaks at Eastern Sales United Artists' 18 Set Record Meeting of FB o ^^^ VoluHie; Three in Movietone (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, June 19.— J. I. Schnitzer, F B O's senior vice-president in charge of distribution, addressed members of the sales staff at a regional meeting Sunday at the home office. Lee Marcus, general sales manager, presided, with Edward L. McEvoy, assistant general sales manager, also attending. Branch managers, salesmen and bookers from Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and New Haven attended. These include : W. Gardiner, sales manager at Boston, C. F. McGerigle, office manager at Boston, E. F. Haley, C. Denning, H. F. Goldstein, F. Brannan, J. Kennedy, salesmen and J. Downing, booker. Jerome Safron, Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey sales manager, J. Schaeffer, S. Rosen, H. W. Tyson, S. Perlsweig, S. Palan, O. B. Derr, salesmen and J. Phelan, booker at Philadelphia. F. L. McNamee, manager at Wahisngton, R. J. Folliard, G. H. Payne, C. Tyson, salesmen and J. H. Kelley, booker at Washington. J. J. Lane, manager at New Haven, B. Pitkin, H. S. Eskin, salesmen, and F. Cohn, booker at New Haven. Sydney Cohen Alleges Errors in Report on His Trade Meet Stand (Special to the Herald-World) WASHINGTON, June 19.— Attention of the Federal Trade Commission is called to several mistakes which Sydney S. Cohen, president of the Motion Picture Board of Trade and Commerce, alleges appear in the report of the commission on the October trade conference. These sections refer to his attitude toward trade practices as manifested at the conference. Cohen denies in a letter to the commission that he is opposed to producer-owned theatres, excepting theatres not in pivotal exploitation spots showing first-run pictures, and also declares he is not against block booking, as alleged, but only deplores the practice whereby exhibitors are compelled to take the product of three large companies in order to get the product of any one of them. Bomb Next Door Disturbs 200 People in Theatre (Special to the Herald-World) DETROIT. June 19.— A bomb which caused $5,000 damage on June 16 to an apartment house under construction here, caused excitement in the Flamingo theatre, located across an alley. More than 200 persons were in the theatre at the time. Several women screamed and then laughed, as though ashamed of their outburst. Others stood up uncertainly, but an announcement by house attaches that the bomb was outside the theatre and that no damage had been done to the building, quieted the audience. The owner and builder of the apartment building told police he had had labor trouble, but said no threats had been made against him. Paramount Ties Up With Hose and Pearl Makers (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, June 19.— Two exploitation tieups of Paramount that are bringing results are one with Kramer Brothers, manufacturers of women's hose, who have named one of their newest products "Drag Net," in line with the title of George Bancroft's current picture, and a renewal of the exploitation cooperation with L. Heller & Son, makers of Deltah pearls. Both tieups were effected by Leon Bamberger, Paramount sales promotion head. Rex Ingram Joins Organization as Producer — Lupe Velez Will Sing in Costarring Picture with Boyd — Chaplin Considers Using Synchronism (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, June 19.— Titles and details of the 18 productions to be released by United Artists in 1928-29, which will bring forth the largest number of pictures from this company in any season in its history, are now made known. The year also will have Rex Ingram as a new producer for United Artists. Movietone in at Least Three Movietone will be used in at least three, and probably more, of the productions, including Vilma Banky's "The Awakening" and the William Boyd-Lupe Velez production, "The Love Song," for both of which Irving Berlin has composed theme songs. Charlie Chaplin is still debating whether his picture will have a movietone song. In all cases the chief use will be for climaxes with judicious application, according to Joseph M. Schenck, president. Mary Pickford, now on her way home from made this from Baroness Orczy's "Leather Italy, will announce her picture on her return. Norma Talmadge has made Dennison Cliffs "The Woman Disputed," with Henry King directing from C. Gardner Sullivan's scenario, and with Gilbert Roland the leading man, supported by Olga Baklanova, Boris de Fas and Gustaf von Seyffertitz. Gloria Swanson in "The Swamp" Gloria Swanson's will be "The Swamp," directed by Erich von Stroheim, with German East Africa the locale. Dolores Del Rio has "Revenge," from Konrad Bercovici's "The Bear-Tamer's Daughter," adapted by Finis Fox, with Leroy Mason as leading man, under Edwin Carewe's direction. Vilma Banky becomes a star in her own right in "The Awakening," presented by Samuel Goldwyn from Frances Marion's story of Alsace-Lorraine, Carey Wilson having done the adaptation and Victor Fleming the directing. Louis Wolheim and Walter Byron are in the cast. Hugo Reisenfeld will do the score in movietone. Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" will have Merna Kennedy and Harry Crocker in the cast. It is Chaplin's original story. Fairbanks in "Musketeers" Sequel Douglas Fairbanks will make a sequel to "The Three Musketeers." David Wark Griffith has produced "The Battle of the Sexes," with Jean Hersholt, Phyllis Haver, Belle Bennett, Don Alvarado and Sally O'Neil. The story, by Dr. Daniel Carson Goodman, was adapted by Geritt Lloyd. John Barrymore's "Tempest" is now at the Embassy. Camilla Horn and Louis Wolheim also appeared in this, under Sam Taylor's direction. Barrymore also will make an Ernst Lubitsch production with Miss Horn again opposite. "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney" will not be made for the coming season. Colman Stars Alone Ronald Colman will star alone in "The Rescue," with Lily Damita, French actress, making her debut. Herbert Brenon will direct from Joseph Conrad's story. The Colman-Banky co-starring picture, "Two Lovers," also will be distributed. Fred Niblo face" for Samuel Goldwyn. Noah Beery is in the cast. Buster Keaton and Ernest Torrence will be seen in "Steamboat Bill, Jr.," which Charles Riesner directed from Carl Harbaugh's story. Herbert Brenon will make "Lummox," Fannie Hurst novel, following "Sorrell and Son." Lupe Velez Will Sing William Boyd and Lupe Velez are starting on "The Love Song," in which Miss Velez will sing. The story is by Dr. Karl Vollmoeller, adapted by Hans Kraly. Roland West will direct "Nightstick," adapted by C. Gardner Sullivan from the crook play by John Wray, the Nugents and Elaine Sterne Carrington. "Hell's Angels," personall}' supervised by Howard Hughes, president of Caddo Productions, is based on Harry Behn's adaptation of an original. In the cast are Ben Lyon, Greta Nissen, James Hall, John Darrow, Thelma Todd and George Cooper. "The Three Passions," Rex Ingram production from Cosmo Hamilton's novel, is being made at Nice and in England. Alice Terry, Clare Fames and Ivan Petrovitch are in the cast. Columbia Pictures Wins Right to Use Name Over Exchange in Pittsburgh (Special to the Herald-World) PITTSBURGH, June 19.— Columbia Pictures Corporation had affirmed its legal right to use its corporate title for its exchange here when the Columbia Film Service brought suit for an injunction to prevent Columbia Pictures Corporation from using its name on its own exchange, charging unfair competition. Columbia Pictures Corporation answered in part that it would be an imposition for any other company to use a similar name while not distributing Columbia product. The Equity court of Western Pennsylvania upheld Columbia Pictures. FBO Creates $30,000,000 Budget To Finance 3 Years of Production (Special to the Ilerald-U'orld) NEW YORK, June 19. — A production budget of $30,000,000 for the next three years has been set aside by FBO, it is learned. It is to 6nance what is said to be a large extension of product. William Le Baron, production head, has been here for the past six weeks conferring with President Joseph P. Kennedy and J. I. Schnitzer. chief executive of distribution, on the new plan.