Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

38 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 20, 1928 Most of United Artists' Players Will Speak in New Productions (Special to the Herald-World) NE\^ YORK, Oct. 16. — When other companies were jumping headlong into plans for talking pictures at the beginning of the sound upheavel, United Artists pursued a rather cautious course in announcing its plans at least. But now it has definitely announced and already started a heavy production of dialogue pictures. Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Douglas Fairbanks, Ronald Colman, Lili Damita, Lupe Velez, Walter Byron, Harry Richman and others will be heard talking in new United Artists Pictures now in various stages of production. Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" will have dialogue in "Lummox," as there is in "The dialogue sequences and Vilma Banky's, "The Awakening," will present an Irving Berlin song, "Marie," sung by members of the cast. Herbert Brenon's "Lummox" will have dialogue; "Nightstick" will be an all-talking film and it goes into production November 1st. Mary Pickford's "Coquette," an alltalkie, is being made at the United Artists studio in Hollywood, Western Electric devices being employed. Gloria Swanson's "Queen Kelly" will be a part-talkie, the star singing a song and talking in dialogue sequences. Erich Von Stroheim is directing this, his own original story. Walter Byron, brought to America from the English stage and screen by Samuel Goldwyn, will play opposite the actress. RCA Photophone will be used. Douglas Fairbanks will be heard in "The Iron Mask." Fairbanks, a stage actor before he went into films, will employ the classic soliloquy rather than dialogue, which, he feels, limits the scope of a picture. Thus he and fellow-members of his cast will talk not to each other but to the audience. Western Electric Devices Will Be' Used Charlie Chaplin has decided that his character of the poor little tramp shall not speak. But there will be dialogue between other players in "City Lights." Western Electric devices will be used. Ronald Colman and Lili Damita will talk in "The Rescue," Samuel Goldwyn's picturization of the Joseph Conrad sea classic. Both have been on the stage. Western Electric devices will be employed. Lupe Velez sings Irving Berlin's "Where Is the Song of Songs for Me?" in D. W. Griffith's "The Love Song." She will sing seven songs in the Griffith picture. Harry Richman, star of "George White's Scandals," will sing eight Irving Berlin songs in "Say It with Music," Berlin's original story to be filmed in New York by Director Alan Crosland, with Berlin and George White sitting in on production. Herbert Brenon is leaving Hollywood for New York soon to cast the leading role of "Lummox" and to work with Fannie Hurst, the author, on the scenario. There will be Sound Patrons Don't Sit on Their Hands (Special to the Herald-World) DETROIT, Oct. 16.— The sound and talking pictures here have worked a considerable change in the moving picture audiences in regard to applause, according to the managers of houses which are playing them. It seems that audible pictures have moved the audiences to applause more frequently than was customary when silent pictures were the vogue. The silent movies discouraged applause, managers here say, spectators seeming to dislike to break the silence. Rescue," which Brenon has just completed. The singing of "Marie" in Vilma Banky's "The Awakening" is done by regimental troops. The entire picture is synchronized by Dr. Hugo Reisenfeld. Week in, Week Out, Sound Firms Keep On Incorporating (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, Oct. 16. — There is never a week in New York state at the present time which does not witness the incorporation of some talking device for motion picture theatres. Last week, for instance, the Secretary of State granted a charter to Kinephone, Inc. The company, not specifying its capitalization, had for its incorporators Seymour B. Quel, Molly Zelenko, Elsie Blythe, New York City. Two cinema guilds were incorporated, both maintaining their principal offices in Rochester. One was formed under the name of Rochester Cinema Guild, Inc., and the other as Buffalo Cinema Guild, Inc. The incorporators of both companies were Michael Mindlin, New York city; George Kondolf, Jr., and Roy S. Converse, Rochester. The Supreme Film Exchange, Inc., of Rochester, was also incorporated with a capitalization of $20,000, with Charles and Sam Ferrara, of Rochester and Philip Laporte, of Rochester. A charter was granted also to Reformation Films, Inc., $20,000, with Maxwell G. Cutler, William Winnick and Betty Gorman, of New York, and Broxbourne Plays, Inc., $10,000, Bernard M. L. Ernst, Melville H. Cane, David J. Fox, New York city. Vitaphone to Open Branch in Dallas (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 16.— Paul J. Swift, Vitaphone sales manager, is in Dallas, Texas, where he is to superintend the opening of the new Vitaphone branch in that city. The Dallas office will take care of the business in the Southwest territory, which has grown immensely within the last six months. C. D. Touchon has been appointed branch manager. Writes Story for Sophie Tucker Film (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 16— Leslie S. Barrows, author of Al Jolson's latest production, "The Singing Fool," is writing the story for the first Vitaphone picture to have Sophie Tucker as its star. It will be called "Honky Tonk" and will go into production at the Warner studio when the actress has completed her current vaudeville engagements. Here 's a Chronology Of Notable Events In Movietone Career For those who like their facts unadulterated and who go in for figures and dates, Fox Films has prepared a chronology of important events in the history of Fox Movietone. These dates will prove of interest and value in preparing newspaper stories on Movietone. Here they are : 1927 The first Fox Movietone subject was a group of songs by Raquel Meller. This was exhibited for the first time as a demonstration of Movietone possibilities at an invitation showing in conjunction with the premiere of "What Price Glory" on January 21, 1927 at the Sam H. Harris theatre in New York. On May 25, 1927 at the Sam H. Harris theatre, "7th Heaven" was opened with the first all-Movietone surrounding program. The feature film was not at that time synchronized. The auxiliary program consisted of the Raquel Meller subject previously shown as an experiment ; the first short comedy, "They're Coming to Get Me," with Chic Sale ; Lindbergh's takeoff for the New York to Paris flight; a Ben Bernie program of music; songs by Gertrude Lawrence and the first outdoor Movietone subject, West Point Cadets drill. On September 10, "7th Heaven" Movietone synchronized version was shown at the Roxy theatre. The picture played two weeks. On September 23, "Sunrise" with Movietone synchronization opened at Times Square theatre. This was the first feature to be synchronized before its Broadway showing. The first all-Movietone newsreel was shown at the Roxy theatre on Saturday, October 28, 1927, and consisted of the following subjects: 1. Niagara Falls; 2. Romance of the Iron Horse; 3. Yale Bowl Festivities (Yale-Army Game) ; 4. West Comes East. Rodeo Performers. The first weekly issue of Movietone News was released on December 3. 1928 On June 25, the first all dialogue comedy in two reels, "The Family Picnic" was shown at the Globe theatre, New York, in conjunction with "The Red Dance," synchronized feature. On September 1, the first feature with dialogue, "The Air Circus" was shown at the Gaiety theatre in New York. On October 6, the first release of two Movietone News Subjects per week became effective. W. R. Fraser Returns (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 16. — William R. Fraser, general manager of the Harold Lloyd Corporation, has returned to Hollywood after a stay of three weeks in New York. While there he conferred with the Eastern staff of his company and the Paramount distribution officials on Lloyd's first talking picture which will be released early next year. Smith Joins Fox (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD. Oct. 16.— Paul Gerard Smith, author of "Keep Kool," "Funny Face," "Here's How" and other Broadway musical shows, has joined the staff of writers at the Fox Movietone studios in Hollywood. Cast 2 for "Blockade" (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 16.— Wallace MacDonald and Walter McGrail have been added to the cast of "Blockade," which will feature Anna Q. Nilsson. "Blockade" is one of FBO's 1928-29 specials with sound.