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

EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 3, 1928 Largest Theatres Run Smallest Ads Under Keen Rivalry in Texas Exhibitors Fail to Reach Agreement for Uniform Budgeting of Newspaper Advertising — Dallas Comes Closest to Standard [This is the second of a series of articles by "Herald-World" correspondents on the problem of uniform budgeting of theatre advertising in newspapers as a means of saving money to exhibitors while at the same time accomplishing the maximum results in drawing patronage.] SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 30— Theatrical newspaper advertising throughout Texas is in an unstable condition, because theatres and theatrical organizations in this state have not been able to come to any sort of an agreement on weekly space allotment. AS the situation now exists, advertising for • the most part is spasmodic, with the smaller theatres usually running larger ads than the de luxe theatres. Publix Theatres Corporation of Texas is probably the only organization that has a set schedule of lineage for every day of the week, not to be exceeded except on special occasions, and then only with the permission of the district managers. Dallas Comes Closest Dallas has probably the most uniform amusement page in the state and Dallas also has the only papers in the state that carry full amusement pages every day with news devoted exclusively to theatres. The Palace, Melba, Majestic, Old Mill, Capitol and large suburban houses in that city seem to have come nearer in their conception of appropriate space allowances than is the case in any other of the large Texas cities. The amusement page of the Dallas Morning News probably has more reader interest than any other page in the paper with the possible exception of the sport page, due to John Rosenfield, Jr., dramatic critic, who writes every line of the copy on his page. Largest Theatre; Smallest Ads In Houston the constant changing of the size of theatre ads is to be noted. One theatre will come out one week with extremely large ads on an attraction, conveying the idea that it is a special, and drop next week to a more normal lineage with the effect that patrons in that city have come to believe that money is spent in newspapers only on the better type of motion pictures, so that they are somewhat nonchalant in the selection of their enter Boy Robber Sentenced; Evidence Hits "Jazz Age" (Special to the Herald-World) EVANSVILLE, IND., Oct. 30.— Anger at his father for refusing to permit him to use the family automobile to keep a date with a girl, which caused him to leave home with only IS cents, was the indirect cause of the attempt of Alexander Waddle to rob a local theatre cashier, according to testimony in his trial. The 18year-old boy, son of a prominent business man of LaCrange. 111., hitchhiked to Evansville, arriving with 10 cents in his pocket. He registered at a hotel, where he said he heard two men talking of the ease with which money was being obtained in holdups. This suggested a plan which would eliminate the necessity of wiring home for funds. The father, who came here for the trial, hade his son goodbye as he left to begin a twelve-months' sentence at the state penal farm, assuring him he could come home after the term was completed. tainment when they see the average sized ad. In San Antonio a peculiar condition exists. The largest theatre of the de luxe type runs on an average the smallest ads, while the other two large houses go from small to large ads — and the situation in San Antonio duplicates that of Houston. The house which runs the steady schedule is said to be obtaining better results from its advertisements, because patrons through education have come to accept the smaller ads and to look to them as much as they do to those of the theatres running ads out of all proportion to the importance of the attraction. It is a ticklish proposition in Texas to establish an agreement among exhibitors for a maximum weekly lineage, as competition is extremely keen. If such an agreement could be made a problem would be overcome and theatrical advertising stabilized to such an extent that box-office receipts would benefit and budgets would be lowered. Hartman on Zeppelin as Homeward Flight Begins (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 30.— Robert Hartman, representative of International Newsreel and M G M News, who made the trip to this country from Germany with the Graf Zeppelin, is now on the way back, and again the only cameraman aboard the aircraft. Hartman has been made a life member of the White House News Photographers' Association and the Press Photographers' Association of Boston. A feat of Hartman on the trip to the United States was to climb a narrow ladder on the Zeppelin, while repairs were being made. Schine Denies Sale of Circuit to Fox Chain (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, Oct. 30.— Louis Schine of the Schine circuit of more than 100 motion picture theatres in New York State and Ohio, issued a statement last week denying a report that Fox had acquired the Schine houses. Universal holds 25 per cent interest in the Schine circuit. There are many Schine houses in Northern and Western New York, but none in the vicinity of New York City. Wooley Named to Assist G. E. Quigley of Vitaphone (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 30.— Burgess W. Wooley, formerly a member of the legal department of Western Electric and also president of the Argentine-American Chamber of Commerce, has been named assistant to George E. Quigley, vice-president and general manager of the Vitaphone Corporation. At the New York Theatres NEW FILMS PARAMOUNT — "Varsity," a Paramount film with Charles Rogers, Mary Brian and Chester Conklin. HIPPODROME— "The Red Mark," a Pathe production with Nena Quartaro, Gaston Glass, Gustave von Seyffertitz and Rose Dione, directed by James Cruze. STRAND— "The Midnight Taxi," a Warner Brothers Vitaphone production with Helene Costello and Antonio Moreno, directed by John Adolfi. FIFTH AVENUE PLAYHOUSE— "The Legend of Gosta Berling," producted in Sweden featuring Greta Garbo and Lars Hanson, directed by Mauriti Stiller. EMBASSY — "The Cavalier," a Tiffany-Stahl production with Richard Talmadge and Barbara Bedford, directed by Irving Willat. HELD OVER AND REVIVED ASTOR— "White Shadows in the South Seas," Metro Goldwyn-Mayer, opened August 1. CENTRAL — "Lilac Time," First National, opened August 3. WINTER GARDEN— "The Singing Fool," Warner Bros., opened September 19. GAIETY — "Four Devils," Fox, opened October 3. RIVOLI — "The Wedding March," Paramount, opened October 12. CAMEO — "3 Comrades and 1 Invention," Soviet Comedy, opened October 13. 55TH STREET PLAYHOUSE — "Kriemhild's Revenge," U. F. A. opened October 13. COLONY — "Melody of Love," Universal, opened October 22. WARNER— "The Home Towners," Warner Bros, opened October 23. ROXY — "Mother Knows Best," Fox, revived for another week. RIALTO — "Wings," Paramount, revived for another week. CAPITOL — "While the City Sleeps," Metro-GoldwynMayer, held over for another week. International Projector Sued for $1,250,000 as Share in Simplex Sales (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 30.— Henry M. Behrehas filed suit against the International Projector Corporation, claiming $1,250,000 asthe share in the sale of Simplex projectors due the estate of Frank D. Cannock, who. it is charged, held a contract for half of the royalties due Edwin S. Porter, who licensed the machine to the Precision Machining Company, later absorbed by International, according to an agreement which gave him 16 per cent of the gross sales. Behre setsforth that he was assigned the contract by Anna M. Cannock. When Precision was taken over by International, Behre declares, Porter received a fiat sum for his interest, but, it is alleged, the Cannock interest in Porter's share wasnot taken care of. W. C. Michel, vice-president of International, and Cruce M. Tuttle, counsel for the company, would make no comment on the suit. Seven Saenger Houses Install Sound Devices (Special to the Herald-World) NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 30.— By the end of the current week Vitaphone and Movietone will be installed in the Capitol, Carrollton, Dreamland, Prytania, Granada, Washington and Tivoli theatres, all neighhood houses affiliated with the Saenger Amusement Company. Dorothy Devore Returns After Injured Hand Heals (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 30.— Dorothy Devore, star comedienne of Educational, has returned to the studio after almost two months of idleness following an injury to the fingers of her left hand.