Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

66 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD January 12, 1929 120 Blind People Hear Paramount's "Interference" (Special to the Herald-World) SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8.— The seeming miracle of moving pictures for the blind became a reality last week when one hundred and twenty blind persons attended a special performance of the audien picture "Interference" at the California theatre. The plot of the story was outlined to the guests from the Blindcraft Institution before the performance started, and the listeners had no difficulty in following the story, the voices of the characters serving to fix them in the minds of the audience. LETTERS From Readers A forum at which the exhibitor is invited to express his opinion on matters of current interest. Brevity adds forcefulness to any statement. Unsigned letters will not be printed. "Keep Working" AMHERSTBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA — To the Editor: We were very interested in a letter from Walter S. Odom, Sr., of the Dixie theatre, Durant Miss, appearing in the latest issue of the HeraldWorld. Mr. Odom complains of the small towns being so hard hit by the "audiens" in nearby cities. He asks a panacea and cites his competition, a city 40 to SO miles away to which his people go in droves. Here is our competition: We are situated in a Canadian town of 3,000 with a house of 500 seats only 18 miles from Detroit, Mich. Detroit has some of the finest theatres in the world (sound in all the downtown first run), the newest films, the greatest stageshows, not to mention legitimate houses. Detroit theatres also advertise in papers on this side and all the Detroit papers, daily and Sunday circulate here. It is possible to be in downtown Detroit in 45 minutes. There is a paved highway and hourly street car service to Windsor (a city of 75,000 directly across from Detroit, which has five theatres playing pictures and vaudeville). From Windsor to Detroit there is a five minute ferry ride and practically no trouble crossing the border. Worst of all, shows run on Sunday in Detroit, a privilege which we are not allowed. Naturally we feel this competition for "small town entertainment" can never compete with "big city entertainment" but the "audiens" have not affected us to any appreciable extent. On the other hand some patrons have said: "Yes, we saw it in talkies, but we want to see the difference when it's silent." There's a new angle. In spite of all, our business shows no decrease, and while there is no real solution to the problem, until sound gets cheaper we guide ourselves by the following: Give the best show you can afford; get the best and newest films; cash in on all the big town publicity you can by getting your pictures quick; make the best of what you have to offer and let people know you are alive ; keep working. — Tyas Brothers, Liberty theatre, Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada. The "Little Fellows" BREFSTER, O.— To the Editor: Herewith my check for one year's" subscription. It's a dandy paper. I love to read it, but what a sad and distressed feeling I get when I read about these theatres located in the large towns and cities doing capacity business with this and that picture, especially in "sound." How about us little fellows? I don't mean towns of 10,000 and larger. I mean us little fellows in towns of 1,000 and on up to 5,000. We are the real little fellows. We are the ones who will have to be content with silent pictures while our people are flocking to the nearby towns to "see and hear" pictures in deluxe houses. Why not a department in your paper for us little fellows. We have problems, more so today than ever before. I'll contribute my share towards such a department. How about it? Let's get the little fellows together. We need help and if we all contribute to a "little fellows" department in your paper, we can get some help, but remember just us little fellows, independents, us $7.50 and $10 accounts who are forced to wait 30 and 60 days on our producer-exhibitor opposition in nearby towns. "Help us lest we perish" and that's no "bull." — W. J. Van Ryzin, Brewster theatre, Brewster, O. Four Netoco Theatres Near Completion; Chain Almost 50 in One Year (Special to the Herald-World) BOSTON, Jan. 8. — Four houses, each seating 2,500, are nearing completion as additions to the expanding Netoco chain, while locations for still more theatres are under consideration, according to Samuel Pinanski, president of the New England Theatres Operating Company. Just a year ago, this company was incorporated with an authorized capital of $25,000,000, and Samuel Pinanski was elected president. The circuit then embraced 12 theatres. Today there are nearly 50. Sixteen years ago Pinanski broke into the picture business and worked his way through every phase of theatre operation until he rose to be manager of one small house, the Modern in this city. The four new houses are the State, housed in a $1,000,000 office building in Portland; the Seville in East Boston, the Egyptian in Brighton, patterned after the Temple of Karnak at Thebes; and the Community in North Attleboro, of Colonial design. All these theatres are to be equipped with sound apparatus. Reeltone Welds First Links in Sales Chain (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Jan. 8.— Reeltone is busy with a world-wide sales campaign and has already completed arrangements with the Reeltone Corporation of the Southeast to represent it in North Caroline, South Carolina and Georgia; with F. T. Welter for Wisconsin; Richard C. Houghton for New England; and with Maurice Sebastian for the West Coast. Other territorial distribution contracts are pending and will shortly be announced, it is stated. Four Square Distributing Corporation has obtained the franchise for Connecticut, Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Arkansas; and Harry Webb, for Virginia and Maryland. Even Circus Folk Go in For "Sound" at Meeting (Special to the Herald-World) KANSAS CITY, Jan. 8.— The blare of calliopes and carnival horns were potent "sound effects" at the Coates House here last week, when the annual convention of the Heart of America Showmen's Association was held. About 50 motion picture exhibitors are members. Several thousand persons visited the exhibits during the convention, which closed yesterday. Everything in the sideshow and circus line was exhibited, including novelties for magicians and actors. A dinner and dance closed the convention. The association has about 500 members. E. R. Medd Leaves Publix To Manage Independent (Special to the Herald-World) LUMBERTON, N. C, Jan. 8.— E. R. Medd, who has been manager of the PublixSaenger theatres in Clarksdale, Miss., has accepted the appointment of general manager of the Carolina theatre here, operated, by the Lumberton Theatre Corporation. Medd has been connected with thr eatre business for 18 years. He v ' with Carolina Theatres, Inc., befo , joining Publix last spring. He has ought Oliver Thornton, organist, with Km from Publix. Italy Government Gives Its Support to League Educational Film Society (Special to the Herald-World) NAPLES, Dec. 30.— [By Mail]— In the presence of the king and of the prime minister and of several other authorities, the International Institute of Educational Cinematography, which is under the control of the League of Nations, was inaugurated at Frascati in the villa Falconieri, the former summer residence of the Popes. Ex-Minister Bisi, who had been appointed by the Italian government president of the Ente Nazionale per la Cinematografia, went a few days ago to Berlin, where he concluded the agreement planned with UFA. It is to be remembered that this "Ente Nazionale per la Cinematografia" has been sought by Mussolini for a general revival of cinematographic production in Italy. UFA has a very large capital, being supported by important banks, and according to the agreement with UFA of Berlin, the president is to make agreements with other countries interested in cinematographic production. Columbia Signs Ben Lyon; Dorothy Revier Returns (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Jan. 8.— Ben Lyon has been signed by Columbia to appear in their Silent and Sound pictures. This is Lyon's first contract with an independent company. Dorothy Revier has returned to the Columbia studios after an absence of several months. Julanne Johnston, Martha Franklin and Julia Swayne Gordon were also signed to play in Columbia's products. Fox Takes Movietone of Ohio Governor's Address (Special to the Herald-World) COLUMBUS, Jan. 8.— A movietone reel of Governor-Elect Myers Y. Cooper, who will be inaugurated Governor of Ohio January 14, was taken by Fox in Columbus. This reel, which will be about six minutes in length, will contain a portion of Cooper's inaugural address. "Marriagu by Contract" Booked by Fox Circuit (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Jan. 8.— "Marriage By Contract," Tiffany-Stahl picture, featuring Patsy Ruth Miller, has been booked by the William Fox Circuit to play in their New York and Brooklyn theatres starting February 14.