Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

January 26, 1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD -WORLD PRESENTATION ACTS Try Miniat Stage Offerings Must Harmonize With Pictures Biggest Theatre Business Foreseen by Fox Detroit Manager (Special to the Herald-World) DETROIT, MICH.. Jan. 22.— The tendency today is towards a closer harmony between screen features and stage presentations, in the opinion of S. J. Stebbins. manager of the Fox theatre here. The stage presentations at the Fox are under the direction of Mr. Stebbins, and each week, since the opening of the house some four months ago. he has attempted to have some portion of his stage presentation act as a prologue to the feature picture. "The stage presentation has long since developed beyond the status of 'supplementary stage shows,' " Mr. Stebbins said. "And the so-called 'independent acts' that are seen in the course of the prologue presentation are no longer the independent vaudeville acts they once were. "Every unit in the modern stage entertainment that accompanies the screen feature is an integral part of a carefully planned and balanced program of entertainment. "The screen feature should, and does of course, form the principle unit in the entertainment. Not only that, but its plot and thematic material are followed in the stage presentation. Its costumes, in many cases, inspire the designing of the stage costumes and its theme song. "Although the term prologue is still employed to describe the stage presentation, it is no longer accurate. So closely blended nave the stage and screen programs become, that one fades into the other almost imperceptibly. Stebbins Foresees 1929 as Bigger and Better Year "The trend in the coming year, I believe, is toward the further harmonization of motion pictures and stage presentations, an ideal that is now made much easier of realization by the advent of the music and speech of the sound and talking pictures." Mr. Stebbins also said he believes the year 1929 will witness the most successful motion picture theatre business in the history of Detroit. He said that the prosperity that is being predicted for the coming year by financiers and industrial leaders presages a year of record-breaking business in the field of motion picture entertainment. ure Musica Lou Lubin Lou Lubin. featured member of Lubin. Larry & Andre, is the best example of dt termination, sincerity, and righteousness, three very important features in the show business, or any other business — Lubin was one of the first black-face comedians who saw the possibility for the type of his offering many ye&rs ago. and stuck to it under all sorts of conditions. The result is that he has established a trademark by his originality and has created a demand for his talents and services by establishing a reputatatinn for integrity and reliability — every one «~ho has dealt with Lubin has found him to be a man of his word and every promise made has been fulfilledAt present Lubin and his associates are completing one of their many tours of the R K O circuit. R K O Resumes Units The new unit idea has again been put into working order by the Radio-Keith-Orpheum Circuit. One of the first units offered is presented by Rosalie and Lee Stewart, featuring Mel Klee. The cast also includes Barton & Young. Al Brode. Grace and Coly Worth. Kay McKay. Harry Weber's Pompous Revue, Patsy Ruth Clark, and Jack Geisler's Girls. Fisher Is Cuba Bound Mark Fisher, the well liked and popular singing master of ceremonies who has been enjoying a long run at the new Paradise theatre, Balaban & Katz latest Chicago house, is enjoying a two weeks' vacation in Cuba. Mrs. Fisher accompanies him. Very Good Eddie After scoring a huge success in Ontario, Canada, end Detroit, as master of ceremonies, Eddie Loughton has been selected to preside over the stage activities of the Capitol theatre in Hamilton. Ontario. Judging by the past and present results he may be at this house for many months. Comedies Plot Form Units Prolong Life Of Stagehands Storv Gives You the Chance to Place the Band in the Pit By A. RAYMOND GALLO To hear some people talk one would gather that the stagehand policy is dying out. This sort of rumor has been going on for more than two years and always comes from sources that get more or less panicky on any phase of entertainment. People who will always find something wrong with everything and never offer any constructive suggestions are generally the ones who are incompetent to blaze any trail of endeavor as pioneers. All worth while achievements have never been accomplished by whining individuals who lacked the vision and courage to see an opportunity and to stay with it until it became a success. Some time ago we offered through this department suggestions that would enable theatre circuits as well as producers to overcome the problem of stereotyped bandshows. We have constantly tried to convince these people that a deluxe picture house is merely trying to offer a miniature musical comedy with motion pictures at popular prices. Unless the type of stageshows offered in them differ from the ones in the vaudeville theatres or what are better known today as combination houses, they are not presentation theatres but merely copying the old style of variety entertainment. As we have stated many times before, it is not at all necessary that every deluxe house with a stagehand be compelled to offer the same type of stageshows each week._ The monotony could be relieved by transferring the orchestra into the pit now and then so that the entertainment may be unfolded upon the stage as a musical comedy. This has been accomplished successfully at the Oriental theatre, Chicago, recently by Brooke Johns, and it does not seem to have taken away any of the popularity of the master of ceremonies. If you insist on keeping your orchestraon the stage, then it would also be wise to inject some sore of a plot so that your weekly programs may not be a repetition of a band number, a blues singer and a comedy dancer. This seems to be the favorite lineup of these shows lately and although there are new faces in the spot each week, the turns and routines are nevertheless similar.