Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

38 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD February 9, 1929 What to Produce? The editorial article by Martin J. Quigley in the February 2 issue of the H erald-World on "What to Produce" has aroused keen interest among exhibitors as well as rvithin other branches of the industry. Johnny Jones, manager of the Majestic theatre at Columbus, Ohio, in the following letter, proposes ten possible subjects for motion pictures and also suggests that a producer invite ten exhibitors to go to Hollywood, suggest a theme for a picture and then supervise production By JOHNNY JONES Manager, Majestic Theatre, Columbus, Ohio YOUR editorial, "What to Produce," is the most interesting I have ever noticed in your publication. I have been a press agent here in Columbus and am now manager of the Majestic theatre. Here is the thing I have harped about. Ask somebody about something. I" HAVE always thought it would be a fine publicity stunt for some producer to select some ten exhibitors from various parts of the country and let them come to Hollywood and suggest a picture and supervise it. It would at least show them how hard it is and they would keep their mouths shut henceforth or — they may make one. Who knows ! Sometimes I think half of the directors never were in a theatre. Here is my list of ten for next year with no explanations. A couple of these stories lie in the dust and the idea is still good. No one ever thought to make a picture featuring the theatre organist as the basis of a good romance. And the rest is obvious. Pick out a good star for the organist. Talkies or silent. Second : As much of radio as we have heard, it has not been tied up with a picture story. A radio announcer has a listener who is a charming girl and she falls in love with the voice. You can see the possibilities for a million twists. They already have "mikes" for props at least. Extract from an editorial article by Martin J. Quigley: "While there always has been a pressing need for cooperation between exhibitors and producers on the question of what to produce, this year the question is more pressing than ever. Unfortunately, very little in the way of practical cooperation has ever existed. Virtually the only immediate contact between the film companies and the theatre is when a representative of a sales department seeks to sell film to the exhibitor. In this circumstance there are the natural points of difference between the buyer and the seller. The exhibitor does not seek to offer guidance on production problems and the salesman has his mind on something else. "The HERALD-WORLD urges exhibitors to consider the problem of what to produce for next season, and in urging this it wishes to make plain the fact that in the long run the outcome of production problems means just as much to exhibitors as to producers. We urge you, therefore, to express your views on what to produce for next season. Communicate either directly with the producers or send your communications to this publication. If they are of general interest they will be published and, at any rate, they will be laid before the producers1 councils." My list of subjects for production next year follows : 1. George Meredith's "Victoria" (spectacular). 2. Percy Marks' "The Last Stand of Youth" (College Humor). "Brown of Harvard" was the only college picture ever made. They need one now around sorority girls and made with real human beings, not sheiks. 3. Radio announcer romance. 4. Theatre organist love story. 5. Story suggested by "David Lawrence and His Adventures," or "With David Lawrence in Arabia." 6. "The Life of Alexander Hamilton." His love affairs, etc. 7. Story centering around girls' efforts to swim some channel, or a similar feat used as a smash scene in some romance. 8. "The Machine Age." Original story. And done right would be dynamite. 9. Good domestic drama. Original story. 10. Outstanding Western story with careful handling and serious thought. That's all, but sometimes they don't seem to think very hard on product. Sam Warshawsky Named To Handle RKO Publicity; Paula Gould Goes to Coast NEW YORK, Feb. 5.— Changes in the RKO advertising and publicity department were announced here today by Hy Daab, director of the department. Sam Warshawsky was appointed general press representative in charge of trade and daily publicity. He is a brother of Abel Warshawsky, a veteran in motion picture and legitimate theatre fields. He has been in the publicity department of the company for several days. Paula Gould, in charge of publicity in the East for several years, resigned * > take one of two production offers made her in Hollywood. She will leave for the Coast in a week. "Divine Lady ' to Replace "Weary River" at Central (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Feb. 5.— First National's picture, "The Divine Lady," has been set to follow "Weary River" in the Central theatre. No date, however, has been set as the Barthelmess picture is in for an indefinite run, and present box office receipts indicate it will hold forth in the Central for some time. The picture broke the week end house record for the first week, even topping by more than $1,')00 the mark set by "Lilac Time." Community Chain Seeks Brin Houses, Meeting Fox's Bid Ground will be broken this week at West Bend, Wis., for a $150,000 house to be operated by Community Theatres, Inc., of Milwaukee, the theatre to be of modern German architecture, designed by A. S. Graven, Inc., of Chicago, with 800 seats and an elaborate mezzanine floor, C. W. Nebel, vice president and general manager of the circuit, said in Chicago Saturday. Walter W. Oeflein is the builder. Community Theatres. Inc., owning nine theatres, also submitted a proposal Friday to L. K. Brin of Milwaukee to take over his theatres, formerly operated by Fischer-Paramount of Chicago, and including houses at Appleton, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Portage, all in Wisconsin, and three theatres in Madison Wis. According to Nebel, the circuit met a Fox offer of $130,000 for interest in the houses, with separate negotiations underway for Brin's Menasha, Wis., theatre which opened November 25. At the conference were H. Goldenberg, vice president of Brin's Theatrical Enterprises, William F. Pabst, president of Community Theatres, and Nebel. Community Theatres, which started November 1, 1927, with only the Cameo theatre at West Allis, now operates in Geneva, Burlington, Whitewater, Delavan, Elkhorn and West Allis, all in Wisconsin, and plans to build at Monroe, to put up a deluxe house in Tanesville, and to take over the lease of a house under construction at Waupun, Wis. Among the leaders in the circuit are Col. Gustav Pabst, Herman Falk, William Silcock, Robert Lee and William Brumder. The chain also holds 76 per cent control of the Lake Geneva Corporation, stockholders of which include William Wrigley, Sid Smith the cartoonist, Judge Alford and Reverend Smith. Sound Device Formed Declared to Need No Sensitized Diaphragm (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Feb. 5.— Eugene A. Lauste, pioneer inventor in the field of sound-onfilm, will shortly disclose a new type of reproducing device, which will transform electrical impulses into sound waves without the aid of a sensitized diaphragm or other mechanical means. According to an announcement made at the Bloomfield, N. J., laboratory of the inventor, the new amplifiying system is the result of research and experiments begun more than 15 years ago, when he was perfecting his sound-onfilm method. It is stated that the new Lauste reproducing system will furnish the solution of many amplification problems, because of the fact that it does away with the necessity of using a microphone or sensitized diaphragm in sound transmission. The British patent officials have found it necessary to issue a fifth edition of the papers describing Lauste's invention. Fire Destroys New Sutter Theatre, $50,000 Damages (Special to the Herald-World) SACRAMENTO, CAL., Feb. 5.— Fire of undetermined origin swept the new Sutter theatre, doing damage estimated at $50,000. This theatre, formerly the Godard, had been leased by Max Weiss, and was to have been given over largely to road shows. This is the second time within two years that a moving picture theatre, remodeled for road show purposes, has been destroyed by fire.