Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

42 EXHIBITORS HERALD -WORLD February 9, 192! tional is in no mood to take on anything of a similar nature. However, the company believes firmly in the future of sound. In order to increase the confidence of the industry in sound, in order to free exhibitors from the fear of not being able to profit from their newlyinstalled equipment, First National has taken the unusual step outlined. Sound "Insurance" Qiven Exhibitor in First National 5-Year Contract Most Stars of Company Signed for Similar Length Period — Plan Assures Theatre Owner of Steady Flow of Product (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Feb. 5. — First National has devised a plan which amounts to a form of "insurance" for outstanding exhibitors with sound equipment. It has been First National's experience that exhibitors throughout the country with theatres equipped for sound are seeking ways and means of safeguarding their new investments. They are immensely proud of their progressiveness in installing the new sound equipment, uncomplaining about the cost, hopeful of the future. THEATRES equipped with sound are on the threshold of exceptional prosperity, in the opinion of their owners. They are in the vanguard of the motion picture parade, and look forward to the future with the greatest confidence. They can imagine no development for which they are not fully prepared. Offers FiveYear Contract The only possibility of danger lies in the matter of product. They have the equipment. They have proved that they can get the audiences. The only thing they need concern themselves with is a steady flow of product, good enough and strong enough to maintain their position as an important sound house. First National reports such a feeling in many quarters and to rest any possible fears they have evolved a plan they hold to be unusually beneficial to exhibitors. First National has offered five-year contracts to outstanding exhibitors in many parts of the country. At reasonable figures— based on normal prices, with small increases for the future — First National has signed with certain exhibitors whose showmanship and financial standing have always been highly regarded at First National headquarters. Most Stars Signed for 5 Years Inasmuch as most of First National's stars are held on five-year contracts, the new offer amounts to "insurance" that certain sound-equipped houses throughout the country shall never be without product. The new plan was not put into effect at First National without certain misgivings. There was a time when First National had 5,000 franchise holders; that they became an annoyance and a drawback to business is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of record. Today there are only about 300 franchises left and First Na At the New York Theatres William M. Jamas Resort Theatre Ends Career After 17 Years (Special to the Herald-World) ATLANTIC CITY, Feb. 5.— For 17 years the City Square theatre has been showing motion pictures. And now it has passed on. The property is owned by a department store, which expects to use the site for an addition. Edward J. O'Keefe, former vaudeville performer, has been operating the house, in association with John McGurk and Harry Schwalbe. The house has played to as many as 30,000 in a single week. O'Keefe claims credit for having been the £rst to show programs composed entirely of comedies. Such programs presented on afternoons are said to have almost emptied some of the office buildings, so great was their attractiveness to business people. William James Sells His Last Theatre as Final Step Out of Industry (Special to the Herald-World) COLUMBUS, O., Feb., 5.— William M. James, one of the outstanding figures in the motion picture industry, who is serving his seventh term as president of the National Amusement Managers Association, and his fifth term as president of the MPTOO, is entirely out of the motion picture business. The deal by which he disposed of his last house, the Pythian of Columbus, was closed last week, when Columbus Theatres, Inc., took over that house, as well as two others in Columbus. James has had a very eventful career in the industry. He started about 25 years ago to stage minstrel shows, and with John A. Connor, an attorney of Columbus, built the Broadway theatre about 19 years ago. Later they built the James theatre here and houses in Toledo and Lexington, Ky. Later a string of neighborhood theatres were built. When his terms as president of the owners' and managers' associations expire, James announces that he will not accept reelection in either organization. "I always loved a fight and spent the greater part of my life fighting," he added. "When the fight was over and we had won, there was not a great deal of interest left." Blind to Hear "Wolf of Wall Street"; Teachers See "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (Special to the Herald-World) DES MOINES, Feb. 5.— Lionel Wasson, manager of the Des Moines theatre, has invited the city's blind to attend a showing of 'The Wolf of Wall Street" at 9 a. m. on February 11. Fifty teachers saw a pre-view of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at the same theatre on February 2. The pedagogues expressed their satisfaction with the way the story was depicted. NEW FILMS PARAMOUNT — "The Doctor's Secret," a Paramoui all-talking picture with H. B. Warner, Ruth Cha terton and Robert Edeson, directed by William ( de Mille. ROXY — "Captain Lash," a Fox picture with Vict< McLaglen, Claire Windsor and Jane Winton, d rected by John Blystone. STRAND— "Naughty Baby," a First National pictui with Jack Mulhall, and Alice White, directed b Mervyn Le Roy. COLONY— "Red Hot Speed," a Universal pictu: with Reginald Denny and Alice White. HIPPODROME— "Annapolis," a Pathe picture wit John Mack Brown, Jeannette Loff and Hobart Bo: worth, directed by Christy Cabanne. HELD OVER AND REVIVED WINTER GARDEN— "The Singing Fool," Warne Bros., opened September 19. WARNER — "My Man," Warner Bros., opened Dt cember 21. GAIETY— "The River," Fox, opened December 22 EMBASSY— "The Bellamy Trial," Metro-Goldwyr Mayer, opened January 23. CENTRAL — "Weary River," First Natisnal, opene January 24. CRITERION — "Redskin," Paramount, opened Jar uary 26. RIVOLI — "Sins of the Fathers," Paramount, openei January 26. RIALTO— "The Wolf of Wall Street," Paramount opened January 26. FILM ARTS CINEMA— "Two Days," a WUFKl picture, opened February 1. LITTLE CARNEGIE PLAYHOUSE— "Escaped fron Hell," Affiliated European Producers, opened Jan uary 26. CAPITOL— "The Trail of '98," Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, revived for another week. CAMEO — "Lucrecia Borgia," UFA, revived for an other week. FIFTH AVENUE PLAYHOUSE— "Faces of Chil •, dren," revived for another week. FIFTY-FIFTH PLAYHOUSE— "The Waltz Dream," UFA, revived for another week. "Model" Producing Plant Is Developed in England By British International (Special to the Herald-World) LONDON, Jan. 26. — [By Mail]— The growth of British Instructional Films as a producing organization is indicated in descriptive material concerning its new studio development at Welwyn Garden City, north of London. The company is reissuing this material, which originally appeared in an article The Cinema. Much of the information is devoted to a description of the efforts made to erect a model plant in surroundings which provide not only excellent locales but a pleasant environment for players. The studio proper is 200 feet long, 100 feet wide and covers an area of 41,600 square feet. A theatre, a tank for aquatic shots, compactness, and an elaborate ventilating system are listed among the features. Welwyn itself is being carefully planned for an ultimate population of 50,000. New MPT O Officers Floyd Hopkins, Walter Steumpfig and Morris Wax are the new vice presidents of the M P T O of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, instead of those recently announced. Harry Green also was named on the board of directors. George Jackson Resigns (Special to the Herald-World) PORTLAND, ORE., Feb. 5.— George Jackson resigned his sales position with Pathe and has begun his career as exhibitor and manager of the Circle theatre. Tovar Gets First Role \ (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Feb. 5.— Lupita Tovar, nev Mexican beauty of Fox, has been assigneld to her first role. She will play a principal part in "Joy Street."