Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD Here's Final Proof of Showmanship; Town Asks Exhibitor to Stay Sam Gordon of Napa, Cal., Helped Build Stores and Open Subdivision For Homes, So W hen He Sells His Theatres — [By Special Correspondent of the HeraldWorld] NAPA, CAL., October 1. When Sam Gordon sold the Hippodrome theatre recently to Fox West Coast Theatres, Inc., all Napa rose up to ask that he remain in that city. Not that he was an old resident, or that he had merely been a good exhibitor, offering a likable brand of entertainment, but that he had revealed himself as a lovable citizen. EIGHT years ago Sam Gordon went to Napa practically unknown to residents of that city, although well known in San Francisco, where he had been a penny arcade owner and later a motion picture exhibitor. A theatre had been promoted in Napa by M. Blumenfeld and J. P. Knox and when it seemed that the plan would fall through Sam Gordon stepped into the picture and the splendid Hippodrome was the result. Helps Town Keep Itself Apparently, some of the old residents were too close to the old town to appreciate some of its advantages and possibilities, but Sam Gordon saw these and took time from his amusement enterprise to make the place look more presentable. Dilapidated property adjoining the theatre was taken over and a block of beautiful store buildings erected. These proved so attractive that they were soon taken over by some of the leading retail establishments of Napa. Few new homes had been erected in Napa in recent years and Gordon decided that the reason was that no attractive subdivisions had been opened. He interested himself in several projects of this kind and a veritable building boom started. One of these garden home districts has since been named Gordon Park, in his honor. Even Children Ask Him to Stay More recently, the old Empire theatre blockin the downtown district was taken over, the old buildings torn down and handsome ones erected in their place. Space was left in this block for another fine theatre, but it remains for Fox-West Coast Theatres, Inc., to decide whether this will be built. When the news came that the Hippodrome theatre had been sold, Napa residents united in asking that Sam Gordon continue to make his home there. The local newspapers printed editorials expressing this hope, organizations made overtures to that end and children begged that he stay in the town that owed him so much. That's what Napa thinks of Sam Gordon and Sam isn't thinking of moving right away. Buys 13 Siritzki Houses (Washington Bureau of the Herald-World) WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.— The Aubert Franco-Film chain has further strengthened itself by the acquisition of the Siritzki group of theatres, according to the Department of Commerce. This consists of seven cinemas, the Recamier, Maine, Sevres Palace, Excelsior, Clichy Palace, SaintCharles and Alhambra, and embraces a seating capacity of 8,150. 1,400,000 Lines in 838 Newspapers Sets Record for Paramount (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1.— Paramount has set an advertising record for themselves as well as other film companies by using approximately 1,400,000 lines in 838 newspapers in a single campaign. These advertisements appeared last week in papers throughout the country and is the second in a series of ads to acquaint the public with Paramount's New Show World pictures and personalities. The first series appeared a month ago in 836 papers in 350 cities from coast to coast. The lineage was 1,396,300 in this series, making a total for the two campaigns nearly 3,000,000 lines. It is estimated that the series reached a reader circulation of nearly 40,000,000. The advertisements, which were practically full page size in all newspapers, were prepared under the supervision of Russell Holman, advertising manager for the Paramount Famous Lasky corporation. 13 Canadian Cities to Service W E Equipment (Special to the Herald-World) OTTAWA, Oct. 1.— The Northern Electric Company, Limited, Montreal, representing Western Electric in Canada, has opened service stations in 13 Canadian cities to provide engineering attention of immediate nature for Western Electric synchronization systems. The cities are: Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Sudbury, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. October 5, 1929 100 Features to Be in Color in 1930, Declares Head of Technicolor, Inc. Dr. Kalmus Sees Black and White Film Going Way of the Silent (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1.— One hundred feature productions photographed entirely or in part in technicolor will be shown in theatres throughout the United States in 1930, it was said here by Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president of Technicolor, Inc. Paramount, Warner Brothers, MetroGoldwyn-Mayer, First National, United Artists, R K O, Universal and other companies have signed contracts with Technicolor to use its special camera equipment and technical experts on more than 50 feature productions to be made next year, Dr. Kalmus said. These offerings supplement the technicolor films completed and awaiting release or now before the cameras in Hollywood to make a total of 100 technicolor features promised for next year. The supply of color cameras is being increased at the rate of one a week in order to take care of the tremendous demand for color footage. Twenty-five cameras are now working night and day. "The recent development and public approval of the new technicolor process have been so phenomenal," Dr. Kalmus said, "that it does not seem like a far cry to the day when the black and white feature print will be as rare as the silent picture is today." Plans for a New York plant to handle technicolor photography are well under way, Dr. Kalmus said. UFA Film of Ober Trip To Moon in Rocket Car Released First in Berlin (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1.— UFA Films, Inc., is releasing "The Girl in the Moon" in Ber lin on October 5. This film, which has aroused considerable discussion abroad, deals with Professor Ober's trip to the moon in a rocket machine. UFA is financing Ober's real proposed trip to the moon. Ober has demonstrated a rocket car on a Berlin race track and also on a railroad track. The vehicle achieved tremendous momentum in an incredibly short space of time and in its test on the railroad track it traveled so fast that it left the rails and was destroyed. The picture will be brought here soon after the Berlin release, UFA officials said last week. It has a synchronized score and is not a talking film. UFA will release Germany's first audien, Eric Pommer's "Melody of the Heart," here during the second half of December. William Fritsch stars. The dialog will be in English. Gloria Swanson to Sing Over Radio October 10 (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 1.— Gloria Swanson's singing and talking voice will be heard over an American radio station for the first time on October 10, at 10:30 o'clock. More than 40 stations associated with the National Broadcasting Company will carry the film star's song to radio and film followers. Miss Swanson will sing "Love" and "Serenade." W hat Exhibitors Are Saying About Exhibitors Herald-World The Herald-World is as much a part of our existence as the pictures we show. We have owned and operated our theatre in Twisp over six years and in Winthrop three years, and we realize that we are a very small part of the great show world. However, the one way that makes it possible for us to remain in business and satisfy our patrons, who are largely the same people from year to year, and who occasionally visit the cities and the large theatres, is to keep ourselves informed through the Herald-World. We are conscientious in saying that we (Mrs. Airey and myself) feel that we must have the Herald-World in our home in order to attain any degree of success in the exhibition of motion pictures. — Frank F. Airey, Ticisp theatre, Twisp, Wash.