Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD II April 26, 1930 Film Companies in “Legit” Field Get Firm Foothold on Broadway Paramount and Warner Make Better Plays Pay Best Ever Paramount Strengthens Position Through Chester Erskin Warners Get Invaluable Help from Paul Moss By HARRY TUGEND NEW YORK, April 22. — The great American credo that the legitimate theatre, long anemic, is now in the throes of its last death struggle, is not shared by at least two of the leading motion picture companies. On the contrary, these two companies, Paramount and Warner Brothers, are preparing a great advance in their invasion of the drama-in-the-flesh field, and have made definite and important strides toward reaching a position of great prominence. A Memorial to Sam Warner For Harry Warner, Albert War' ner and the many devoted friends of the late Sam Warner the premiere of the New Warner Hollywood theatre on Broadway, New York, last Tues' day evening was something of much greater significance than just another theatre opening. And the reason for this is that, when the Warner Brothers achieved the very natural ambition of building a theatre on Broadway they designated this new house as a memorial to the departed Sam Warner, one of the brothers who contributed iim portantly to the swift and wide de' velopments of the Warner Brothers’ interests but who, unfortunately, passed on before the day came when he could be with his brothers to share with them the success which has been achieved. Throughout the whole film trade, here and abroad, friends of Sam Warner will delight in the fact that this splendid new theatre, one of the country’s finest, with the great localion of Fifty-second street and Broadway, New York, has been dedicated to him as a memorial. — MARTIN /• QUIGLEY. Northwest Owners Open 2-Day Confab With 150 Attending (Special to the Herald-World) MINNEAPOLIS, April 22. — The annual convention of the Northwest Theatre Owners Association opened here today with about 150 exhibitors in attendance. The meeting ends tomorrow. Headquarters are at the Nicollet hotel. Contracts formed the subject of the chief discussion, with sound running a close second. Dr. Lee DeForest, research engineer for General Talking Pictures, was a guest of honor. In addition to being scheduled to speak before the delegates, he was slated to broadcast from the local station and also to speak before several organizations outside the motion picture industry. Paramount’s interest dates as far back as 1920 when it took over Charles Frohman, Inc., and under the management of Gilbert Miller continued to present at the Empire theatre the type of play which has kept the patronage of the elite of New York’s society. To avoid the unpleasant publicity attending the production of the ill-fated “The Captive,” Paramount insisted that Miller use his own name in some of his productions. Chief among the latest Paramount successes produced by Miller are “Journey’s End” and “Berkeley Square,” both of which are still running strong. That Paramount made a mistake in letting the screen rights to “Journey’s End” go to Tiffany-Stahl seems to be a certainty in view of the paeans following the recent opening. Paramount Strengthens Hold But Paramount has just strengthened its foothold on old Broadway. It has hired a young man of 26 who two years ago slept on park benches and had to be taken to a charity ward in a hospital to recover from a bad case of starvation. When the final curtain descended on the premier performance of Herman Shumlin’s production, “The Last Mile,” the happy members of the cast dragged a bewildered Chester Erskin before the footlights to receive the wildest reception in the memory of blase first-nighters. The cries of “Erskin! Erskin!” which shook the old Sam Harris theatre must have been heard in Hollywood, for on May 1, Erskin moves into the Empire theatre offices as producer-director of Charles Frohman, Inc. Erskin already had leaped into public notice by his unusual direction of two previous plays, “Harlem” and “Subway Express.” After the latter production, Paramount signed him to apply his talents in talking pictures, but after two months of hanging around studios and studying the technique of film production, he quit to produce “The Last Mile.” His present contract does not include direction of any screen plays, but with his indefatigable energy and passion for work, he probably will find time to lend his services in that capacity. Says “Legit” Never Will Die He says, “In my new job, I intend to confine myself to no set rule or offerings. I will merely produce and direct plays that appeal to me as good plays. It may be a tragedy, or a comedy, a seeming commercial success, or definitely an artistic experiment. The theatre is not, and never will be dead. I say that ‘Green Pastures,’ which is a sermon, and ‘The Last Mile,’ which is a public document, prove that the theatre is a permanent public force for cultural, intellectual and spiritual sustenance.” Gilbert Miller, whose contract expires June 1, will continue to produce for Paramount under his own name. His preference for foreign productions probably will be encouraged and he may be restricted to importations. Warner Activities Diversified The theatrical activities of Warner Brothers have been more diversified. This season they have produced two musical shows, “Top Speed” and “Fifty Million Frenchmen.” The latter is still one of Broadway’s most popular musical successes. A little over a year ago, Warner succeeded, after much dickering, in signing Jed Harris, whose uncanny showmanship in producing shows like “Broadway,” “The Front Page,” “The Royal Family,” “Coquette” and the artistic “Serena Blandish,” awed the theatrical world. But Harris’ sudden decision to retire resulted in the cancellation of the contract. His recent triumphant return with “Uncle Vanya” should bring to the Warners pangs of regret that they ever let him go. For, failing to keep Harris, they backed A1 Woods in producing five flops, “Scotland Yard,” “Scarlet Pages,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Recapture” and “Murder on the Second Floor.” Since January 1 Paul Moss has been in ( Continued 071 page 14, column 3) Canadian Censors Delete Part Referring to Prince ( Special to the Herald-World) OTTAWA, April 22. — A significant deletion was made by the censors in the British bit of the “All Nations” number of “Shows of Shows” when it played at B. F. Keith’s Theatre, Ottawa, before tremendous crowds. Objection was taken to the song with reference to the Prince of Wales and the dialog was ordered out. A hootch dance was blacked out as well. Tariff Body Keeps Four-Cent Duty on Standard; Wide Film Rate in Proportion 1 ( Special to the Herald-World) WASHINGTON, April 22. — Retention of the existing duty of four-tenths of a cent per linear foot on unexposed motion picture him of standard width, and proportionate duties on film of other widths, was agreed to by the tariff conference committee this week, when it refused to accept the Senate amendment to the tariff bill making the duty two-tenths of a cent per foot. The conference committee, however, did agree to the senate amendment giving free entry to silent and sound newsreel negatives exposed by American companies abroad.