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

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD May 3, 1930 26 Sennett Comedies for Educational In 1930-31 Keep Studio Humping Andy Clyde and Marjorie Beebe Sign New Contracts — Veteran Short Feature Producers Stick to Plan of Individual Treatment (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 29. — Twenty-six two-reel comedies will be produced by Mack Sennett for release by Educational in 1930-31, the Sennett production forces working right through the spring without a stop because several of the thirty on the current program are still to be made before the new product can be launched. Cup o’ Coffee Order Travels 14,000 Miles at This Dinner (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 29.— You may have sometimes thought that the waiter was covering 14,000 miles in bringing you a cup of coffee, but that was hardly the case. It remained for the supper given last Saturday night by William Hoyt Peck of the Colorcraft Corporation, in honor of Joseph Rucker and Willard VanderV eer Paramount Newsreel men with the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, to have an order travel that distance. At the Hotel Roosevelt, where the THE production staff remains virtually the same, with Sennett in charge and John A. Waldron, general manager of the Sennett studios, at his right hand. Andy Clyde and Marjorie Beebe, who had much to do with the success of the Sennett talking comedies in his first year in that field, have signed new contracts. Wants Individual Development Sennett will continue with his plan of individual development of comedy ideas created by himself and his staff, rather than following a course laid out at the beginning of the season. He believes the new idea brings timeliness of subject and fresh treatment. He opposes the practice of loading up with a lot of material at the beginning of a production season. He even prefers to cast his pictures individually, selecting the best available player material. Slapstick has been conspicuous by its absence from the Sennett talking comedies. Satirical treatment of subjects that are not only current but of widespread interest, has proved popular. Picks Up-to-date Topics “Match Play,” the most important tworeel talking comedy he has produced, is based on golf. This comedy was followed by “He Trumped Her Ace,” a bridge comedy; “Honeymoon Zeppelin,” a comedy of the air; “Radio Kisses,” dealing with wave lengths and love; and now comes “Fat Wives for Thin,” poking fun at the eighteenday dieticians; and there is in preparation a comedy takeoff on the serious business of racketeering; as well as a comedy of flaming youth, called “The Chiseler.” Sennett believes that the more seriously a subject has been played up. the more fun can be gotten out of a comedy version, and because the alleged vices of the younger generation have been painted in burning scarlets, the lighter treatment of it should particularly appeal. Andy Clyde and Marjorie Beebe will be co-featured in “The Chiseler,” with Nick Stuart, juvenile, and Lincoln Stedman, both from feature productions, in the supporting cast. First National Puts On Initial Program In Del Monte Tieup ( Special to the Herald-World) LOS ANGELES, April 29. — The huge radio tieup, just consummated by First National Pictures and the Del Monte Company, food products manufacturers, had its inauguration last Saturday night over the red network of the National Broadcasting Company. “Song of the Flame,” the First National-Vitaphone all-color play with music, was the attraction, personal appearances being made by Bernice Claire. Alexander Gray, Noah Beery and Alice Gentle. The program will be broadcast each Saturday night. The Eastern program, which will be relayed from Salt Lake City, is to be broadcast at '5:30 p. m., Pacific Time; 8:30 p. m., Eastern Standard Time ; 7 :30 p. m., Central Time; and 6:30 p. m., Mountain Time. The Western program will be duplicated for all Pacific Coast listeners between 9 and 9 :30 p. m., Pacific Time. The First National stars appearing in current productions will be featured on each program, supplemented by a large orchestra and chorus under the direction of Emil Polak. An extensive newspaper and billboard campaign is also a part of the cooperative arrangement. More than 40 cities will be posted with a complete 24-sheet billing. A series of fullpage and half-page newspaper ads will be placed in at least 90 key points. In the larger cities, such as New York, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Chicago, a special newspaper campaign will be conducted. Subways, elevated stations and surface cars also will be covered. Advertising and exploitation departments of the National Broadcasting Company and the Del Monte Company will co-operate with First National in the preparation and distribution of stories calculated to appeal to editors of radio departments in magazines as well as newspapers. Daylight Saving in Effect ; Exhibitors In East Lose Fight (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, April 29.— Efforts on the part of New York state exhibitors in several sections of the state to defeat daylight saving at special elections held during the past week were unsuccessful. Daylight saving became effective throughout the state at 2 A. M. Sunday morning, April 27, with the exception of a number of places where local ordinances will be effective and will serve either to have Standard Time or will make the daylight saving season begin a month or so later. Chicago began its thirteenth year of daylight saving last Sunday. TORONTO — -Almost every city and town in Ontario and various cities in the Province of Quebec switched to summer time on April 27 without any general agitation or protest in an organized way from exhibitors and others who are inclined to oppose daylight saving. Death Takes Pioneer as William Littlestone Dies (Special to the Herald-World) PITTSBURGH, April 29— William Littlestone, who in partnership with H. Goldberg, operated the Brushton theatre here, is dead. The end came suddenly on April 17, and at a special meeting April 18, of the board of directors of the M P T O of Western Pennsylvania, of which he was a member, a resolution of condolence was passed and transmitted to his family and friends. Littlestone was one of the pioneer exhibitors of Western Pennsylvania. For a number of years he was associated with his brothers in the operation of a theatre in Turtle Creek and of another in East Pittsburgh. In the early days he was one of the most active members of the Motion Picture Exhibitors League of Pennsylvania. supper was given, short wave sending and receiving apparatus was installed. When one of the guests, which included many cinematographers and still photographers in New York, wanted another cup of coffee, his order was Hashed to the New York Times short wave station, then to the Byrd ship about 7,000 miles away in the South Pacific, from which it was relayed back to the Times station and picked up by the receiving set in the Hotel Roosevelt kitchen. And the sending time was less than that required for a waiter to travel the 200 feet from table to commissary. Canadian Minority Block Hits 5-4 Basis Of Paramount Plan ( Special to the Herald-World) TORONTO, April 29. — Many shareholders of the Famous Players Canadian Corporation continue to express disappointment, it is widely reported in the Canadian press, because the offer of Paramount-Publix for the Canadian company is not on a share for share basis, the actual consideration being four shares of Paramount for five shares of Canadian Famous Players. Voluminous statements continue to appear in the newspapers. Directors of the Canadian company, in recommending that the offer be accepted, hint that powerful competition may be met in the Dominion, in which case the shareholders would be better off with stock of a leader like Paramount, with its strong financial position and impressive record of earnings, assets and dividends. On the other hand, shareholders assert that Paramount did have control of the Canadian company only a year ago and that at the time of the offer of Canadian stock to the Canadian public last summer, it was stated, “control of the company is assured to Canada through the purchase of common stock previously held by American interests.” Arthur W. Roebuck, Toronto lawyer said to represent minority shareholders, declared that the sale of the Canadian company was “a breach of trust, an abuse of power and a national menace.” N. L. Nathanson of Toronto, former managing director of Canadian, has announced that he, as a voting trustee of the corporation, has not been a party to the transaction. The Paramount offer stands good until May 25. New House in New Orleans (Special to the Herald-World) NEW ORLEANS, April 29.— The Alsina Brothers, owners of the Famous theatre in the lower part of this city, have purchased property opposite their present site and are erecting a house seating approximately 3,500 people. It is expected that the house will be ready for a January 1 opening.