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

46 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD May 3, 1930 w MUSIC AND TALENT Talkies Won’t Kill Stage: Editor Brisbane Not in Agreement with English Author Advertising Director Also Admits Value of Musical Features In Film Theatres By W. S. RUSSELL Those who are in a strategic position for clocking public opinion hold no fear for permanency in the decline of stage attractions. It is merely a temporary condition which always follows in the wake of scientific development. First, to quote Arthur Brisbane of the Hearst papers, whose comments in his column, “Today,” are more widely read, undoubtedly, than those of any other editorial writer : “George Bernard Shaw says: ‘The talking film will kill the theatre.’ The brilliant old gentleman is mistaken. Newspapers did not kill well-printed books, talking machines did not destroy interest in grand opera or in the singers as individuals. “Human beings want to meet each other. Shadows, even when they talk, cannot satisfy them completely. “The men in Plato’s slave cave looking at reflections on the walls were not satisfied with those reflections after they heard about realities in the outside world.” An excellent view of the situation, and undoubtedly a forecast which will materialize. Edward Moore, music critic of the Chicago Tribune, devotes more than two columns of space to a discussion of “canned” music versus flesh and blood entertainment in a recent issue of his paper. Mr. Moore uses as the basis for his Sunday feature the nation-wide campaign being conducted by the National Federation of Musicians. One part of his feature should be especially interesting to those artists of “Music and Talent.” It reads: “Not for the future but for the present, there is word on the other side, William K. Hollander, in charge of the publicity battalions of the Balaban & Katz theatres, informs me that business is excellent, that judging a film like ‘Sally,’ for instance, in terms of either dollars or people, it is doing better at neighborhood theatre prices than when it was in the loop in its flesh-and-blood guise, and incidentally charging much higher prices. He adds, however, that theatres like the Chicago, the ( Continued on next page, column 2) Bobby Mellin Joe Sanders Joe Sanders of the famous Kansas City Nighthawks, former holder of the amateur three-cushion championship of Kansas City, and Bobby Mellin, sales manager of the Remick Music Corp., former holder of the amateur junior three-cushion championship of Illinois, are devotees of billiards and are seen frequently playing together at Augie Kieckhefer’s Recreation room, Chicago. Warner Songwriters Now Receive Fan Notes M. Witmark & Sons, music publishers to Warner Bros., who handle many of the successful A1 DubinJoe Burke 6ongs, report the receipt of several fan letters addressed to these writers. This is the first time in the history of popular songs that mash notes have been directed to the composers of a number rather than to the actor who delivers it. Many of the letters received by Dubin and Burke come from women and express less interest in the art of songwriting than in the personalities of the composers to whom they are addressed. The notes from masculine admirers are a little more direct, one of them inquiring how much it would cost to learn to write hits in the same manner employed by Dubin and Burke. Fox Formally Launches Music Pu blish ing Firm The New Concern Is Credit to Winfield Sheehan and Pat J. Flaherty By ED DAWSON NEW YORK, April 29.— The formal and official launching of Red Star Music Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Fox Film Corporation, comes as a well earned reward to Pat Flaherty, who has labored diligently since his selection by Winfield Sheehan, vice-president and general manager of Fox, to take over the executive directorship of the publishing company. Flaherty’s task has been a big one. Immediately after his appointment as general manager of Red Star, Sheehan sailed for Europe and left the selection of quarters, hiring of an organization, opening of out of town offices and the many other endless details which go to make up a music publishing concern in his hands and to say that he has acquitted himself nobly in all respects would be putting it mildly. Although Red Star has been functioning with great success for the past seven or eight weeks and selling its share of hits from Fox pictures, the formal opening had wisely been postponed until this last week when the New York offices were fully manned, thoroughly organized and equipped for action, and also the branch offices in the key cities. The main office at 49th and 7th avenue is a revelation to the music business in size, design and decoration and is already the talk of the music world. That the business of music publishing is on a higher level in the realm of “big business,” was aptly demonstrated on this occasion, when leaders in public life, a host of executives in the motion picture, music and allied industries, an unending stream of luminaries in the firmament of the spoken stage and screen, and hordes of world recognized impressarios, orchestra leaders, lyricists, tunesmiths, organists and others of kindred craft, paid tribute to the idol of the day, the personable and popular Pat J. Flaherty. Amid an air of jollity, resembling in its ecstasy, a Roman holiday (and that’s not far fetched) this steady stream of well-wishers, ( Continued on next page, column 2) UNIFORMS %}££? COSTUMES BROOKS