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

lurte 7, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 73 42 Bombings in Single Y ear, Civic Units Act to Halt Them Oakland Warfare Brings Chamber of Commerce Into Action — Marian Nixon Robbed on Coast Train — Cashier of Art Theatre Kidnaped — Shotgun Bandits Waylay Manager Exploding of forty-two stench bombs within a year in the theatres of Oakland, Calif., has brought action by civic organizations to put an end to this type of commercial warfare. This step climaxed a series of acts of violence last week which included a holdup on the Santa Fe Chief, the bombing of one theatre in Chicago and the robbing of two others, including the kidnaping of a cashier. Film Is Banned as Christian Propaganda (Special from Department of Commerce) WASHINGTON, June 4.— A Reuter’s dispatch from Canton indicates that the Canton municipal commissioner of education has issued an edict banning the showing of two movies. One, a Chinese picture, is said to show immoral practices, while the other, an American production, is banned on the ground of its propaganda of superstitious beliefs, namely Christianity. Tiffany of Canada To Handle Gaumont Productions There (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, June 4.— Tiffany Productions of Canada, Ltd., will sell and distribute the product of the Gaumont British iompany of Canada, Ltd., according to an nnouncement by Oscar R. Hanson, general ales manager of Tiffany, who has just reurned from negotiations in Canada. Tiffany’s contract for physical distribuion through Canadian Educational expires in June 30th, Mr. Hanson stated, and the fiffany offices will then be moved to the Canadian Universal quarters, contracts with fie Universal company to handle the disribution of the combined Tiffany and Gauinont output having been signed. Approval Is Sought for Idea of Scenario With Both Action and Dialog (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, June 4.— A talking picture cenario has broken into print. It is called Broken Melody,” by M. J. Spivack, who s hoping that it will be bought for actual 'reduction. It is put out by the Talking ficture Publishing Company, which calls it he “most important literary experiment of he present generation.” It makes pleasant eading, is a curiosity for the library of the notion picture bibliophile and is intended o encourage other authors to write directly !or the screen. The story is an allegory. Tt concerns the ■ h i 1 cl Joseph, born deaf and dumb. His nother accepts the devil’s gift of a splendid ■oice for her offspring with the understandng that it may be taken away at any time. Vs a man he falls in love with Mary, who iilts him for a wealthy merchant. He builds temple of Memory and decides to present Miracle play there every year. Pilgrims lock to him. He is regarded as a god. jdary attends the first clay and is reunited yith him. Suddenly the devil appears and akes back his gift. The melodv is broken, "here is silence everywhere. The assembled thousands flee in terror. Silence is omething they cannot understand. When oseph and Mary, parted, are reunited, the ilence is broken. In a note to the producer the author says hat “Broken Melody” is meant to be treated s an epic of sound more than of scene, that He theme of the story is sound versus ilence. Extra to Play Lead (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, June 4. — Dorothy Mathews, comparatively unknown bit player, has been igned to play the lead in a Warner Brothers 'reduction in which she was formerly an xtra. The picture is as yet untitled. Following the highlights of the latest activities of criminals against theatres and film personnel: Civic Bodies Fight Stench Bomb Gangs (Special to the Herald-World) OAKLAND, CAL., June 4. — Civic organizations have launched a determined fight to stamp out the commercial warfare in which several East Bay theatres have been the scenes of action in the last year. The Oakland Chamber of Commerce last week filed a resolution on the outrages with the Oakland City Council and cited the fact that forty-two bombs have been exploded in theatres in this city alone during the year and that in two instances persons have been burned by acids. In the neighboring city of Alameda a special policeman has been assigned to apprehend those responsible for the outrages. Not Publicity Stunt; It’s Overall Bandit One might almost have scented a publicity plot in the robbery of the Santa Fe Chief by a masked bandit Friday night. Marian Nixon, one of the three victims, has been signed to star in Warner Brothers’ “Romance of the Rails,” but there was nothing of a publicity flavor in the holdup, which cost Miss Nixon, her husband, Eddie Hillman, polo player and clubman of Chicago, and Robert G. Lehman of Detroit a total of $7,500 in jewelry and $575 in cash. Ruby Keeler, also on the train, locked herself in her compartment, and the robber banged in vain at the door with a pistol butt. It didn’t take her long after her arrival in Chicago Saturday to call her husband, A1 Jolson, in Los Angeles and give him the details. Kidnap Cashier; Flee With $1,200 Three bandits in Chicago early Saturday kidnaped Floyd Jackson, cashier of the Cinema Art theatre and got $1,200 in cash and checks after forcing him to alight from a street car and return to the theatre to open the safe. Jackson had left the theatre shortly before midnight and got on a street car. As he left it he was met by the bandits, who called to him: “Hey, Mister Cinema, get in here.” They synchronized the words with the waving of guns. The bandits seemed to know all about the haibits of the theatre management. After the theatre is closed for the night no one is supposed to get back into it under any conditions, Jackson told the police, but the robbers let him off in front of the theatre and ordered him to get the door open. So he told the manager’s wife, Mrs. Lewis Machat, who answered the door, that he had forgotten a letter, and when she opened the door the bandits stepped in. Machat and Paul Towne, a film salesman, were backed against the wall with Jackson. Siegrid Wagner, a newspaper man, and Machat were upstairs and called the police, but the bandits meantime had forced Jackson to open the safe, and they made their escape. Shotgun Bandits Hold Up Manager Two Chicago bandits, one brandishing a sawed-off shotgun, held up Harry W. Willard, manager of the Symphony theatre, neighboring house, while he was counting the receipts, and escaped with $600. Bomb Scares Crowd; Manager Allays Fears Bombing of the Biltmore theatre, Chicago neighborhood house, at 10 o’clock at night, caused a rush to the exits, but Michael Kramer, manager, quieted the 500 patrons by throwing on the bright lights and announcing that the damage was slight and the only danger lay in “getting excited.” All the audience remained for the remainder of the picture. The bomb of black powder was set off in the alley near a side door and demolished the door. Kramer said he employs only union labor. Nathan Wolf is owner of the theatre. Exercise of Option Gives 38 More Theatres in Philadelphia to Warners (Special to the Herald-World) PHILADELPHIA, June 4. — Exercising an option negotiated a year ago, the Stanley-W arner Company has acquired full control of 38 neighborhood houses in this city and adjoining communities, operated by the W arner-Equity Theatres, Inc. Beginning Monday, June 2, all of the houses hitherto operated by W arner-Equity Theatres as an independent organization became part of the Stanley-W arner Company, which is controlled by Warner Brothers. Within the next week, as a result of the acquisition of other houses, the Stanley-W arner Company will be owners and operators of 205 theatres in Philadelphia and adjoining territory, all operated out of Philadelphia. That Warner Brothers is planning an invasion of Louisville is evidenced by the filing of incorporation papers at Frankfort, Ky. And from Oklahoma City it is reported that negotiations are underway for purchase of six Midwest theatres at a cost around eight millions. John Sinopould, president, and Tom Boland, director, are home from New York.