Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

34 EXHIBITORS HERALD -WORLD October 18, 1930 Erpi Keeps Parts Worth Half Million Available in 39 Branches But with 95,000 Shows Weekly on Western Electric Sound Systems, Interruptions Average Less Than One Per Theatre Annually (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK. Oct. 16. — Some particularly interesting facts and figures relative to the organization and performance of the service department of Erpi in the United States reveal among other things that parts valued at $500,000 are always available for emergencies in 39 branch offices throughout the country. "THE technical staff is composed of 600 -*■ persons, with 160 handling tne clerical end. The country is divided into 13 divisions, 46 districts and 280 territories. Western Electric sound systems at present give 95,000 shows weekly, with standard of efficiency attained resulting in an average of less than one interruption per theatre annually. More detail in this connection shows that in service given from over 300 points, on January 1, 1929, the record was one interruption in 200 shows; on the same date in 1930, one interruption in 600 shows; and on October 1, 1930, one in 1,600 shows. Total installations of the sound system have reached the figure of 4,763, of which 4,501 are theatre installations. Three thousand service calls are made per week, and 300 technical inspection calls in the same period. It is estimated that the service department technical staff travels 100,000 miles weekly, averaging 360 miles per territory, and that approximately two emergency calls are answered monthly by airplane. An average of 22 minutes is required to Installations Grow In Spain and Brazil (Special to the Herald-World j NEW YORK, Oct. 16. — With Western Electric installations showing an increase of four, from 19 to 23, in Brazil, and from 25 to 32 in Spain, the world total has reached the figure of 6,870, according to the latest report. Of this number, 4,549 are in the United States and 2,321 in the foreign field. answer emergency calls for the entire greater New York area, and one and onehalf hours for the whole country. September Is Big Month for Studios in Berlin; Over-Production Feared Now 12 Out of 13 Producing Plants Kept Busy — Americans Coming in — Emil Jannings to Make New Talker for UFA [By Berlin Correspondent of the Herald-World] BERLIN, Oct. 6 (By Mail). — There is great activity in the Berlin sound studios. Twelve of the thirteen studios were occupied in September, and of the 338 studio-working-days of the month only 61 were idle. THE four Tofa studios are now being equipped for sound production. The six Staaken studios are still closed. There is no scarcity of German talkies now. Producers are beginning to fear that the market may get oversupplied and shorter runs may reduce the profits. Mostly Domestic Pictures Mostly domestic pictures are running. Americans are beginning to appear on the screen. "Halleluja!" had a splendid reception and was enthusiastically praised by critics. A French picture with the original dialogue, "Lous les toits de Paris," a Rene Clair production, has been held over six weeks in one Berlin theatre and in another West End house patrons seeking admission began to riot and a police force had to restore order. The cooler season has brought better at• ndance, but it is still below last year's. The -lowing unemployment makes itself felt, especially in smaller halls. Jannings with Ufa Again Jannings has been signed for one more Ufa picture. His first talkie, "The Blue Angel," draws crowds in every European country. The second one, "The Darling of the Gods," will have its Berlin premiere on October 13. Herr Jannings is now on tour with a theatrical company, appearing in two German plays in 15 Continental towns, including Buda pest, Prague, Amsterdam, the Hague, Antwerp and Brussels. 3 Sound Newsreels There are now three sound-newsreels running in Germany : Fox Movietone, the Ufa and the Emelka-News. The government allows all the topicals reduced entertainment tax, if their educating value is certified by the Lamve Committee, but such a certificate has in no case been granted yet. Warners Seek Stage To Produce "Illicie' (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Oct. 16.— Warner Brothers is reported to be seeking a theatre for the stage production of "Illicit," the play which is now being completed as a Vitaphone special. The usual procedure of first producing a play on the stage and then on the screen was disregarded by Warners in this case. Fox Hollywood Robbed In Portland; Loot Is $250 (Special to the Herald-World) PORTLAND, ORE., Oct. 16.— The box office of the Fox Hollywood, local suburban house, was robbed of $250 by a well-dressed youth who held up the cashier shortly before closing time "CHIC" CHATS WE understand that Mary Garden, opera singer, has expressed the belief that grand opera is doomed by the advance of sound films, particularly with the expected addition of three dimensional photography. That is in line with something with reference to the legitimate stage we have said before. It seems very likely that rather than talking motion pictures spelling the end of grand opera, they will serve to educate a new group of the public to the enjoyment of productions on the living operatic stage. It seems no more likely that motion pictures will "kill" opera than that the radio will destroy all desire on the part of a certain class of the population to hear concert stars in person. An extremely reasonable idea has been voiced to the effect that the hardships inflicted upon musicians by the introduction of sound apparatus in the picture houses might not have been so severe if reasons for economy had not been so pressing within recent months. The return of the musicians to the theatre, it is said, is entirely a possibility with the approach of a new wave of prosperity. There is no need for any conflict between the legitimate and talking pictures, since a picture always will remain a picture, though the introduction of talking has made it clearer, more complete and finer in every way than it has ever been before. AAA William Brandt, for many long years connected with the industry as exhibitor and otherwise, recently purchased a group of theatres in and about New York for the showing of legitimate plays. Now, we see, he has booked Pathe features of the 1930-31 product for exhibition in his circuit of houses on Sundays. It's a great box office idea, but the real answer is : Once a picture man, always a picture man! AAA The other day something happened at one of the Broadway picture houses which turned out to be amusing enough, but might well have developed into a serious situation. An individual, apparently unknown, informed police headquarters that a riot, with gun play as an added feature, was in the process of happening at this particular theatre. Commissioner Mulrooney's efficient "finest" immediately responded to the extent of about 25 patrolmen armed for riot duty, several ambulances and all the other paraphernalia necessary to the quelling of a disturbance. On their arrival, they discovered it was just a false alarm, otherwise known as a practical joke. Hanging is rather a too decent method for the disposal of this particular brand of ornery human animal ! AAA Fox Theatres Corporation does believe in the box office value of vaudeville as an added attraction to the feature picture after all. Within the next two weeks, four Brooklyn houses on the circuit will install the stage acts. Without any connection whatever with Fox or any other chain, may it be said that a good vaudeville bill will help a feature picture, but that a poor presentation is apt to keep people away who might otherwise be excellent word of mouth advertising for both film and the house showing it. We believe that most folk would rather see a good picture without vaudeville than a fair picture with fair vaudeville. "CHIC" AARONSON. Eugene Emmick Injured (Special to the Herald-World) SAN FRANCISCO.— Eugene H. Emmick. president of the Golden State Theatre & Realty Corporation, operating a chain of houses in this city and in Northern California, received concussion of the brain and severe lacerations in an automobile accident near Lawnsdale.