Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

22 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD November 15, 1930 Producers Must Fight to Hold Foreign Market, Says Laemmle Companies Overseas Working Overtime on Own Product, He Declares— Calls Wide Film Still Experimental — Gratified at Mention for Nobel Prize for Universal^ " All Quiet" (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 13. — Universal, during the coming year, will concentrate on the development of perfect foreign versions of talking pictures to maintain the world market which the company has built up, Carl Laemmle, Sr., declared this week in an exclusive interview with representatives of Exhibitors Herald-World. Laemmle declared that foreign markets will be lost to American producers if they do not make a definite bid for them and offer good products. He pointed out that since talking pictures had made their bow, foreign producers, with 'a headstart because they understood their own languages better than American producers, were working overtime on their products. "I do not know today whether, in our present stage of development of French, German and Spanish talking pictures, we are making money, losing it, or breaking even," he said. "That must be determined in the future. In the meantime, we are virtually forced to continue with our foreign work and to improve it considerably if we expect to hold our markets." He said that the American product must be made "so well that foreign exhibitors would be glad to have it above all else," and that if Amerian producers found, after this, that they were losing the markets, they would have to give them up. Wide Film Experimental Laemmle refused to comment on wide film, stating that so few houses were equipped for it that no definite reaction from the public had been obtained. The Universal wide film product is known as Magnachrome, and the only experiment which has been conducted, according to Universal executives, is with one two-reel picture. Laemmle has shown considerable interest, but has made no definite statement pending the outcome of the wide film controversy which still is raging along the Hollywood and eastern fronts. "We are driving ahead with what we have on regulation film," he said. Asked about the fact that dozens of editors in America, in Europe and in Australia had mentioned him in connection with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize for the year, as the result of the production of "AH Quiet on the Western Front," Laemmle said that he was "distinctly gratified." "Since I entered motion pictures, almost twenty-five years ago, I have fought to cement international relations through the medium of the motion picture," he said. "I have done everything within my power. "When the time came to produce 'All Topical Pictures of National Life OK'd (Special to the Herald-World) PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 13.— The M P T O A convention approved a suggestion of President Lightman that topical films illustrative of different phases of national life be produced and presented in theatres. He mentioned specifically a Mothers Day picture. Quiet on the Western Front' my son and I were faced with a dilemma. Everyone advised against it as a box office attraction, and many of the things they said about the production were unfavorable. We disregarded box office considerations and decided it would be well to give it to the world as a message of peace, and nothing more." Laemmle also expressed himself as being gratified to receive the award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, given to him at the annual dinner of the organization last Wednesday night. The trophy was presented by Louis B. Mayer. It went to Laemmle because he, in the eyes of the Academy, achieved the highest attainment in motion picture production for 1929-30 by producing "All Quiet on the Western Front." Biography to Appear by February During February, Universal City plans to celebrate the twenty-fifth year of Mr. Laemmle's association with the motion picture industry and, in connection with this, the biography of Laemmle, written by John Drinkwater, the noted British playwright, poet and biographer, will appear. Material for this biography was gathered by Dave Bader, on special mission. Drinkwater cabled from London that he had finished the work last week, and that the manuscript would be in Laemmle's hands within another fortnight. This means that the interesting and inspirational biography will be presented to the public during or before February. "I hope that the biography will be interesting and educational, and that in addition it will be an inspiration to those who, at times, on the journey through life, have reason to pause and doubt themselves and their future," Laemmle said. Nickel Shows "Unfair Competition" Charges Allied Unit in Michigan (Special to the Herald-World) DETROIT, Nov. 13.— Charging that it is "unfair competition," Allied States has attacked the policy which it says chain theatres in Michigan are following in running five-cent shows for children on Saturday mornings. The Allied organization says this will undermine the stability and security of the business and makes the following additional assertion: "There is a pretense of public-spiritedness, but this is only a shield. The chains are reviving the nickelodeon days which we supposed had disappeared forever. The unfairness consists in this: the independent theatres, competitors of the chains, buy films on a contract which stipulates that not less than 10 cents admission shall be charged; the chains buy on a franchise containing no such conditions." Evidently Canadian Censors Think We're Unique (Special to the Herald-World) TORONTO, Nov. 13.— Before "The Big House" was passed by the Ontario Board of Moving Picture Censors, Regal Films, Limited, Toronto, Canadian M G M distributor, was required to insert a sub-title announcing the prison conditions depicted in the picture did not apply to Englishspeaking countries other than the United States and that it was not suggested that the feature represented prison life in any country but possibly the States. MONTREAL, Nov. 13.—"Ingagi" has not yet been passed by the censors of Eastern Canada but "Africa Speaks" has been approved by both the Quebec and Ontario Boards. "Africa Speaks" has been booked into the Palace theatre, Montreal, starting November 15, and at the Tivoli, Toronto. Musicians Agree on Terms with Theatre Provided That — (Special to the Herald-World) ST. LOUIS, Nov. 13.— The Musicians' Mutual Benefit Association, in a formal statement issued on November 10 announced that it would enter into a new agreement with the motion picture theatres of St. Louis on the terms submitted at the recent New York conference with the national heads of the theatres provided that the contract gave the musicians the same right as the theatres relative to cancellation. This one-way clause is said to be the chief obstacle to peace and not the question of the number of musicians to be employed in any theatre. Samuel P. Meyers, president of the St. Louis local "union of musicians, and William A. Williams, business manager, who issued the statement, announced that the musicians are willing to resume negotiations with the theatre owners at any time. A paragraph of the announcement follows : "We, the Musicians' Union of St. Louis, would agree to acceptance of any contract which would give the musicians the same right and protection afforded the theatre managers under such contract; which is fair and equitable should allow both parties the same rights and privileges ; if the manager has the right to cancel his end of the contract, that is, discharge the musicians after a few weeks' notice, then the musicians on the other hand should at least have the same right to give a few weeks' notice." J. F. Wallace, Manager of Albany R K O House, Dies (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, Nov. 13.— Joseph F. Wallace, for many years manager of various theatres in this city, died last week following an illness of six days, caused by acute indigestion. He was born in Albany and entered the theatre field as assistant treasurer of the Leland, then owned by the late F. F. Proctor. Later he became treasurer of Proctor's Grand theatre in Albany, and later assumed management of the house. He served in that capacity through Proctor's ownership and then continued as manager when R K O took over the theatre a vear or so ago. ^l