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November 15, 1930
EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD
49
Chinese Go for Talkers, Increase Film Demand, U. S. Trade Survey Finds
Theatres Doubled Since 1927 Despite
Ravages of Civil War; Now
Number 233
(Special to the Herald-World)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.— Seven of the 24 cities in which China's 233 motion picture theatres are located, possess houses that have, or are about to have, sound equipment, according to a survey just made by the motion picture division of the U. S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. Shanghai, the theatrical center and also the center of such domestic production as there is, has 53 theatres, of which 12 present sound pictures.
China's 233 theatres represent a growth of approximately 100 per cent since 1927, when there were 106 houses with a combined seating capacity of 68,512 — this despite the ever-raging civil war. The present combined capacity is 136,914. It is estimated that 450 features were shown in China during 1929, and of these, 90 per cent were of American origin. American exports to China during the first half of 1930 amounted to 1,013,044 feet, of which 678,816 feet were sound film.
Domestic productions are popular, but they amounted to less than 50 in 1929. From 1921 to July, 1930, about 164 domestic producing companies were formed, but only 53 produced any pictures, and not much more than six companies are active now.
Of the 18 distributors in China, four are American, two are French, one is German and 11 are Chinese. Indicating the fondness of the Chinese for screen entertainment, the survey disclosed that in Shanghai, from 30 to 70 per cent of the patrons are Chinese, while in Peiping, Chinese constitute fully 90 per cent of the patronage.
U. S. Officials See Government Studios Placed in Operation
Frederick H. Payne, Assistant Secretary of War, and a delegation of executives from the government's war department attended the formal opening of the new sound recording studio and private projection room in the Unition Building, Washington, D. C, when the RCA Photophone equipment was placed in operation.
Two pictures were shown at the opening of the studio and projection room. One was "Check and Double Check," and the other, a short subject, depicted a smoke screen being thrown over lower New York City.
Major General George S. Gibbs, chief signal officer of the army, gave a speech explaining the sound machines. The federal sound motion pictures will be in charge of the Signal Corps, the department of which he is director. Major Cedric W. Lewis of the army pictorial service will be in immediate charge of the studio activities.
The sound pictures are to be used for training purposes. Among the first of the service men who will see them are those attached to the 60 army posts through the country. National Guard units will also see them.
4,648 U. S. Theatres Now Wired With Western Electric Sound
Forty-five sound, installations have been made in the United States by Western Electric since its last report was published, bringing the present total to 4,648 in this country.
The theatres recently wired for Erpi sets, all both film and disk, are as follows: City Theatre Seats
Philadelphia, Pa., Italia 613
Northampton, Pa., Lyric
Mounds, 111., Egyptian 567
Berwyn, Pa., Berwyn..._
Brunswick, Ga., Ritz 842
Mattapan, Mass., Oriental
Buffalo, N. Y., Allendale 706
Syracuse, N. Y., Novelty.... 497
Gulfport, Miss., Anderson
Los Angeles, Cal., Romona
Jackson, Ohio, Markay
Jonesboro, Ark., Strand
Deerlodge, Mont., Rialto _
Honolulu, Hawaii, Kaimuke
* * *
Corning, N. Y., Palace
Revere, Mass., Crescent Gardens 1,802
Paynesville, Minn., Rialto 350
Chicago, 111., Karlov 894
Tarentum, Pa., Palace
Berwind, W. Va., Berwind ....
Buckhannon, W. Va., Grand Opera House
Dubuque, la., Capitol 335
Tampa, Fla., Seminole
Syracuse, N. Y., Empire
Lake Charles, La., Louisianne 488
Calexico, Cal., Fox Capitol
El Centro, Cal., Airdrome
Des Moines, la.. Family 357
Osceola, Wis., Garden 364
Conneaut, Ohio, La Grande 424
Selma, Ala., Walton 518
Breitung, Mich., Capitol 700
Danielson, Conn., Orpheum 703
Putnam, Conn., Bradley 809
Cincinnati, Ohio, Lincoln
Yonkers, N. Y., Model 331
Rockville, Conn., Palace 785
Cahassett, Mass., Town Hall 450
Bartlett, N. H., Odd Fellows' Hall
North Little Rock, Ark., Rialto
Newark. Ohio, Auditorium
Greenville, S. C, Carroll
Lake Providence, La.; Lake
Peterson, N. J.. Capitol
Grand Rapids. Mich., Royal
St. Joseph. Mo., Orpheum
Chicago, 111.. Symphonv 1,705
Salt Lake Citv. Utah. Empire
Sacramento, Cal., Sutter
Sonora, Cal., Star
Honolulu, Hawaii, Aloha
Eugene, Ore Heilig Theatre
Princeton, Ky Savoy
Fulton, Ky Grand
Chester, Pa Strand
Paducah, Ky Arcade
Enid, Okla Arcadia
Owensboro, Ky Bleich
Leonardtown, Md Dulee
Elmira, N. Y Colonial
Easton, Pa Third Street
Lampasas, Tex ....Leroy
Osawatomie, Kans Dickinson
Bensonville, 111 Centre
Rich. Sq., N. C Imperial
Huntington, W. Va Rialto
Norfolk, Va... Star
Philadelphia, Pa Locust
Quincy, Mass Quincy
West Orange, N. J State
Lawrence, Mass Premier
Madison, Me Strand
Murray, Ky Capitol
Rialto Installs RCA
RCA Photophone equipment has been installed in the Rialto theatre at Davton. Ohio, which opened September 1 as a full-fleldsed second run house. Vaudeville, which has been the policy in connection with silent pictures will be discontinued.
Jobless Musicians
Play Own Benefit Concerts
(Special to the Herald-World) MONTREAL, Nov. IS. — Unemployed musicians of this city have banded together to give their own benefit concerts each Sunday afternoon at the Orpheum theatre.
The concerts are given on a cooperative basis. The musicians play under the name of the Montreal Concert Symphony Orchestra.
The Orpheum is in the midst of the downtown theatre section, where the players were formerly employed.
New York, N. Y 79th Street
Schuyler, Neb Avalon
Huron, S. D Bijou
* * *
Plymouth, N. C State
Hobbs, N. M : Fawn
King City, Mo Lucille
Bethel, Me Odeon
Brooklyn, N. Y Folly
Mahanoy City, Pa New Family
Pittsburgh, Pa Gayety
Holdrege, Neb Sun
Honea Path, S. C New
Little River, Fla Rosetta
East Weymouth, Mass Jackson's
Rockne and Squad View Football Film At South Bend, Ind.
Members of the first and second football teams of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind., together with Knute Rockne, coach, were guests of Buddy Hooton manager of the Palace theatre there for the showing of the football romance, "Maybe It's Love."
The film features the 1929 Ail-American football team. Tim Moynihan, center on the Notre Dame eleven last year, is one of the players shown in the picture. He is now an assistant coach at Notre Dame and Manager Hooton arranged the guest party for the squad because of Moynihan's presence in the cast. Moynihan saw the picture for the first time at South Bend, having returned east before it was screened. Attendance of the football squad naturally drew a large crowd.
RCA Reports 30 Houses On Hawaiian Islands Are Using Photophone Sound
Out of a total of approximately 60 theatres on the Hawaiian Island which RCA experts consider adaptable to sound reprodutcion, 30 are now equipped with RCA Photophone sets.
The Consolidated Amusement Company, which operates some of the principal theatres on the islands, is understood to be contemplating installation of Photophones in its few houses which remain unwired.
The following theatres in the Consolidated circuit now have RCA equipment : American, Empire, Hawaii, Kahuku, Post Exchange, Tip Top, Waipahu, Kaimuki, Palama, Pawaa, Star, Princess, and three U. S. Army houses at Schofield Barracks, all in Honolulu ; Empire and New Palace, Hilo; Honomu, Honomu ; Kahalilui, Kahalilui ; Kaloa, Makeweli and Weimea, Kauai ; Lahanina, Lahanina ; Paia, Maui; Luke Field, Pearl Harbor, Ioa, Wailuku ; Lanai, Lanai, and the New Kaneohe and Puunene theatres on two large sugar plantations.
Three Montreal Theatres
Show French Pictures
(Special to the Herald-World)
MONTREAL, Nov. 13.— Three French talking pictures were presented at three theatres here last week.
At the Palace, George Rotsky, manager, showed the French print of "Playboy of Paris" at scheduled hours during the week, the English version being otherwise shown. Howard Conover, manager of the Imperial, had "La Femme a Menti," the French version of "The Lady Lies," on the screen. Charles Lalumiere, manager of the Roxy, showed an all-French newsreel.