Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

26 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD November 29, 1930 Exhibitors and Producers Urged To Confer on Product Problems Director Archainbaud Says Present Method of Conveying Public's Wants Too Slow — Yearly Meetings Between Theatre and Studio Executives Suggested as Substitute (Special io the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 28. — Studio executives, including directors, supervisors and producers, should meet annually with exhibitors throughout the nation at least once a year to speed up the now gradual improvement of talking pictures, according to George Archainbaud, veteran Radio Pictures director. Archainbaud, in an interview with a HeraldWorld representative, declared that if exhibitors could tell studio executives what millions of motion picture fans wanted, and if the executives could tell exhibitors the problems they face in production, the conferences would do more for the industry than any one existing factor. Present System Too Slow "By the time that information reaches the director, the player and the studio executives as to what the public wants, it has passed through so many hands and so many mouths that it is garbled," he declared. "The present system is for the salesman to contact the exhibitor, to learn what he wants and to report to his superiors, who in turn pass the information to the producer. "From here it niters down to us, who are doing the actual work of production. Such information is both confusing and misleading. I believe that if we could all get together there'd be far less bickering and far more box office return." Wants More on Public Reactions Archainbaud, who has been directing since 1915, and who has put practically all of the outstanding stars through their paces during this period, admits that he doesn't know a third as much about the reactions of exhibitors and the public to his pictures as he would like to. "At the same time," he continued, "exhibitors do not understand many of our artistic and our financial problems. This is not their fault, any more than it is our fault that we do not always understand their needs." In fifteen years of experience, he has come to the conclusion, he declares, that the best ingredient of a box office motion picture is the cast. He has always chosen the best casts he could get, believing that competent players make work move faster, understand direction better and help turn out smoother pictures, which in turn click at the box office because of their names and their recognized abilities. Would Limit Dialog In common with most of the other old line directors in Hollywood, Archainbaud is of the opinion that much of the talking should be eliminated from the present product and that directors should lay the foundation of their stories with action and with camera, rather than with an endless flow of words. In his forthcoming picture, on which rehearsals have already started, he has in his cast Betty Compson, John Darrow, H. B. Warner, Margaret Livingston and Ivan Lebedeff. He will concentrate on using the camera rather than words, and is working with Wallace Smith in making the dialog brief and to the point. The product will carry the title, "Children of the Streets." Ramsaye to Direct Class in Study of Motion Picture Art (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Nov. 28.— A course of study on motion pictures, representing "essentially a stock-taking of achievement down to the present time with a view to discovering the possibilities of the future" is to be instituted by the New School for Social Research, under the direction of Terry Ramsaye. The course will have nothing to do with production, either in writing or in manufacturing. Each of the twelve lectures scheduled for the course, the first of which will be given January 8 at 5 :20 _ P. M., will be illustrated by actual moving picture material to illustrate the points of art or technique discussed. The other lecture will come on successive Thursdays at the same hour. On January 5, the school moves to its new million-dollar plant on West 12th street, which signalizes the beginning of its twelfth year. Grainger Investigates San Antonio as Site for One of New Fox Houses (Special to the Herald-World) SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 28.— James R. Grainger, general sales manager for Fox, has been here, purportedly to investigate the advisability of erecting a new theatre in the city. Grainger stated he came to study the local motion picture situation with a view to submitting reports to the home office. He also said Fox's franchise with a local showhouse will expire in August, 1931, and that his company is considering the construction of deluxe houses in leading Texas cities. Fire Destroys Theatre (Special to the Herald-World) QUITMAN, MISS., Nov. 28.— The Crandall theatre, here, property of the Long-Bell Lumber company, was burned with a total loss. The origin of the fire is not known. The theatre was operated by E. N. Lantrop. Girl Usher Catches Stench Bomber in Act; Confession Reveals 6 Weeks' Plot (Special to the llerald-World) PORTLAND, ORE., Nov. 28. — Margaret Black, girl usher at the Capitol theatre here, caught a man in the act of placing stench bombs in the house. The discovery resulted in the arrest of four perpetrators. Police say the men have confessed that they were hired to set the bombs periodically during the past six weeks. Several stench attacks have already occurred at the Capitol. Operators continue to picket the house. Pennsylvania Court Rules Talking Films Are Legal Evidence (Special to the Herald-World) PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 28.— Talking piclures, if accurate and reliable, are legal evidence in a court trial, according to a Pennsylvania Superior Court decision. The opinion was handed down in the appeal case of Harold Roller, who had confessed to robbery while a motion picture camera clicked and sound apparatus recorded what was said. Use of the motion picture evidence in a lower court resulted in the man's conviction and a five year sentence. Hist counsel appealed to Superior Court on the question of legality of the sound picture record. Superior Judge Cawthorp reaffirmed the lower court's decision and said : "The novelty of the talking picture is no reason for rejecting it as evidence, if its accuracy and reliability are established. As photographs and phonographic reproductions of sound have been held to be admissible evidence, there would seem to be no reason for refusing to accept a talking motion picture, which is a combination of the two, when it is shown to be accurate and reliable." Director of Public Safety Schofield has announced his intention of employing talking pictures extensively since the court's judgment of approval. New Checking Service Wins Indorsement of Eastern MPTO Head D. J. Selznick Believes "It Renders A Distinct Service to Exhibitor and Distributor" David J. Selznick, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, is highly impressed by the work which the recently organized Federal Theatrical Accounting Service is rendering under the direction of its founder, Harry Ross. In a letter sent to Ross, Selznick states: "The Federal Theatrical Accounting Service is rendering a distinct service to every exhibitor, and will bring about a better understanding between exhibitor and distributor inasmuch as it has abolished many vices previously active in the work." Selznick continues with a mention of the excellence of the personnel with whom he has had dealing in a recent investigation of this service. This new organization, established about two months ago, now has branch offices in nearly every section of the country, and at present, the organization is employing over 1,000 "checkers," which number, however, does not include a corps of inspectors which is constantly supervising the work in the field. The offices are located in all key cities, including New York, Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and Indianapolis. New branches all are in the process of being established. ButterReld to Open Ionia Theatre Dec. 18 (Special to the Herald-World) DETROIT, Nov. 28.— W. S. Butterfield Theatres, Inc., announces that it will open the new Ionia theatre in Ionia, Mich., December 18. The Ionia will seat 600. George Schaafncr has been named manager. A straight picture policy will be followed.