Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

26 EXHIBITORS HERALD -WORLD December 6, 193«> NEW BOOKINGS Columbia The Cooperative Theatre Service chain of Detroit has closed a deal with Columbia Pictures calling for exhibition of the entire "Superior Twenty" product and short subjects in 26 houses in the Detroit territory. Among the theates scheduled to play the Columbia releases are: Lincoln Square, Lancaster, Loop, Embassy, Norwood, Great Lakes, Republic, Grande, Globe, Gladwin Park, Regent, Colonial, Rialto, Boulevard, Midwest, Rivola, Ferryfield, La Veeda, Highland Park, Oriole, Blackstone, Fine Arts, Piccadilly, Beechwood and Macomb in Mt. Clemens. The same chain has purchased the product for the following houses in the surrounding territory: Washington and Wenonah, Bay City; Our, Grand Rapids; State-Grand, Flint; Ideal, Freemont; and Riviera,_ Niles. The C. Morse New England chain also has signed with Columbia for the "Superior Twenty," and the Crescent Amusement Company circuit has arranged for the purchase of the Buck Jones Western "specials" in the Atlanta territory. This deal gives the former product representation in 11 Morse theatres in the Massachusetts section, and 15 towns on the Crescent circuit. Nine of the first group are located in Massachusetts and two in New Hampshire. In the Crescent deal 12 towns in Tennessee are represented and three in Alabama. Another deal with the Joe Seider circuit in Long Island assures the company representation for the "Superior Twenty" group in 16 theatres in as many towns in that section. Tiffany The Ken Maynard action Westerns on Tiffany's new program have been booked to play the Warner houses in Bedford, Va., Staunton, Va., Lexington, Va., Martinsburg, W. Va., Clifton Forge, Va., Washington. D. C, Harrisonburg, Va., Frederick, Md., and Waynesboro, Pa. Tiffany also has closed a deal with Paramount whereby the Talking Chimp comedies will play houses throughout the Spanish speaking world. Fox has booked the same series for Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. The first of the Tiffany Talking Chimp comedies, "The Little Covered Wagon," has been booked in 32 Warner houses in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia territories. The second of the same series, "The Blimp Mystery," will show in 15 theatres in the territory. The Butterfield circuit of Michigan has closed a deal with Tiffany calling for the two series of Westerns starring Rex Lease and Bob Steele over the entire circuit. The Talking Chimp comedies series and H. C. Witwer "Classics in Slang" have also been booked for the same circuit. The Dickinson circuit have booked the Westerns for their houses in Missouri and Kansas. Pathe "Holiday," Pathe special starring Anne Harding, has been contracted for 35 houses in and about New Orleans. The United Theatres will play the film in 18 suburban theatres and Saenger Affiliations booked it for 17 houses. United has also taken "Pardon My Gun," Pathe's musical Western. Saenger Affiliations will play the series of six Knute Rockne football subjects. The Lincoln, New Orleans suburban subsequent run house, has signed up for all 1929-30 features. Manhattan Playhouses, Inc., has closed for the 1930-31 lineup of 20 features, for the following New York houses: Clinton, Apollo, Bijou, Palestine, New Delancey, Hollywood, Florence, Ruby, Second Avenue Sunshine, Orpheum, New 14 Street, Mt. Morris, Jewel, Regan, Harlem Opera House, Cosmo, Stadium and Palace. William Brandt has booked the 1930-31 features to be shown in the Brandt circuit of legitimate theatres on Sundays. Universal Universal has booked one of its new talking serials into the Roxy for the second time. Arrangements have been completed for the showing of "Finger Prints," detective thriller with Kenneth Harlan and Edna Murphy, starting December 20, immediately following "The Indians Are Coming," which was the first serial ever to play a Broadway first run. Universal also has the distinction of playing three serials on Broadway in a single season. The third is "The Spell of the Circus," now showing at the Cohan theatre. Another called "Heroes of the Flames," with Colonel Tim McCoy and Marion Shockley, is now being made at Universal City, and will bid for Broadway honors. Tt also reoorted that the Warner Stanlev ■.heatre in Pittsburgh has booked "The Speh of the Circus," marking the first time the house has ever played a serial. "The Spell of the Circus" will also follow "The Indians Are Coming" in all the Warner situations in the Pittsburgh territory. Big 4 Big 4 western films have been booked in seventeen towns in Arkansas through the Home State Film Exchange of Little Rock. They are Lonake, Walnut Ridge, Monette, Leachville, Manila, Brinkley, Marianna, Forrest City, Huntsville, Gentry, Eureka Springs, Bentonville, Paris, Van Beuren, Ozark, Booneville and Pine Bluff. Eight Texas towns also have booked the company's Western product through the Allied Film Exchange of Dallas. Theatres and locations are Fox, Waco; Guild, Crystal City; Winter Garden, Carrizo Springs; Majestic, Define; Majestic, Refugio; Colonial, Taylor; Strand, Gulf; and Queen, Palanous. A contract has been closed with the Fox Midwest Theatre Circuit for two series of Big 4 Westerns in two theatres in Topeka, Kansas City, Dodge City, Arkansas City, Fort Smith and Emporia. Warner Brothers The Schwartz Circuit, including 21 theatres in Brooklyn and Long Island, has closed for the entire 1930-31 product. Radio Pictures The major and short subject product for 1930-31 has been booked for the entire Butterfield circuit of 80 houses in Michigan. The Amos 'n' Andy feature, "Check and Double Check," will be given extended runs with exploitation in all Butterfield theatres. A Educational Contracts have been signed this week by Warner Brothers for the 1930-31 releases, assuring Educational of continued bookings in some of the choicest theatres in the country. The contract involves complete coverage of all the situations in the Warner circuit. The circuit business on the 1930-31 product has reached a higher total than was ever before written this early in the season. Bishop Denounces Films As Youth Menace; Urges Fight Against "Filth" (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, Dec. 4. — In a sermon delivered on Thanksgiving Day, Bishop G. Ashton Oldham, head of the Albany Episcopal Diocese, denounced motion pictures and motion picture advertising as a serious menace to the presem and future generations. To quote excerpts from his sermon in which he speaks of pictures : "When one stops to consider the total effect of the daily infiltration into millions of plastic minds of the filth and rottenness thus set forth, one is simply appalled. Such a widespread assault upon clean thinking and decent living has never before endured. Can our children safely endure it now? Since thought inevitably issues into deeds and character, ii will be nothing short of a miracle if the rising generation even holds the moral ground gainer? by its forbears." Says British Lost Millions On Inferior Sound Sets; 131 W.E. Replacements (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Dec. 4.— British exhibitor? have lost over a million dollars on installations of sound equipment which has had to be replaced. This is the statement of T. P Drew, sales manager for Western Electric in Great Britain, who reports that his company has now made 131 replacements in the country. The replacements amount to nearly 13 per cent of Western Electric's installations in England. Nineteen different brands of sound apparatus have been supplanted by the E R P I product. The million dollar exhibitor loss to which Drew refers does not, he says, include "the additional drop in box office receipts and theatre prestige." Says 75 Chain Houses Top 600 Independent Gross (Special to the Herald-World) CINCINNATI, Dec. 4.— An idea of thr distribution of the $50,000,000 in admission? paid yearly by Ohio film theatre patrons, can be gained by figures which were recently given out following a survey of Ohio theatres. The chain houses, the report shows, although numbering only 75, are said to have a yearly gross income of $28,000,000. whereas the 600 independently operated houses in the state receive but $22,000,000 Martin Solomon Heads Columbia in Pittsburgh (Special to the Herald-World) PITTSBURGH, Dec. 4— Martin Solomon, former branch manager for Warner Brothers, has been appointed manager of Columbia Pictures' exchange here, replacing Joe Wolf, resigned. Solomon was connected with Warner as salesman and branch manager for five years before taking the post with Columbia. New Visatone Recording Set on Market in England (Special to the Herald-World) LONDON, Dec. 4.— Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company, Limited, has placed on the market a new recording set, which will be known as "Visatone." The apparatus, designed by Captain H. J. Round, is said to be highly satisfactory for even the most minute details of sound recording.