The Film Daily (1926)

^€»NEWSPAPER /"FILMDOM )L. XXXVIII No. 69 ALL THE NEWS ALLTHE TIME Tuesday, December 21, 1926 B. O. "Hoke" OADED to the gunwales with hokum and thrills, "The Fire Brigade" was lered into Broadway last night. formula is tried and true. M M didn't attempt to wander off ; beaten path one iota. Out in the sticks, "The Fire igade" will go over like a house re. ]t can't miss. You find in love interest, heroics, the politi1 in search of filthy luchre, the ir alarm fire, the poor babe toting on the edge of the flaming i^ss, etc., etc., etc! Firefighting organizations all ;r America get 25 per cent of proceeds. That means ready1 d e exploitation everywhere. 50 salesmen who will boost and Dst the picture in all hamlets, 'ge and small. In a word, you ve thousands of firemen waiting get behind the production. It's iie-up such as exhibitors do not ■ any too often. Minneapolis Again ^ & R. is getting busy. So is blix. A 4,000 seat theater site at ith and La Salle, one of Minne'lis' best has been landed. Pubwill get operations under wav n. Now what do you find? F. & is to build in Rochester, one of inesota's big small towns. They e three theaters there, but the 'n can stand another along comiely modernized lines. It's interng. this move. Especially so bese B. & K. not so very long ? jo !nded building in that very town, ''essir, things are moving! Expansion t mav sound stale because it has n pointed out so often. But ask a pertinent question again: do I realize how fast developments the exhibition field are taking ice? Right from one day's dlines in the little old paper vou a graphic account of the treidous activity under way. 'he Dolle circuit in Louisville is anding. In Kentucky, the Swi' chain, one of the oldest in that :e, has hit the 40 mark. Kunskyaban & Katz is reaching out of Jroit proper for more theaters. :n where you will, the same situa1 holds true. Theaters constitute one engrossing topic. K ANN Price 5 CenU l & R. ENTRENCHING EOR PUBLiriNVASION' Circuit Gets Site For New House At Rochester, Minn. Minneapolis — Northwest Theaters is continuing with its expansion program and does not intend to permit the threatened invasion of the city by Publix, to interfere with its plans. Latest move in the program is the acquisition of a site for a theater (Continued on Page 2) Twin Cities Is Name Minneapolis — "The Twin Cities" is the name selected for the Publix house which will be built here. The theater, which is to be erected at Ninth and La Salle, will be part of an office building, although interest of Publix in the structure will be confined to the theater. Exhibitors Win Irvington, N. J. — Victory for theater owners of this city, in their fight against discrimination in enforcement of the state "blue" laws is seen in opening of the houses on Sunday. Two thousand persons placed their (Continued on Page 2) The Presentation Field Presentations have assumed a national importance in the field of exhibition. Throughout the country many theater owners have given the presentation a place of prominence on their program. This innovation will have a special department in the 1927 FILM YEAR BOOK, which appears next month. In this section will be (Continued on Page 2) TWO WARNER fILMS IN MILLION DOLLAR CLASS "Don Juan" and "Better 'Ole" Show Real Box Office Draw Of pictures in the "million dollar" gross class, Warners state they have two. one of which is rapidlynearing the $1,000,000 mark and another which will reach it within a short time. Thev are "Don Juan" and "The Better 'Ole." Tn 18 weeks of its run at the Warner, New York, the Barrymore film (Continued on Page 6) BRITISH NATIONAL PLANS DESCRIBED^AS VAGUE Finances Shaken But New Aid Promised By Schlesinger By ERNEST W FREDMAN. Editor, "The Film Renter" London — Management of British -National Pictures is in the hands of an operating committee which is preparing to start production of "Madame Pompadour." While J. D. Williams' contract has been cancelled, he still is a director of the company, it is pointed out. although future plans of the organization do not extend beyond production of "Madame Pompadour." Wil (Continued tm Page 7) Gross $250,000 "The Scarlet Letter" grossed approximately $250,000 in its run at the Central which closed Sunday. The picture opened at the house Aug. 9, continuing as a two-a-day attraction at |2 top. "U" Buys "We Americans" "We Americans" the play running at the Julian Eltinge, has been purchased by Universal. It will be used as a starring vehicle for George Lewis with Edward Sloman directing. British Producers Here T. A. Welsh, head of Welsh, Pearson & Co., Ltd., one of Britain's oldest producing companies arrived in New York yesterday on the Franconia. "Fire Brigade" Opens Shortly before the premiere of "The Fire Brigade" at the Central last night, the theater marquee collapsed. The fire department was called in to remove the debris. This was accomplished by the time the performance ended about 10:45. Griffith Confirms Official confirmation that he has returned to the United Artists fold was made yesterday bv D, W. Griffith, in a statement issued. He arrives today in New York from Hollywood for a brief stay before returning to the (Continued on Page 2) New Non-Flam Film London — Plans for production on a large scale of a new non-inflammable film, with cellulose acetate as its liase, are under way bv a company being formed. H. J. Mallabar. F.R.P.S., is discoverer of the new process. Flexibility of film made by (Continued on Page 2) Haines Coming For Opening William Haines, who has a featured role in support of Lon Chaney in "Tell it to the Marines," is en route to New York to attend the opening of the picture at the Embassy Thursday. Haines will then go to his home in Richmond, Va.. for Christmas. Fabian Buys Paterson House Paterson. N. J. — Fabian has acquired the Rivoli. 2.000-seat house, from the Bellman Amusement Co.. headed by Milton Ketay. The house, which has been opened about one year, will play first-runs. N. W. Unit Stirred Directors Consider Ban on Arbitration, Resignation of Steffes and Disbandment Minneapolis — Renunciation of the present arbitration system forever, disbandment of the association and resignation of W. A. Steffes as president, were chief topics discussed at a special meeting of the board of directors of the Northwest exhibitor unit. When his resignation was refused. (Continued on Page 6) Woody Joins Goldwyn Assuming immediate charge of the producer's New York office. John S. Woody yesterday was appointed eastern business manager by Samuel Goldwyn. In his 17 years in the industry. Woody has served successively as general sales manager of Select, general manager of Realart. and general manager as well as president of Associated Exhibitors. Return to U. S. J. D. Williams of British National. William Vogel and J. J. Rein, Producers International, Mike Moran, of the Interocean Forwarding Co., and W. J. Hutchinson of Fox. returned yesterday on the Leviathan. Lois Moran was also a passenger. New Deal On Gotham Product Realignment of distribution in the Cleveland and Cincinnati territories has been completed by Budd Rogers, vice president of Lumas. The product in these territories heretofore has been distributed through individual Gotham branches. Under the new arrangement, Schramm and Chapman of Security Pictures, will distribute.