The Film Daily (1926)

oyplLMDOM VOL. XXXVIII No. 72 \ ML THE NEWS ALLTHE TIME Friday, December 24, 1926 Price 5 Ctnts Yuletide TOMORROW is Christmas. A day of good cheer and merry-making, a day upon which a too busy world halts in its course and turns from the material to something which approaches the kindly — even if ightly. There is something splendid and privileged in the ability to give. In service or in deed all those who have given understand full well how completely this is so. The task of supplying the world with entertainment in the form of motion pictures is truly a service. Of Joys and Sorrows It is essential that humans partake of some of the joys of an earthly existence just as they partake of most of the sorrows. In the planet's entire history no one agency for the dififusion of happiness has been known to approach the wide sweep motion pictures have obtained in the jshort period of thirty years. The scofifers may point with derision. They will always. |What they cannot gainsay, how_ver, is the potent force of an [instrument which daily makes millions the world over a trifle nore contented and a wee bit ore joyful. Here is a truth which shcfuld nean a merry Christmas for this industry tliis year and in all ^ears to come. It is far more worthwhile to create a laugh ;han a tear if only because the 'ormer is elusive while the lat:er is inescapable. A Change Fulfilled The motion picture has been iescribed as one of the greatest 'orces for good that civilization las ever encountered. A tre endous charge, indeed, but one for which the responsibility has been accepted and fulfilled. That, too, is more than ample reason why the Christmas of 1926 should be a happy one. KANN WILL HAYS CONFERS ON NON-THf AMAl POLICY Meeting With Distributors and Exhibitors to Plan Future Course Development of a general policy on the subject of non-theatrical showings of pictures is the purpose of conferences now being held by Will H. Hays, distributors, exhibitors and others. The conferences have been in progress for some time and are continuing. Hays is in receipt of a number of letters on the subject, which is being discussed from all angles. • — /] Merry Christmas — Plan Big Chain San Francisco — Ackerman & Harris have launched an aggressive expansion program which will give the firm one of the largest chains on the Coast. The firm, which now has six theaters in the Bay district, plnns to start immediate construction of three more. A 3,000-seat theater at Mission, and 19th St., and a similar house in another suburban section are among projects planned. . — A Merry Christmas — Iowa Firm Expanding Waterloo, la. — Two new theaters are to be built by the Frank Amusement Co., subsidiary of North American Theaters, one to be operated jointly with the Orpheum circuit, according to announcement by Alexander Frank, president. Plans have been approved for an Orpheum here {Continued on Page 2) — A Merry Christmas — Lord to Direct For F.N. Los Angeles— Del Lord has been signed to direct "Bayo Nuts," written by Frank Griffith for First National'. Hempton Del Ruth wrote the adaptation. — A Merry Christmas — Flinn Returns John C. Flinn, P.D.C. vice-president, returned yesterday from the Coast. He had no statement to make with respect to the impending merger of his company with Pathe, pointing out that negotiations were being handled in New York during his absence. ^, . — A Merry Christmas — Strayer to Direct Clara Bow Los Angeles— Frank Strayer has been signed by Famous to direct Clara Bow's next, "Rough House Rosie. The Fighting Marines Exhibitors, you can tell it to the world that "Tell It To The Marines" is a picture. Because it is! It has story; it has acting; it has comedy, punch, color, dash. Sounds pretty much like the makings of a first rate picture doesn't it? It's substantial box-office, with a bear of a title, and the Marine Corps behind it to speed it on a money making career. Start making your promises, theater owners, because we're telling you now — you've got something real coming along. KANN "Marines" Opens With the commandant of the Marine Corps and other army and navy officials in attendance, "Tell It To the Marines" opened last night at the Embassy. Naval bands, marine buglers and a flag raising ceremony added color. Twenty sergeants guarded the entrance, which is topped l)y one of the most unique marquee displays seen on Broadway, with the lighting arrangement giving the impression of a seascape. A replica of the marine emblem, guarded all day by two marines, was unveiled. • — A Merry Christmas — Gross $625,000 In its Broadway run of slightly less than a year, "Ben Hur" grossed $625,000. The picture opened Dec. 30 last at the Cohan, moving to the Embassy May 23, where it continued until Wednesday, being replaced Thursday night by "Tell It to the Marines." — A Merry Christmas — $200 Raised For Relief Fund A total of $200 has been raised to date for a former executive of the industry who is now ill, as stated recently in THE FILM DAILY. Yesterday a committee of the A. M. P. A., comprising Bert Adler, Tom Wiley and Hopp Hadley, voted a contribution of $100 and Al Lichtman, present at the luncheon, donated $50. Previously George Kleine had contributed $50. — A Merry Christmas — Rowland To Coast Jan. 4 Richard A. Rowland leaves Jan. 4 for the Coast to supervise in conjunction with John McCormick the launching of the First National program for the coming year. 1 TO 1 "KONTINGENT" R[TAIN[DIN6fRMANY Exhibitors' Request For 2 to 1 Ratio Refused By Government Berlin — Germany's "kontingent " ol one to one will be retained, under action taken by the Central Government, despite exhibitors' request for a two to one quota system. Theater owners of Germany at their meeting at Duesseldorf in August, asked imposition of the two to one ratio, limiting importations to one American film for each two German pictures shown. The one to one ratio was established in March of this year. — A Merry Christmas — Distribution A list of every exchange in the United States and Canada has been compiled for the 1927 FILM YEAR BOOK, including street addresses, and, in most instances, managers. They will be arranged geographically. Addresses of exchanges in other countries will be listed in the foreign section. The headquarters of national distributors, state right distributors and the news weeklies will be recorded separately. Complete personnel of each distributing organization will also appear. — A Merry Christmas — Gloria At A.M.P.A. Yesterday was virtually United Artists Day at the A.M.P.A. luncheon. The principal guest was Gloria Swanson, who was entertained along with Al Lichtman, Harry D. Buckley, Arthur W. Kelly, Thomas Allan Moore, general manager and treasurer of Gloria Swanson prod, and Pete Bedard, assistant treasurer in charge of production. Lichtman said the screen stars such as Miss Swanson, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks are "pacemakers" inasmuch as they set a standard of quality in making their own productions. — A Merry Christmas — Moskine On Coast Los Angeles — Ivan Moskine arrived yesterday to play the lead in "Moscow," which Edward Sloman will direct for Universal. — A Merry Christmas — Hobart-Tell Marriage Henry M. Hobart, First National director, was married yesterday to Olive Tell.