The Film Daily (1927)

DAILY Thursday, May 12, 1927 DAILY TIPS WHICH NEAM DOOABS FOB SUOWMEN "The Blonde Saint" (First National) Arranged with automobile dealer to stage motor parade, with each car bannered with ads for feature and fashion show and for the appearance on stage of "Miss Pittsburgh." Got first page stories in newspapers, with pictures of parade day following. Motorcycle cop led the parade, with Miss Pittsburgh in white roadster following. In second car was mayor and manager of theater. — Alvin Hostler, Strand, Altoona, Pa. "Rookies" (M-G-M) Midget band broadcast over station WGY, wearing "Rookies" buddy caps. Gave six numbers and on each announcer gave line on "Rookies" at State. Two ex-service men, one as sergeant with bugle and other as "K. P.," canvassed entire city with potato peeling stunt. Also 2,000 parachute novelties with word "Rookies" imprinted, fastened to coat lapels of General Electric employes at main gate of plant. — State, Schenectady, N. Y. "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp" (First National) Slide, "You can hear him coming, Tramp-tramp-tramp," used in advance. Stands of stills and lithos on street corners, in vestibules of hotels, etc. Specially painted sign, really a cartoon, above entrance to theater proved strong attraction. Sign was 4x6 feet, painted in black and red letters. Showed Langdon (a postei cut-out) beating it down a railroae track that ran beside a telegraph line. Along the track, In front of the fleeing figure, were pictures title in large type and "Walk right in" in smaller letters. — Jack Rowley, Rialto, Laredo, Tex. Convention Plans (Continued from Page 1) Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a number of features. A golf tournament is scheduled for May 6, the day before the business sessions start. A fee of $10 covers all expenses and a number of prizes are offered. Entertainment for ladies has been pro vided with a sightseeing trip as guests of the Chamber of Commerce and tea with Mrs. Donahey features and a surprise event promised for evening. Speakers at the convention will include S. L. (Roxy) Rothafel, Harry Reichenbach and J. C. Kroesen of the Edison Lamp Division of General Electric, who will discuss "Low Intensity Projection." Roxy is to talk on showmanship and Reichenbach on exploitation. Gov. Donahey will address the annual ban quet. Will H. Hays also has been invited to speak. An exposition is to be held in connection with the convention. Detroit's Capacity Detroit — There is one seat for every ninth person of this city, according to a survey completed b)' Dave Palfreyman of the Film Board of Trade The city's 179 picture houses have a total capacity of 169,388. Ninety-six theaters belong to circuits. The city has 17 other theaters with capacity of 28,635. Theaters in St. Louis Area Prepare to Open (Continued from Page 1) there is furnished by the fact that motor boats ran across the fields for 15 miles id (he hard road and did a thriving business. Concrete roads were from six to 20 feet under water. Probably the hardest hit exhibitor in this territory is John Biler at New Madrid, Mo., who has been totally ruined and his last dollar gone due to the high water. Exchanges in St._ Louis are going to be asked to furnish two pictures each free to help him get started should he open up again. Biler was warned several days in advance of the high water, but it was no easy job to take up an organ, scenery, and seats, and trestle them in the theater. His theater is about 15 ft. above normal level of the river and another ten feet were used up in trestle and scaffold equipment, yet the water was six feet higher then they anticipated, ruining everything. Mud and silt to the depth of 14 inches covered the theater when the water went down and when interviewed Biler was seated on the roof of his theater reading the first mail that came into New Madrid in two weeks. Damage to exhibitors through this district is not so much in the loss to their equipment, but where the Red Cross has had to sten iand take care of people whose homes have been washed away and whose crops have been washed out. One can easily understand i1 is going to take a year before they will have any time for a picture show, much le=s am money. Couple this with the fact that the coal strike in the southern part of this tpr-' tory was effecting business before the floods came and you have an idea of what St. Louis is going to be up against this season. At that, the St. Louis territory is fortunate. Memphis, Little Rock and other exchange centers must be in terrible shape compared to ours. Cal Cravens, an exhibitor at Portagev'l'e Mn., who uses a row boat to go home and to his other theater at Lilbourne, says he feels that Providence is punishing the people in his district and he says it in all seriousness, claiming they have not lived right. Two crop failures in two years, the high water and an earthquake at the same spot where in 1S11 the big New Madrid earthquake hit has fallen to Cravens lot. He says be knows when he needs help the exchanges will come to his aid. Throughout the territory, benefit performances are being given and it is the writer's oninion that if the torrential rains ever cease, things will get back to normal in a hurry. Fox Managers Gather For Sales Convention (Continued from Page 1) William Fox will outline to them the company's plans for next season. Milton J. Schwartz, in charge of convention arrangements, busied himself yesterdav greeting: the arriving delegates. The meeting today gets under way at 10 A.M. and business meetings only are promised, with a banquet to wind up the affair Saturdav night. President Fox, Vice-President and General Manager Winfield R. Sheehan, Vice-President Jack G. Leo and General Sales Manager James R. Grainger are to attend. New pictures are to be shown afternoon and evening throughout the three davs. "Seventh Heaven." "Sunrise," "Paid to Love." "Singed." "Junple Rose." "My Wife's Honor" and "Carmen," the last three starriner Dolores Del Rio, are pictures scheduled to be screened. Delegates leave earlv Sunday mommo for New York, where Movietone will be demonstrated at the Fox-Case studio. S. L. (Roxy) Rothafel is expected here to deliver an address on showmanship. Virginia Valli Here Virr/inia Valli, Fox player, is in New York. More Investments by Public Anticipated (Continued from Page 3) est owners of chain real estate buildings in the country." "The Journal" expects more investors to turn their interest and their funds to the industry. ''The motion picture industry," it pointed out, "has definitely passed out of the preliminary stages of its development and has entered a new era of great consolidations." At another juncture, appears this: "The large sums of capital that will be needed in the next few years and the increasing stability of the business on account of its enormous investments in high grade city real estate will make this almost imperative." Taking cognizance of the theater situation, this financial publication which enjoys the respect of many prominent bankers, states: "Just at present the greatest race for theater control in the history of the industry is under way. The pending combination of over 265 theaters (referring here to West Coast Theaters and North American Theaters) on the West Coast is the latest important example. "Extensive building programs are now 'being carried on by Paramount, Loew, Fox and Universal as well as by independent interests." Explaining why old-line organizations in the industry have had frequent occasion to turn to Wall Street for financing, the article makes this point : "The significant feature of this theater building boom is that it is confined almost entirely to large theaters seating from 1,000 to 5,000 persons each, which are replacing the old style neighborhood cinema. The great house is able to put on a more elaborate show, drawing customers from a wider radius with its superior attractions. Even in rural communities the coming of good roads has made it possible for the farmer to drive into the small town for the movies. It is estimated that there are now over 500 theaters which cost over $1,000,000 each in this country, a large part of which have been built in the last few years. Construction of mammoth houses is proceeding on a larger scale than ever before. It is estimated that $2'50,000.000 was spent on theater construction in 1925 and close to $100,000,000 in theater building has been contracted for in 1927. "A leading part in this expansion is being taken by the premier production companies, which explains their demand for new funds in the last year or so. "Stanley Co. and West Coast Theaters, Inc., controlling together 368 theaters, arranged a combination with First National Pictures, Inc., one of the most important producers of films. West Coast has some affilia tions with Famous Players, so its position in the Stanley-First National affiliation is not at present definitely defined. "An affiliation has also been arranged between Pathe Exchange, Inc., and Producers Dist. Corp., Cecil De Mille's producing company, and the Keith and Orpheum Theater circuits. "It was vitally necessary in view of the trend in the industry for film producers without theatrical affiliations, and for theater owners without film studios, to get together to preserve their position in the industry. "Paramount and Loew have a distinct advantage in realizing the fundamental necessity of combining the producing and exhibiting divisions of the business very early in the game. "This year will probably be a year of continued expansion and consolidation, which is apt to mean considerable unsettlement in the industry, although earnings of the major systems should be increased as income from newly completed theaters is received. "The ultimate stabilization that will result when the new combinations forming are finally worked into shape will mean very important savings to all leading companies of the industry." And That's That By PHIL M. DALY DORIS KENYON and Milton Silll are receiving congratulations on the birth of a son. Lucky thing Eddie Quintan didn't get to New York for the Spring Film Golf Tournament. He's been training for the golf comedy he's making for Mack Sennett. Raymond McKee is not putting all his eggs in one basket. In addition to his comedy work, he operates a.' chicken shack in Los Angeles. Arthur Zellner, eastern representative for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, is being married today. Cincinnati Exhibitor Files $208,000 Suiti (Continued from Page 1) 50 per cent of the gross over and above that amount plus house exl penses, advertising and $40,500 profit to the exhibitor. After accepting a deposit and ap-i proving the contracts, according to Frankel, United Artists telegraphed rejection on May 4 with a registered letter mailed the following day confirming the rejection. Pictures included in the contract, as listed in the complaint are: "Two Arabian Nights," "Topsy and. Eva," as played by the Duncan Sisters; "Sorrel and Son" produced by Herbert Brenon; the first Douglas Fairbanks picture following "The Black Pirate;" the first Mary Pickford picture after "Sparrows;" the first United* Artists D. W. Griffith picture after "Sally of the Sawdust;" the first Colman-Banky picture after "The Night of Love;" the first John Barrymore after "The Beloved Rogue;" 'Resurrection," produced by Edwin Carewe; the first Gloria Swanson picture after "The Love of Sunya;" the first Norma Talmadge picture; Gilda Gray's and Corinne Griffith's first. Thirty daysi protection over Covington, Bellevue, Ft. Thomas, and Newport, Ky., is provided, with 60 days in event any production is roadshowed. The Frankel interests operate the following theaters: In Ohio — Gifts.Hippodrome, Lubin, Alhambra, ParkHall, Palace, Colonial, Victoria and Empress. Cincinnati: Majestic and Victor; Columbus, New Lyceum.: Dayton. In Kentucky — Temple and Hippodrome, Newport. Al Lichtman of United Artists could not be reached yesterday for a statement. Terre Haute Merger (Continued from Page 1) ment Corp. The Western Indiana firm, it is reported, is allied with Balaban & Katz, Publix subsidiary. Officers of the company are: Charles Reagan, of Indianapolis, president: Floyd Brockell, of Chicago, vice-president, and Harry Ross, of Chicago, secretary-treasurer. Ralph W. Thayer will come from Detroit toj assume duties as directing manager, while! S. R. Nicholson, of Indianapolis, a director! in the Terre Haute Amusement Co. for thel last three years, and Maurice Fox, of this| city, will assist.