The Film Daily (1927)

THE 14 ■%£k DAILV Thursday, June 30, 1927 DAILY TIPS WHICH MEAN DOLLARS FOR SHOWMEN "Alaskan Adventures" (Pathe) Secured full-grown and ten baby 'possums, and with the co-operation of the "Rock Island" ticket office had dressed a flashy window display. Heralds with a running story were distributed from house to house in the vicinity of the theater. The herald was titled "The Pathe Route via the Rialto" round trip to Alaska. Attached were short and interesting topics which explained the exciting and adventurous points of picture. — Edward Harrison, Rialto, Lincoln, Neb Juvenile Comedies (Educational) Put on harmonica contest. One drug store arranged a window display which sold harmonicas and helped business. A newspaper publicity and advertising campaign featured the contest and the comedy. Four prizes were given the winners, while 24 "Big Boy" harmonicas were given to kiddies too young to enter the contest. The boy who blew a harmonica longest was given a special prize. — Gaiety, Industry, 111. "Michael Strogoff" (Universal) Through the local press announced print of "Strogoff" to be used at the theater was the most valuable piece of celluloid in the world since the negative had been shipped back to Europe. For this reason print was to be held at the police department until opening. This gave chance to parade the can containing StrogofFs adventures about town in an open car with two uniformed policemen on the back seat and a motorcycle cop ahead and behind. The can itself rode on the apron back of the driver's seat With narrow banners on the side of the car to tell the why and wherefore of the procession and a route which took over an hour to cover, the stunt got publicity. — Temple, Grand Rapids, Mich. "The Red Mill" (M-G-M) Multigraph letter was mailed to a list compiled from patrons and telephone book. Letter was timed to arrive day previous to the opening. This got the best day's business of the year, with scores of new faces noticeable in house. — Leo M. Reese. Lakeport, Lakeport, Cal. "Syncopating Sue" (First Nat'l) Used lobby art card with easel, cut-out with easel, overhead billboard, and 12 foot, two-side, illustrated banner. Lobby card was 4^x3 feet. A one sheet head was used on a lavender background. This card was put in lobby half week ahead of opening. The cut-out of Corinne Griffith was about 10x6, with easel. A billboard erected atop the marquee, illuminated, called attention a half week ahead of the coming attraction. The 12-foot banner was put up Saturday night for an over-Sunday showing. — M. M. Clark, Empress, Owensboro, Ky. "Senorita" (Paramount) Eight merchants and theater filled a half-page co-operative display with the rules of a word contest outlined at the top. Each contestant was required to make as many words as possible from the title not using a letter more than once in one word All the letters need not be used in each word, and each word must be of three or more letters, and must be words listed in the dictionary. The list of words could be left with anyone of the advertisers on the co-operative page or at the theater — G. R. Stewart, Sterling, Greeley, Colo. Theater Building Boom in Canada Toronto — For the second time in ten years, Canada has entered upon a theater boom. In most of the large centers of the Dominion, new theaters are in construction or have been announced. A theater boom was in evidence about ten years ago because of a race between Famous and the Allen Theater Enterprises, the latter eventually going into bankruptcy. One result of the race was overseating of scores of important towns. Theater construction fell off considerably in the following five years, but now is being revived. One of the largest houses under construction is the Orpheum at Vancouver. Famous is building at New Westminster, Trail and Kimberley B C. T. H. Moorehead of Brampton, Ont., is building a $100,000 theater at Brantford. Detroit interests will erect a hotel and theater project at London, Ont. The Bloom & Fine Circuit, Toronto, has two suburban houses under way there. Famous has opened the Runnymede in Toronto and will complete a house at Ottawa which was started about five years ago, to replace the Russell, which probably will be razed. Aid. W. A. Summerville, Toronto, has opened the new Eastwood as a companion house for his Prince of Wales theater. A site has been procured at Hamilton, Ont., for a new theater. The owners of the Capitol, Trenton, Ont., are contemplating the erection of a house in Kingston. Major Theater Co.. Toronto, is erecting a $75,000 theater in Silverthorne, a suburb of Toronto. With completion of the new bridge from Buffalo, N. Y., to Bridgeburg. Ont., a theater will be built at Bridgeburg to be known as the Regent. The Ukrainian Society. Toronto, is building a theater to cost $59,000. Many other projects are planned. Curtiz Busy on New Film Hollywood — Michael Curtiz is putting finishing touches to "The Outpost," in which Irene Rich is starred. His next will be a Biblical story, "Noah's Ark." EASTMAN'S FOREIGN BUSINESS GROWING Business of Eastman Kodak Co. is continuing to show the healthy gain enjoyed last year, the best in the company's history, states "The Wall Street Journal" in discussing extra dividend prospects. "Foreign business is still on the upward trend, particularly in Europe". "Eastern directors are expected in the near future to order a special distribution on the common stock. Interests usually well informed on Eastman affairs state that two plans are likely to be considered, one calling for an extra cash payment and the other a stock dividend. It is understood that the latter plan is the more favored". (When officials of Eastman were asked for confirmation of the proposed extra dividend, it was stated no action had been taken). "Kodak common is now paying regular quarterly dividends of $1.25 and an extra of 75 cents, equal to $8 a share annually", the publication points out, and further states that the present rate of dividend payments" is equivalent to $80 a share on the stock outstanding previous to 1922, in which year a split-up of 10 for 1 was made. Previous to the change in capitalization, the regular rate was 19% with liberal extra disbursements. "For some time it has been expected that the company would put the common on a regular $2 quarterly basis, paying extras as earnings justified, as in the past directors have followed the policy of rewarding stockholders as profits mounted. Inasmuch as authorized common amounts to 2'.500.000 shares, of which 2,051.310 has been issued, there still remains 448,690 shares which could be used for a stock dividend. "Earnings since the first of the year are understood to be running at a high rate, even exceeding the banner year of 1926. Last vear the company showed net available for dividends of $19,860,634. equivalent to $9.50 a share on the 2.051.310 shares of common, after preferred dividends. This compared with $18,467,112. or $8.84 a share on 2,046,190 shares in 1925. "Since Tune 30, 1902, Eastman's total earnings available for dividends have totaled $304.544.033. of which $9,024,770 has heen paid to preferred stockholders, leaving $295,519,263 available for the common equivalent to $144.06 a share. Payments on the common in the period have aggregated $202,759,723. or $98.84 a common share, so that a total of $92,759 540, or $45.22 a share has been plowed back into the property. "Surplus at the close of 1926 amounted to $71,370,058. an increase of $3,095,213 over 1925. Tn the past four vears surplus has increased $5,411,418, and it is this steady in crease, in conjunction with growing profits, that has made stockholders sanguine that it was only a matter of time until the company capitalized a part of this large surpdus by making a common stock distribution. "Working capital last year increased to $63.451.2'44 from $62,727,341 on Dec. 31* 1925. Current assets advanced to $79,196. 776 from $78,551,026 while current liabilities declined to $15,745,532 from $15,823,685. Current assets were in ratio of 5.03 to 1. compared with 4.96 to 1 in 1925 and 4.85 to 1 in 1924. "At the close of last December cash stood at $6,635,710, a decrease of $4,897,827 for the year. However, part of this decrease was made up by a gain of $2 500.000 in call loans, the company having $5,000,000 out on call at the end of 1926. Government securities showed little change at $24,459,991. although they had a market value of $25,935.'675. Other marketable bonds and stock, with market value of $4,196,266, were carried at $4,132,148. "Inventories were up $2,154,010 to $28,808.362, while value of plant account was increased to $39,738,471, compared with $37,096,854 in 1925". Theater Changes MONTANA Openings Harrison — School. Musselshell — School. Nashua— Orpheum. Winifred — Empress. Changes in Ownership Glendive — Rex, sold to G. R. Cummings by Dupon & Sufferis. Roberts — Roberts Theater. Closings Grass Range — Grand. Troy — Lincoln. Walkerville — Dream. NEW JERSEY Changes in Ownership Clayton — Strand. Closings Arlington — The Arlington. Belleville — Alpha. Bound Brook — Palace. Cranford — The Cranford. Dover Plains — Herberts Hall. East Orange — Lyceum. Elizabeth — Lyric. Victory. Hightstown — Strand, permanent. Hoboken — City. Irvington — City. Jersey City — Lyric. Lyndhurst — The Lyndhurst Lodi Township — Regal. Newark — Clinton Square. New Amsterdam, Olympia, Ronson. Orange — Bijou, Royal. Paterson — Lyceum. Plainfield — .Strand. Tenafly — The Tenafly. Verona — The Verona. West Berlin— Colonial, temporary. Playhouse. NEW YORK Openings Bmoklvn — Endicott, 13th Ave & 70th St. Marlboro. Bay Parkway & 70th St. Buffalo— Roosevelt. Floral Park, L. I. — Floral Park Theater. Forrest Hills, L. I. — Metropolis. Changes in Ownership Alexandria Bay — Community. sold to T. Claude Ellis by Sangster & Rotan. Buffalo—Elk, sold to J. Butch by Karl Matthais. Seneca, sold to Mrs. G. J. Gammel by M. C. Wiley. Falconer — Victoria, sold to Mrs. Valvatrice by Wm. Anzalone. Franklin— Rutherford Hall, sold to F. D. Woodard. Jamestown — Hirmodrome. sold to N. Dipson by Fish & Thrall. Lackawanna— Central, sold tn Albert Wolak by Frank Babinsky. Ogdensburg — Hipno Hrome. sold to Burham Amuse. Co. bv Eli Fosenbaum. Old For<*e — Strand, sold to Mrs. G. F. Brown by A. SaTpno. Oteeo — Ooera House, sold to T. J. Fuller. Pamted Post — Imperial, sold to G»by ft Cohen by R. M. Snyder. Phoenix — Strand, sold to James Duncan by S. Slotmck Rochester — Plymouth sold to C-eo. Kendolf Jr. by B. L-'oson. iSmyrna — The Smyrna, mlrl tn H p:<-kard bv Town of Smvrna. Sirracu"e — Oeddes. sold to Mr?. An^a Maracek bv Tnhn M. Ttqrran. Savoy, sold to D. J. Harrison bv Morris Fitzer. Closings Brooklyn — Arcade, Green St; Blake; Cleveland, Pitkin Ave.; Elite; Garden, Grand St. ; Gotham ; Huntington ; Park, Cropsey Ave. : Playhouse. Seventh Ave. ; Pleasant Hour; Public Palace; Review, Gates Ave.; Select : Wilson. Wilsnn Ave. Conev Island—Gate. High Falls — Fall View. Heightstown — 'Strand. Jamestown — Opera House. Banker Outlines Effect of Reduction on Stocks (Continued from Page 13) tion to some extent by reducing the amount paid minor players, and by reducing general overhead costs. But. so long as the public goes to the theater to see the star rather than the picture, it is doubtful whether much progress can be made in reducing the present fantastic salaries. The number of such popular stars is limited and so long as the public demands them the law of supply and demand will continue to act. The fact remains that such stars, almost without exception, earn a handsome profit for the companies employing them.