The Film Daily (1928)

Ihotophone on W. E. Equipment Without Change if^NEWSPAPER k^FILMDOM ALL THE NEWS ALLTHE TIME (L XLV No. 32 Tuesday, August 7, 1928 F ivC 5 Cents Titles II AD business. Titles are k overstepping the line again Advertising matter and cters are not far behind. Noc|y in particular, but pretty irly everybody at large is refnsible. To get what we mean, ■ glance over the current piccrop. It's clearly a case of parties involved getting away h something when all of them Jiw better. Ve suppose the wave of crime ijht be blamed. The trade, on ■ other hand, has no right to itself into the belief that re mers and self-appointed guar ns of public morals who sit in gment on the outside, have inged their spots. The leop [ never does. And therein is danger. "A Ship Comes In" Iready reviewed. From here and 'e, however, came whisperings of merits. So insistent, that we fig d we had better take a look. We and this is what we saw: k very worthwhile effort. A sim story of an emigrant family that ses through the crucible, some es known as America. Marked sincere and splendidly portrayed formances from Rudolph Schild ut and Louise Dresser. A fine ictorial job — William K. Howard it; that explains why. So evenly reloped and with such smooth, powerful tempo, that the result one of the strongest arguments '^ patriotism we have ever seen. is, mind you, with only one brief )h of the American flag. A di tor's picture, replete with clever elligent dabs and very much of a (c-office attraction. 'The Perfect Crime" Driginally a silent picture, now ited with sound. Prologued with scene, in sound, of a husband and 'e reunion interrupted by a radio louncement of the solution of the ■feet crime which lead into the :ture proper. Epilogued with a ihback to the prologue characters. ivel — and that means box-office. "Two Tough Tars" jet it or weep forever after, urel and Hardy in a Roach two:ler that is an absolute panic. It 1 turn your crowd hysterical, m't let j'our competition get this e away from you. Forewarned is ■earmed, or something like that. KANN HRST SOUND CONVENTION IS CALLED BY IOWA ASSOCIATION Statement on Interchangeability Now Being Prepared by RCA SHi ORAL PROMISES IS ADVICE OF WOODHULL Warning to bis members not to make oral agreements not embodied in the contract with salesmen or others in purchase of product, is sounded todav by R. F. Woodhull, president of the M.P.T.O.A. "I am impelled to sound this warning once again because of two or three recent decisions rendered by Arbitration Boards against exhibitors," he says. "In the first place, very few concerns in any line recognize oral statements by their representatives; secondly, it is an unsound way of doing business as one party or the other may die, change positions or break faith. Any exhibitor who is following this practice is travelling toward a dangerous situation. "While the agony can be postiContinued on Page 3) AL JOLSON SIGNS LONG HRH WARNER CONTRACT West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Al Jolson has signed a long term contract to star in Vitaphone productions for Warners. He will not abandon stage work but will make trips to the studios at specified intervals to work in pictures. John Barrymore now is negotiating a contract with Warners for appearance in Vitaphone pictures. 25-Day Limit for Approval of 'Frisco Zone Contracts San Francisco — Twenty-five days is the new time limit set for approval of contract applications. Heretofore, the limit was 20 days. Allied Amusement Industries is advising its members of the change made by the contract committee. Question of interchangeability of Western Electric and R-C-A Photophone sound projection systems, raised by showing of "The Perfect Crime" (Photophone) at the Rivoli, New York, was expected to be discussed yesterday by R-C-A Photophone. However, illness of David Sarnoff, vice president of R-C-A prevented issuing of a statement. Western Electric had no comment to make on the subject. Photophone sound now is being photographed on the 80 mill track, the same as Movietone, and "The Perfect Crime" is being projected through Western Electric equipment without alteration, it is understood. EXPECT "irMlTS IN '28 TO TOmST YEAR'S Present indications are that Universal Pictures Co., Inc., for the fiscal year to end around Nov. 3, next, will experience earnings in excess of those of $1,672,000 reported for the twelve months ended Nov. 5, 1927, according to a forecast by ''The Wall St. Journal." Net profits after all charges, depreciation, taxes, in 1927 were equal, after preferred dividends, to $4.60 a share on the 250,000 shares of no par value common outstanding. Report for the six months ended May 5, 1928, showed net profits after all charges, aggregated $651,133, equal after preferred dividends to (^Continued on Page 2) Sam Sax Spikes Report He Might Join F. N. There is no truth in report that he would even consider disassociating himself with Gotham and joining any other company, Sam Sax declared in branding as ridiculous a published report that he is to join First National. Sax says he will be found with Gotham as long as the company is in business. Companies Asked to Send Representatives to Meet Tomorrow Des Moines — Manufacturers of sound projection equipment and producers of synchronized pictures have been invited to send representatives to the first sound film conference of exhibitors, scheduled to be held here tomorrow. Declaring the sound picture is here to stay, E. P. Smith, president of the state exhibitor unit, asks whether installation of equipment is practical in towns under 25,000, until it is simplified, perfected and cheapened in price. "It looks like the answer would be easy (Continued on Page 3) New Sapiro Move to Land Injunction Against M.&S. Renewed efforts to secure an injunction to halt execution of the contract between M-G-M and the Mayer and Schneider circuit will be made in the Supreme Court in New York Friday. Representatives of Sapiro and Aranow, who represent the I. {Continued on Page 2) Paramount Stock Increase to Provide 3-to-l Split Stockholders of Paramount at a sipecial meeting yesterday, authorized the increase of common stock from 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 shares to provide for a three-to-one split-up of present common stock. The board of directors at its next regular meeting will determine when this is to take place. Detroit Buying Hit Detroit — Watchful waiting policy of exhibitors, because of the sound picture hysteria, has put a crimp in business of distributors. Exchange managers say never has a new season started, with so little buying being done. Exhibitors are "up in the air" on sound, wondering just what to do. Accordingly, they have adoptted a "hand to mouth" buying policy, until they find out "what it's all about," so far as sound films are concerned.