The Film Daily (1929)

THE Thursday, September 5, 1929 NEW FAR NORTHWEST FOX WEST COAST EXPANSION Portland — Fox West Coast Theaters has started a widespread acquisition campaign in this territory, it is understood, with a number of independent houses under negotiation, jack Mansfield, Harold B. Franklin's aide, recently completed a survey of houses of the territory. Fox Closes Deal for Karl Hoblitzelle Chain {.Continued from Page 1) Antonio, Birmingham and Little Rock. Theaters included are: Majestic, Dallas; Majestic, Fort Worth; Majestic and Palace, Houston; Majestic, San Antonio; Lyric, Ritz and Trianon, Birmingham; Majestic, Little Rock. Hoblitzelle is to continue as operating head of the circuit, it is stated. Cleveland Hearing Friday on Sympathy Strike Writ Cleveland — Hearing on the temporary injunction restraining: operators from striking in sympathy with stagehands, in case the present deadlock between the latter and exhibitors is not broken, is scheduled on Friday. The temporary injunction was secured by the Cleveland exhibitor unit, upon its failure to come to an agreement with stagehands. The latter demand that a stagehand be employed in every wired house, with exhibitors claiming the right to say whether they need a stagehand. They state that sound houses which have no stage, no curtains, and which play no vaudeville must not be forced to employ a stagehand. Alleged Swindler Posed as Warners' Employee Toronto, O. — Police arrested a 24year-old man here recently who has been charged with defrauding residents of Toledo, Detroit, and Chicago, posing as an employee of Warner Bros. The suspect confessed to detectives that he obtained $50 from Max Blank, of Toledo, by saying he had lost his money, producing credentials indicating that he was employed by the film firm, and asking a loan. He also admitted that he obtained $50 from a Detroiter, and the same amount from a Chicago man in this manner. Stealing some Warner Bros. stationery while he worked in a New York theater, he wrote letters to himself which he later used as credentials, the confession stated. Glen Armour Dies McCleary, Wash.— Glen W Armour, 62-year old owner of the Armour Theater Circuit operating in Montesano, Elma and McCleary, died recently after being injured in an automobile accident. His son, William P. Armour, has assumed management of the chain. 100 Ohio Showmen Back RKO, T-S Franchise Plan WORKSHEET NOT PART OF CONTRACT BOARD RULES {Continued from Page 1) proposals, is slated to attend the Columbus sessions. The franchises were outlined by H. M. Richey, business manager of the Michigan unit, at the meeting here called to order by J. J. Harwood, vice president of the state organization and head of the Cleveland unit, who said he is for the plan "heart and soul." William James, state president, called for remarks on exhibitors present also endorsing the plan. Richey termed the plan the independents' "lifesaver." Questions brought out various phases of the franchise, such as the fact that product may be split between two competitive theaters, that all RKO and Tiffany-Stahl pictures including roadshows, third dimension pictures and television will be included in the franchise. Other speakers were Carl J. Goe. assistant sales manager of TiffanyStahl; Al Mertz, local RKO manager, pledged full co-operation in arriving at prices mutually agreeable. Pittsburgh Meeting Today To Hear Franchise Plans Pittsburgh— Exhibitors of Western Pennsylvania and western Virginia are to gather here today to hear outlined the franchise proposals of Tiffany-Stahl and RKO and the new reproducer being offered for $2,995 by RCA-Photophone. Abram F. Myers, president of Allied States Ass'n, is expected to attend. Franchises and Reproducer Described at Jackson, Mich. Jackson, Mich. — Exhibitors of this section of the state held a regional meeting here yesterday to hear outlined the RKO and Tiffany-Stahl franchises, and the new equipment being offered by RCA-Photophone. {Continued from Page 1) sued for fulfillment of contract on "Girls Gone Wild," "Not Quite Decent" and "Blue Skies," with Schwartz contending the films were substitutions. Under the contract, the work sheet is not to be accepted as part of the agreement, the schedule in the contract covering this point, Nizer argued in holding that the pictures as delivered were in accordance with the schedule. One star, he pointed out, w^s replaced in one of the pictures, because she had grown too fat. RCA-Photophone Plans 32 Stations {Continued from Page 1) RCA-Photophone models are made for all sizes and types of houses and may be purchased on any equitable payment plan outlined by the exhibitor. N. W. to Reach Quota in 3 Weeks, Steffes States Minneapolis — Quota of 200 franchises will be reached by Northwest exhibitors within three weeks, W. A. Steffes, head of the Northwest unit, said prior to leaving for Omaha and Des Moines, after the enthusiastic meeting here where the franchise propositions of RKO and Tiffany-Stahl were outlined. The local meeting was attended by 131 exhibitors and contracts were written as rapidly as possible, with exhib itors lined up to buy. Committee to Help on Franchise Deadlock Any Expressing belief the Tiffany-Stahl and RKO franchises are improvements over any other form of con up of exhibitors buying out of New York and Philadelphia exchanges. "In the event you cannot agree price with either RKO or ^,v....o u,v, <wij v/w.w "»"* •*• ~— upon a price witn enner r^r^w or tract which has existed in the indus Tiffany-Stahl or both, you may com try, and that individual exhibitors should do their own bargaining, the New Jersey exhibitor unit has named a committee to aid exhibitors, in case of inability to agree on prices with either of the companies. Independent exhibitors are urged to give the cominies preference provided they can obtain a satisfactory price. Theater owners are in no way obligated to accept either or both of the contracts it was pointed out at a recent meeting. The committee, appointed consist of Leon Rosenblatt, Joseph Varbalow, Isidor Hirshblond, Frank Warren, A. W. Hill, Peter Adams. Jacob Fox, Sidney Samuelson, Louis Gold and E. T. Kellv. This committee is made municate with me and I will designate a committee of no less than three out of this committee of ten to take up the matter with RKO. or TiffanyStahl as the case may be," says a communication to members from President Joseph M. Seider. Keith's Cleveland Gets Warner Films Cleveland — Warner Bros, have sold their entire 1929-30 product locally to Keith's. F. F. PROCTOR DIES AFTER SEVERAL YEARS' ILLNESS {Continued from Page 1) tery. He is survived by his widow, two daughters, a brother, Alfred T. Proctor, and a sister. Proctor was born in Dexter, Me., 1852. After working in music halls in this country and abroad as a equilibrist, he started in the theater business in 1886 by buying the Green St. theater in Albany. Later, in 1890 he opened 'the famous F. F. Proctor's 23rd St. Theater in New York where he presented legitimate shows with Charles Frohman. While building up his chain of 11 houses he is credited with having introduced the policy of continuous performances. Last May, when he decided to retire and sold his chain to RKO, value of his holdings were estimated at $18,000,000. Affiliation Big Topic at Wis. Meeting Sept. 10 Milwaukee — Fire is expected to fly at the annual convention of the Wisconsin M.P.T.O. which will be held at Gonring's Resort, Big Cedar Lake, Wis., Sept. 10-11. Affiliation during the past six months has been a subject that has had all theater owners in the state on edge. It is expected that there will be some hot discussion on the subject at the meeting. At a special session of the state organization held last winter a deadlock developed. Press reporters were thrown out of the meeting, but even at that all the discussion and wranglings left a muddled situation which has not yet been cleared up. Henry Staab, secretary of the organization has invited every exhibitor to be present whether he belongs to the organization or not. The franchise plans of RKO and Tiffany-Stahl and the new equipment offered by RCAPhotophone for houses up to 500 capacity, will be outlined. Ufa Will Make English Versions of Talkers Berlin — Ufa will produce both German and English versions of its talkers. Dialogue will be under supervision of a "dialect doctor." Floyd Gibson, who has been studying picture direction in Berlin for some time, has been assigned the position. The first talker to be produced will be "The Immortal Rogue," light opera, starring Liane Haid and Gustav Froelich. 35vMCN Ambrust at Continental, O. Continental, O. — Carl A'mbrust has taken over the Palace from J. W. Flinn. The house is closed now for remodeling. i I