The Film Daily (1929)

THE -Z&* DAILY Sunday, November 10, 1929 Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion — © — Public Has Right to Aid Industry With Its Advice WE of the motion . picture industry have gone the whole route and say not only "the public be pleased," but also "the public be pleased to come in." We want you to come in and tell us where and why we are not — if we are not — measuring up to our job of making the motion picture the force it should be in promoting the best American ideals. If there is any public service institution in which the American public has absolutely definite rights and to which it should have free access, that institution is the motion picture. Will H. Hays Majority of Public Held Averse to Questionable Films THE public — a certain part of it in the large metropolitan centers — may want low comedy and even vulgarity in its film fare, but the vast majority does not want it. What is more, exhibitors operating neighborhood houses and small town theaters are finding the over-doing of sexy plots to be hurting their family trade. Ben Shlyen in "Exhibitors' Forum" Says Dialogue Loses Quality By Departing from Original THE present dialogue in talking pictures is both characterless and humorless, except where it has been yanked out of the original story or play from which the picture was made, and then it is usually so divorced from its original context that its first characteristics are entirely lost. Basil Dean, British producer TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN Marcus Loew plans to build another house in Boston. * * * Sid Grauman forms Hill St. Fireproof Bldg. Co. in Los Angeles. * * * Deutsch Bros, to erect a $150,000 house in Cleveland. Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly, Jr. AS. (Kirk) KIRKPATRICK of Educational certainly has • earned the vacation he plans to spend at Miami. The last year has been a strenuous one, due to advent of sound, with Educational forging steadily to the front Ask Sam Warshawsky, demon publicity hound of Arkayoh. for a description of the Titan Juice, with which the debilitated wambats are resuscitated. Sam says they're putting in a pump, like the ones used at gasoline stations, to expedite the dispensing process Ralph Stitt, Publicity representative at the N. Y. Rivoli, may blossom out as a legit, producer one of these days. He has in mental process a murder play — oh, yes, it has a new twist — to be done in collaboration with a newspaper man Warren Nolan, of United Artists, went to Chicago Friday to attend the Illinois-Army football game Henry Bate, genial Universalist, relates that Al Norman the dancer just signed for the Paul Whit-eman film, landed the engagement as a result of his appearance at the recent Universal ball, where Norman did his stuff to big applause Arthur Zellner, personal representative of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, was at Columbus O., early this week to supervise publicity for "Taming of the Shrew," which opens Saturday at Loew's Broad. Zellner came to Columbus from Cleveland where the first Pickford-Fairbanks co-starring picture had its world premiere When Lou Lusty, personal representative of Lupe Velez was denied admittance to the Post Graduate Hospital, Noo Yawk, to see Clarke Silvernail, actor-director-writer, who is a patient there, he asked a friend what to do about it. "Why not take it up with Equity?" 88 NUMBER 88 Industry Statistics By JAMES P. CUNNINGHAM Statistical Editor, The Film Daily /CONSTRUCTION experts ^ claim that the average 500seat picture house can be entirely reconstructed for approximately $10,000 to $12,000, with alterations including a new stage, proscenium wall, structural changes, ornamental plastering, decorating and construction of a new front. A 750-seater could be remodeled at a cost of approximattly 20 per cent more, while a house seating 1,000 could be rebuilt at an increase of 50 per cent more than a 500-seater. MANY HAPPY RETURNS November 10 Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who today are celebrating their birthday : Leon D'Usseau Samuel N. Burger Cal. Jones Dave Stamper Tom Martin AND THAT'S THAT By PHIL M. DALY VIfE GREETED Adolph Zukor " stepping off the Isle De France surrounded by 11 steamer trunks, 20 pieces of small baggage, three customs inspectors and his usual genial disposition. The ladies of his family were there to greet him, and his first question was: "How are the kids?" And in turn he inquired individually about all his nieces and nephews. A revealing insight into the man's character, this little huma,n touch. Surrounded by all the important Paramount officials eager to give their chief the latest dope on the late developments since his absence abroad, and naturally concerned about the stock market debacle, yet his first thought was: "How are the kids?" This nation being composed of a homeloving people who respond warmly to sentiments of family and home, here is a simple little story of a big business personality that they would delight to hear. It's the sort of thing that if printed in, say, Satevepost, would have every fireside talking. And after all, it's the personality in back of any business that makes it a household word. The Ford and Edison companies are household words not only because of a tin car and an incandescent bulb but because the human side of Ford and Edison are known to every man woman and child throughout this broad land. And we believe that this story of a man named Zukor in the stress of heavy financial responsibilities inquiring first, "How are the kids?" would strike home to the hearts of millions. Anyway, it's fine sentiment — and fine publicity. Famous Film Conversations 'Will you endorse it?" THEIR FIRST JOBS DAVID BERNSTEIN with Wolf Brothers, dry goods in Utica, N. Y.