The Film Daily (1931)

THE 10 -a&H DAILY Sunday, June 14, 1931 Few Exhibs Getting Most Out of Shorts, Says Roach Producer Declares Short Subjects Not Getting Enough Ad Space iii.y Hi.!' the profit ichibitors by •t features in adver II unrealized by ;i large nun theater nun, accordinj I Id Roach, who declares thai verj iwmen arc giving name com the advertising -pace they nit thing now," says ■r the small exhibitor as the man in the big city to increase his profits by proper in. m ni shorts. "I -:: hibitors don'l the difference between ordinary program fillers and conn which, from every production angle, • be looked at tne same as feature productions. For many years aim has been to make our comedii turcs in the exact meaning of that phrase'. We are and casting for type il\ a we would do for full length pictures. Wc are leaving no tie unturned to produce dialogue comedies differing from longer features only in the matter of footage. ie theater managers have had the idea that a feature must he plugged even if it is a bad one, just tuse it i a feature picture. 1 with that. If a grade A corned) is placed on a program with a grade C feature picture, is it fair to disregard the comedy in hilling and thus overlook a chance to build up tile weaker feature picture?" Frequent contact by air between the Roach studios in California and distribution centers throughout the country will be carried out during ing year, a it was last Stated by the short feature producer. Roach ha his own n monoplane, and will make frequent Hying trip isit exchange center and exhibitor-. Forty comedies are on the 1931-32 production schedule at the Roach studio, now under way. These include eight Laurel-Hardy pictures. in the new Zasu Pittsid serie-, eight Charley comedies, eight "Our Gang" film and eight Boy Friends releases. " m its local «... tplay ajs Machat Predicts Surprises from Abroad Chicago — Some big surprises in the way of excellent film productions are due to come next season from Germany, Russia, France, Italy and Sweden, according to Louis Machat, manager of the Cinema here. Machat, who says he plans no changes of policy at his arty house — no double-featuring, no cuts in prices, but just a good show of either foreign or unusual American pictures — declares German producers are now far in the lead in making outstanding alltalkers, although only a few of these pictures interest German-Americans. Exhibs Approve Series Idea In Shorts, Says Sam Morris Releasing of short in -cries, giving them some of the advantages of a -erial with respect to drawing steady business, i meeting with the hearty approval of exhibitor-, says Sam E. Morris, vice-president of Warner Bros., whose Yitaphone shorts schedule for 1931-32 includes 116 onereelers and 48 two-reelers almost entirely in series. "Results of the last few month-, particularly with the Bobby Jones mill" shorts, the Robert Ripley 'Believe It or Not' novelties and the Norworths in 'The Naggers, ' have justified our decision to make shorts in -erie-," declare Morris. "As a consequence we will adhere to our policy of following the serial idea on the bulk of our short product." The schedule calls for 12 "How I Play Golf," by Bobby Jones, one reel each; 12 "Adventures in Africa," two reels each; 13 "Believe It or Not," by Ripley, 1 reel each, which will incorporate the film taken on his recent trip with a Vitaphone cameraman through "North Africa, Egypt, Pale-tine, Syria, Turkey and the Balkan states; 13 "Looney Tunes" animated cartoon of one reel each: a new series of 13 one-reelers featuring the ace -port radio announcer for the Columbia Broadcasting system, Ted Musing in "Sportslants"; another new series of l'j one-reel comedy song cartoons, "Merry Melodic-." for which the music is furnished by Abe Lyman's Brunswick Recording Orchestra; 13 "Globe Trotter" World Wide Travel Talks of one reel each by Dr. E. M. Newman; a series of 13 pictures for juveniles and grown-ups by Booth Tarkington featuring his popular characters, Penrod and Sam; 13 Novelties of one reel each; seven "Band Shorts," by melody masters; six featuring Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norworth in "The Naggers," of one reel each; 12 S. S. Van Dine's detective Stories of two reels each; Ruth Etting in four of the 12, two-reelers featuring Broadway's headliners in song and revue; and Thelma White and Fanny Watson in six of the 12 onereel Big Star comedies. "The outlook for Vitaphone for the coining year is that more of our shorts will be played by more exhibitors than ever before. Our Norman Moray, Vitaphone sales manager, recently returned from a trip during which he visited exhibitors and our branches from Chicago to San Francisco. On the way back he covered the entire south, returning along the East coast to New Yorfe Everywhere he found the exhibitors' reaction to the new line of Vitaphone production for the coming season most favorable. The bookings of our shorts in series has proved highly successful; so much so that our advance sales for the coming year are greatly in excess of that of Tne same date, of a year ago. "Many of the exhibitors who have been or were contemplating using double features, have changed their minds after seeing the strong array of short subjects now coming along." Reopening of Educational Studio Puts New Program in Full Swing West Coast Bureau, Hollywood — With the re-opening of the Educational Studio on June 15, activities will be going at full '-wing on Educational's 1031-32 program. I-:. H. Allen, who ha been busy the pa-t few weeks lining up talent for hi writing and acting roster-, will immediately put into production the first comedy, as vet untitled, but for which Tom Patricola has been signed. With a greater number of comedies to be made this on at the Educational Studios. THE FILM DAILY several units are being organized and work will start immediately on several stories. Six each of "the Mermaid. Ideal and Torchy comedies and 13 Cameos will be made at the Educational Studio-. Mack Sennett. whose elaborate program lias permitted no studio letup, is continuing at top-speed on his current program, while preparations are being made for the first group on the new season's lineup. Al ( hn-tie will get busy on his return this Week from the East. "PORT O'CALL" SERIES BEING RELEASED JUNE 15 First of the 26 "Port O'Call" onereel travelogues coming from Imperial Distributing Corp. will be re1 June 15, it is announced by William M. I'izor. The others will follow at the rate of one every other week. Titles of the six Edgar Guest shorts being released by Imperial are: "Boyhood," "After the Storm," "Song-." "Fishing," "Vagabond! "Worn Out." Other subjects on the Imperial schedule include: "The Mask," onereel romantic fantasy; "Me Too," one-reel musical; "His Golf Lesson," one-reel comedy; "Spanish Rhythms," one-reel musical; "Musical Moment-," one-reel musical; "Pinaforettes," one-reel musical; "Ole' Bill," two-reel comedy; "Green Mountain Justice," two-reel melodrama; "Barefoot Boy," two-reel musical; "Keep 'Em Guessing" Nos. 1 and 2, two-reel trick novelty reels. MAKING SERIES FOR JUDEA Menashe Skulnick, described as the "Jewish Charlie Chaplin," will be featured in a series of two-reel comedies to be released by Judea Films. A group of Cantor reels starring Cantor Waldman and Cantor Schimmikil, as well as a one-reel travelogue called "A Trip to Palestine," and a one-reeler, "Is This Lover" with Seymour Reichsteit, also are scheduled for release within the next three months. Production gets under way soon on shorts featuring well-known stars of the Jewish stage, according to Sam Rosen, who is in charge of the company's short subject department. Morris Goldman of Judea Films is on his way back from abroad to_ arrange for distribution in various countries. Those Titles Again Toying with titles continues to be the favorite pastime in the WarnerFirst National production camp. Latest jugglings include the dropping of "Safe in Hell" in favor of the original title, "The Lady from New Orleans," which the Warner studio says is definite and final. F. N. has made another change on "You and I," which now becomes "The Bargain," while "Upper Underworld" undergoes still another shuffle and turns up as "The Ruling Voice."