Year book of motion pictures (1926)

L. Starevitch, producer of prize-winnning short subject signed by Reginald Ford in PaTis. Harry Carey Prod, sues C.-C. pictures for $799,429, alleging improper selling of six features. Nov. 19 Fox buys four Wbitehurst theaters in Baltimore, in lace of competition from Stanley, Locw and Famous. Nathan Burkan leaves New York for Coast on Unittd-M.-G.-M. merger. Nov. 21 Loew circuit will operate Kansas City theater to be built by Shanberg and Wolf. Nov. 23 Fox reported seeking control of Stanley Co. of America. Final oral arguments in Federal Trade action against famous up in Washington. Hal Hodes succeeds Water J. Brooks as president of the Short Films Syndicate, Inc. Universal closes deal with Ufa. German company gets loan of $15. 1)00,000 marks. Joint production planned. Universal gets preferred treatment in Ufa theaters. Minnesota Parent-Teachers' Ass'n to form 250 committees to wage friendly censorship. Nov. 24 D. J. Chatkin resigns from Educational to buy and book short subjects from Famous. Seattle censor board seeking more drastic regulatory powers. "Blue" St. Louis looms up as possibility. Nov. 25 Federal Trade Commission holds it has power to make Famous sell its theater holdings. Paramount counsel denies all mononolistic charges. Nov. 27 Possible hitch in United M. G. M. merger reported from Coast. Famous and B. & K. form Publix Theaters, Inc. in which entire theater holdings of both organizations are merged. Nov. 28 North American Theater Corp. acquiring more houses in Mid-West A $10,000,00 corporation being formed in the Antipodes to produce with headquarters at Sydney, Australia. Nov. 30 British exhibitors reject production scheme by vote of 679 to 609 ; Government may act. International Projector Corp., takes over Precision luachine Co., Nicholas Power Co. and the Acme Picture Projector Corp. Universal to expand theater activities ; plan to take over 1,000 houses. Dec. 1 United Artists-M.-G.-M. deal off. Apollo-Wellmont case settled out of court. Fox reported seeking a chain of second-runs in St. Louis" Dec. 2 Universal Chain Theaters Corp. formed. Shields & Co. to float $4,000,000 issue. Dec. 3 Rush in theater construction. 1925's investment in theaters 100 oer cent increase over 1924. "Roxy" tells A. M. P. A. he expects to gross $100,000 per week at the Roxy. Gaumont lands scoop in filming Locarno treaties ceremony. Other news reels raise objections. Dec. 4 Carl Laemmle, Mae Murray, James Cruze. Betty Compson, Frederick Wynne-Jones, leave for Europe. Saegner Amusement Co. holds interests in four Texan theater chains. Will H. Hays pledges M. P. T. O. A. redress from producer-distributor aggressions. Joseph M. Seider calls it the exhibitor "Bill of Rights." Dec. 5 Ralph Pugh resigns as sales manager for British First National. J. Frank Brockliss succeeds him. Rowland & Clark to erect 5,000 seat Pittsburgh theater. Purchase property worth $3,000 000. Dec. 7 Arrow signs "Red" Grange. Salary placed by Arrow at $300,000. Dramatists Guild holds secret session. Plan action to fight Fox play "corner." Buffalo and Albany zones of M. P. T. O. of N. Y. apply for membership to Hays organization. Dec. 8 Religious M. P. Foundation to produce Biblical Films; Hays organization cooperating. R. F. Woodhull ridicules yarn that Arrow is to pav "Red" Grange $300,000 for one picture. M. P. T. O. and T. O. C. C. amazed over up state exhibitor move to join Hays organization. Dec. 9 Universal contemplating 6,000 seat house on liroadway. Loew to build second house in Pittsburgh on Anderson Hotel site. M. P. T. O. wants Associated Press to check up on Arrow's deal with Grange. Sam Sax signs Lloyd Hamilton. Famous and other companies reported after 6.000 seater to go up near Loew's in Newark. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to invade South Africa. Wi'l be first American company to compete with 1. V. T. A., the "African trust." Dec. 10 Stanley Co. proposses to increase capital stock from 150,000 to 1,000,000 shares. lierlin reports Famous and Metro interested in Central Europe situation. May attempt to secure control of Ufa. Famous building four in Europe. Two in London, one in Paris and one in Brussels, Elek J. Ludvigh states. Dec. 11 Universal to invade "closed towns." I. E. Chadwick again elected president of the I. M. P. A. at annual meeting. Dec. 14 Nate Robbins building 4,000 seat house in Syracuse. Executive committee of Independent M. P. Ass'n favors idea of exchange organization to meet problems throughout the country. Universal theater unit active with 25 deals under way. T.O.C.C. wants theater check. Determined to stop "bootleg" construction. Dec. 15 Italian film and stage interests join Fascisti as the National Theater and Cinematographic Corp. J. J. Bachmann will carry out original plan of Schulberg Prod, and make 13 remaining pictures. Fred Elliott retained at general manager of the I. M. P. A. Robert Lieber, back from Europe, states European countries demand American films. United Artists members in protective agreement, in future members must be in 100 per cent accord on policy moves. Reported big company will develop big theater chain in opposition to Grey circuit in New England. Said to be Universal. Dec. 16 Mark Strand circuit has new deals under way. Moving headquarters from Buffalo to New York. Pinellas to build three stage studio near St. Petersburg, Fla. Harry Carver interested. Federal censorship is sought by Representative Swope in bill introduced in House of Representatives. Dec. 17 Casting office for extras will open in Los Angeles Jan. 4. Understood Government is to make probe into another large producing and distributing organization. Will Hays awards Riesenfeld medal for most novel short subject, which will be forwarded to L. Starevitch in Paris. Charmont Theater Guild to operate chain of 20 second run houses in New York. Stanley Co. stock up to 1,000,000 shares. New financing goes through. For remaining "Headlines'' see Index. 466