Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

1252 Motion Picture News Medal Awarded to Roth's "Vision" Will Hays Praises Short Subject When Presenting Producer of Best Release in 1926 With Riesenfeld Prize WILL H. HAYS foruially awarded the Dr. Riesenfeld Gold Medal for the best short subject of 1926 to "The Vision," Eugene H. Roth's Romance n-oduction, E. W. Hammons, president of Educational, accepting the medal for Mr. Roth at a luncheon at the Hotel Astor, New York City, on Tuesday. "The Vision" was a two-reel Romance production, distributed by Educational, and produced by Mr. Roth from a story suggested by Sir John Millais' famous painting, "Speak, Speak." It was done in technicolor throughout. It attracted wide attention on the part of press and public, and was selected for the Riesenfeld medal by a committee of distinguished exhibitors. Mr. Hays, in presenting the medal, said : "The motion picture industry started as an industry of short subjects. The fii-st films were one and two-reelers. "The short subject has always been an essential part of the motion picture program. "Its place Avas never more assured than it is today. Its future was never more bright. "The public wants and demands diversity in its amusement. "The short subject is as the perfect salad, the perfect dessert, to a perfect meal. "As important as the feature picture is, the exhibitor who overlooks the fullest opr)ortunities and advantages of the short subject on his surrounding program is keeping money out of his pocket. He is overlooking a tremendous asset. "More than 200,000 milgs of motion picture film are manufactured annually in this country. "Within the last four years, more than 150,000,000,000 feet of motion picture film have been shipped by parcel post and express and truck in this country. "And in that four-year period — so orderly and carefully are the shipments made and supervised vinder the conservation activities of the industry — that only four fires have resulted, with a total loss of only .$450. Eugene H. Roth "17,8-16 feature i)ictures, comedies, and news reels were shown last year to the helpless shut-ins in the hospitals, orphanages, homes for the aged, and prisons in this country, without cost to the inmates or sustainers of those institutions. "A quarter of a million workers are engaged in making, distributing, and showing motion pictures. "This means roughly that a million of our citizens are directly dependent on the industry for their living. "This means, in addition, that each of fhose workers is putting other workers in jobs, because the motion picture directly affects nearly every trade and profession in the world. "For instance, $67,000,000 go annually to the newspapers and mazagines of the country for advertising. Thus the printer, the lithographer, the paper manufacturer, the jiublisher, are all affected. Stanley Company's Activities Doubled in 1926; Present Position Strong THE Stanley Theatre Company has attained a commanding position in the industry during the past year owing to doubling of its field of operations. At the close of 1926 the company's total assets were $71,669,836. This includes: $46,205,865, properties owned; $9,917,757, leaseholds; $4,093,925, investments, and $3,629,806, cash. This compares with $24,497,293 total assets at the end of 1925 and $19,217,350 at the close of 1924. Earnings for 1926, after charges but before depreciation, total $3,148,809. These profits, however, reflect earnings for but a portion of the year on acquired properties. Minimum earnings this year are predicted at $6,000,000. By virtue of its acquisition, with West Coast, of control of First National, and the national theatre pool the company now is engineering, Stanley has assumed a position of greater dominance in the industry. "More silver is used in treating the motion pictures than in making silver coin. "Thousands of bales of cotton are needed in the manufacture of film base. "The past year ha,s been one of many accomplishments, of fine achievements. "Never before were so many great pictures produced. Never before were the standards so high. Every week brought pictures that can be called truly great pictures. "The attitude of the public has been more friendly than ever before. Comment of press and critics has never been so constructive and so helpful. This is the result of the honest effort on the part of the industry to square its performances with its promises. Public confidence depends on private conduct. "Harvard University, the oldest university in America, has already inaugurated a course in motion pictures in the Graduate School of Business Administration. "Columbia has a committee appointed by President Nicholas Murray Butler at work with us now considering the establishment of a Motion Picture School of Technology. "Fogsr Museum of Fine Ai-ts at Hars^ard will preserve the classics of the screen along with the masterpieces in other arts. "University of Washington, Western Reserve, University of Pennsylvania and other great educational institutions are studying the ntotion picture as a part of drama, art, business. ' ' The Central Casting Bureau has finished a year of finest service. "Placements of 259,000 extras were made without a cent's cost to the workers. "This is an average of 710 a day. "More than 8,000,000 telephone calls were handled last year in that work, and handled promptly, efficiently. "In 1926 thirty-three Boards of Arbitration disposed of 12,566 cases, amounting to $2,712,495.22 in the United States. Of these 5,018 were settled . before hearing. All but 25 of the 5,476 on which hearings were held were settled by unanimous or majority vote. "The imj)rovement in the motion picture theatre, as well as in the pictures, has aided in developing the aj)preciation of the industry. Space and beauty, music and art, every sort of decoration, once available only for the rich, are now at the service of all. And indeed, is ambition ])rom()ted, homes improved, conditions all advanced, as the motion picture creates honest desires, the desires create demands, the demands create and)ition to work and to use the ingenuity God has given us." Mr. Hannnons, in accepting the award, expressed his pleasure at receiving this medal for the second time, and said he would bend every effoi't this year toward making it "three in a row." A full analysis of "The Vision," with pictures, will appear in next week's issue of "^lotion Picture News."