Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

.1/ fl V / ig27 1835 l^arle I^o.x Siiins for Five Years With Fox Kiirlc Fox liiis iillixcd his naiuc on Ji (ivcycjir contract witli tlu Fox Film Corporaliiiii to appear in pictures of tliat or;^ani/atinn as a iVatwrctl player during liiat |)eri()cl. For the past two or three j'ears lie lias been starrinj; in the Van Bihher conie(iifs wliieh Fox Films has heen producing. Within the last six months he has apjx'ared in two features, "Upstream" and "A Slave of Beauty." By reason of the newcontract he luis been definitely elevated to the ranks of a featured player in leading roles. Eastern Exhibitors to be Represented at Convention The M. P. T. 0. of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, will have a representation of about ten exhibitors at the national convention to be held in Columbus, Ohio, in June. The delegation will include Lewen Pizor, president; Nate Ajjpell, of York, vice-president, Mike Landow, Philadelphia, treasurer, George P. Aarons, secretary and counsel; and Charles H. Goodwill, chairiiKiii of the l)oard of inanaucis. Select New Philly Location for Tiffany Exchange Tiffany Productions, Inc., states that the new Tiffany exchange established in Philadelphia will be located at 1313 Vine Street. Al Blofson has been appointed manager of the Philadelphia territory by General Sales Manager Edwin J. Smith and has been placed in charge of the selling of the Tiffany product for the new season in Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware. Tiffany has also established an exchange at 92G New Jersey Avenne, N. W. in Washington, D. C, with R. R. Palmer and Milton Caplon in charge. in Blaze Ravages Grand Mexico, Missouri The Grand Theatre, ilexico. Mo., was >wept by fire at 4 a.m., April 29, the loss being placed at $.jO,000. An adjoining furniture store, the building of the Mexico Ledger and some residences were also damaged by the flames, the total damage being estimated at $90,000. The cause of the tire has not been detiiiitelv ascertained. Jetta GoLidal Signs New De Mille Contract JETTA (;OlD.\L, star of "White (Jold," has signed a new contract with the De Mille studio, for an extensive jjeriod. Immediate plans call for the French actress to star in three or four pictures during 1927. -Miss Goudal was signed by De Mille two years ago; after several pictures she was elevated to stardom and has been featured in two other productions beside "White Gold," iler Man o' War" and "Fighting Love." Several stories are now being considered for her. Loew's Net Near 4 Million in TwentyEi^ht Period Ending March 13th AN earned net profit of $3,887,654 is shown by Loew's, Inc., in the twenty-eight week period ending March thirteen. The operating profit during that period was $5,544,223 from which is deducted $1,656,569 for depreciation and taxes. The Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corp. in that same period reports a net profit before deducting income taxes of $1,974,178. Its consolidated statement follows: Gross profit, $4,594,161; less, operating expenses, $3,076,540; operating profit, $1,517,621 ; miscellaneous income, $456,557 ; net profit (before income taxes), $1,974,178. Hays Chairman F^r'R Board Also Heads Public Relations Department of Circuit; Finkelstein Denies Part Sale to Publix TI1F:0D0KE L. hays, veteran general manager of the Northwest Theatres (Finkelstein and liuben), has been named chairman of the executive board and head of the newly created department of public relations, in a reorganization of the tirm which brings Harold Finkelstein and P^dmund Ruben into the foreground in operation of the chain of VM theatres. Harold l*'iiikelstein is to be general manager of the circuit, with Edmund Kubeii in charge of film buying in the realignment decided upon by the founders of the circuit, M. L. Finkelstein and I. IL Ruben, Mho, henceforth, will act in an advisory capacity. The executive board, headed bj^ Hays, is to be made up of the various dejjartment heads who will meet on designated days of the week, with Hays as chairman, to discuss plans for increasing efficiency. Hays, in ad dition, \\ill have charge of community contact, labor contact, insurance, taxes and various activities. M. L. Finkelstein has denied rumors to the etfect that Northwest Theatres, Inc. (Finkelstein & Rulx-n), had sold a (pmrter interest in their holdings to Publix although he says that there have been negotiations. F. & R. prefer for the present at least to operate without any ailfiliations and intends to build up its circuit by continued ac<misiti()7i of theatres and construction of others. The lastest theatres in the Northwest to be purchased by Finkelstein & Ruben are the Colonial and Photoplay at Watertown, 8. D. This brings the total houses to 1:}1 as a couple of weeks ago the Egyptian and Orpheuni in Sioux Falls were taken over by F. & R. In this latter city the State and Strand were alreadv owned by this company and all four theatres will now be under the management of Jav Dundas. Cubberley Prosperity Plan Theatre Manager for Northwest Devises Means of Aiding Community and Securing Publicity JF. CUBBERLEY, manager of Northwest Theatres houses located out• side the Twin Cities is perfecting a plan for building good will while boosting box-office receipts which is applicable to farming sections in any part of the United States. Realizing the importance to the Northwest of diversified farming, he intends this summer to conduct stock-raising contests for school children in every key center in which the circuit has representation, so that his campaign will blanket ^Minnesota, North and South Dakota. Winners are to be brought to the Minnesota state fair, and there awarded prizes. Blooded stock then is to be purchased by the theater company and either auctioned at cost or awarded as prizes, depending on final plans, in the various key centers. Thus, he assures all-summer exploitation for the firm's houses, in addition to which the theatre circuit will be instrunu^ital in bettering the grade of stock throughout the Northwest, as well as increasing stock raising, to the immense benefit of the section, which heretofore has been hard hit because of the predominance of wheat raising. With the contest to be an annual alTair, it should add materially to the prosperity of the three states and will command the co-operation of associations throughout the Northwest, interested in bettering the farmer's prosperity. In and Out of Town MH. HOFFMAN, vice-president of Tif• fany Productions. Inc., is expected in New York the early part of next week from Hollywood, where he has been for the past two months preparinsj the Tiffany schedule of production for the 1927-28 season. STANLEY W. HATCH, Western .sales manager for First National Pictures, returned Thursday. .April 28. after a three and a half weeks' trip through his territory. He was accompanied on part of the trip by \L. O. Lukan. Western district manager, .Among the towns visited were Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los .-Xngeles. San J,,,, and San Diego.