Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

May 2 0, I g 27 1951 Pa. Governor Si^ns "Panic and hire" Bill Governor Joliii S. If'islicr, of Pciiiisylvjuiia, on April 27, signed the hill ])a.ssc(l !)>• tho recently adjOurned session ol' tlic Lejjislatnre in llarrisburg, which pives the State Department of Labor and Industry f^reater powers in proniulfi^ating and eiii'oi'ciiig rules and refjiilations for safety in the construction of luotiou picture theatres and other huildinj^ where large put)lic gatherinirs are held. The measure, known as the "fire and l)aiiic" law, re-codities all previous Penn sylvania laws on the subject, which are automatically repealed. It gives the Labor Department power to close theatres which do not comply with its regulations, and provides other penalties for owners of theatres who are guilty of violations. This was the only bill the 1927 Legislation adopted with relation to the motion picture! iiulustry in Pennsylvania. The law becomes effective 30 days after the date of its being signed by the Governor, but will iu)t actually be enforced until later in the year as it is understood Charles E. Waters. Iiead of the Labor l)ei)artuuMit, wants to give a committee, whi(di he will a]ipoint, more time in which to foi-mulate the new rules and regulations. Financing Details for House Going Up in Vancouver Details of tlie financing of the new Or]>lieiim Theatre which is under construction at Vancouver, B. C, have ])een announced i)y Joseph Y. Langer, who is building the large house. Financial interests in Port1.1 ud, Ore., and Minneapolis are offering $().")0,0()() mortgage bonds to the public for the Vancouver Orpheum wliicli has been i(Msed for 2.") years to the Orpheum Theatrical Company, Limited, at an annual minimum rental" of $70,000. Six suburban theatres in Vancouver were recently leased by Mr. Langer to Famous Players Canadian Corp. for 10 years at an annual rental of .$10,000. This lease, together with that of the Orpheum, have been assigned to the trustees of the lu'w theatre. Parm't Board of Directors Declare Quart'rly Dividend At a meeting held today the Board of Directors of Paramount Famous Players Lasky Corporation declared the regular Huarterly dividend of $2.00 per share on the common stock, payable July 1st, 1927, to stockholders of record at the close of business on June loth, 1927. The books v>'ill not close. F. P. Canadian Building New Theatre in Toronto Famous Players Canadian Corp., Toronto, is proceeding with the erection of a substantial suburban moving picture theatre in the Bloor-Runnymede residential section of Toronto, the cort of the building being $110,000, according to the ])lans passe 1 by the City Architect's Department. '' 'Seventh Heaven' a Winner," News' Man Reports After Coast Premiere By William MiU-(]<»rniark (((»>■( ('.(nisl Hrprrsi'iUalivf, Motion VicUirr N(nv% HOI.I.^ W OOI). May 7. — ••SrMiilh ll«av«n" opniril at llir ( artliav (iirclr Tliralrr last iiifilil ItrlOrr a iM-illiant ainlit-nrr. and rryi-^Irrcd as kuw ot the Ix-sl pi«-liii-<-s of ilir \rar aiul a uiiiiu'r from iIh' box-ortir«» viewpoint. In all prolKiltility. it v>\\\ liohl the Hrreon at the (]artliay lor a loiifi run. As tlir pr4»jr<-tioii ma(-liin«>H ground oiil llir film, liiHtory wan made insofar as new stars ar<' «-onr«'rni'd. Jant-t <.ayn«»r and (Jiarlrs Farrrll p«>ppcd into the lim(>li<zlit (»f fame. I'rank ltor/a<:r 4-am« in for tinlargest share <»f praise l>e«-anse of his liriiliant direetion. "Seventh Hea\en" is assuredly a lonji-run pi<'ture. It tops the stajje play easily, and the stape play ran for two years on |{r«»aduay. This is not a war lilni; the war s<>rv<'s as a haekproun*! for the story, whos*' underlying note is an appealin<>; human cpiality. David Butler w(»rked in a <!ood many laughs through his amusing interpretation of (j^<d)in. (iladys Bro«'kwell. as Nana, gave a fine performanee. I'he editing and titling work of Katherine Hilliker and II. II. Caldwell is sup«'rl). So is the whole picture. F. B. O. Will Not Enter Exhibition Field Statement of J. P. Kennedy at Openim^ of Chicago Convention; Middle States, Canada Represented JOSEPH P. KEXXEDV, president of Eilm Booking Offices, stressed the fact that his comi)any, as heretofore, does not intend to comi)ete with exhibitors by buying or building theatres, in his address to the F. B. 0. sales force convening at the Hotel Stevens, Chicago, on Satui'day of last week. This is the second of the three regional conventions held to acquaint the tield forces of product and policies for the new season. Mr. Kennedy t(dd of the good results expected in production now that William Le Baron is to supervise this department with the cooperation of Edwin King. The general sessions of the convention closed Tuesday evening of this week and AVednesday was devoted to conferences with individual branch staffs. A farewell ban(|uet was given AV'ednesday evening with professional talent providing the entertainment. Attending the Chicago se^jsions, in addition to ^Ir. Kennedy, were J. I. Schnitzel-, s(.nior vice-president; T.ee Parent's Signature Gets Children In Theatres UNDER the terms of an agreement reached between the Long Island Theatre Owners Asso•iation and the district altnrney's olHce, it is legal for children under l(j to attend theatres in Mineola, Nassau County, unaccompanied provided that consent cards which are sent to parents for signature authorizing the attendance of the child or children at the theatre hears the parent's signature. Kvery theatre will have a matron on duty to protect and safeguard the children. Marcus, geiu'ral sales manager; E. B. Derr, treasurer; C. E. Sullivan, assistant treasurer; and Hyatt Daab, director of advertising and publicity. Branch managers and salesmen from sixteen middle states and Canada present at the convention included: Cleve Adams, midwest sales manager; C. E. Penrod, central sales manager; J. J. Sampson, Chicago branch manager; H. J. Michalson, Cincinnati branch manager; Lou Geiger, Cleveland branch manager; L. E. Harrington, Dallas branch manager; K. C. Rice, Des Moines branch manager; A. M. Elliott, Detroit branch manager; H. H. HuU, Indianapolis branch manager; Roy Churchill, Kansas City branch manager; J. L. Franconi, Memphis branch manager; S. H. Abrani.s, Milwaukee branch manager; M. J. Frisch, Minneapolis branch manager; Paul Tessier. New Orleans, Sam Beniamin, Oklahoma; S. w! Fitch, Omaha ; Tom McKean, St. Louis and Roy Zimmerman. Sioux Falls; P. C. Taylor, general manager for Canada, wUl also attend the Chicago convention, as will A. E. Ralston. Vancouver branch manager; Vernon Dixon, Calgary branch manager; and T. Newcomen, Winnipeg manager. Among the midwest salesmen who will attend the Chicago convention are: E. W. Johnson, A. Hoffman. W. Brovfii, S. Gorelick, K. L. Eagon and J. M. Lyon. Chicago; S. H. Nosbitt, C. L. KendaU, L. Rosenfeld, J. G. Wilson and G. Davis. Cincinnati; G. Lefko. F. H. Hathaway, G. G. Gregory, R. M. Lauer and R. Levy, at Cleveland; E. Blumenthal, W, S. Hurst, H. F. Morrisson and W. V. Adwell, at Dallas; F. Lea, R. C. McCuUoch and J. P. Shea, at Des Moines; R. C. Murphy, H. S. Childs. A. J. Mertz. F. I. Ausman and W. G. Surgess, at Detroit; W. W. Penrod, R. L. Brentliger, A. J, Gelman and S. E. Shane, at Indianapolis; Wra. Benjamin, H. Stulz. D. M. Major. L. Kay and J. T. Graham, at Kansas City; 0. 0. Flake and F. R. Dodson, at Memphis: A. N. Schmitz and P. McNcy, at Milwaukee: R. W. Frazce. A. Harris. D. C. Evanion. B. C. Marcus and S Goldflam. at Minneapolis; C. Clark and C. M. Baker, at New Orleans: C. A. Gibbs. H. Weinberger. S. E. Gibbs and D. D. Cole, at Oklahoma City; F. C. Tliortson. W. Miller. J, H. Olseen and D. L. Donelson. at Omaha: M. Thompson and W. J. Foley, at Sioux Falls; and L. F. Brent. J. A. Walsh, T. C. Tobin and R. J. Curran at St. Louis. Mr. Kennedy entrained for Los Ant:i'lc> immediately after his address on Saturday as the final sessions of the convention wil! be held in the Coast Citv.