Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

2272 Grainger Signs New 5Year Contract With Fox Agreement Said to Call For Highest Salary Ever Paid to Sales Executive in Film Industry sociations, " lie said, "as in the two years that I liave spent as General Sales Manager for Fox Film Corporation. I have been in close, intimate, daily contact with Mr. William Fox and periodically with Mr. Winfield R. Sheehan during this period. I esteem it a privilege to be associated in business with men of their calibre and standing:. ' ' James R. Grainger THAT J. R. Grainger will continue his association with Fox Film Corporation in the capacity of General Sales Manager is assured by the statement which has just been issued from the offices of William Fox, president of that company. Mr. Fox confirms the signing of a contract by Gi'ainger which extends his services with Fox Film Corporation for a period of five years from March 30, 1928. It was about two years ago that J. R., or Jimmy — as he is known to a host of friends in the motion picture industry — was appointed General Sales Manager of Fox. Mr. Fox expressed himself as greatly pleased with the contract which had been executed between his company and IMr. Grainger. He said, "In the two years of close daily association which I have had with Mr. Grainger I have learned to admire and respect his keen judgment, dynamic driving power and thorough knowledge of motion pictures. 1 regard him as the outstanding personality in the field of motion picture sales executives." Winficld Sheehan, vice-president and general manager, and who has for the past two years been in California in charge of production for Fox Film Corporation, likewise expressed his satisfaction. "Everyone connected with Fox is delighted with the extension of Jimmy Grainger's association. His knowledge of the requirements of motion picture theatres and his intimate touch with studio production make him a leader in his line. During the next five years, under Grainger's progressive leadership, big movements will occur in the distribution of Fox pictures." The contract signed is said to call for the highest remuneration ever paid a sales executive in the motion picture business. Mr. Grainger voiced his own satisfaction in the arrangement when seen at his office at Fox headquarters. "I have never been so happy in my work or in my business as Seven New M. P. Firms Incorporate in New York Last week witnessed about the usual number of motion picture companies incorporating at Albany in New York state. Records at the office of the Secretary of State in Albany, show that the following received charters : Charley Powers Pictures, Inc., capitalization not specified, Daniel G. Griffin, Julius Walerstein and F. E. Camus, New York City; Metex Film Laboratories, Inc., $50,000, Louis A. Benn, Albert T. Tamblyn, Andrew J. Harte, New Rochelle; Riviera Film Corporation, $100,000, Ercole Q. Montagna, Bruno DeSisti, Marie Pescatori, New York City, Wally Productions, Inc., $100,000, Walter J. Gluck, Richard J. Reynolds, Samuel A. Gluck, New York City, William Berinstein Theatre Service, Inc., $5,000, Julius, Harry L. and Benjamin M. Berinstein, Elmira ; Irish Photo Plays, Inc., $10,000, Thomas L. Browders, George Crommery, Lillian M. Hayne, New York City, Komp Film Laboratories, Inc., $20,000, Herman J. Rieckers, LeRoy Danziger, Albert P. Wellheim, New York City. German Raw Film Merger is Announced Our Berlin correspondent, H. Fraenkel, reports that Agfa, the big German raw film concern, is going to tie up in the course of this year with the newly founded "Glanzstoff" raw film company. The Glanzstoff Company has been organized by the "J. G. Farben Anilin" concern, which is well known to be one of the world's miglitiest industrial organizations, backed by many hundred millions of dollars. This tie-up which, according to our correspondent's report, is due within the next few months already, shall entail highly important consequences on the world's raw film market, as naturally the joined forces of those two concerns mean a very considerable power indeed. Lubitsch is Welcomed By German Friends Ernst Lubitsch, arriving at his homo after five yeai's' stay in America, was accorded a tremendous reception by the Gei'man trade. Many of his friends and numerous press representatives went to Hambui'g to meet the famous director on his arrival. Our Berlin correspondent understands that Lubitsch is going to stay at least three months. M 0 tion Picture News Newsreels Scramble for Lindbergh "Beat" (Coiitiuurd from page 2271) Broadway was largely due to unusually careful advance preparation. Detailed de-' scriptions of all scenes were cabled to New York by the Paris cameraman, and the continuity of the reel was carefully planned, with titles in readiness, so that all that remained to be done after the film was received was to identify the scenes and insert them between titles. The "Majestic" arrived Tuesday moriiing, at at 10:07 the first print was delivered by the Pathe laboratories and was in a Broadway house before the ship docked. Three master negatives arrived from France, and prints were rushed to every account in the country. In addition to extensive use of the U. S. Air Mail service, special airplanes were dispatched to Boston, New Haven, Atlanta, Cleveland, Washington and Baltimore. All told, the mileage covered by planes in delivering a portion of the 500 Pathe News prints made was more than three times that recorded by Lindbergh on his non-stop Paris flight. Kinograms, in addition to devoting threefourths of its regular news release to Lindbergh in Paris, compiled a one-reel Educational special, "The Race to Paris," including the Fonck-Sikorsky wreck, Byrd, Chamberlain, Davis and Wooster, the Bellanca endurance test, Lindbergh's plane under construction, the Byrd accident, the Bellanca mishap, the Davis-Wooster disaster, Nungesser and Coli, Lindbergh's trip across the continent, preparations for the flight, and the take-uff for Paris. The ai-rival in Paris was to be added as soon as received. International Newsreel delivered its Lindbergh reel to Broadway houses at just 15 minutes past noon on Tuesday, and had it on the screen in Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, Baltimore, New Haven, Boston, Providence and other cities the same evening. It was shown Wednesday niglit on the Pacific coast. Airplanes were used, both for delivery of prints to exchange ce!itres and to make connections with air mail planes. Fox News had four men covering Lindbergh's activities in Paris, and made equally elaborate efforts to obtain nationwide distribution as quickly as possible, with aircraft playing an important role. After seeing all four newsreels, it is difficult to choose among them. There is little exclusive material, since the cameramen for the various newsreel firms were working side by side during Lindbergh's stay in Paris. Personally, we liked the Fox News presentation, though the advisability of devoting an entire issue to any news event, with no variety, might be open to argument. The Pathe News reel made a favorable impression through its excellent titling and smooth continuity, while Kinograms and International also had interesting shots. Regular subscribers to any one of the four newsreel services were all well taken care of, however, and the effort involved in getting out this subject is probably almost unprecedented in news weekl}' annals. i