Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1926)

July 17 , 19 2 6 203 AN EDITOR ON BROADWAY The Week in Review By William A. Johnston E. V. Richards, Jr. PLANS of the Saenger Amusement Company for expansion of its theatre chain to some 150 houses were discussed by E. V. Richards, Jr., vice-president and general manager of the company, on a visit to New York this week. The Greater Saenger, 4,000 seats, and one of the finest in the country, will open in New Orleans in December or January. At Mobile a 2,600-seat house will be ready this fall. At Beaumont, Texas, construction will be started in the Fall on a large theatre. And the company will extend its holdings to Havana, it is expected, with the building of a 4.000-seat theatre there. * * * THUS the Saenger forces go steadily ahead with expansion in the South, where they have long since come to be recognized as the leaders in their field. * * * ANOTHER important expansion move in which the Saenger organization is involved is that on the part of the WilcoxSaenger interests in Panama, Central America, northern South America and the West Indies. The work which this organization is doing in bniv_rmur splendid theatres and improved methods of exhibition and distribution to that part of the American continent is noteworthy. Several of the theatres are structures of which to be mighty proud, and expansion plans now on foot, we understand, will still further benefit conditions there. Robert Wilcox has been a pioneer in the Isthmus and in Central America, and in association with the Saenger interests he will do much more in advancing the standards of the motion picture industry throughout a district which offers a fertile field for .expansion. * * * ORDINARILY we do not pa) much attention to reports from the committee on rumors, but one of them is of unusual interest, so we took occasion to investigate it. It lias to do with the possibility of Gloria Swanson's return to the Cecil B. De Mille fold for one picture; specifically, for the nde of Man Magdalene in "The King of Kings," De Mille's next big super. This much can be said at the moment: we learn authoritatively that there have been negotiations with Miss Swanson, though they have not yet been concluded. No doubt there are difficulties in the way. But the star's reappearance under De Mille's direction would hold great interest for several reasons. NO changes of existing policies under which theatres in the Keith-Albee circuit operate are being considered at this time, despite rumors and alleged reports to the effect that at certain houses of the company "presentations" programs similar to those in force at many large picture theatres would be instituted by K-A. Mark Luescher, Keith-Albee press representative, is the authority for the statement that "presentations" are not being considered for K-A theatres presenting feature photoplays. "So far as this office knows," Mr. Luescher told a representative of Motion Picture News this week, "no policy changes are being contemplated at this time. ''The straight picture houses in the circuit," he continued, "and there are comparativel} onlj a icw — among these some of the Wilmer and Vincent theatres and some located in the South — will remain straight picture theatres showing photoplays only, while the houses which have been showing pictures and vaudeville will continue that policy." # % % SO far as presentations of the type offered by the larger motion picture theatres are concerned, the K-A officials aoparently do not consider them available for their houses. From their standpoint the word "presentations" is a misnomer anplied to acts which are properly divertisements. The latter are of two types, the flash act and the atmospheric prologue. With regard to prologues, it has never been the polic) ot the K A theatres to offer any act or number which partakes of the atmosphere, theme or mood of the feature picture which concludes a combination bill. "We have never made it a practice to anticipate the photoplay with an act suggesting the setting, atmosphere fir theme of the screen play," Mr. Lueschei said. The flash acts now being presented at many of the picture theatres, he said, are not different from those which have been offered at vaudeville theatres tor some time. * # * EXPLAINING the viewpoint ot the K-A officials with regard to "al mospheric" presentations, or prologues, Mr. Luescher said that experience gained when pictures were first put in some of the K-A theatres served as one of the demonstrations testifying to the soundness of this policy. "We found," he said, "that the feature picture furnished all the 'plot' that the average theatregoer cared to carry in his mind during one afternoon or evening in the theatre. The result was that sketches were automatically killed as desirable elements of programs combining vaudeville and pictures. Now sketches are never booked for the K-A theatres where feature photoplays are shown." The essence of the vaudeville entertainment is opposed to any repetition of mood or style of entertainment on a single bill, he explained. The well-balanced vaudeville bill offers a blending of classical music, popular music, rendered both by vocalists and instrumentalists; dancing, acrobatics of various types, revue acts arid comedy— with the latter predominating. Ever) effort is made in this way to cater to the varied and various tastes of a great number .of people. Consequently, the prologue entation is "out" as far as vaudeville theatres are concerned. ASKED if any special acts would be booked in combination with pictures and so booked in the K-A pictures and vaudeville theatres, Mr. Luescher said that such a course might be followed occasionally, in cases for instance where the star of a picture appeared in a stage act considered available for the K-A houses. In this case the act and the picture would be booked together to take advantage of the exploitation value of the combined attractions. This latter statement "blows up," so to speak, one of the latest rumors concerning the Keith-Albee policy changes. Tin port, published this week, stated that acts selected because of the character of their similarity to photoplays in setting, music or dancing, would be booked as "presentations" with pictures at some of the KeithAlbee theatres.