Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1929)

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526 .If o t i 0 II Picture N ews Film Deals By Theatre Chains Retard General Sales Contracts; Little Percentage Booking Done Latter Idea Seems To Have Fallen Into Discard; Some See Revival Of Plan Later THE big deals by theatre chains for their supply of pictures for the season of 1929-30 seem to have had the effect of stagnating the general sales campaigns of all of the companies. The negotiations between the producers and distributors on one side and the bookers for the circuits on the other, have not been closed up to this time, has made it impossible for the majority of the exchanges throughout the country to concentrate on their local sales, it being impossible to sell the subsequent runs after the bigger tirst runs until the latter are set. At present the status seems to be the sales executives are up in the air over the prices on sound pictures. They do not know what the traffic will bear, and the circuit buyers on the other hand are trying to hold the prices as low as possible. The result being that both sides are marking time. Generally, it was conceded that as far as the smaller chains and the independents were concerned this season would see the general application of the percentage plan of playing pictures. This idea seems to have gone into the discard for the present. There has been little or no percentage booking done by the majority of exchanges in the Metropolitan area with the exception of an occasional date here and there. There is a belief, however, that as soon as the chain deals are closed, and the active sales campaign gets under way, as far as the theatres in general are concerned, the percentage idea may be revived. This, hov^ever, may not be until about the late Fall or early Winter. Tibbett, Opera Singer, To Appear In M-G-M Pictures (Hollywood Bureau, Motion Picture News) Hollywood, August 8. — Lawrence Tibbett, grand opera singer, has been signed by M-G-M for one picture, with an option for continuance. Tibbett 's first picture will be "The Eogue's Song," from an original by Frances Marion and John Colton. Plans provide for several original song numbers to be written for rendition by Tibbett. Paramount Starts Work On "Vagabond King" In Color Following several weeks of preparation, "The Vagabond King," talking, singing and dancing version of the Broadway play, was placed last Aveek into production at the Hollywood studios of Paramount where it will be filmed in natural color with Dennis King and Jeanette MacDonald in 1 he roles of Francois Villon and Katherine. i>udwig Borger is directing. Albee Sells Montreal Theatre Holdings OTTAWA, ONT., August 8.— With the change in ownership of both Imperial Theatre and the Albee Building registered July 31, E. F. Albee of New York has withdrawn from the Montreal theatrical field. Purchaser was Bleury Investments, Ltd., subsidiary of Famous Players Canadian Corp. Price paid for the Imperial was $325,000 while the Albee Building, which accommodates practically all of the Montreal film exchanges, changed hands for the sum of $275,000. Albee owned the theatres through the Canada Amusement Co. and the Albee Building through the Albee Realty Corp. The manager of the Imperial since it opened fifteen years ago has been Howard W. Conover, who will continue to have charge of the house under Famous Players. H. L. Goldberg Made Publix Division Mgr. For Nebr. And Iowa Omaha, Nebr., Aiigust 1.5. — Harry L. Goldberg, treasurer of the World Realty Co., was last week made division manager of Nebraska and Iowa for Publix Theatres Corp., following their acquisition of two of his company's houses, the Sun and the World. Charles Pincus, manager of the Paramount theatre, was put in charge of Publix' interests in Omaha. The Publix Rialto closed its doors permanently August 2 after 11 years of operation. It will be remodeled into a commercial building. Publix takes over the operation of the World, across from the Rialto, on August 21. The company will also give up its lease on the Strand, which has been dark for the past two years and which has been costing $1,200 monthly rental. Paramount Signs Elsie Janis To Supervise Film Elsie Janis has been signed by Paramount to "contribute material, ideas and talent and to supervise production" of a feature now in preparation at the Hollywood plant, according to an announcement by Jesse Lasky, first vice-president in charge of production. Title and plans for the picture are not divulged. "Caligari" Director Plans Talking Version Of Film Paris, August 1. — Robert Weine, who produced "Caligari," is planning a new version, along entirely different lines, which will be talking. Ei-nst Langen is writing the scenario. The firm will be called "Caligarissimus. " Jolson-Warners Continuing Says The Comedian Brands Stories Of Other Affiliations As "^Bunk^^ In Opening Speech Al. Jolson came right out in the open regarding the status of himself and the Warner Bros, in a speech that he made after the initial showing of his latest production at Warner's Theatre on Tuesday night. The comedian stepped before the curtain, and after paying a tribute to the mother and father of the Warner boys, said that the newspaper stories to the effect that he was leaving the Warner management and atifiliating himself with another picture organization were all "bunk." ' ' Do you think I 'm a fool ? " he asked the audience. "I don't want the stock to go down." The lattor remark being the signal for a loud laugh from those in front, but his more serious remarks in which he indicated that he was going to remain with the Warner organization were greeted Avith applause. Jolson and his wife, Ruby Keeler, were present at the opening. When they arrived at the theatre the police had to fight back the crowds to make it possible for them to get into the house. Mrs. Jolson left the cast of ' ' Show Girl ' ' about a week ago, and was a patient at the Lenox Hill Hos[)ital until Tuesday morning, it being reported that her physician was permitting her to leave the institution only to attend the opening and compelling her to return the next dav. Famous Players Canadian Stock Takes Jump Of ~$13 Ottawa, Ontario, August 8. — Common stock of Famous Players Canadian Corp. cut quite a caper on Canadian exchanges, taking a jump from $50 to $63 on the publication of the report that earnings for the past nine months, less operating expenses, were $2,422,490, or equal to $6 on each share on which no dividend had yet been paid. The sensational showing was due to the success of talking pictures in the many wired houses. The annual meeting of the corporation will be held in the early Fall, the fiscal year closing August 31, and it is expected that the first dividend will be declared on that occasion. The final quarter of the year will show continued activity, it is declared, because Summer attendance records are being shattered on all sides because of the talkies. "Battle Of Paris" Title Of First Lawrence Talkie "The Battle of Paris," is the new title for Gertrude Lawrence's initial starring picture filmed recontly as an all-talking and all-singing vehicle at Paramount 's Long Island studio. "The Gay Lady" is the old title.