Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

November 2 8, 19 2 5 2543 Williams Plan Wins Wide Attention British Affairs Active; United Artists Accept "Only Way"; British Exhibitors May Oppose Quota Plan BRITISH film affairs continued to attract a considerable amount of attention in the trade this week, with J. D. Williams' plan for an eight-unit studio winning widespread notice in the press of the United Kingdom. Important developments in the international situation included : Acquisition for release by United Artists of "The Only Way," a British picture which has been the centre of stormy controversy. The general council of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association, meeting in London, recommended acceptance of the British quota plan, with much unfavorable criticism developing and the possibility that members of the association would turn it down was seen. Further concrete proposals for Central studios were put forward by E. Beddington Behrens, M. C, Ph. D., formerly on the permanent staff of the League of Nations, at a meeting of the General Committee of the trade. Rumors were circulated and denied concerning the financial status of the UFA in Germany, which were expected to be set at rest by the meeting of the board of directors shortly. This concern is opening several new theatres in Germany. Charles Eyton, general manager of the Famous Players Hollywood studios for some time, is being sent abroad to survey the field for further Paramount productions to be made abroad, while John Wenger is being O'Reilly and Gould Buy Theatre Site CHARLES L. O'REILLY, president of the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce of New York, and A. Gould head a syndicate which has just purchased from the Spraybel Realty Corporation a site 100 x 219 feet on the Northeast corner of Eighty-Ninth Street and First Avenue, where they plan a ten story apartment, store and theatre building. The theatre will be a 2,400 seat motion picture house, equipped with a stage, orchestra and balcony. sent to London to design presentations for the new Paramount house there. The Board of Trade for German-American Commerce, Inc., of which Herman A. Metz, former comptroller of the City of New York and ex-Congi*essman, is president, passed a resolution "emphatically protesting" against the German Kontingent system. A copy of this resolution, which was unanimously adopted, has been forwarded to Will H. Hays. The board takes the stand that the motion picture is an important agent for the promotion of friendly political as well as commercial relations ,and that its channels of trade should be free and open. Eight studios in one centre are planned by British National Pictures, Ltd., according to an announcement made at a press luncheon by George T. Eaton, chairman of the directors. Aside from Mr. Eaton, the other officers of the company are announced as J. D. Williams, managing director; Cecil A. H. Harrison, director; T. BE. Eslick, architect and engineer to the company. Mr. Eaton said: "You know as well as I do, perhaps better,, of the agitation which has been going on for so long verbally to improve these conditions. But the only way to improve them is to make films which will be acceptable to the whole world, and to do that is to remove some of the handicaps under which British production has been laboring. "One of these handicaps has been the nonexistence of studios so organized that they really can compete with those in Hollywood ; studios where production can be handled efficiently, in the most up-to-date sense, as well as economically. "One of the main objects of British National Pictures is to provide such studios, and when later you see the plans of the studios which we are about to erect, plans which I shall have the pleasure of asking you to inspect and discuss in a few moments, I honestly believe that you will realize that our intentions will go more than a long way to solve what has been so serious a problem hitherto. "I first came into contact with Mr. J. D„ Williams in Australia many years ago. {Continued on next page) New Company for St. Louis Chain William Goldman Completes Organization to Handle Second Run Circuit; Holdings are Being Increased FORMATION of a new company to operate a chain of second run motion picture houses has been announced by William Goldman, owner of the Kings, Queens and Rivoli theatres of St. Louis, Mo. At the same time Goldman made public the closing of leases on Freund Brothers, Woodland and Kingsland theatres on Gravois avenue and a large airdome adjoining the Woodland. These leases become effective on November 21. Goldman also stated that he will spend approximately $50,000 for a 1,500-seat airdome next to the Kingsland theatre, and that he had acquired a lot on Hodiamont avenue just south of Easton avenue on which he will erect a 2,000-seat theatre. He also contemplates the immediate construction of a 1,500-seat house on Union boulevard near St. Louis. He purchased the latter site many months ago. As was revealed earlier in the year Goldman has secured a lease on the Union Theatre property at Union boulevard and Easton avenue which becomes effective in 1927. He also lists a half interest in the Congress Theatre on Olive street as among his assets. He is now negotiating for several other houses in St. Louis and vicinity, and stated that he plans to build in neighborhood centers in which he cannot purchase a desirable house. The name of his new corporation and its capitalization has not been decided. He stated that his acquisition of second run houses will not disturb his first-run booking arrangements with Skouras Brothers. During the past week the St. Louis Amusement Company closed a deal whereby the Ozark Theatre of Webster Groves, Mo., will secure pictures through the Koplar-Skouras chain. Previously the St. Louis Amusement Company had added eight leading neighborhood and suburban theatres to its string. The Embassy Amusement Company which now controls six leading houses and contemplates the erection of two others has negotiations under way which will add two or three more houses to its holdings within the next few weeks. A survey of the local theatres reveals that a few operating companies control all of the desirable houses. Loew's State, the Delmonte and Wellston are the only large theatres here that are now held by some chain. A check of the St. Louis houses shows : St. Louis Amusement Company: 21 theatres operating, 31,640 seats; 3 theatres closed, 3,954 seats; 2 houses projects, 4,500 seats; 15 airdomes, 25,613 seats; total, 65,707 seats. Skouras Brothers Enterprises : 5 theatres operating, 7,922 seats ; 1 theatre projected, 4,000 seats; 1 airdome, 3,500 seats. William Goldman : 5 theatres operating, 5,511 seats; 2 theatres projected, 3,500 seats; 3 airdomes, 3,661 seats; 1 airdome project, 1,500 seats. Embassy Amusement Company: 6 houses operating, 5,905 seats; 2 theatres projected, 3,200 seats ; 2 airdomes, 2,170 seats ; 1 airdome projected, 2,000 seats. Fred Wehrenberg: 3 theatres operating, 3,757 seats; 3 houses closed temporarily, 1,981 seats; 2 theatres projected, 3,500 seats ; 1 airdome, 1,500 seats. Joe Mogler: 3 houses, 3,069 seats; 1 airdome, 1,778 seats. Rex Amusement Company : 5 houses, 4,045 seats; 3 airdomes, 2,232 seats. James Drake : 4 houses, 2,384 seats ; 2 airdomes, 2,448 seats. John Karzin : 3 houses, 1,833 seats. Cella-Tate-Orpheum Circuit Houses : 1 picture house, 452 seats; 3 combination houses, 8,483 seats. Independently Owned Houses : 48 theatres operating, 35,332 seats; 9 theatres closed, 3,517 seats; 2 projected theatres, 2,900 seats; 20 airdomes, 17,506 seats, total, 59,255 seats; 3 dramatic houses, 5,419> seats; 3 burlesque houses, 4,435 seats.