Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

?646 Film Boards Adopt New System Will Select Honor Men in Cities for Service Rendered in Fire Prevention IN the interests of further conservation, safety and fire prevention activities in e changes, the Film Boards of Trade throughout the United States have adopted a system of selecting Honor Men. Their first list, named by the Fire Prevention Committees of the Film Boards of Trade, gives the outstanding Fire Preventionists in the Film Boards of Trade of the United States. A new vote will be taken each month. At the end of twelve months the man who has been on the monthly lists the greatest number of times will be named as the branch manager who leads all others in the United States in Fire Prevention Work. He will be awarded an appropriate prize by the Department of Conservation of the Hays Organization, which supervises the SafetyFire Prevention work of the industry. The following are the Branch Managers who enjoy the distinction of having been selected the best fire preventionists for October in their respective cities : Abe Blumstein, Commonwealth Film, New York: Oscar Nuefeld, DeLuxe, Philadelphia, Pa. ; Francis L. McNamee, F. B. 0., Washington, D. C: E. H. Brauer, Famous Players-Lasky, Cleveland, Ohio; R. F. Crawford, Famous Players-Lasky, Des Moines, Iowa ; J. B. Dugger, Famous Players-Lasky, Dallas, Texas; A. G. Pickett, Famous Players-Lasky, Salt Lake City, Utah; H. F. Wilkes, Famous Players-Lasky, New Orleans, La.; Roy E. Heffner, Famous Players-Lasky, Oklahoma City, Okla. ; L. E. Davis, First National, Minneapolis, Minn.; H. F. Fitzgerald, First National, Milwaukee, Wis.; G. W. Koerner, First National, Portland, Ore.; Charles H. Muehlman, First National, San Francisco, Calif. ; Fred E. North, First National, Detroit, Mich. : H. S. Wehrle, First National, Pittsburgh, Pa.; George E. Allison, Fox, Atlanta, Ga.: George F. Dembrow, Fox, Chicago, 111.; R. Knoepfle, Fox, Cincinnati, Ohio; M. A. Levy, Fox, Kansas City, Mo. ; Walter J. Price, Fox, Charlotte, N. C; George A. Hickey, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Boston, Mass.: Henrv W. Kahn, Metro-GoldwvnMayer, Buffalo, N. Y. : C. T. Lynch, MetroGoldwyn-Mayer, Omaha, Nebi\ ; A. B. Lamb. Metro-Goldwvn-Maver, Los Angeles, Calif. : Patrick O'Shea, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Albany, N. Y.; Charles Werner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, St. Louis, Mo.: A. J. Cary, Pathe, Memphis, Tenn. ; William Esch, Universal, Indianapolis, Ind. ; Eugene Gerbase, Universal, Denver, Colo.; W. J. Heineman, Universal, Butte, Mont. 8 Hour Film Day Advocated California Hearing Urges Overtime Pay for Extras in Studios AT a hearing before the California State Industrial Welfare Commission held last week in Los Angeles, Fred W. Beetson, secretary of the coast organization of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America told the commission the Hays organization was willing to recog '2£iiiiiiiiiiiii(tkf iiitiiiiiiiiti.ii ■■■ittiiitiiiiTiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiFiitiiriiiiiiiii uiiiiiiiifttiiiMiiiitt>tiii«iiat»iiiiiiiiiitiiniL^' Estelle Taylor Plays | Opposite Barrymore JACK DEMPSEY, world's heavyweight champion pugilist, has expressed himself as well satisfied | with the signing of his wife, Estelle | Taylor, by the j Warner Brothers 1 to play a role in 1 "Don Juan," John j Barrymore's next j big starring special. For several months following | their marriage it § was said the | champion had | objections to his I wife appearing j on the screen or Estelle Taylor. otherwise profes | sionally. j Under the present arrangement Mrs. Dempsey will be working at the Warner West Coast studio and Jack will be busy with his newly acquired Barbara Inn, which will keep them close enough together so that they may | spend their evenings at home. ■mit*:MiuiHiM<f»iiniitiHiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiniiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimn»iiiiiiiiiimiiiiinMiiuuw nize eight hours as a day's work in the films. He pointed out however that if the employment of women extras was limited to eight hours a day it would work a material hardship on the industry. He suggested the payment of overtime would be a solution fair to both extras and producers. Many men and women extras testified at the hearing that for the most part the day's work could not be limited to eight hours, but that it should be limited to twelve, with overtime for anything over eight. Cases were cited where women extras had worked as much as twenty hours a day. Louis B. Mayer pointed out that many times extras are obliged to work only two hours a day and receive pay for a full day. It was suggested by one extra that tea parties and unnecessarily frequent conferences between directors, assistants and stars could be blamed for many of the abnor.nally long working days. New St Louis Companies Are Chartered Articles of incorporation were issued in St. Louis the past week to the Ivanhoe Theatre Company, $18,000 capital. The incorporators are: S. S. Yeckel, Fred Hof, Charles Hof. The company owns the Ivanhoe Theatre building in Southwest St. Louis. Another charter issued was to The Gravois Business Block and Theatre Building Corporation, Delaware, $300,000 capital. President Reuben Levine; secretary Frank J. Carroll. Principal agent R. S.Baker, 1404 Federal Reserve Bldg. Motion Picture News Aschers Start Program of Expansion THE opening of the Midwest Theatre at Archer Avenue and 35th Street, Chicago, is the start of the big expansion program which Ascher Brothers have under way. The next of the seven projected new theatres to be opened, is the Terminal Theatre at Lawrence and Spaulding Avenues, which is scheduled to give its premiere performance on December 25th. In January, the Parthenon at Berwyn, will be added to Ascher's string, and then will follow the Colony at 59th and Kedzie; the Drake at Montrose and Drake; the Highland at 79th and Ashland, and the Sheridan at Sheridan Road and Irving Park Boulevard. This will give Ascher Brothers twenty-one important Chicago houses. In keeping v/ith the policy of expanding their theatre circuit, Ascher Brothers are strengthening their staff, the most recent addition being Ralph Thomas Kettering, who was, for fifteen years, associated with Jones, Linick & Schaefer, as general representative, and who as a publicity and advertising man had much to do with the building up of that successful firm. $1,470,000 Tax Collected For Ontario The revenue derived by the Pro\ince of Ontario from the Amusement Tax Act of Ontario for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1925, has an approximate total of $1,470,000, with some few returns yet to be tabulated. This is practically the same as the year before, in addition to which there is the revenue to the Province from theatre inspection and licensing which amounted to $209,379. The tax on theatre tickets and other amusement admissions averages about 10 per cent of the face value of the theatre prices. Reopens Rialto, San Diego, With New Policy The Rialto theatre, a motion picture house which has been dark for some months, has been reopened with W. H. Crawford as manager. In addition to a feature film and a comedy the programs will include a musical revue. The prices have been fixed at 25 cents for adults at the evening shows and 15 cents at the matinees, with a rate of 10 cents for children. The house seats about 700, and has been completely renovated, changes have been made to provide for ample stage facilities, and new lightning effects have been installed. Sunday Opening Blocked at St. Petersburg J. J. Gillooly, owner and manager of the Capitol Theatre at St. Petersburg, Florida, and two employees, Francis L. Hill and Alvin Ames, were arrested Sunday night when they attempted to run a picture show before a capacity audience. Sheriff Roy Booth had warned the house against opening, but a crowd stormed the doors for admission at 6.30. A bond was posted by the proprietor at police headquarters, and though the audience waited the return of Manager Gillooly, he announced there would be no show.