Movie Age (1927)

NOVEMBER 26, 1927 PAGE 7 Tiffany-Stahl Not to Start Theatre Chain But May Acquire Few No intention of starting a chain of theatres for exhibition purposes is held by Tiffany-Stahl Productions, Inc., M. F. Hoffman announced last week, al¬ though it is possible that a limited num¬ ber of first-run theatres may be ac¬ quired for exploitation purposes only. “Should we find it advisable or neces¬ sary,” he said, “to acquire twenty odd theatres throughout the country to prop¬ erly present and show other exhibitors how to present Tiffany-Stahl produc¬ tions, we are quite ready and financially able to take that step, but this acquisi¬ tion of theatres if gone into, will ab¬ solutely be for the purpose of properly exploiting our picture, but in no man¬ ner is it intended as a step into the ex¬ hibiting business.” It is believed that Mr. Hoffman’s statement is for the purpose of putting the company’s policy on record to avoid misunderstandings, should later develop¬ ments make the step necessary. Wicte Variety is Offered in Educational Releases for Month of December Educational has arranged an exten¬ sive program of holiday short subject releases for the month of December. There will be a total of 14 pictures, in addition to the Kinograms news reel which is released twice weekly through¬ out the year. Included in this array of short pictures will be scenic subjects, comedies, novelty reels, animated car¬ toons and fashion reviews, the latter in color. The first two-reel comedy for De¬ cember will be “Oh, What a Man,” Larry Semon’s second fun film for Edu¬ cational on his new contract. This shows the noted comic as an ambitious sleuth who is vamped by the bobbedhair bandit he is sent out to capture. George Davis is featured in the Mer¬ maid Comedy of the month, which has been titled “Nothing Flat.” It presents Davis in the role of an unwilling track athlete who is mistaken for a wellknown runner. Lloyd Hamilton is starred in “Papa’s Boy.” The slow moving funster is seen as a meek young man whose sole ambition in life is to catch butterflies. Lupino Lane, who made such a hit with “A Half-Pint Hero” and “Some Scout,” appears in a new comic char¬ acterization in “Hello Sailor,” his lat¬ est vehicle. The former Follies com¬ edian is pictured as a typical gob on Must Pay Music Tax on Music Rolls, U. S. Court Rules in Tennessee Case The music tax prescribed by the Fed¬ eral copyright law must be paid on music played on rolls, according to a ruling handed down by Federal Judge Xenophon Hicks in District court in Tennessee. The ruling came in the suit brought by M. Witmark & Sons against R. M. Calloway, of the Grand Theatre, Le¬ noir, Tenn. The court awarded dam¬ ages of $250, counsel fees of $250 and an injunction against further infringe¬ ments. Calloway had subscribed for a “tax free” roll service and had instructed his employee under no circumstances to play music controlled by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The employee, tired of play¬ ing the rolls on hand, borrowed some new selections from a nearby drug store and was caught playing a Witmark se¬ lection. The court ruled that the ex¬ hibitor was liable for the acts of his employee. shore leave. “Big Boy’s” third com¬ edy for Educational on his new pro¬ gram has been titled “Angel Eyes.” Charles Lamont, who directed the 4year-old star in his previous successes this season, again directed the young¬ ster. The program of one-reel com¬ edies is headed by “It’s Me,” a Cameo featuring Monte Collins. Preview au¬ diences have been generous in their praise of this production, describing it as the snappiest, funniest and fastestmoving one-reel comedy that has been made in months. “Ain’t Nature Grand,” the other Cameo Comedy of the month, introduces Eddie Quillan in his first one-reel production for Educa¬ tional. “Injun Food” — “Moods of the Sea,” the new Bruce Outdoor Sketch, shows Indians grabbing fish from the rapid currents of a river in the Pacific north¬ west, and the varying moods of the sea. The two new Felix the Cat animated cartoons, “Felix the Cat Hits the Deck” and “Felix the Cat Behind in Front,” show this famed cartoon character in two distinct series of new adventures. The same ingenuity, unusual incidents and superb animation to be found in this series mark both releases. “The Bellamy Trial” to Be Screened by M-G-M “The Bellamy Trial,” a Saturday Evening Post serial which has just been completed, has been purchased by Metro Goldwyn-Mayer and will be filmed at an early date. The story proved to be one of the most thrilling and mysterious tales of 1927 fiction and will probably be filmed with a large all-tar cast, production be¬ ginning at an early date. It has a modern American locale in one of the big eastern cities. Warner Bros. Schedule is Up; Vacation is Granted The 1927-28 program of Warner Bros, will be completed on scheduled time, and the writers, directors and players a the Sunset Boulevard studio will be given an opportunity to enjoy an eight weeks vacation from the mid¬ dle of December to early February. The first of November found the schedule only thirty days from comple¬ tion, the last portion of the entire pro¬ gram going into work at that time. Among the extended run productions on the season’s line-up are such out¬ standing films as “The Jazz Singer” starring A1 Jolson with Vitaphone in¬ terpolations, a series of Dolores Costello productions, “Ham and Eggs” and a number of others. The vacation plan will not affect the production of Vitaphone features and prologues, states Jack L. Warner. These will continue fifty-two weeks. Produc¬ tion on the first five 1928-29 Warner pictures will be started simultaneously early in February. Wood and Morgan Score as Comedy Collaborators Widespread approval of FBO’s new comedy special “Racing Romeo,” star¬ ring Red Grange and Jobyna Ralston, which was just released throughout the country, seems to prove that Sam Wood, the veteran director, is achieving his ambition of being known as one of the best comedy directors in motion pic¬ tures. In “Rookies,” “Fair Co-Ed,” “One Minute to Play” and now “Racing Romeo,” many exhibitors are hailing Wood as the foremost comedy specialist in the business. Much credit for these successes, according to showmen in Hollywood and exhibitors as well, is at¬ tributable to Byron Morgan who has been author and adaptor of many of Wood’s outstanding hits. Wood and Morgan have worked together as direc¬ tor and writer for years, first having collaborated on the early Wallie Reid successes.