Moving Picture World (Sep-Oct 1925)

458 MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 10, 1925 B. & K/s Relations with First National Unaffected by Merger Famous players-lasky officials said that other than the details concerning their affiliation with the Balaban and Katz Circuit as published in Moving Picture World last week there were no further details yet ready for publication on the merger. Of particular significance, however, is an announcement coming earlier in the week from First National that that company’s affiliation with Balaban and Katz is effected in no adverse way by the merger. The statement reads: “Balaban and Katz’s recent theatre deal with Famous Players will in no way alter its long standing affiliation with First National Pictures. This fact was emphasized in a telegram sent by Sam Katz yesterday to all First National’s original franchise holders. Mr. Katz’s wire reads : “Knowing your interest in the negotiations between Balaban and Katz and Famous Players, I want to advise you that our board of directors today ratified our deal with Famous Players. The first and most important thing is that the status of Balaban and Katz remains unchanged. Balaban and Katz remain the original franchise holder of First National and intend to contribute in the future as they have in the past to the continued development and success of First National. The success of First National is an integral part of your business and ours and our efforts will be directed to maintain the important position First National now holds in the industry. (Signed) SAM KATZ.” A dispatch to the World from Chicago states : Announcement by Leo Spitz of Hall and Spitz, attorneys for Lubliner & Trinz, that the recently formed theatrical combine of Balaban & Katz and Lubliner & Trinz Theatres, Inc., will start construction at once on a $1,500,000 moving picture theatre, to seat 2,500 persons, at Cicero and Belmont Avenues, points to the huge building program the company is actually engaged in Chicago. When it is realized the buildings that are now under construction within the next few months, represent a cost of more than $19,000,000, the public can obtain a new conception of the vast activities of Chicago’s largest theatrical circuit. It is obvious that so extensive an operation in the building field constitutes one of the biggest chapters in the progress of Chicago, not to be compared unfavorably with great civic enterprises, as not only one part of the city, but the north, south and west sides will be improved. For, there can be no doubt motion picture theatres increase realty values in every community and give the city its finest temples of architecture. The World’s Detroit correspondent advises: In a statement issued last week, George W. Trendle, general manager of the John H. Kunsky Enterprises, Mich., stated that any deal between Famous Players-Lasky and the Balaban and Katz enterprises would in no way affect the Detroit situation. ^lllllllllllllll^l:lllill'lllllilllllll!lllllll||||lll(||llll|l|l|l||!l||||||||||||||!|||!|||!||l||||||||||g||!|i||||||||||||||||!||!||||l||||l>, Big W est Coast Deal The Bear State Theatres Corpora§| tion, a $2,000,000 corporation, has been H organized in Los Angeles to take over g the T. and D., Jr., Circuit. Those back g of it are West Coast Theatres of 1 g Northern California, Inc., Mike Nafy 3 and N asser Brothers. West Coast g owns one-halt of the interest and Nafy 3 ^ and Nasser the other half. At least 3 g 250 theatres will be controlled by West g g Coast and its allies through this expan g g sion. West Coast now operates 111 g g theatres and is building seventeen S others. The building plans involve 3 over $8,000,000. g Bear State Theatres Corporation 3 will not have complete control of T. g and D., but it will hold a majority in 1 g terest. The T. and D. holdings injg elude about thirty theatres and prob g g ably will be increased to seventy-five, 1 1 all in Northern California towns. Their 1 building program involves five new 3 houses. Possibly, later on, Nafy’s g seven theatres and the eight owned by g Nasser Brothers will be acquired by 3 j§ Bear State. This latter company also g 1 is about to invade the Colorado field, = it is said. ^llllllllllllllliil!llllinil!lll!illl>lllli:illillllllillllll>IIIIIUII!llllll!llllllllllllilllinillllllllllllllllli:il!lllll!ll!llllllllllll(^ Laemmle Returning to U. S. After Epochal Trip Abroad lll!tllll!!lllllltll!l!lllllltllllllllllllllllllll]lllllllllllllllill!llll!iiil!lllllll!lllllllllllllil!llllllllllll[||llil!!lllllj||l!llllllll!!!i* O’Toole Now Major in U. S. Reserves M. J. O’Toole of New York and of Scranton, Pa., associated with the Comerford Amusement Company in different theatrical enterprises / with headquarters at 1600 Broadway, has been appointed Major in the Reserve Corps of the United States Army. This appointment was made at the direction of President Coolidge and is in recognition of Mr. O’Toole’s services for the Army through the motion picture theatre screens while he was president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America and chairman of the public service department of that organization, as well as for editorial and public service rendered to different divisions of governmental activities during the World War. O’Toole will serve as required in the office of Secretary of War at Washington and in General Summerall’s Second Army Corps Area, with headquarters at Governor’s Island, New York. KNAPPEN SUCCEDS SCHMUCK Pathe announces the following changes in branch manager personnel just effective; H. L. Knappen has been appointed branch manager at New Orleans succeeding P. A. Schmuck who has been transferred to the Charlotte branch; while E. E. Heller, formerly Charlotte branch manager has been appointed special district serial representative. CARL LAEMMLE, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation, is returning to the United States after the most consequential trip taken by him in a number of years. He has been in Europe all summer, visiting the important film centers of that continent and furthering Universal’s interests there and elsewhere. He sailed from Cherbourg last week aboard the Berengaria and is due in New York late this week. With him is his secretary, Harry LI. Zehner, and his two children, Carl Laemmle, Jr., and Miss Rosabelle Laemmle. One of the most important events of Laemmle’s stay in Europe was the holding of a Universal Sales Convention in Berlin. This was the first Universal convention ever held in Europe, and it was attended by Universal office managers from France, Czechoslovakia Italy, Spain, Holland and Sweden, in addition to the German representatives present. This convention was similar in scope to sales conventions held in the United States. The visiting managers reported the current conditions in their territories and previewed coming Universal films. They reported that recent Universal Jewels, the pictures of the spring release schedule, have been exceptional box-office successes throughout the European field. It was the consensus of opinion that “The Phantom of the Opera” will be even greater than “The Hunchback” for European audiences. Up until now “The Hunchback” has been the biggest American success recorded on the other side. Laemmle was the guest of honor at two important banquets in Europe. The first was held in the Hotel Pupp, Prague, Czechoslovakia, and was given in his honor by the exhibitors oi Prague. The second was given in Berlin by the film writers and critics of that city. Both dinners were marked by enthusiasm and amity. In each case the Universal president was hailed for the excellence of Universal's product and assured that Universal pictures had won for themselves a warm spot in the hearts of the continental film fans. During his stay in Berlin, Laemmle was the guest of the Ufa organization on a tour through the big Ufa studio plant at Neubabelsberg, on the outskirts of the German metropolis. Shortly before he returned to America, the Universal chief acquired the rights to an important invention recently developed in Germany. It is a method of trick photography said to be very simple and very effective. The discovery of this invention led directly to the recent decision by Laemmle to make “Gulliver’s Travels” as a big super-picture. The making of this story requires unheard-of camera stunts and almost impossible sets. In fact, the great story never has been made because it has been deemed impossible to make at a figure within the widest limits of reason. The new German invention solves the great technical problems of “Gulliver’s Travels." and at slight expense, it is said. As soon as Laemmle saw this device, he realized that he could make the famous Jonathan Swift satire and romance, a desire he long had cherished. Right to the invention were acquired forthwith. The great camera problems of “Gulliver’s Travels” include showing Gulliver in a land of little people, only a few inches tall, another sequence showing him in a land of giants, and other sequences.