Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

248 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 22, 1927 Publix Executives Off On Three Weeks’ Trip Following' a two-day series of business meetings attended by Publix theatre managers in New York CU3-, Boston, New Haven and the other cities of the New York district, the party of Publix Theatres executives left cn a three weeks' trip, in the course of which four regional meetings will be held. The party consists of Sam Katz, president; A. M. Botsford, director of advertising and publicitj-; L. E. Schneider, director of budgets; Sam Dembrow, Jr., in charge of busing and booking; D. J. Chatkin, short subjects manager; Fred Metzler, comptroller; Harry Marx, supervisor of theatre management; M. J. Mullin, director of maintenance; Paul Raeburn, director of the statistical bureau, and L. J. Furman, secretary to Mr. Katz. Kansas Dispute Settled After a breach of two weeks between the Joint Board of Arbitration of Kansas City and the M. P. T. O. Kansas-Missouri, during which time the exhibitors refused to sit as members of the board, the controversy has been satisfactorily settled. The exhibitors again were represented on the board at its meeting this week — the first since the disagreement. All arbitration boards are now operating throughout the country, C. C. Pettijohn announces. Alphonso Sardino Dies In the death of Alphonso Sardino at Old Forge, N. Y., film circles in New York State lost one of the old-timers. Mr, Sardine’s death occurred last week, following an illness of several months. Mr. Sardino was one time a resident of S’yracuse and at one time conducted a film exchange there. He was obliged to seek higher altitudes and went to Old Forge, where he had been running the Strand Theatre. Forms Ednella Export Co. Edna Williams, founder and for nine years export manager of F. B. O. (originally Robertson-Cole), has formed the Ednella Export Corporation with offices at 1,560 Broadway, New York. She has perfected representation arrangements in London, Berlin and Paris. Miss Williams has been suffering with a bad cold cold for several days. Last Minute News Flashes Charlie Chaplin will return to Los Angeles. In a statement issued as we go to press, he said, in part: “ I shall return to Los Angeles to fight my case. I wish to thank my friends for their thoughtful letters and loyal support; also the women’s clubs of America, the great majority of which have shown their f airmindedness.” * * * Famous Players and Erich Pommer, producer, have mutually agreed to terminate their contract. The post of the former head of UFA will not be filled, it is announced. Two views of the medal which Jesse L. Lasky will present to the Paramount director producing the best picture to play the Paramount Theatre in New York during 1927. A cash bonus of $10,000 will accompany the medal. Two other directors will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, for the second and third productions. Pathe Gets Will Rogers “Portfolio” Film Series United Artists Enters Detroit Theatre Field Pathe will release as one-reel features the film version of Will Rogers’ famous trip abroad. The company asserts it has paid the highest price ever paid for short features for the pictorial record of this jaunt made famous by ‘‘our Unofficial Ambassador’s” “Letters of a SelfMade Diplomat to His President,” published as a series in the Saturday Evening Post over a period o€ months, and through his daily cable dispatches addressed as “confidential information for the President — and the rest of the United States, and published in newspapers throughout the U. S. Rogers has written the titles. The first stop that “America’s Ambassador without Portfolio” makes is in Dublin where the theatre audience as sightseers under Rogers’ guidance meet President Cosgrove and see the country. That subject will be nationally released by Pathe on March 6. German Film at Cameo “Slums of Berlin,” a new German importation, will be given its New York premiere at the Cameo Theatre on Sunday, January 23. Aud Egede Nissen, sister of the celebrated Greta, and Bernard Goetzke, a European leading man of note, have the principal roles. The picture is being presented in America by Walter W. Kofeldt, of the Imported Pictures Corporation. United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., through Dennis O’Brien, lawyer, representing Joseph M. S'chenck, chairman of the board, has closed a $3,000,000 deal for its Detroit theatre. The 2,000-seat theatre and an 18story office building will be erected at the northeast corner of Bagley avenue and Clifford street, behind the Hotel Tuller With construction about to begin on the Los Angeles United Artists Theatre and the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle, entirely remodelled as a United Artists pre-release theatre, the Detroit house is the third in the chain of . twenty originally announced by Joseph M. Schenck. Ehrenreich to Wed Soon Max Ehrenreich, United Artists’ general manager for the Argentine, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile, and Miss Augusta Offer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Offer of Cleveland, will be married January 30 in Cleve. land. Moe Streimer, manager of United Artists’ New York Exchange, will be the groom’s attendant. They will sail February 5 for Buenos Aires. Uniform Daylight Saving There is a possibility of more uniform daylight saving in New York State this year through the introduction this week in both houses of the Legislature of a bill providing that no city or village can have daylight saving earlier than May 15 and not later than September 15. Breaks Capitol Record For the first time in the seven years’ history of the Capitol Theatre, New York, a feature picture has been held over for a third week. This is “The Flesh and the Devil,” the M.-G.-M. film presenting John Gilbert and Greta Garbo. Felicitations in Order P. D. Cochrane, Universal secretary, has become a grandfather, the first “U” home office head to attain that distinction. It happened at 7 a. m. Monday morning when a son was born to his daughter, Mrs. James Callahan, of Washington, D. C. Rothacker Names Moss Howard S. Moss has been put In charge of the new Rothacker New York office at 542 Fifth avenue. He is well known as an advertising and film man. Penn. Meets April 24 Arrangements are being made for the seventh annual convention of the M. P. T. O. of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The dates are April 24. 25 and 26, and the place the William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh. The committee comprises Messrs. Friedberg, Herrington and Rosenberg. Davis Convalescent Owen Davis, the dramatist, and at present a member of the scenario staff of the Paramount Long Island Studio, is recovering from the effects of a minor operation. He expects to return to his office the latter part of this week. Harvey Joms Fox News E. L. Harvey, well known newspaper and publicity man, has joined the editorial staff of Fox News. Our Stock Market By Ervin L. Hall The quotations used in this summary are compiled daily by N ewburger, Henderson &■ Loeb, 100 Broadway, New York City, exclusively for the Moving Picture World. There have been no signs of a change in the general market condition. Average prices of different classes of securities are about the same as they were last week. Film stocks are no exception to the rule. Cheap money is certainly having a good bit to do with current operations, and as we said at the beginning of the year, we do not believe there will be any stiffening of rates for the next three months. Call money dropped to 4 per cent, which is as low as it has been for over a year. In view of this market condition, we continue to urge caution in commitments. Famous Players, after going down to 110 1-8 last week, started on the upward trend, reaching 112 1-2. As we mentioned last week there was no substantial reason for forcing this stock down. Loew’s, Inc., although actively traded in, was not able to run up to its high of last week, 48 7-8 being the best it could do. Warner Bros, is holding up well and there are optimistic reports around regarding earnings between now and the next statement period. UNIVERSAL CHAIN THEATRES Definitive 8 per cent Preferred and Common stock certificates are now exchangeable for outstanding allotment certificates at the Chase National Bank, 57 Broadway, New York City. B. & K. DIVIDENDS Balaban & Katz this week declared the regular monthly dividends— 25c a share on the common stock will be paid on Feb. 1 to holders of record Jan. 20. 25c a share on March 1 to holders of record Feb. 17, 25c on April 1 to holders of record March 21. The quarterly dividend of 1 3-4 per cent was also declared on the preferred stock, payable April 1 to holders of record March 21. We give below some interesting data on film stocks actively traded in on the New York Stock Exchange during the last year. Eastman Kodak common, no par. Sales for year 229,700. Highest price 136% on Dec. 27. Lowest price 106 5-8 March 30. Famous Players common, no par. Sales for year 2,538,150. Highest price 127% on June 11. Lowest price 103 1-8 Jan. 19. Famous Players pfd. $100. par. Sales for year 35,900. Highest price 124% on Dec. 6. Lowest price 115 March 31. Fox Film “A.” Sales for year 956,800. Highest price 85 on Jan. 2. Lowest price 55% March 31. Loew’s, Inc., common, no par. Sales for year 1,070,100. Highest price 4S% on Dec. 6. Lowest price 34% March 2. Motion Picture Capital common, no par. Sales for year 174,800. Highest price 23% on June 3. Lowest price 10% Dec. 28. Pathe Exchange “A.” Sales for year 723,015. Highest price 83 on Jan. 7. Lowest price 32% Nov. 30. Warner Bros. "A” par $10. Sales for year 3,352,300. Highest price 69% on Sept. 14. Lowest price 12 June 11.