Moving Picture World (Mar-May 1927)

MOVING PICTURE WORLD April 16, 1927 646 Lichtman Reports Swanson Film In 99 Important Cities By May 1 A SWANSON S first independent production for United Artists' release, "The Love of Sunya," shown for the first time on March 1 1 , when the new Roxy Theatre in New York City was opened, will have played more than 99 important cities before the end of next month, according to figures released this week by A! Lichtman. United Artists’ General Manager of Distribution for the United States and Canada. Mr. Lichtman said that 32 major centers of population showed Miss Swanson’s first United Artists picture in the month of March, New York, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Providence, New Orleans, Toledo, Jacksonville and Galveston being included. Already, the executive's announcement continued, 27 large population cities, including six key cities, have booked the picture for the month of April. St. Louis, Chicago, Baltimore, Richmond, Columbus, Houston, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Butte and Omaha are among the cities where the “Love of Sunya” will be shown in April. For showings in the month of May, 40 cities have scheduled "The Love of Sunya.” Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Memphis, Charlotte, Milwaukee and Indianapolis are on the May list. The Magnascope Used In “Chang” The Mngrnascope, Paramount's presentation process introduced successfully at the premiere of “Old Ironsides,” will he emp 1 o y e <1 a s a i n w h e n “Cltans:,” the jungle melodrama, opens its enffaseitient at the Rivoli Theatre on April 29. Paramount anti c ipates that the sudden enlargement of the Rivoli screen to thrice its actual size during: the climatic seen s of “Chans'” will g-ive audiences a surprising' thrill comparable to the on" achieved when the good ship Constitution sails into view in “Old Ironsides.” Detroit Books Columbia Films Joe Brandt, president of Columbia Pictures, has received a wire from A. W. Bowman, manager of the Columbia exchange in Detroit, informing him that Keith’s Uptown has booked two of Columbia's "Big 24” for April, and one for May. The three productions are “The Bachelor’s Baby,” “The Price of Honor” and “Birds of Prey.” The Uptown is Keith's newest. Tea in a Chinese costume. Marion Nixon as she appears in Universal’s “The Chinese Parrot.” “Flyer” in Work Cameras have started grinding on “The Phantom Flyer,” third of the series of air thrillers starring A1 Wilson under the Universal banner. The picture will be completed in a month, is the word from Universal City. “Beau Sabreur” From Famous; By James Cruze “Beau Sabreur,” P. C. Wren’s companion story to “Beau Geste,” wTill come to the screen as a spectacle with a high grade comedy plot coupled with a strong vein of serious romance as its central theme. This was the assertion of B'. P. Schulberg in announcing definite plans for James Cruze’s next special. Tom J. Geraghty has been assigned to the preparation of the adaption and continuity. Geraghty last did Wallace Beery’s starring vehicle, “The Big Sneeze” from “Louie the Fourteenth,” also directed by Cruze. “U” Dog Star In New Film Dynamite, Universal’s famous police dog star, has started work in “Fangs of Destiny,” fourth of a series of canine pictures which Universal is producing under the direction of Stuart Paton. Edmund Cobb plays the leading male role. The series is being written especially for Dynamite by Basil Dickey, noted canine authority. Each picture of the series is five reels in length and complete in itself. Underwood Will Continue With Columbia Films A contract for the continued distribution of Columbia Pictures by Liberty-Specialty Films Distributing Corporation, which has offices in Charlotte, N. C. ; Atlanta, Georgia; Memphis, Tennessee; New Orleans, Dallas and Oklahoma City, was signed by Joe Brandt, president of Columbia, and \\ illiam (“Bill”) Underwood, general manager of Liberty-Specialty. The combination of LibertySpecialty, which is conceded to be the strongest distribution organization in the South, and Columbia Pictures, the most formidable of producers, insures for the exhibitors of the entire South a series of box-office attractions of known quantity and superior quality. Bela Sekely Now “U” Supervisor Bela Sekely, noted Continental writer and critic, and more recently technical and literary advisor at M.-G.-M. and Universal, has been selected by Carl Laemmle as supervisor for the production unit which is to make “The Man Who Laughs,” the big super-picture Universal is planning from the famous Victor Hugo novel. Conrad V eidt, popular European screen star, especially brought to this country by Laemmle for this production, will play the title role, writh Mary Philbin co-featured in the role of Dea, the blind heroine. Fay Wray Will Play Opposite Emil Jannings Fay \\ ray, whose rise to dramatic heights in Erich Von Stroheim's “The Wedding March,” has been meteoric, has been selected as Emil Jannings’ leading woman in his next Paramount picture, a story of the notorious Soho district of London, tentatively titled “Hitting for Heaven.” Miss W ray is a Hollywood Fligh School girl who broke into pictures four years ago on the comedy lots. Fuller Goes to Work Paul Fairfax Fuller, who has given Pathe some of its best story adaptations for serial productions has been assigned by that organization to write the continuity for “Still Face." a new Clarence Puddington Kelland story run serially in the Saturday Evening Post.