Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

Paramount-Mintz Cartoons Booking Into Big First Runs A CHECK-UP of theatres I throughout the country I shows that the Paramount-Mintz series of 26 “Krazy Kat” onereel cartoons and the 10 two-reel novelties are receiving heavy bookings by all the major circuits and the independent first-run theatres. One of the contributing reasons for the success of the “Krazy Kat” cartoons is popularity of the cartoon strip of that title carried for a number of years by the International Feature Service, a syndicate serving many hundred newspapers all over the United States. Picture patrons, following the adventures of the newspaper subject, are naturally curious to see Krazy’s prototype on the screen. The 10 two reel novelties present something different than has ever before been exhibited. Plot material is of the heavy dramatic variety and production treatment is unique in that a number of odd camera angles are introduced into each subject. Several of the stories are in lighter vein, but all pack an immense amount of heart interest. Biggest Circuits Buying Though the season is but three months old those short features are recorded on play date books of such circuits as Stanley Company of America, West Coast Theatres, Wilmer and Vincent, the Universal Theatre Chain, Saenger Theatres and the Publix Theatre ■Circuit. In addition, the Gray and Eames Circuits theatres are using this product. In New York, the Shea Theatres in Buffalo, the Schine Enterprises, the Loew Circuit and Walter Reade in New Jersey, are using one or both of the series. The Stanley Company, the Chamberlin Amusement Company and a number of independent houses in Pennsylvania have contracted to show these ParamountMintz short features. Ohio Books Heavily The cartoons and novelties are being spot booked in Keith-Albee and Southern Theatres in the Ohio territory; likewise they have received definite bookings in a number of houses of the Publix, Variety Amusement and Fiber-Shea circuits. Ike Libson is projecting them at his houses in Cincinnati, Touisville and Dayton, Ohio. Swinging down to Texas we Charles B. Mintz, producer of short subjects that are enjoying great boxoffice popularity. find the Publix, Dent Theatres, Robb and Rowley, Jefferson Amusement Company and Federated Theatres Circuits lined up for the 10 Novelties. “The Elegy,” one of the first to be played in that section, received wonderful comments from press and patrons who viewed it at the Palace Theatre, Dallas, last week. Switching to California it appears that that territory is lined up solid with West Coast Theatres, Golden State Theatre and Realty Corporation, the TurnerDahnken, Jr., Enterprises and Rickards and Naxe chains listing the one and two reel features for future exhibition. The Granada and St. Francis Theatres, San Francisco, have already introduced them to their respective audiences, and Paramount is advised that every first-class theatre in California territory will play both series during the season. In Capital Area Picking out cities at random, a glance over the booking sheets shows that in Washington, D. C., and surrounding cities the product is booked by all large theatres and circuits including key point theatres in Newport News, ImperialRialto Petersburg, Va., Palace Theatre, Lynchburg, Isis, Cumberland, Md., Strand, and the Tivoli, Portsmouth. Washington and I Baltimore houses play the two New Stage Gives Educational 20,000 Square Feet of Floor Space ADDITION of the new stage building at the Educational Studios, Hollywood, used for the first time by Lupino Lane in making a comedy of South American senoritas and villains, makes the Educational plant the biggest devoted entirely to making comedies. The new structure increases the stage space fifty percent, the building being 195 by 110 feet in size, and gives Educational 20,000 square feet additional stage floor space. It is a two-story stucco building, the ground floor being used for garages and scene docks as well as for an enlargement to the property room. The first floor is protected from the stage space above by a waterproof ceiling. The entire structure is separated from the main studio buildings by a concrete fire wall forty-two feet high. Another large part of the improvement program recently completed at the Educational Studios was the installation of a big tank and huge swimming pool. The reel features on a spot booking basis. Atlanta, Ga., patrons will see “Krazy” and the Novelties at the Publix houses, the Garden and Gloria will play them at Charleston, South Carolina, the Capitol and Rnickerjbolcker at Nashville and ’Bama at Tuscaloosa and the Academy, Selma, Ark., are slated to show them. This does not include the smaller towns, most of which are lined up. Practically all cities in Arkansas have signed up including the theatres of the Wharton and Haven Circuits which houses are spread throughout the State. Publix-Saenger and Publix bookings take care of showings in the North Carolina district with other firstrun such as the Auditorium, Winston-Salem, Palace, Rocky Mount and Gastonia Theatre, Gastonia, all in North Carolina. Far South Represented Then comes Florida with its Universal Chain Theatre bookings all over the “boom” state and Publix, which takes in those towns not covered by Universal ; also a number of independent first-runs. Mintz Novelties are booked 100 per cent by the Saenger houses in Louisiana and the “Krazy Kats” have been sold the majority of theatres in that circuit. Up in New England, the William P. Gray Circuit, Jake Dennie, pool is 40 by 60 feet in size and goes down to a depth of 10 feet. At the deep end of the pool a camera tank is sunk for use in making underwater shots. In addition, a new plaster moulding department has been opened, the carpenter shop enlarged, and the property rooms extended. The executive offices, gynasium, school room and stars’ dressing rooms have been moved, and this space has been made into a garden for use in exterior shots. An automobile and truck entrance leads into the studio grounds now from Poinsetta Avenue, while along Santa Monica boulevard, a ninefoot concrete wall has been built. New Fight Comedy Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Hal Roach’s new co-starring team in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedies, have just completed their third offering of the series, as yet untitled, in which Laurel plays a prize-fighter and Hardy his temperamental manager. Boar and the Goldstein theatres, Stanley, Poli, Publix, Fay’s and the Spitz chain are using both novelties and cartoons. In Michigan the Butterfield, FitzpatrickMcElroy, Woodward, Co-Operative Booking Offices, whose circuits represent a great number of theatres, and a number of smaller chains have booked either one or both of the series. Lubliner and Trinz and Ascher Brothers take care of showings in the Chicago territory and in Wisconsin both series have been split up between the Saxe and Universal theatres ; a 100 per cent sale is recorded with the Fisher circuit. A dozen key towns in Oklahoma are represented on the Paramount-Mintz booking sheets. Midwest Climbs Aboard Running through the Colorado representation we find the E. C. Trieb, Carl Rays, K. & F. Amusement, Midwest Theatres, Black Hills Amusement Company, International and Federal Amusement Companies are on the books for both series of short features. A. H. Blank Theatre Corporation with theatres in 14 cities in Iowa and Nebraska, and the Strand Theatre, Dubuque, Iowa, which plays both series 100 per cent, cover for the territory served out of the Des Moines Paramount exchange. Smaller circuits and second run theatres are signing up.