Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

IO MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 17, 1927 Pathe ‘Chi’ Manager Starts Trade Shows for Exhibitors Giving exhibitors remote from the exchange center a chance to see pictures before they buy, is the policy inaugurated by Manager Harry Lorch, of the Chicago Pathe exchange, in giving trade shows for the benefit of showmen in the southeastern part of Illinois. Trade shows for exhibitors have long been the vogue in England but the idea has not been used extensively in the United States. Lorch’s initial trade show was held at the Apollo Theatre, Princeton, Illinois, and invitations were extended to exhibitors within a radius of 100 miles. The show started at ten-thirty in the morning and continued through the day and evening except for lunch and dinner. The regular evening performance of the Apollo featured “The Angel of Broadway,” Pathe News and a Mack Sennett corned}'. Other pictures screened were : “The Forbidden Woman/’ “The Main Event,” “The Wreck of the Hesperus,” “Dress Parade,” Pathe News, Topics of the Day, Aesop’s Film Fables, Mack Sennett comedies. Will Rogers travelogues and Pathe Review. Lloyd Insures Glasses What is generally considered the most highly prized pair of spectacles in the world have just been insured for $25,000. They are the property of Harold Lloyd and are the original horn-rimmed frames that first brought him to prominence in pictures. New F. N. Exchange Open Thomas A. Burke, manager of First National’s Minneapolis branch office, has moved the exchange into its quarters in the new building at 1101 First Avenue, North. THE MOVING PICTURE THEATRE ^MANAGERS '*[ INSTITUTE! offers its course in\ THEATRE MANAGEMENT TRAINING IN ADVERTISING SERVICE EXPLOITATION MANAGEMENT THEATRE TECHNICS Intensive training by staff of expert instructors in modern theatre business combined with the art of showmanship. Big opportunities in the theatre field for trained men. Winter session begins Jan. 16th, 1928. Applications for enrollment now. SEND FOR CATALOG MOVING PICTURE THEATRE MANAGERS INSTITUTE, Inc. 135 Wc 44th st. New York City Sennett an Inventor Mack Sennett has originated what he claims is the only submarine camera in existence. The camera is attached to a periscope arrangement which can be sunk in the monster new tank which is being installed on the Sennett lot. The tank will be 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 25 feet deep and is for the express purpose of filming under water scenes BRANDT, COHEN TO HOLLYWOOD Joe Brandt and Jack Cohn, president and treasurer respectively of Columbia Pictures, left for Hollywood for a series of important conferences with Harry Cohn, vice-president in charge of production. This will bring together on the West Coast for the first time the three executives who started Columbia Pictures Corporation eight years ago. The carrying out of pretentious plans for the completion of the current program and the producing schedule now being lined up for the coming year are among the matters to be considered. A decision will be reached regarding a number of stars and directors now under consideration for the current and future programs. Warner Entertains 1300 Orphans, Dec. 11 Thirteen hundred orphans were entertained Sunday, Dec. 11, at a special performance of “The Jazz Singer” at the Warner Theatre. They were the guests of H. M. Warner, president of Warner Bros. These children are from the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in New York, the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in Brooklyn and the National Orphan Asylum in Yonkers. First Vitaphoned Trailer Sound has been incorporated in a trailer for the first time by Warner Bros, who now have this accessory ready for use in connection with “The Jazz Singer.” Fan Mags, in Para. Bldg. Motion Picture Publications. Inc., has taken a ten year lease, involving a total rental of nearly $200,000.00 with the Paramount Broadway Corp. After December 19th, the editorial and business offices of “Motion Picture” and “Classic” will be located on the 13th floor of the Paramount Building. Notables at Roxy Viscount Willingdon, the Governor-General of Canada, and his wife, were entertained at luncheon by Roxy in his private suite of offices at the theatre. Chicago suburban exhibitors who attended Manager Harry Lorch’s trade showing at the Pathe exchange. They don’t have to buy “sight unseen” out there any more. The idea is proving regular. Vocafilm Sales Rights Taken For A Fourteen Year Period The Vocafilm Distributing Corp., has consummated a deal with the Vocafilm Corp. of America, in which the distributing company takes over the exclusive rights to the sale of all Vocafilm instrumentation and synchronized motion picture and sound presentations. This arrangement is for fourteen years. The deal was concluded by Vice-president and General Manager, A. J. Nelson, of the distributing firm,' and President David R. Hochreich, W. Harry Williams, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Attorney Jacob M. Mandelbaum, General Counsel for the Vocafilm Corporation of America. Arrangements for physical distribution are now in progress and negotiations are under way with several national distributing companies. Vocafilm instrumentation and programs will be available for theatres immediately following the first of the new year. Acts are now under contract to assure forty weeks theatre programs. Tax Cut in Canada Ottawa — Because of increased revenue from the Amusement Tax in the Province of Ontario during the fiscal year ending Oct. 31 and despite the abolishment of the tax on tickets up to 25 cents, Premier G. Howard Ferguson has prom sed that there will be a further reduction in the tax on theatre tickets when the Ontario Legislature meets next Feb., affecting tickets from 25 to 50 cents. Exhibitors Asked For Tryon Slogan Seeking a slogan for Glenn Tryon, Universal has offered all theatre employees in the United States and Canada a chance to find it and win the prizes for it. The first prize consists of $50.00; the second. $15.00; third, fourth and fifth. $10.00 each; and eleven prizes of $5.00 each. The rules follow : 1. Slogans must consist of one sentence — the shorter and snappier the better. 2. The slogan must “get over” to your patrons the new, unique and "different” personality of Glenn Tryon. 3. The contest opened November 19th and will close on December 24th. 4. Contestants are limited to six slogans each. 5. In the event of a tie the entire amount of the prize involved will be paid to each contestant. 6. This contest is limited to exhibitors and employees of theatres in the Lnited States and Canada. 7. Judges: P. D. Cochrane. Paul Gulick, Nat. G. Rothstein of Universal Pictures Corp., and Maurice Kann of “The Film Daily.” I 8. Address all entries to Nat. G. Rothstein, Director of Advertising and Exploitation, Universal Pictures Corp.. 730 Fifth Avenue. New York City. 9. Be sure to include your own name, your theatre name and address. Maria Corda, star of F:rst National’s “The Private Life of Helen of Troy,” gets an audience v”th the world’s most public Mayor, Jimmy Walker. Davis, F. N., Seattle Mgr. L. E. Davis, formerly First National manager at Portland, is now manager at Seattle.