Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 17, 1927 1 2 Tiffany-Stahl Denies lieber gives L. B. Mayer Affiliation contestants Margaret Livingston, star of Fox’s screen success, “Sunrise” who elicited the highest praise for her performance. “Filmite,” “Filmedor” Widely Merchandised Movieads, Inc., announces the wide marketing of “Filmite” and the “Filmedor.” The former, a new film cleaner, is the invention of J. Frankenberg, long identified with Capitol Machine Company. It is said of “Filmite” that whereas maximum test run on continuous machines has shown not over 800 runs for a film, similar stock, treated with “Filmite” were exhibited as high as 4,600 times. “Filmedor” is claimed to be an ideal apparatus for cleaning and polishing films, in which “Filmite” is employed as the active cleaning and preserving agent. It is built to take either 35 or 16 mm. film, cleans and polishes film with one operation handling a thousand feet in less than ten minutes, at an approximate cost of four cents per thousand feet. Spiking rumors to the effect that Louis B. Mayer is expected to become affiliated with the Tiffany Stahl organization, M. H. Hoffman, Vice President and General Manager of the company, said : “This is one case where the old ‘smoke and fire’ adage won’t hold because there isn’t even a whisp. Whereas we admire Mr. Louis B. Mayer as a man and as an executive, there would be no good reason or advantage for any of the parties in such an affiliation. “The Tiffany-Stahl company as it now stands has all the necessary elements that spell success. Mr. L. A. Young, its president, one of the wealthiest and most able business men in the country, is well able to supply finance and good business judgment. John M. Stahl, who needs no introduction to the trade or public as a genius in direction and production, is well able to cope with production problems.” Hoffman is in executive charge of the company and is supervising distribution and exploitation. Trop With Capital Corp. J. D. Trop has resigned his position as Eastern representative of Sierra Pictures and has joined William M. Pizor as general manager of The Capital Production Exporting Co. “Moon of Israel” Booked “Moon of Israel,” F B O’s special, has been booked by the Pantages Theatre, Fort Worth, Texas, for a week’s run at an early date. Robert Lieber, First National’s chairman of the board of directors, has awarded the prizes which he had bought for presentation to the leading managers and salesmen in the McGuirk Month Drive. The winners are : G. L. Sears, Cleveland exchange, who ranked first among the exchanges, received a Longine wrist watch, inscribed : “G. L. Sears from Robert Lieber -1927.” A. Gorman, manager of the Montreal exchange, ranking second, received a Hamilton wrist watch with a similar inscription. J. H. Briggs, of the Montreal branch, was the leader among the salesmen. He received a Hamilton wrist watch. Gerald Hoyt of the St. John branch, second among the salesmen, was given a traveling bag. J. B. Magann, of the Boston office, third among the salesmen, received a bag. P.l. H. Hoffman, Vice-Pres. and General Manager of TiffanyStahl, denies Mayer tie-up. Gurney , Manager of “ The Godless Girl” E. O. Gurney, until recently treasurer of the DeMille Pictures Corp., has been made production manager of Cecil B. DeMille’s personally directed productions. Gurney will start in this capacity, on DeMille’s forthcoming production, “The Godless Girl,” Jeanie Macpherson’s screen story, camera work on which is scheduled to commence immediately. New Screen Credit In Charlie Chaplin’s new comedy, “The Circus,” coming to the Mark Strand Jan. 7th, there is an innovation in the form of screen credit to the “musical interpreter,” Arthur Kay, who is conductor of Sid Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Fink Quits Schwartz J. D. Fink has resigned after eight years of active service as General Manager of the A. H. Schwartz Circuit which operates 16 modern two to three thousand seat houses. “Gorilla” Booked Over Nathanson Can. Chain Returning from Toronto, A. W. Smith, Jr., Eastern and Canadian sales manager for First National, announces the closing of “The Gorilla,” over the Nathanson Circuit in Canada, beginning Christmas week. A contract was also closed covering the Canadian showings of the Constance Talmadge picture, “Breakfast at Sunrise,” to begin immediately. Arrangements were completed for the first Canadian showing of “A Texas Steer,” at Pantages Theatre, Toronto, early in January. “Jazz Singer” Debut For Eight Cities “The Jazz Singer” will have openings in eight big cities before the first of January, bringing the total of engagements throughout the country to eleven. On Dec. 24, the picture will have its west coast premiere at the Criterion in Los Angeles. On the same date it will go into the Madison in Detroit, the Globe in Kansas City and the Grand Central in St. Louis. On December 30th first presentations of “The Jazz Singer” will be given at the Garden in Milwaukee, the Blue Mouse in Seattle, the Blue Mouse in Tacoma, and the Blue Mouse in Portland. Showmen Pledge Co-operation With FBO' s Grand Feb . Jubilee Evidence that FBO’s Grand February Jubilee is receiving the enthusiastic co-operation of showmen throughout the country is attested to the letters that are pouring into the offices of Joseph P. Kennedy, president of the company. J. E. Coston, manager of the Coston Booking Circuit of Chicago, writes : “We will be pleased to help make February, which has been designated as Kennedy Jubilee Month, a success by giving you all the available time possible. “This is in appreciation for the constructive work as well as the re markable box office pictures such as ‘Great Mail Robery,’ ‘The Harvester,’ and ‘Clancy’s Kosher Wedding’ already released, and ‘Chicago After Midnight,’ ‘Little Yellow House’ and ‘Coney Island’ to come, which proves indeed that Mr. Kennedy has accomplished much in the short time he has been connected with the film industry.” J. Miller, president of the Exhibitors’ Association of Chicago, said : “As a tribute to a comparatively new, but outstanding executive in the film business, I will gladly do all I can to make Joseph P. Kennedy Anniversary Month in February a real tribute to a Real Man.” Reading from left to right are S. M. Kureshi, who distributes FBO pictures in India, William Scott, FBO representative in that Country, Mrs. Scott, and M. F. Rohilla.