Paramount Pep (1923)

10 PARAMOUNT PEP Mr. Hoggan and Bebe A New Era in Theatre Building W. R. Hoggan, General Sales Manager at Sydney, Australia, Predicts Greater Prosperity for Australian Exhibitors A new era of theatre building, which has been in progress in Australia for the last twelve months, is expected to bring about much greater prosperity for Australian exhibitors than they have known in the past, in the opinion of William R. Hoggan, general sales manager of the Famous-Lasky Film Service, Ltd., of Sydney, who arrived in New York last week to attend the semi-annual convention of the Paramount sales force. During the month he will remain in the States Mr. Hoggan will confer with E. E. Shauer, director of the foreign department, regarding plans for the future development of the Australian sales organization. “During the last twelve months there have been numerous additions to the first-class theatres in Australia,” said Mr. Hoggan in reviewing conditions in his country. "The Carroll interests — E. J. and Dan — are building splendid theatres in Brisbane and Sydney, while Melbourne will soon have a new Capitol Theatre costing more than $2,000,000, which will undoubtedly be the finest motion picture house in Australia. It will have a seating capacity of 2,000 and the facilities for the presentation of high-grade pictures will be the best our country can boast. “Another new theatre is going up in Sydney, and six smaller houses are being constructed in the suburban district. Melbourne also has reported six suburban houses under construction, and other communities throughout the country have been engaged actively in eliminating the shortage of first-class theatres which has hampered the industry in the past. Adelaide has recently completed the Prince cf Wales Theatre with a seating capacity of 2,500 and now lays claim to the possession of the finest theatre in Australia. “During the last year we have enjoyed the greatest business in its history. ‘Blood and Sand’ ran for eight weeks at the Globe Theatre in Sydney, following which it was presented simultaneously in three large theatres for one week. Another great Paramount hit was Cecil B. DeMille's ‘Manslaughter,’ which also ran for eight weeks at the Globe. Approximately 2,000,000 of Australia’s 5,500,000 population is attending the country’s 812 theatres each week, according to the latest Government tax returns, which is a good indication of the Australian exhibitors’ prosperity. “Some months ago we opened exchanges at Singapore, Straits Settlements, and Batavia, Java, where our pictures have been in great demand. In New Zealand the exhibitors are also enjoying a prosperous year, high-class pictures running for three weeks each in Auckland, a city of 150,000 population.” During his stay in the States Mr. Hoggan will attend the Conventions in New York City, Chicago, New Orleans and Los Angeles, with executives from the home office. He will sail for Sydney from San Francisco on May 29th. While Mr. Hoggan was visiting our Long Island Studio, which by the way is the first time Mr. Hoggan has been in a motion picture studio, he was photographed with our very popular star, Bebe Daniels. Mr. Hoggan arrived in New York the early part of May and attended the New York Convention. He will also attend the conventions in Chicago, New Orleans and Los Angeles, from whence he will leave for Sydney, Australia. He is General Sales Manager of our Sydney office. Mr. Hoggan was very enthusiastic over his visit and said it was most interesting to one who had never been in a studio before. .cGjr Wf