Universal Weekly (1925-1933)

8 Universal Weekly May 8, 1926 Universal Needs More First Run Houses WITH the announcement of Universal^ 1926-1927 schedule of pictures, which recently was issued in elaborate form to the motion picture trade, Universal officials find themselves in a peculiar situation. There are so many productions of super nature, or which are adapted to longrun showings in legitimate theatres, that the company is unable to give any of them, under present conditions, the long runs which are regarded as so highly essential to their success. The difficulty is that Universal owns or controls so few theatres throughout the country. In New York, for instance, the Universal has a lease on the Colony Theatre which runs until the last of August. In four months, therefore, Universal will be forced to show at the Colony such pictures as "The Flaming Frontier," "The Midnight Sun;" Reginald Denny in "Skinner's Dress Suit" by Henry Irving Dodge, on which a New York opening has been postponed three times; Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables," which Universal is very anxious to start in New York this Spring; Don Marquis' play "The Old Soak", which ran so long at the Plymouth Theatre and which has been made into a splendid picture with Jean Hersholt in the title role under the direction of Edward Sloman, whose picture "His People" made a spelndid showing here; "The Whole Town's Talking", by John Emerson and Anita Loos, which Edward Laemmle has turned into a moving picture which has been pronounced every bit as effective as the New York play in which Grant Mitchell starred so long; "Spangles" by Nellie Revell, which Universal is anxious to release while the Spring craze for circus stories in rampant; "The Still Alarm," another Edward Laemmle production which holds a startling fire thrill and presents William Russell and Helene Chad wick in the principal roles; "Take It From Me", the Reginald Denny production of Will B. Johnstone's popular New York musical comedy success of several years ago; and "The Love Thief," by Margaret Mayo, in which Norman Kerry and Greta Nissen are featured. The four months which remain to Universal on the Colony lease would, if equally allocated to these ten major pictures, provide a showing of two weeks each. Universal's problem then, is either to obtain more theatres or to cut down the run of each production to two weeks, if possible. Conditions in other cities are analogous to that in New York, and the situation confronting the company has caused a general call for available theatres to be sent out in the principal cities of the United States. "We could use six more theatres in New York City" said R. H. Cochrane, vice president of Universal, "than we have at present to adequately show the major productions on Universal's latest schedule. As a matter of fact, we are faced with an embarrassment of riches. Never in all the history of Univeisal have we had so many big productions made from Broadway plays, first-class novels, or written by authors of international reputation, as we have today. And, at the same time, the theatre situation is more restricted and difficult for a producer without theatres than it has ever been before. More than that, the success of a picture is coming more and more to depend upon a long run showing in the principal releasing centers of the country, such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, St. Louis and Detroit. Exhibitors expect this, and exhibitors are prone to judge a picture's merits on the strength of its metropolitan long runs. In this situation Universal is forced to send out an S. O. S. for theateres not only in New York but in all the other first run centers for its big product." Universal's announcement, the first one of the big companies to show its hand for the coming year, shows a line-up of product w'hich is budgeted at $10,500,000, at a conserative estimate. It is the most expensive list of pictures Universal ever announced. The list contains seven super-pictures on the order of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Phantom of the Opera-'; six Reginald Denny Specials, six Richard Talmadge Specials, twentyeight Jewels, twenty-four Blue Streak Westerns, and four million dollars worth of serials, comedies, news reels, and other short product. Demands of Newly Announced Program of SuperSpecials, Jewels and Other Product Require Many More Theatres Than Company Owns or Controls. lllllllll.lillllilHI.IIIIIIIIIilllllllMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Noted European Designer On Way To €U' City PAUL LENI, known in Europe as one of the foremost "film architects" and designers of sets and effective prologues, arrived in New York from Germany last week aboard the S. S. Hamburg en route to Universal City, where he has been called by Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation, to create prologues, design sets and otherwise contribute to the artistry of Universal pictures. He is accompanied by his wife, Lore Sello, a prominent stage dancer and creator of a school of dancing which strives for strength and beauty of body. Leni has been with UFA, Germany's foremost film producing company, and has worked with E. A. Dupont, the famous UFA director now at work at Universal City on "Love Me and the World Is Mine," another "Merry Go Round." Leni created the prologue for "Variety," Dupont's best known UFA film to date. The newly arrived artist is also a director as well as a set designer. He directed "Wax Works." starring Emil Jannings, recently presented to New York in the Cameo Theatre. Interviewed upon his arrival in NewYork, Leni laid emphasis upon the fact he is not a follower of the expressionist school of art, although he has done notable work of this style. Concerning treatment, it is his contention that every picture demands a treatment in particular style, adapted to and demanded by that picture. It is his belief, that as the screen speaks an international language, American pictures might well receive a touch of Old World ideas and treatment. Pictures, aside from the fact they afford amusement for millions, also should impart knowledge and carry a sermon of good will into all parts of the world, he contends. "I am one of those Europeans who have a real admiration, and I dare say, a real understanding of the American dash and enterprise — qualities which we lack in Europe because we are too slow and too poor,"' said Leni. "I am delighted that Mr. Laemmle should have given to me the long sought opportunity to submit some of my ideas — ideas which are not revolutionary by any means — to the people of that country which is "the* center of the film world." Paul Leni, Famed in Europe as Picture Director, Creator of Prologues and Designer of Sets, Engaged by Carl Laemmle.