Universal Weekly (1925-1933)

16 Universal Weekly May 29, 1926 Universal exchanges circle the world. This is the staff of the Barcelona, Spain, office. A. Torres, manager, is fourth from the left. The Cohens and Kellys" Set Universal Record in Chicago LEROY ALEXANDER, Assistant Sales Director for Universal in the Middle West, is now in New York conferring with Lou B. Metzger, Western Sales Director for Universal, and announces that "The Cohens and Kellys" is booked in every pre-release house in the city of Chicago. Among the big first-run theatres which soon will show this picture are the Chicago, Senate, Harding, Capitol, Pantheon and Woodlawn. The Chicago Theatre showing of the successful Universal Jewel started May 17th. The other showings follow shortly thereafter. Alexander is highly enthusiastic over Universal's position in the Chicago territory. Carl Laemmle can look forward to the greatest year he ever had, judging from the situation in that territory he says. "We are now getting the best representation we ever had in Chicago," says Alexander. "The high percentage of Universal successes during the past two years has completely changed Universal's standing with exhibitors. Formerly our salesmen had to 'sell' Universal before talking prices and pictures. Now the Universal trade-mark is well-known and recognized as standing for the best in pictures. There is no more sales resistance. Our pictures are in actual demand. We find that exhibitors now come to us for Universal product. "Exhibitors with big investments must protect them. More and more theatres are contracting for Universal pictures on a three year basis. In addition to the Cooney Brothers, who signed up for the entire Universal output for three years for their fifteen houses, which was the first chain to make such a long term arrangement, two other strong Chicago chains have done likewise. They are Andrew Karzas, with three important pre-release houses, and James Coston with 21 subsequent run theatres. "In the outlook for next season, Universal is far ahead of all past records for early May. The volume of advance booking for our Greater Movie List, the 1926-1927 product, is amazing in the Chicago territory. It tops by far our record of last year. It has been brought about by a growing demand on the part of exhibitors to make sure, well in advance, that they might have Universal pictures for their screens." Concerning the outlook for Summer, Alexander pointed out that Universal exhibitors are in a favored position due to the fact that many of the best pictures of Universal's current output remain to be released. "In the Chicago territory, and the same is true to a great extent in other territories, a number of sterling boxoffice pictures yet remain to be released on this year's schedule," he explains. "For instance, 'The Cohens and Kellys,' 'The Still Alarm,' and "Calgary Stampede" To Be Published In Prison Paper JACOBSEN HODGKINSON CORPORATION, which publishes 30,000 word novels for sale in tencent stores and on news stands throughout the country, received last week an unusual request. It was from the Beacon, the monthly magazine published by the inmates of the Virginia Penitentiary. They have read every single book that the Jacobson-Hodgkinson Corporation puts out, some fifteen in all. It occurred to them that it would be very interesting to their readers to publish serially one of these books in the Beacon. Of the entire number they selected "The Calgary Stampede." Permission was readily given and they start "The Calgary Stampede" in the June number. It will run in six issues. Other books published by JacobsonHodgkinson Corporation which interest Universal are: "Outside the Law," "The Midnight Sun," "What Happened to Jones," "The Cohens and Kellys," "Take it From Me" and "The Love Thief." Universal Signs New Title Writer FRANK X. FINNEGAN, wellknown short story writer, has been signed as a title writer. He has been a prominent scenario and title writer in Hollywood for several years, and was on the editorial staff of the Lasky studios for four years. Finnegan will work under Maurice Pivar, editorial supervisor for Universal. two more Reginald Denny Productions are yet to reach the general market. These pictures will be available to the exhibitor in June and July, just when he wants the best possible screen attractions. We could not possibly give the exhibitor better summer pictures than the two new Denny pictures, 'Skinnei-'s Dress Suit' and 'Rolling Home.' 'Skinner's Dress Suit' last week topped all other pictures on Broadway, where it drew crowds to the Rivoli Theatre. Reports from pre-release showings of 'Rolling Home' on the West Coast Indicate that it is even a bigger boxoffice attraction than 'Skinner's Dress Suit.' These two pictures and 'The Cohens and Kellys' were booked sightunseen by the Chicago Theatre, the big Balaban & Katz house in Chicago. That is ample proof of their success as reported from other cities where they have been pre-released. They are due to be summer clean-ups for the exhibitors."