Variety (July 1925)

ji VARIETY PICTURES ; Wednesday, July 89, 1939 ""^m f- r HOW COAST THEATRE MANAGER GETS RETURNS FROM TARffiTir .li ; By JOHN P. GORING Managing Dhrwdor of thm Forum TheatrS Jjom AngeMa, July 20. Variety. <LiOB Ang«l«a OfflcA) Borne time aso I fouad myself each Sunday maklns my way regu- larly to a newsstand that arranges for an early delivery of "Variety,"- In order that I could set the news of the show world without waiting several days. This newsstand ar- ranges for a special delivery of "Va- riety" weekly immediately upon ar- rival from New Tork. At this newsstand I found a num- ber of the foremost actors, directors, executives and others connected with the picture Industry. They were' doing Just the same as I, wait- ing to get "Variety." Then when I ^eame to The Forum It occurred to me that if these people waited at a stand for a newspaper they surely must read that paper when they get It. First of an The l'V>njm theatre is a national Institution, much more so than any other. A new picture is shown here every week and most of these showings are world premieres, therefore one of the first moves we made was to go after the motion picture trade—that Is to get the players. th« directors, the technical ■tatrs, the 'studio attaches and in such to make our theatre a weekly habit. •^•rialy* •• n Msdium It appeared to me that "Variety" would be an ezpellent medium for us to i.se to carry our program an- nouncements to these very people we wished to reach. That this is tmeis best evidenced by the results atUined at onr theatre. At any of our showings you will ^Iways find the foremost n^en and women In the great picture producing world out here ocenpying seats. Some we know when to expect. On certain nights or matinees, we oan regnlarTy espeot some certain famous figure to call for his or her •eats. They come tn parties, in eovples and singly. We have no special premiere openings with the Introduction of stars or lights played tpon them; we have none announced and no curious onlookers. They Bke this and have come to think of The Porum as their own theatre. Forum of Qeneral Interest Also. The Forum, by reason of It* new pictures each week and their Importance to the theatrical world, Is watched by other theatre man- agers in all parte of the country, particularly the far West A the- atre manager in some city removed from here sees that we are going to show a new picture; he wishes to know how It Is or how the public likes it. He often writes to some friend or relative here and asks them to see it at The Forum and report to him. "Variety" is the ' paper he reads t(^ keep posted on the business and he sees oar adver- tisement in It. Thus, you will observe our rea- sons for advertising in "Variety" are purely selflsh; we ^re seeking to properly advertise the program of a very unique theatre with an appeal far out of the ordinary In that it is national rather than local, and we are matching this up with a most distinctive publication that has the greatest circulation nation- ally and Internationally, of any the- fttrleaJ paper, I believe. Works for Box OfRca The theatre manager tn almost any town, large or small. In aiiy part oir the country la generally known to his townsmen. In that town there Is someone who Is coming to l<os Angeles on a trip. It may be next week or it may be a year hence, but gome of them are coming here some time, all the time. Naturally, be- fore they start In this direction they ask their local manager about what to see here. He tells them what he knows about That manager. In practically every instance I know of, ]■ a subscriber to "Variety." He Iwig been reading our '^d" every week and he is aware also that The Forum is possibly the most beautiful theatre in the world; that it is an architectural triumph and has a premiere picture every week, bo he ABE SPni PLAN FOR TOURING ATmACnONS Syndicate Organized to Produce For and Ac- quire Picture H<NMet ProvManoo, July IS. A syndicate, having for Ita scope the centralisation and nationalisa- tion of i>ioture presentation hooses has tfeen organised by Abe Spits of this dty and Boston, for the past 49 years In producing and theatre operating circles. Mr. Spits Is now in Now Tork oganlsing his prodoo- Ing stall. He will renuiin there about a week. The syndicate will have unlimited capital, according to Mr. Spits, and is Incorporated with t&OO.MO paid tn oapltaL ' Involved In this undertaking, which It Is planned, will In thm* furnish all the smaller bouses of the entire country with metropoli- tan pntsentatlons In eonjunotlon with the picture bills, is the esteh- Uahment of a nation-wide «lrcun of picture theatres. For the time be- ing the syndicate will eonflno Ito aotlvties to the organisation of tho-, atres In tho six New S^land States. New Torlc, New Jorsly sad eastern ^ennsylvanli^ Spits's syndicate sfiay hit Inde- pendently booked vaudeville houses a hard blow, for tho flrm has an- nounced that n Is going out with an effort to substitute these pre- senatlons for Independent hills. Crsole fthowSk Tss Productions, among which there will be no less than seven Creole shows, it Is announoed, will go on the road on straight booking foe, gnarantee or percentage. The syndicate has been naased tho National Amusement Company, and while Its producing center will be in Boston, Spite and his associate plan to estebUsh headquarters In other cities. Including New Tork, out of which the unite will travel. Mr. Spits Is an extenatve <u>erator of picture houses, having several in this city. For years be was with Max NsShanson, operating the old Empire ^ere. He also established the first nlckleodeon In this city and has dealt extensively in all branches of the show business. Bach unit is to carry from 19 to 14 chorus girls, depending upon the size of the town to be played, and all essential principals, stage crew, director and advance man. All companies will work out of Boston for the time being. It is planned that the first batch of units will go on the road in September. Rehearsals will start In Boston within a forinlght. - Most of the woric Is being handled at present from the syndicate's of- fices at 188 Tremont street Boston. Spits also has offices In Providence. U.A.REVI?A15 . JWRING AUGUST X/ttlt Angeles. Jnly It. Uhlte^^Artkite Film Bxobanges in California are making a drive of the picture houses for rovival days of aU the old U. A. product Several of the Los Angeles houses tn the neighborhood sections have already booked one picture a woek for the month of August Pictures Included In the revival are "TISi Mark of «orro," "Teas of tho Storm Country," "Pollyanna," "Way Down Biast" "Down on the Farm," "The Woman of Paris," "The ^ree Musketeers," "Littie Lord Fauntloroy," "Dorothy Vernon of Haddon HaU," "Rosltft" and "Robin Hood."* TOWNOF30,000 THEATRE-WUD Over^leatinc Santa Ana —Battle fo^ Supremacy Bantn An*. CaL, July ti. Though this elty has only a popa- lation of tO.OOO, theatre men are'go- ing wild In patting up new struc- tures. B. D. Tost who operates three houses here, has teken a lease on property at Fifth and Broadway and Is to build the fourth show house. C. BL Walker, who recsntly opened Walker's Orange County theatre, announces that ho will build another house at Ross and Fonrth streets. Walker will opsrato this house la conjunction with West Coa^t Theatres. Ino, . Xugene Durfee, Anaheim archi- tect. Is drawing plans for another hooso to b« located on the irite of the old QAuki opera house at Fourth and Bush streets. This house Is to seat 1,S00, and will be operated by a n«w Independent theatrs eorpora- tlon which havs ssvsral bosses-ln California. These new-houses added to the others make It apparent that Sante Ana win bs everseated and tt will be a 'Mittls to th« sad for su- premacy. W. C T. ASKS DISMISSAL OF TRADE COMPLAINT Alleges Intrastate, Not In- terstate Business— More Time for Answer Denied MIII>Bi;p HABSB EXPEGTAHT Los Angeles, July SS. According to reporte received firom the east, Mildred Harris, former wife of Charlie Chaplin and now married to Terry McQovem. business man, has temporarily retired from the picture field to await the coming of the stork some time in November. advises these travelers to come and see our place. In addition to all this. The Forum Is doing very nicely, thank you, and if "Variety" wishes to get any meas- ure of satisfaction from these facts, we arc glad tb have them do so. for we arc certainly quite pleased with the results. John P. Oortna. Managing Director. Washington, July U. Tho West Coast Theatres, Inc., through Ite local attomeyji, has en- deavored to have the complaint re- ported to have been issued against It for unfair business prax^tices by the Federal Trade Commission dis- missed. The claim for dismissal was based on the grounds that the business dealings of the theatre company were entirely Intrastate '(within the confines of one state only) and not intersUte (more than one state), as charged. Could 4his aave l>een proven the Federal Trade Commission would not have bad iurlsdlotton tn the matter. It was also learned that the dis- misssJ appllcatloi. was overruled and also the request of the com- pany, should the dismissal be de- nied, for additional time In which to fll« Ite answer to the reported complaint. The intrastate phase, howsver, It Is understood, was left open for argument following com- pletion of the case. Commission Moves'Slowly If tho oommlssion moves as slow- ly as It has In the Famous Players ease, yet to be decided, the reported charges against the West Coast Theatre Company may never be aired, K Is steted here. If Senator Norris of Nebraska has his way. Following up the previous attack on the commission, recently outlined in VarUty, the Senator sUtes he will lea<| a concerted action In the next Congress to have the commission abolished. Senator Norris claims the com- mission Is now run by the big money interests. This charge was brought about through the appointment this spring of William B. Humphrey to the v»<<«ncy President Harding en- deavored to give to his former sec- retary, Ctoorge Christian. Christian lost the appointment because of his alleged efforte to assist the Famous Players prior to the'issuaace of the oomplalnt against thai, oomptuiy. Warners and Laenunle Are Still Dickering IV* deal 'between the Warner Bros, and Carl Laenunle of Univer- sal, whereby the former are to prac- tically take over the U organisa- tion, la reported as still on. Barry M. Warner Is te sail for Burope on Aug. IS and Join his brother, Abe Warner, who Is n^w abroad, with the two to^have a ieries of flnkl conferences with Laemmla. I Laemrale, It Is known, has been axnious to get nut of the active producing and distributing end of the picture business for sometime, providing, et course, that he could get his i^e. This price it seems the Warners and their financial backers ar* willing to meet. It is a question of actual cash on the Warner-proposal. It Is said Laemmle wants more..cash In ad- vance than tho Warners would agree to put npw 'VMS" FOB FDBUCIT7 Los Angeles. July A. All sorts of gags are conceived by press agents to publicize musi- cians, stage hands And other em- ployes who are employed on the Hollywood motion picture sete. • The latest Is an announcement that Paul Flnsteln has been appointed musical director for Joseph M. Schenck pro- ductions. His task will be to select and supervise musicians who are employed on the Norma and Con- stence Talmadgs. Valentino and Keaton sete. Flnsteln is a graduate from the Universal lot. SEMOira PATHS AOSEEMEHT Los Angeles, July 18. Larry Semon having concluded his contract with Chadwiok pic- tures has sigAed a contract to make eight full-length oomedies of at least five reels each for Pathe. The latter concern Is to finance Semon besides distribute. It Is understood the cost of these pictures will be flM.OOO. with Semon getting percentage on dis- tribution besides a salary of around tSAM a week. Atlanta Orchestras Get Notice After Demands Atlante, July 28. Or^estras in the Howard. Met- ropolitan. Rialto and Alamo (No. 2) theatres were given two weeks' no- tice on Saturday. The row developed when the lo- cal musicians' union made demands the Metropolitan and Howard in- crease the scale of organists frosa $12 to $14 a week and further stipu- lated a higher scale for members of the Rialto orchestra. Besides the Federation found it necessary that the musicians in the pit of the At- lante should be paid a minimum of $20 weekly for 62 weeks a year whether working or not, this bouse being dark a majority of the time. The proposed new scales are to become effective Sept 1. When these demands^were pre- sented to the. Atlante Theatrical Managers' Association the latter or- ganization replied business had been l>ad enough this summer and if the Federation Insisted it could completely withdraw its orchestras. Just what will occur two weeks hence Is not definite, but it Is con- sidered likely the boys will get to- gether on some kind of an arrange- ment, possibly the one now in eftect. "Frcthman" at Colony Harold Lloyd's latest. "The Fresh- men," is to finally be shown at the B. a Moss Colony^ New York, a run opening, Sept. 20. contract was closed after the for The Strand and the Capitol had bid on the picture. The Strand lost the feature as the time J. C. Ragland demanded was not open, and the Capitol would not agree to a run beyond two weeks. Ragland figured that with a con- tinued run at the Colony and a fol- low-up at the little Cameo he would get the benefit of at least 12 weeks on Broadway. THEATRE DEAI^ HAVE STOCKS TILTING \ Famous and Fox Both G^ to New Hight—Loew I Alto Hits Top The reports of theatre deals and mergers are the cause of a number of the amusement and film stocks hitting new high marks In the maf« kets during the last few days. The Balaban and Kats deal with Famous Players was the cause of a tremend* ous fiurry in the B. A K. stock, so many New Yorkers also dabbHng Ui the shares brought about its quota< tlon on the New York Curb Market this week. Monday ar week ago th* st^ck hit a high of above 88, but since that time a constant pounding has been in progress which has been sending the stock down. In CM* cago particularly there has beem a liquidating of B. 4k it. sharesn which pretty generally is an indica« tlon that the get together price on the deal t>etween the two must havs been below the market value of ths shares and those who were on tbs inside cleaned up and are now la a position to buy back again when the stock gete down to where it bo^ longs. The reports during the week that William Fox is about 'o acquire the Mark Strand string of 'heatres through an outright but has had ths effect of sending that corporation's shares to a new high with fSH ths mark on which tho stock closed yes* terday. Loew reached a high of 81%. Famous Players has been tho real surprise of the week. ^Tho common of F. P. hit 11414 on the market on Monday. That was tho highest that the stock has ever been. When It was originally placed-on the market It was quoted at lis. The preferred went over 128 on the same day. Those who have been advising selling short of 9. P. figuring on what the possible result of the Federal Trade Commission's report of the Investigation of Fa« mous will be. seemingly cannot ae< count for the present rise. It Is generally conceded that th4 report of the commission Is apt te be unfavorable and seemingly tho Balaban A Kats^amous Players theatres deal la In anticipation of that report It Is said that when the merger Is completed there will be formed a $100,000,000 corporation for the operation of the Joint the< atre holdings of both Famous and Balaban & Kats. Pathe has rlso been taking i slamming and has dropped consld^ erable during the last week. The table,^r last week's trans^ actions shows: Bale*. Hlffb. Low.CloM.Cb'ra Raatman Ko4. 2,800 107H 10M4 1M% ' F. P.-LMlcy...K2.200 100% lOS^ 106% Do. pf 1,300 117% lie 11T% Fir«t Nat'l 800 101 101 101 L««w'a. Ino...41,700 81% 38% 80% Mot-Oold pf... 200 20% 20% 90% Orpboam CIr.. S.tOO 20% as% 3» Curb Balea. Hlcb. I«w.ClM*.Cb'f«. Balaban « K.. 1,87B 81 74 74 Film Inap S,200 T% 6% Fox Film A... 4,?00 " U. P. Corp.... 000 Pathe 4.400 Universal .... 8,300 Warn. Bro. A. 1,700 n n B7% 88% W -« 10% 18% 18% - » 8« 81H M, -•* 8«^ 88% »«}i +2Jf ISH 1«% 1«U - 1 Yesterday's sales and prices weref Bale*. HJfh. Low.CIo««.Cb-i* Eaatman KoJ. BOD ]M 100% 106% - 11 ~ ~ ' ii8% iiitf in - » F. P.-Lasky.-. •Do. pf , •FIrat Nat'l,. l<oew'a. Inc.. *Met-aoM pf. Orphcnm Or. S,«00 118% lllU 113 8.800 • 'ti •19t 80% SOH -« TOO »% 88% »K -^"4 Curb ^,_, galea.'Blab. IiOW.OloM.Cbfa Balaban A K.. 900 TS T4 M -*^ Film Inap. FOK Film A. •M. P. Corp. Pathe Universal SOO 1,000 \.. 8,800 fOO ■8% BTH ••« t1 ZUBO aUITS F. p. HOUSES Joseph Zuro. production manager and director of presentations of the Rialto, Rivoli and Criterion the- atres, has resigned to become a general presentation rroducer for the picture houses wUhout affllia- tlon to the Famous Piayers^ houses. 88% 81 81 , M% 86 8iH Warn. Bro. A. 1,100 16% ^MH W% • Chicago ^,_^ Batoa. Hltb. IiOW.CIoM.Cfc'1* Balaban » K. ... 78 79 79 ^ 8t. Louis _. »*• **% 8koura« tS *** *No aalea or quotatlona. CO STUM e:0 PRODUCTIONS ■XPWJITATIONB PRBSBNTATIONB -Aj/g ••way. Tel. 8680 Pen.