Variety (April 1926)

^ »m mr «9 # m» - ' - f « 34 VARIETY PICTURES Wednetdi^r April 7» 199$ Blackton't Cross Suit TjOS Angrele*. April 6. J. Stuart Blaokton has filed an answer and cross-complaint asking $50,000 damafies from Gerard do Merteirx, physical culturlst, assert- tint? that the French Instructor as- saulted his wife, Mrs. Paula Black- ton. De Morveux brought suit against Blackton for damages to hla repu- tation resulting from stories told about him. He also said that Black- ton lashed him with a whip, which Blackton denies. AMUSEMEirr STOCK QUOTAHONS Rumors were around this week that the Keith-Albee office has been conferring with Universal for a tie up Bomewliat along the lines of the Warner Brothers-Pantages working understanding. English Film Men in N. Y. Charles Lapworth and Michael Balcun, directors of Gatnsborough Pictures, Ltd., are now In New York conforring with distributors relative to placing their English- made productions In American the- atres. The Only "New*' Thing in Picture Houte Entertainment THE PAUL ASH POUCY at Presented at Mc^ckers, Chicago By The general recovery all along the line on reports from the country In general regarding improved businoM condition* is naturally reflected In the amusement stocks. Last week the most eurprislnv record was that of Famous common with more than 80.000 shares dealt in. It meant but one thing,, that the livsido pool In Famous was jockeying to forde the price dowfrStnit then to step In again and cop. The outlook for Famous Players-La sky and Paramount on the strength of the future productions as outlined at the Atlantic City sales convention and the enthusiasm displayed by the Held force is particularly good. The or- franlsatlon should liavo the biggewt financial year in Its history in the amount of sales, and even though the production costs are to be higher thi.s yi'ar per pu ture, they siiould show a tremendous earning. That leads to but one suimlso. The insiders were working to get the outside crowd to unload so that they might pick up the shares at a low I)rlce, figuring that before the year is ended the stock will go to 160. It was not until this week that there was any action in the Balaban and Katz shares even after it became generally known that Famous was about to take over the controlling Interest in the Chicago theatre operating corporation. Last week at the close the stock was off four points at 64. At the close yesterday the price was 69% which shows that it is on Its way to the 80 mark where the trading price is set. Last week the hardest Dump was suffered by Paths Exchange A which werit off more than seven points In the trading. That stock it seeniB Is iudt being manipulated for the benefit of a few insiders, be- cause It Is up' and down seemin^Fly at the will of a single clique. The trading for last week showed: : Baloa. Ea«tiuin Kodak l.MOO •l3o. profCTTcd ; FamoiM lUayera-Lasky &1,<K0 l>o. prefert-efl l -VM) First Naliuikal IMcturea 100 h\.x Kllms A 17.500 I.oewB. Inc 27.700 Metro-Gold wyn 400 Motion rict. Cap. Corp J.800 Urpheum Circuit l.SOo I)o. preferred UOO Pathe Excbanse 80.3(K) Schubert Theatres 700 I'niversal i'icturcs preferred liOO Warner Uroa. Pictuiaa A 1.3(H) CURB 10» 11(^4 01*4 3!>>4 23 20M: 2HT4 108 r,2 106% « • • 111% 116 06% M% 36 2<% 19 27% ioe% 4»% 54 91 13% 106% 118% 119% 88 23 19 1U6 M% U 91 13% -I- % + % - 1% + 2^ + 1 + % - 1% + % - 7ii - 2 INSIDE STUFF ON PICTURES t^alea. American Seating Co 100 lialaban St Katz ctfa 200 Film InspeoUon M .VM) Fox Theatre* A 8.900 TrHna-LuK Screen 10.(X)0 Universal Plcturca • 100 *Warner Broa. IMctures HlKh. 2»5 66% 4% 21 9 S0% Low. 261 M 4% 19 30vi 280 M 4% 21 0 S0% Change. +18 — 4 - % + % * No aalea or quotatlona. The close of the market yesterday in the face of a general recovery showed but few amusement shares dealt In but those In the inaln showed Improvement. Eastman Kodak. Loew's, Inc Metro-tloldwyn preferred Motion Pictnre Cap. Corp Orpheuin Circuit Warner Broa, Picturea A. Foi Theatrea A. A IB.OOO.OOO bond issue will be * part of the*»p»po»ed IS reeerred seat picture theatre circuit, in which Marcus Loew, Lee Shubert. Joe M. Schenck and Bid Qrauman aft.eoncemed. Mmra. Ekihenck and Grau- man delayed their return to the co^tst upon the plans for the circuit maturing. The deal was on and off several times for a f«w days, then Kot straightened out. The Hollywoo(^s will probably leave New York the end of this week. Mr. and Mra Arthur Kelly, Jr., became the parents of son last week in New York, the day following the advent of the Charlie ChapUng at Hollywood. A recent paragraph in this column stated that the sale of "Naughty Cinderella" by the Charles Frohman Company for $40,000 to Famous Players was a 'lauph" ' to those on the inside, inasmuch as' Famous owned the Frohman firm. Laugh or not. Famous paid $40,000 to the Frohman ofSc* and of that sum. $15,000 went to the Frohman account, $15,000 to E. Ray Ooetz. who owned half the show, and $10,000 to Avrery Hopwood, who ndaptcd It. The theory that Famous doesn't pay the Frohxdan oflloe for fllm rights is erroneous on its face, as authors always recel«* half of the rights and the contracts between the Frohman Arm and the ftathors are the standard contracts which are not chang64. Moreover, th^-^ohman firm, being a separate corporation, keep* its own books, acpi^inits, etc., and pays Us own bills. Several of its playg yecently have lUso been disposed of to companies other than Famous because of highef >lds received, this be- ing necessary because of the author's participation in the film rights. There appears to be more exploitation fllm men at liberty at this time than in previous years with the future not holding any hope; la fact the way the game is shaping it seems that the explolteers face a workless summer and an idle winter. There is little call for special workers on roadshow propositions, thla angle being handled by old men on the staff with outsiders not given a second thought. Again, there is not the unusual activity of special exploitation done by specially-engaged explolteers, the individual theatres attending to the publicity and advertising under directions. HIgh-prload explolteers not long ago wero much in demand, beinff sent right and left to splurge high and heavy on itunts and advertising in the hope of putting a picture over. Today, few of these men are working, most of them having turned their attention to other lines of work or being absorbed in departments where the weekly stipend isn't so much. PICFURE POSSIBILITiES OF CURRENT PUYS ON BlAY '^Schweiger"—Unfavorable "ftchweiger" (Drama, Mansfield): A Teutonic effusion tmsulted In theme (which even for a "heavy" play Is particularly obscure) for mass screen consumption, lacking story or action. Ab^ **Kongo"—Unfavorsble "Kongo" (Melodrama, Kllbourne, Blltmore): Enough fai this melo- drama to make a weird picture but unlikely "Will Hays would pass It Ibe4. ''The Half-Caste"—Possible "The Half-Casts'* (South Sea Drama, National): Plenty of color and opportunities for embellishing same on screen is in favor of "The Half- Caste." It may be cleaned up and if accomplished ably, the screen pos- sibilities are optimistic. The basic theme of an illicit love^-between a white man and a half-caste who turns out to be his half-sister is im- possible as pta^c presented, unless treated and toned down. AbeL THOSE FAMOUS C HANTAL International Pianists In a Distinct Novelty ^'PIANO DUET" This Week (April 4th)—Rivoli, N. Y. Direction MRS. A. K. BENDK Cdumbia Theatre Bldg., New York MANAGERS NOTICE!! IVIAXT'ISOlNr AND HIS ORCHESTRA The Director Who Plays, Sings, Talks and Dane AMy by BERONYCE BRANCHE THE DANCING FIND OF 1926 Featuring Their Famous Bowery Apache Dance JUST COMPLETED A SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BALABAN & KATZ CIRCUIT Last Week (March 29) Fox's, Phila., Pa.—April 11, Fox's Washington Theatre, Detroit, Mich. , • Direction ARTHUR SPIZZl, 1560 Broadway, Neto York