Variety (May 1926)

VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, May 12, 1926 BOOKING OFFICE FOR NAMES' AND ACTS FOR NEW STANLEY THEATRE COMBINATION Present Stanley Houses in Keith-Albee Agency Re- maining There for Present—No Other Stanley Houses to Be Booked by K-A—Complete Organ- ization for Stanley Booking Office with John McKeon in Charge;—Profiting by Publix's "Presentation" Experiment The newly amalgamated picture house interest* comprising the the- atre holdings of the associated lj-aanchlse holders In First Na- tional had their first booking meet- ing yesterday in the offices of the Stanley Company in New York. At this meeting it waa agreed that for the present each of the theatre chain would do its booking Indi- vidually, but through the Stanley office, which will be operated on a 5 per cent, commission basis. Nv ef- fort will be n.ade for the present to route any attraction for more than the individual booker wants to offer in the way of time. The general trend of thought Is that "names" are the essential thing as far as attractions are con- cerned. To this end, yesterday (Tuesday) Eddie Dowllng was booked for about six weeks of the Stanley time and Louis Mann was lined up for both Philadelphia and Atlantic City In speaking of the future of the Stanley-contr- Jed houses, as far as their connection with the Kelth- Albee office is concerned, Jules Mastbaum, president of the new atniiatlon, stated that the Stanley houses in the Keith office would remain there for the present at least, but that none of the future houses or any of the houses in the affiliation would be lined up with the Keith-Albee organization under any circumstances. Booking Organization During the next month the or- ganization of a complete booking organization to handle the houses in the atfiliated circuit will go for- ward. It is figured that by the middle of June it will have ad- vanced to a stage where an attrac- tion will be able to secure a route of at least 25 weeks. For the pres- ent there are about 12 weeks on the books of the office. John McKeon will remain at the head of the Stanley booking office and will organize a staff to sur- round himself. At present the diffi- culty lies in getting men who are so equipped as to understand the requlreme its of the average pic- ture house. The formation of several "flash" acts is under consideration, and in this instance each one will be headed by a "name" that has a box office pulling power. In this respect the policy of the Stanley-booked houses will differ totally from the policy that the Publix Theatres inaugurated and is now following. The Publix be- lieved presentations without names as long as they were flashy enough would attract business. The ex- perience to date has practically proven the fault In their deductions in this regard. The Stanley people are out to profit by the Publix experience, and are shooting for names right from the start. Better Stage Shows Portland, Ore, May 11. Liborius Hauptmann, musical di- rector at the Rivoli, and formerly with Universal's Columbia, in Seat- tle, has been given a free hand in the way of presenting concerts and stage features, at the picture house. Last week he augmented his con- crt orchestra and offered a "jazz concert" that was J.he talk of the town. Cornerstone for Paramount Laid May 19 The corner-stone of the Paramount-Broadway building will be laid at noon, May 19, by Mayor James J. Walker. Ho and Will Hays will spoak while Lee J. Eastman, presi- dent of the Broadway Associa- tion, will be master of cere- monies. A copper box will be placed beneath the stone. It will con- tain copies of the New York dailies, pieces of picture film, coins minted In 1926, copper etchings of Adolph Zukor, Jesse Lasky and Sidney R. Kent, while a plate containing the riamea of all the officers and directors of the company will also be included. The film to be placed under the stone will be sealed in a small copper can and will con- sist of shots from the most im- portant news events in 1926, a piece of "Queen Elizabeth," the first feature length film intro- duced into America by Adolph Zukor, while shots from "Old Ironsides," the F.-P. special for next season, will also be in- cluded. .After the corner-stone cere- monies, which will last about* 30 minutes, guests will attend a luncheon at the Hotel Astor. GEO. LEWIS STARRING Los Angeles, May 11. George Lewis, the young actor who made a good showing in "His People" has been placed under a five year starring contract by Uni- versal. His first picture will be "Rig Guns," directed by Harry Pol- lard. "Paradise" Leads Los Angeles, May 11. George Sidney and Charlie Mur- ray have been engaged for the leads in "Paradise," which will be the first June Mathls production directed by Sylvano Balboni, her husband, in the new First National studios. Marceline Day's Plea Los Angeles, May 11. Marceline Day, picture actress, asked for an injunction in Superior court prohibiting Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer from interfering with her screen career. Miss Day, whose real name Is Newlln, stated that she was under contract to the pro- ducers until April 26, when she came of age and repudiated her contract which had been made while she was a minor. Despite this, she alleges, Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer have continued to claim exclusive rights to her serv- ices. PRODUCERS STICK ON STUDIO LOTS Jesse Lasky, vice-president in charge of production for Famous- Players, has decided to make his permanent home in Los Angeles. It is estimated that he will be on the Coast 10 months of the year and in the east the rest of the time. Co-incldentally with the Lasky decision to become a Coast defender, Carl Laemmle, ^president of Uni- versal, has determined to make his home there for the greater part of the year to be In closer contact with his producing plant. Last year it was announced that Winfield R. Sheehan, general man- ager of the Fox Film Corporation would live on the Coast to keep an eye on the ambitious Fox program, while Louis B. Mayer, chief of the Metro producing staff, has been on the Coast for over two years with his headquarters right on the lot. Some predict that Richard W. Rowland will shortly move to the Coast to superintend the First National output, which Is principally made in California, although several of the stars work at the old Blo- graph studio in the Bronx. WARNERS' "PARIS" Los Angeles, May 11. Warner Brothers are going to re- lease a picture entitled "So This Is Paris." It was made by Ernst Lu- bitsch under the title of Reveillon," from an original story by Mellhac Halvey. Rob Wagner is doing the titling. John McCormlck Resting Los Angeles, May 11. John McCormick, general manager of First National on the Coast, has suffered a nervous breakdown and will be away at Palm Springs for a two weeks' rest. 2 PATHE MEN'S DASH FOR TRAIN VIA PI A Diamond and Harris Flew 128 Miles to Catch Limited Took Chance in K. C. Los Angeles, M.iy n, Two Pathe officials staged an episode from one of their serinls la getting out of Kansas City on their way f/om the New York convention to Los Angeles L. S. Diamond, lu-ad of the statistical department, com- ing to the coast for the first time in several years and Frank Harris, Western district manager, were the heroes of the adventure. Arriving in Kansas City on the second section of the California Limited, they were told that they would have an hour and la minute stopover. This, they figured, waa enough to hop uptown and visit the K. C. exchange. They returned to the station in what they figured was just time to return to the smoking room and found that the train had left half an hour before. The Limited had only stopped for 46 minutes. After raising the roof of the Santa Fe station, the despatcher rustled around and got them an airplane which transported them to Emporia, Kan., 128 miles west. While they were flying, the de- spatcher wired on ahead and held the California Limited for 30 minutes until the two film men climbed aboard. Harris and Diamond were in charge of the Southern California sales convention for Pathe, held May 7-8. Hoxie, Free-Lancing, May Go with P. D. C. Los Angeles, May 11. Jack Hoxle Is no longer a Uni- versal star. His contract expired recently. At present Hoxle Is playing Buf- falo Bill in "The Last Frontier." which George B. Beit* is making for Producers' Distributing Cor- poration. It is understood Metropolitan Picture Is negotiating with Hoxie for a long time contract, as P. D. C. is understood to want to make Westerns, producing at least six or seven features a year. "THEY CLAP HANDS WHEN THEY SEE CHARLIE!" Triumphal Debut CHARLIE MEL SON AND HIS GREATER BAND FILLING FOR A SHORT TIME THE BIG LEAGUE BOOTS OF "RUBE" WOLF Who Is Knocking 'Em Cold in Oakland in FANCHON & MARCOS Latest "IDEA" A West Coast Divertissement LOEWS STATE, LOS ANGELES Thanks to Mr. A. M. BOWLES, Gen. Mar., West Coast Theatres, Inc. PUNCH LOOMIS SPEED-WONDER DANCER Feature PAUL OSCARD'8 PUBLIX Presentation "SOUTHERN MEMORIES" FAMOUS PLAYERS' CIRCUIT This Week (May 10), METROPOLITAN, BOSTON Last Week (May 3), RIVOLI, NEW YORK Direction: BENJAMIN DAVID LESTRA LaMONTE—The Paper Fashion Plate Creator, Designer and Star t>f FANCHON & MARCO'S PAPER IDEA LOEW'S STATE, LOS ANGELES, NOW—Entire West Coast Circuit to Follow MOaT NOVEL PRESENTATION EVER OFFERED ON ANY 8TAGE. ENTIRELY OF PAPER COSTUMES AND PROPERTIES DESIGNED BY LESTRA LaMONTE.