Variety (Nov 1926)

Wednesday, November 3, 1926 PICTURES VARIETY it .. I 4 BIG HLM LINE-UPS IN SIGHT p. D. C SENDS REP. TO EUROPE TO FINAL STRENCTHEN AT HOME PROGRAM L ^flliam Vogel Saik—Offer Made to Film Editor to Pass Upon VogePs Selections—^Want to Bolster I Up p. D. C Present Release List Producers Distributing Corpora- tion feels that It will have to bolster * up its present program of releases, and to that end hM sent William Vogel, handling the exporting of the P. D. C. product, into the foreign murket to see if he can pick up any "big" pictures that might serve the purpose of tho releasing orgaftixa- . tlon. Vogel sailed for th^ other side a four days ago. Prior to his Isavins. < MTMal offera were made to a noted fllm editor and one who has also had writing and titling experience with sovorai of tho big companies, * i» Wflf abroad and pass on whether ' or not certain pictures that Vogel ' might select would be suitable for <> MaptloB through editing and titlias - for the American market. In the trade, when it became known tliat this was the plan of P. D. C, It was remarked It was a rather singular confession of weak- ness on the part of an American producing and dibstributing organi- sation tkat It most go into tho for- eign market to seek material for * release to strengthen their own home-made product. YIDDISH FILMS; SIX YEARLY PUBUX AMD SAENGER IN ON MEW N. 0. HOUSE De Luxe Theatre of 3,600— Publix Buys in—Saenger E» A* Relkin Forming Co. —500 Theatres \ ^ ' with 800 neighborhood picture houses in Jewish localities in the 0 United States, there is a field for : Tlddish-produced motion pictures. .jr.V» llllthe demand, Bdwin A. Relkin. . pioneer Jewish theatrical magnate, >rjhas organized a new company i^jWhlch may be Identified as the t<> Jewish Famous Players, inc., if cor> .;(.porate details permits, cthenvlse la fii.U^y^ title will be sought. ..Qr With Relkin, Jacob Rovenger, it Yiddish theatrical business execu- tive, and Ivan Abramson will be as- s,0qQla.ted, the latter to take charge , of the production-end. ^ , Ludwig Satz will be the star of {the first production, "The Wild • Man," Yiddish theatre classic by ^. Jacob M. Gordon, one of the most popular Yiddish plajrwrlfhts who died some years ago. ' . Relkin, because of his association ^^ilrith every theatrical management ^' in the Yiddish show buslnosa, has , access to the choicest of Yiddish ^. 'Stage successes and will produce about six pictures a year. Dual ^ sets of prints will have English and ^ ' Tiddish titles and captions. ^Slums,' German-Made Chicago,'KoT. 1. Imported Pictures Corporation's first release, "Slums of Berlin," German made, is slated for next week at the Randolph. The fllm importing company was recently organized by Walter W. Kofeldt. formerly with Pathe and P. D. C. as director of distribution -In central Europe. HEW CHI ASS'N HEADS Cl ileagu, ff> u r . B. Aaron Jones was elected presl- dent of tho Theatre Managers aa- ' 'fiociatlon, replacing Harry Ridings, . who i^si^tied. Othei* ofReers are John Oarrlty, vlce-prosidmt: Bill ^ ' Roach, trortsuner, 'and 'Dave Kahane, 'secretary. ■ ' '^^ ■ ^ Publik TheiMi wm m^e New Orleans through an arrangement with the Saenger Amusement Com- pany, when the new Saenger-4iouse opens In February. An arrangement has been made with the Publix by E. V. Richards (Saenger) whereby the Famous Players theatre operating corpora- tion will purchase an interest in the new theatre and the house will playr ^ PliMtt imit showi. • • The new Saenger ~ Is on Canal street, almost directly across from the Lioew house. It will be named the flaengir ani 'luit* capacity of about 8,600. It will practically be the first house given over to de luxe presentation of films in the entire south, oufside of th* PvMbc-oper- ated houses te Atliuiiii liiMl Florida points. ' At present In New Orleans Saen- ger has three principal theatres. Strand, Liberty and Trianon, with the choice as to the clasyification of the houses abovf in that order, and in addition about 2fi neighborhood houses. It is also interested in Loew'a. which opened last year. Iioew^ Is ptaiylAir ft MteM policy of vaude. and pictures. It's the same policy as at the Orpheum and Palace (both Orpheum circuit). The hook up between Publlk and Saenger for the New Orleans house will give Publix a natural break in the jump between Texas points and Atlanta for the Publix unit shows. At the same time it will give New Orleans its first taste of the metro- politan Me4 of motion pictui^ pre- sentation with added stage enter talnment and may possibly start som0thing in that portion of the MfUth.'- LAID OUT Famous Playert-Lasky, Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer, P. D. C.-Pathe and SUn- ley Company** Group Comprise Rumored LitI—However, Fox, Uni- ▼ertal, Warner's and F. B. O. Would Assume •Formidable Proportions, With United Artists Too important to Overlook— Picture Industry S<K>n Due to Shape Itself Among Distributors and Producers — Educational May Be Centre of F. P«- L. Deal. KIGGE THAN BARNUlirS' ALLEGED BY RINGUNGS AS DEdWE" Temporary Order Obtained in Minneapolis Federal Court—Final Hearing Nov. 6—Bookings Stopped pn F. B. O. jPicture Released 3 Months Ago JUNE HATHIS RESIGNS; McCORMiCK BATTLE SAENGER AND F. P. It appears as though the final line-up as far as the picture indus- try is concerned is in sight. The control Is going to be with four big factions in the business, with the indications within the past week pointing to developments in Just that direction, from the accounts. What the four will be now looks like Famous Players-Lasky-Para- mount in the producing and dis- tributing end with Its Publlz The- atres for theatre operation and the presentation unit attractions and other stage acts, and with the pos- sibility of Famous obtaining eon- trol of the Educational Films for short subjects; Metro-Gold wyn- Mayer as producers and distribu- (Coatinued on page 40)^ STANLEY BOOKS LAFAYETTE IN BUFFALO Producer Could Not Agree with. Gen Mgr. Over 1$t ' X«es AfiiSieSi lieT. i. The war which has been silently taking place between June Mathis, First National producer, and John McCormick, general manager, for the past six months, reached its height Oct. 30 when the formeir ten- dered her resignation. In a letter Miss Mathis told Mc- Cormick. it is said, that she could not make pictures on account of the manner In which hs hsA MSB In- terfering with production. The breach became open during the week when McCormick and Miss Mathis had a tin over OiS <S(iien treatment of "Here's Tour Broth- er,** which was to have been put into production this week with her husband, Sylvano Balbonl^ as director. McCormick insisted that he. did not care for the treatment of the story, and Miss Mathis pointed out that she would use it or the picture would not be made so far. as she personally was concerned. A meeting was held at the studio, with New York being called, and Balboni was relieved. The story treatment was turned over to Carey Wilson for rSeMUptag S«d Ihs pro- duction to Ray Rockett for super- vision, with Millard Webb ansaged to direct. * -A sort of feud has been in exist- ence between Miss Mathis and Mc- Cormick ever since the former su- pervlibd the Colleen Moore produc- tions of "Sally," "Irene," "We Mod- ems" and "Denert Bound." Several wide J>reaches, and they broadened whenl^Osi^y WUso* was' added to the staff, as the latter is said to hSVjS been called in by McCormick (Continued on page 41) Washington, Nov. 2. The Navy has gone in for taking stunt, niotion pictures. Friday ^Ltst Jamas cnark jumped'^^iM an areo- plane 4,000 feet in the air to land via the parachute route. He had aitached to his chest an automatic mst4«R pNrtUfe camera that "shot' the descent This is the first official attempt at such a film. It is to be developed by the Mt«r nepartmsst'Siid Shown first in ths Wastitn«tsi| tilctnre theatres. •. 'Opposition* House Plays 'Namo' Attractioat in ■ • Opposition to K.-A. Irooades,' F. P.'s Most lUMly Saper Picture Los Angeles, Nov. S. Famous Players-Lasky expended $2,100,000 in the making of "Old bonsides," the biggest amount it has yet invested In any one super picture. Ov^r 11,000,000 was due to unfa- vorable weather while the company was on location* at Catalina Island. The company went over there for four Weeks and was compelled to The lAfayette, Buffalo, formerly booked through the Gus Sun Agen- cy, is now being booked through the Acme Agency, booker of the Stanlay houses, jack McKeon has been supplying the Lafayette with 'names" and "features" for several weeks, although no official an- nouncement has been given out. The move l.«j important in view of the current strained relations be- tween Stanley and Keith's. The lAfayette was declared "opposition" (Continued oh pitge tl) U ROCQUE LOANED TO ItESURRECnON' iths: rem&in iUimst fuur llHlh It is reported here that the F. P.-L organlratlon at French LicK convention waxed enthusiastic over the picturSi Th« picture will have its New York premiere within the next six weeks in New York. Loo Angeles, Nov. 1 After six weeks' search for a man for the leading character In Tol- stoi's "Resurrection," Edwin Carewe has borrowed t^oik LaRocque from C. B. DeMille for the role. It is understood that Carewe paid DeMille $50,000 for LaRocque's se f v in e i n thi s p lQ twi« e. It wss also agreed that LaRocque be starred as his DeMille contract provides for that. Dolores Del Rio will play oppo- site. r»rof1urtIon will start In two weeks at the Tec-Art Studios. Los Angeles, Nov. 2. Dimitri Buchowetzki has been se- lected to direct "Anna Karenina" for Mctro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This Russian story was filmed about ten years ago by Box Oifice Attractions and no# IS ttllisrstssd fif Mong to Fox. Paul Bera is adapting the^jMunL Producer and Magaane Splk Expkiitiiis Ei^^ Los Angeles, Nov. S. Famous Players-Lasky and Lib- erty Magazine will each spond ilOO.OOO in explolUng *Xlf«'s Great- est Mistake," a prise story of this magazine, being made Into a screen production by Bddie Sutherland at the Long Island Studios. It has not been decided In what way each of the concerns will spend their pledged $100,000. WUlio Robyn on Tour After 6 Yrs. at Capitol Willie Robyn, who has been at the GspltoL N#w York, for six years, has 'opened on a picture house tour as a single, booked by Ted Braun. The latter Is also handling the Three Dennis Sisters, now rennit<Ml after prr)fessionally stparated for some time. Minneapolis, Nov. 2. The RI a g 1 i n goBarhum Ctrcus owners were granted a temporary order restraining further exploita- tion and exhibition of "Bigger Than Bamum'st** F. B. O. film relsase; iir Judge Joseph Molyneaux in U. S. District court here. BMnal decision will be rendered by the same court Ndv. 0. The Rlngllng Brothers, through their counsel, John M. Kelley, filed the suit for an injunction against the fllm producers, distributors asA cxhiWtors of "Bigger Than Bar- num's" on the grounds that the ''Whole Intent of the picture Is t0 deceive the public into thinking it is a production connected with the plaintiffs and a picture of a portion of the plaintiffs' circus.** Named as defendants are M. Finkelsteln and I. H. liuben. theatrs operators here; Flhn Booking Of^ flees, Joseph P. Kennedy, president of F. B. O.; R-C Pictures Corpora- tion, subsidiary of F. B. C, and others, mostly distributors and es*^ hlbltors In this section. The complaint states the adver- tising slogans, "RingUng,** "Ring- ling Brothers,** "BamSni,'' ^Htafnssi and Bailey.'* "Wodd's Greatest Show," "Greatest Show on Earth,** etc., are the property of the com- plainants and hsvs been since thS establishment of the Rlngllng Brothers' show, the purchase of the Barnum and Bailey «utflt In lltT and the combining oC ths tiiM#4Mli» m Ills. ' ' Deceiving That these slogans and like slo- gans are used m exploiting tlM picture and in the picture Itself is charged. In the picture a character is "Jhek Rang)in" and duHng the course of the film the circus de* picted is called '^e Great Ranglln Combined Shows," the charge being that "Jaek Ranglta** and the naoM of the filmed circus are "deceiving^ in being prototypes of John Ring- ling and the Rlngllng show. In comment' the eemplaint refers to the picture as "misleading In the fact that as a portrayal of circus life it is inferior in quality and dis- paraging In Its Influenoe on ths public," "is a misnomer," "features imaginary incidents, giving them the color and pretense of fact, that experience and sound circus man- agement must guard against in de- serving and preserving the public good will.*' "presents % sickly, sor- did and untrue theme," which theme Is also called "wholly repugnant to the spirit of showmanship tliat has marked the growth sn4 develop* ment of the cirstts Si^ir BlpifUsg management." ' ^ -Fire** Cemflaint ; * As a fire on the circus lot'Is a high Mght of the picture that phase is regarded as something "the high class circus has always conttnu- ously, cautiously attA MSlPUSIjr guarded against.** "To the circus as an institution,* the complaint contends, Is toto, 41 Is damaging, degrading ittii' hstsi* ful." In naming damages resulting, the plaintllfs ask a sum ex'^eedlng $100,000. •'Bigger Than Barnum's" was re- leased and played in New York about thrcjb months age. 81nee II has b^'cn exbiV itod throughout ttlS country. With the temporary re- stralnment in effect, bookings have been cancelled until the anhl 4s* cislon CO S X U M E S FOR HIRE pRODncrtoNs SXPLOITATIONS PBE8RNTATIONS DAtOOItA .4* '■i 1417 B'way. Tel-MMPen.