Variety (Jul 1927)

W e dn e sday , July^43> Wn^ PICTURES VARIETY 13 (lima acooi)t:il>lt> to H\uh patrourt. ort><^ni2t'ci a cuipoiatiuri pi^pulaily known as "First National" to be an in«truinontality l«»r the i»i«).Mir. iu<'nL of nUna fiec'ly cliusca and K-ascd upon individual merit. Said "First J^atlonal" hccuiiu' and w is lh«» only lactor in tho national disiriljution of fllma that Mr. Zukor and Mr. JjOMky reparded at all ftn nii Ial>U; i*> Famous Players-La.sky Corporation. Respondent Zukor endeavored to form a combination with First Na- tional by which the latter would produce no lilrns, exhibit no ttlms other than thoso produced by Fa- mous Playors-Lasky Corporation, and. finally, become subsidiary to, or mergo with. Famous Playera- Liasky Corporation. To that end. said Zukor en- .^oayored to induce its otHcers to enter the service of Famon.s IMay- «r8-Laaky Corporation, de.sorting First National. Failing In that, he opi'nly threatened to purchaso a sultlcient number of its franchises to control its action. In pursuance of such purpose, said Zukor in the fall of 1919 induced one HuKsey. re- puted to be the stronprest of the franchise holders in I'Mrst National, to desert First National and enter employment under the control of Mr. Zukor. As a defense a^'ainst said attack upon it, First National re-lncorpo- f4ted upon a basis intended to pre- vent said Zukor from obtaining con- trol of its otticers and its activities. Then and thereafter, said Zukor, I^sky and Famous Playors-Ijasky Corporation, in pursuance of said purpose and' threat, entered upon and have at all times pursued the settled policy of obtaining by ailll- lation, or otherwise, the control of the prominent and powerful men and corporations \n ho constitute First National and are what are known as its fran< his<^ holders. Said respondents have thus atli Hated ^Ith (themselves, employed or by other/means secured the virtual co- OPOration of the franchise holders of said First National in the following cities, controllinpT the territories Aeverally adjacent therettj, to-wit: Boston. Philadelphia, Cleveland. Chicago, Detroit. St. T/Oui9» Des iiolnes. New Orlean.«?, Dallas. Realart Paragrai)!! 9: Respondents Adolph Zukor, Jesse U. Lasky and Famous Players-tAsky * Corporation caused to bo incorporatetl, on or about May §8, 1919, under the laws of the State ■ of Delaware. Realart Pictures Cor- poration, with a capital stock of 10,- .000 shares without nominal or par , Value, of which 5,000 shares were issued to and owned by Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, and its principal ofBce to be established in the City of New Y.ji k, State of New York. Said llealart I'ictures Cor- poration thereupon engaged In dis- tributing and leasing', as aforesaid, to exhibitors throughout the United States, motion picture Alms pro- duced by said Famous IMay(>rs-T^as- icy Corporation, or its said atliliated producers, and the respondents Adolph Zukor. Jesse T.. T.asky. and Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Caused said Uealart Corporation to open and maintain branch oflices or exchanges and selling organizations "Wholly separate and distinct from that of said Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Many exhibitors who did not de- ilire to lease or exhibit motion pic- ture 111ms produced by said Adolph Zukor, or Jesse U Lasky, or Fa- mous Players-Lasky Corporation, or any of their amiiation.s, did lease WM exhibit to the public motion jplOturo nims leased and distributed by Realart Pictures Cori>oration. in the l>elief that the .^ame were not hiade^ produced or controlled by tho respondents Adolph Zukor, Jesse L. Lasky or Famous IMayers-Lasky .Corporation. Since the date of the filing of the original complaint in this i>roceed- ing said resi)omlents Adolph Zukof. Jesse L. Lasky and Famous IMay- ers-Lasky Corporation have caused Realart Pictures Corpora- tion to ceJiflo doing business and. to transfer all of its physic al assets to Famous Players-Lasky c iri>')ration and to mer^s?'> with Famous I'layers- Lasky Corporation under tho laws of the State of New York as in 1 isiuch case made and provided. Dominant Power Paragraph 10: On July 22, 1010. rPspond<'nts Ztjkor. Lasky and Fa- mous Players-Lasky Cor|>oratlon had become, long had been, and still were, the dominant power in the moving plctur»» industry. Said cor- poration produced feature picture HIma of high quality and merit and other nims of iho higher and better Qualities, snitablo for exhibition in the better tbeati. s and to patrons of discrimiriut mg and exacting taste. It produced films sufficient to offer, and lease, to the exhibitors of the country cii:n|»li i.» programs. Its 7)roduct con)piis« d ceitain films of extraordiri-axy tnerit for which there was growing lmperativ« de- mand by pat TOILS of moving picture theartes. Its comi)lete program was —^q""* *rr fHinPr'-" to any comp l te program beintr offered by other dl.s- tributors of films, but its prf)gram included films of le.sser mei it. which were not suitable for exhibition in tho best theatre.^, and for which there was little or no demand among llie pafron-- 'if ^'idi f'x- iti"q To m«H't tho di-marids uf his i>a- trons. >in < \liil)i!i.i- op. i .itlnsj; a the- atro chatting higher prices of ad- mission and appealing to pitrons of discrimiiKitirii,' t.iste was compelled to exhibit su' h lilms of unusual merit and for which there had been so created a great demand, but was subject to cadverse criticism by 1ms patrons and to financial lo:*8. when he ilso exhibited said films Of l'>wcr qualities. To maintain the standard of his theatre and the favor of his patrons, an exhibitor catering to discrinunating patrons f »und it nec- essary to exhibit the better tilm.s of respondent. Famous I'layv-rs- La.sky Corpoi\Jtion. and also lb.' films of other prixlucer distributors of films, ( xi ri isirig {here in a dis- criminating fieed.im of choice. Coercing Exhibitors On July 22. 1919. the board of di- rectors- i>f Famous Player;^-Lasky Corporation under tho doniination of respondents Zukor and Lasky. for the purpose of modifying. ]»orp<'tu- atlng and making more effectual its said d 1stlibulion policy as distin- guished from the lease of individual pictures, and for the purpose of in- timidating and (oerciag exhibitois to lease and exliibit films i)roduo(^xi and distributed by Famous Players- Lasky Corporation, adopted a pro- gressive and incri^asing policy of building, buying, owning or other- wise controlling theatres, especially first-class, llist-run theatres in key cities to be used to give to the best picture films produced by Famous Players-L.isky Corporation first- run exhil)ii ions under the most favorable conditions, to advertise and exploit said lilms, create a i)op- ular demand for their exhibition by the patrons of the theatres of the better class in teriitoiiea adjacent to said several key cities, and to make leases for their exhibition In- dispensable to tlie successful opera- tion of such class of theatres. At .said time said respondents oc- cupied a dominant i)osition in the moving picture industry, except the operation of theatres. It was the openly and publicly avowed purpose of said respondents, by s;\id policy of theatre ownership and operation, to dominate the entire moving pic- ture industry, purchasing increas- inpr numbers of theatres below the grade of Ihst-run theatres and co- ercing independent exhibitors to lease and exhibit films produced and distributed by Famous Players- Lasky Corporation. "Block Booking*' Famous Players-Lasky Corpora- tion adopted the lixed method of leasing, and does lease, its films und(M- a system known in tho trade as "block booking." lindcr such plan, films are offered iil "blocks" only. A block is a group of films offered as a whole. The number of films in a block Is not Uniform. The numbers most frequently oiTered are sufiicient, to occupy the avail- able exhibition time of a theatre for three months or for one year. Such blocks contain 13 or 2G films, or 52 or 104 films, according; to whether the theatre changes films once or twice a week. Th6 individual films In blocks Ix iiig offeicd at a!iy time are not always identical. Films are included in a block offered to an exhibitor which the .agent of Famous IMay- ers-Lasky Corporation chooses for that purpose, and which he deems to be within tiie revenues of the exhibitor. A block is so constituted as to contain certain films which the exhibitor feels comi)elled to lease and exhibit and also other films of lower quality which the ex- hibitor does not desiro to l.>ase and exhibit and which the exhibitor con- siders to bo unacceptable to h^s pa- trons. Unfair Distribution ricsp9ndent Famous Players-Lasky Corporation has maintained and still maintains said unfair distribution policy. It offers to leitse, and does lease, blocks of films as such, the exhibitor taking all as offered or none. If an exhibitor declines to take all. the block Is succe.ssively orf<i<(l to his competitors until a sale is made. As an alternative. Famous Players- Lasky Corporation sometimes offe-rs to f)ermit an exhibitor, who declines to lease a block, to l(>ase le.ss than tho whole block at prices so high as to make it impossible for him successfully to compete with rival theatres, to wit: at prices arbitrarily fixed at from 50 to 75 per centum higher than th»' <'sfimal«(l prices uf such lilms as parts of the block. The purpose and effect Of such alternafi\c (>ff<"i- is t<> < ocrce and in- timidate an exhibitor into surren- dering his free choice In the leasing of films and info b-a.-ing lilms in blocks as offered, ther.by denying to such exhibitor the opportimity or pri\'ilet,'(' of Irising and C'Xhibiting certain other films of high'T qual- ities and which such exhibitor's pa- trons demand and which such ex- hibitor desires to rxhibit. Only in ca.so all competitors in any coTMTunnity refoM^ to l< lsf^ a t'lot k of films docs I'aiuous Playt-rs-Lasky Corporation leuso for use In that con)miinify tbo films contain<'(l in -,o(:h bloci; iji>.»n Some f»tli'-r basis to be niived it by negotiatifm be- tween the satf'rr—rrg^nt trf F»**+*<fUK Player.s-h.i.sky (Corporation and thie • •xhibitor. Tbf> purpose and necessary effe< t of suth <listribution policy is to les.sen competition nnd to tend to '■r^'ifo r^. monopoly in the motion picture industry, tending to exclude from the market and tho Industry small mdeiH'ndent protlucers and ilistiibutors of films, and denying to exhibitors freedom of choice in leas- ing of film<<. Competitors Copy P.*>cause of the dominant position ot l''amous Playc:s-Laslvy <.''Mp.na- tion ill tlie motion picturo industry, its methods of competition, i>ollcy and practice are necessat .ly fol- lowed, adopted and niaintained by all competitors of Famous Players- Lasky t'nrp<'ratii)n that are strong enough to acquire and operate first- class first-run theatres to exploit ilu ir most meritorious pictures and to offor to lease, and lease, films in blocks only and in sufficient num- bers to occupy the available exhi- bition time o£ exhibitors. Thereby It is made difficult for small and indepcndent-Ju:_Qducers or distributors of films to enter into or remain in the moving picture indus- try or market, or to leaso individual pictures on merit. It destroys tho freedom of exhibitors to choose ac- cording to their judgment and taste films for exhibition and to exhibit only films that in their opinion are meritorious and acceptable to their iKitrons; and tho public is deprived of the power to Influence exhibitors in the choice of films and of tlie benefit of continuous exliibition of meritorious and aidceptable films only. The principal dates of the events above set forth and obtain other events closely connected therewith and constituting tho current history of said unlawful combination and the means adojjted fi'om time to time for its accomplishment axe as follows: July 29. 1916—Artcr.aft Piptm^s Corporation incorporated. Dec, 1916—^The residue of the capital stock of Paramount Pictures Cori>oratjon aciiuired by Famous IMayers-Lasky Corporation. Dec. 4, 1916—Famous Players- Lasky Corporation acquire the re- maining 49 per cent, of the capit^il stock of the nine corjwrations that were the franchise holders of I'ar- amount Pictures Corporation. April 29. 1917—Contract between Paramount I'ictures Corporation and S. A. Lynch Knterprises, Inc., giv- ing latter exclusive 20-year fran- chise to distribute Paramount pic- tures in eleven Southern States. Dec. 28, 1917—Bosworth, Inc., Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, Famous Players Film Company, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Artcraft l*ictures Corporation, Mo- rosco Photoplay Company and Car- dinal Film Corporation merged into Famous Players-Lasky Con>oratlon. I'^rom this d.ito forward I''amous Players-Lasky Corporation has car- ried on all branches of tho moving picture industry. April 18, 1919—Famous Players- Lasky Corporation acquired one- half of the capital stock of New York & I'acitic Coast Amusement (Jompany operatingr GrauUfcih** iHI- lion Dollar a»9i^'.ill'-.i^. An#»l«^ Calif. April 30, 1919—Contract between Famous Players-Lasky Corpcjration and S. A, Lynch Knterprises. Inc.. pursuant to which Southern Enter- prisers. Inc., was incori)orated. Fam- ou.s~ Players-Ivisky Corporation ac- «iuired 50 per cent of its capital stock and S. A. Lynch SIfilerprise the other 00 |X)r cent. May 7. 1919—Famous Players Lasky Corporation acquired 08 per cent, of the capital stock of the companies le.'ising the Rialto and Uivoli Theatres In New York City. May 28, 1919—Realart I'ictures Corporation inr orporated. June 12, 1919—Contract between Famous Players-I^sky Corporation and Southern Enterprises, Inc.. granting Southern Enterprises, Inc.. a franchi.se to distribute Paramount pi(;tures in tho (>loven Soutliern States for a period of 26 years from September 1,1919. Juno 25, 1919—Famous Players- Lasky Corporation, through a sub- sidiary corporation, acquired a plot of ground in St. IjOuIs upon which it built the Missouri ThoatrOk which opened Nov. 6, 1920. Aug. 1, 1919—Famous Players- Lasky Corporation acquired a $2,- ouo.ouo interest in Stanley Co: of America. Sept. 24, 1919-^Famou8 Players- Lasky Corporation acquired one-half the capital stock of Mountain States Theatre Cori»oration. operating two tbr.itres in Denver, Colo. Dec. 1. I'jlf)—Famous Players- Lasky Corporation at this date held the whole or portions of the capital stock of eighteen different exist inf; corporations eng.aged in tho motion picture imlustry. Dec. 27, 1919- Famous Players- I asky Corporation acquired U»o re- maining CO per centum of Southern Enterpri.ses, Inc. .Ian. 27. 1920—Contract U^twe^n l''irn'.ij.H Play<M s-La.sky Corporation and Alfred S. Plack by whi<:ii lilack New Fngland Theatres. In' ., wa.4 in- < <»t r»orate<l, ii.iir ,,f tho stock of which was taken by l<'amous I'lay- ers-Iy^isky Corporation and hnlf by Alfred S. Plack. Llack New Fri;i- land Theatreji. Inc., was granted a franchise to distribute Paramount pictures in New Kngland, Feb. .^1 . 19JO -Acuulsltion of 7,5Q0 Ii ircs of first i)reforred stock rjf l-'irrif>ijs Pi i^crs '.'anadian Corpora tion, Ltd., and r,ri,0C4 shares out of (Ti.ooo shares of its rr)mmon stock. March 4. 19L'0 - Conf r.ict wh.^reby F.imouM PI t ycr:;-L.n.sky O>rnoratiori tgr'-ed to take one-half intererit in tho then res in Sm Fr.tncis>. o opcr- ate.l by a. L. Hot!.child. .hme J '. 19"J'» — l urchase of 10 per centum of the '.'ommon stock of ro- .• potub iit ."^.l' ll^er .\nnisciuel!t <" 'in- p..ny by (bor-ia Lnleipriscs. luiv, a -^ubsiiicy c->rpi»rat ion owned by Soutbcfii 1 ituel f lis. s, ln'\ June 17, 19J0—Famous Pl.iyers- Lasky Corporation acquired tlie re- maining r»') per Cent of tlic ca;c.i.ii .stock of lUack New Ln^land The- att'cs, Inc. July I'o. 19:0—Contract between I'anious Players-Lasky Corporition and Win. H. Cihiy, by whicli ^Jiay was ijivon llio management of New IJn^land Theatres in which l'\imoUi» 1 layv^ rs-La.sky Corpo: at Joii was in- terested. Dec.'J9, 19l'3—Clcorgia Enterprises. Inc.. sub.shliary to Southern Knter- pri.scs, liu'.. di.spuscil ot' Its i() per centum of lliO camnTCTin»t:ock Trt--rt^- spomlcnt Saenger AmuiiementX'oai'- pany. First Run Houses At the time of said formal adop- lioii ol' sail! lii'ogro.sive pro-;iaui by i'amous Players-Lasky Coiporation and in the public announcement thereof it was estimated that tin- own«'rsbip of 50 Hrst-elass tirst-run theatres in wisely seN'cted key cities would bo suihcient to enable r'anious I'l.iyei s-ljasky i'orpi>ratiori successfully to establish aiul main- tain its .said unlawful saU»a policj in»l to intiniiiiate and iM>erco inde- pendent c\nibitt)rs to lease and ex- hibit toe blocks of lilms .so to be of- fered l>y Famous IMayers-Lasky Corpi)ration. The ac(|uisition of said 50 first lass tirst-run theatres was tlu oriiiinal intention and plan of Fa- mous I'layers-Lasky Corporation In the execution of said plan its seopo was continually broadene<l until on .lune :U), \'J2fi, Famous Pl.iy ers-Lasky Corporation had interests in 36S theatres in the United States, in 3.12 of which feature pictures were shown. In acquiring theatres Famous Players-Lasky Corporation did not, .and does not, take title thereto in the name of said corpora- tion, but obtains ownership and con- trol thereof by i)urchasing the whole or a part of the capital stock of a coiporation that owns such theatre, or by causing title to a theatre to be vested in a corporation, usually in a corporation created for that pur- pose alone. Famouil Players-Lasky (N)rporation procures and owns all or part of the capital stock of aald cor|)i)rat ion so holding title to such theatre and exercises ownership and <*ontrol thereof In Its capacity as a linl.linK conii)any. On June 30, 19L'r), iho Interests of Famous IMayers- /^isky Corporation In said 368 the< atr<>s Were as follows: In 128. 100 percent; In 13, tiH-re than 60 percent and less than 100 pefcent; in 12H. exact- ly 50 percent; In less than 50 percent. B. & K. Deaf Interests in 69 of said theatres were acquired by a contract dated May L'O, r.>LM), with the repn setiUi- tives of the holders of the voting trust certificates of the common st<Kd< of the Palabnn Kitz Cor- poration, hold»*r in the City of Chi- ca|i(b of the franchise of First Na- tional. This contract provides that re- spondent shall purchase on October if), 19L'<), a minimum of 01 percent and not to exceed 66 2/3 percent of the outstandlni? capital stock of said Halaban S:. Katz Corporation, which own interests In said 69 theatres. 42 of which are located In Chicago and U7 in other cities in Illinois. Said Dalaban & Katz Corporation had in force a contract by the terms of whl< h s.aid Palaban Si K'.itz Cor- poration was to acijuire a ono-h.ilf interest in five first-run theatres in tho City of Detroit, the r.ther half inten'st to be held by ono Kunsky, the iHilder of tho First National franchise in the City of Detroit. Dy said methods and means so employed. Famous Players-La.sk y ('ornoration has un'luly hir.ib-reil. and is undiily hindering competi- tors, le.Msening competltUin, and re- straining t.-ada in the motion pic- ture ln<lustry, and has achieved a dominant position in the moving ]nrt\in^ irclustry, with a dnngcfous ten<lency tow.ard the ereition of a monopf»ly therein In tlie several parts of tho Ifnited .St/ite^. In the following citie.s the Famous riayers-LasKy Corr»or.ition direct- ly or tlnf)Ui;h subsifliaries has from time to time ac«iuired and ♦^njoy<(l the r-oni rol of all or nearly all of tin* first-cl.v.s Tnf)vlng picture theatfes, in' lu'ling first-run th<'atres: .Jacksonville, Fla.; .Miami. Fla.; T irop.a. I l.i .; I >.ili..s. 'j-.-x . and piiiladcipliia. I'.x. Means and Methods In f orrij)c|iiru: or attempting to corrip'.'l indcp<nd -lit exhibitors to !"ase rmd exlubit rnoti«»n picture lilrn.s i>ro'li|ced or d is'r ibntefl by it, I '.irnous Pl;i yers-La>;ky <'■ o poraf ion b IS rnad«' u'-" of various rri< ^ns and rieth,!, :i'.ifUi^ wlii'h aie th'* fol- lowing, to w:*- b'l'dding, b jyin;r or leaHing .ind operating, t»r »brc;it4 ri- ing »o build, buy or le.-i.se and op -r- if". tbe.itr's in ef»n'ir»efitiwn with in- Tcp<d;.l. hT m.l arc now undtdv >mpeiiiu»n in inter.- htndertHK th« lie . .>rmn<»roo "f competing produc, rs m l di.-?ial»- utors of motion picttae lilms. and s.iid acts, pr.icti '' s i;, I ptM^T itns, • aiaMcd out as hio-eini'cr ii ■ set lorth hav»» a d.mi^t rtMi.s tendent^y to cre- itc f.ir S lid I'lmous PI iyers-I.asky ('oi porat ion aiul its aililMted I'om- panies. a monopoly in the motion ;c lure industry in the arc iter p \rt tile i nited St,it.>s: all <>t which i.s in viidation of Section fi of an Art id" I'ontrress entitled. "An Act to lealt- a Federal Trade Commission, to dtMine its powers and duties, and :'.>r i.tb.^r pai iio.<«08," approved Sep- •enil)cr >6, I'JW Unfair The re.-*pondcnts, Adolph Zukor. Jesse L. l.asky and F.inu)u.s I'lay- ers-L\slsy »"orporalion. b> reason of the facta set out In the foregoing rindinirs, have been and are using unfair methods of" compct it Ion irr conimerce. in violation of the prpyi* sions contained In Section S of an Act of Congress entitled. ' An Act io create a Federal Trade Commission, to define Its powers an«l duties, and for other purposes." approved Sep- tember 26, 11U4. By ths Commission: c. vr. nunt. Chairman. . Dsted this ninth day of July, i027i Attest t Otis B, Johnson, Secretary. t ' Novices Still Want To Build in Minn* Minneapolis, July 12. That F. & K. now hav*> the town pretty well sewed lip. is far .as the movie exhibiting Is concerned, ap- parently does not deter novices In the film game from wanting to build now the.'itre.s here. The latest to apply to the cltjr council for a licen.se is William Berflr, contractor with no theatrical experience, who w;ints to build an sou-seat house, costing $100,000. a block from the very profitable l.SOO-seat P. & R. Laffoon theatre in one of tho best of the outlyinff business distiitts. Another application for a Ttceriso to construct a movie theatre at 3?th and I'^rernont avenue north, in .another outlying business section, al.so is before the council. A num- ber of residents in tho district havo sit^ned a i)etitlon oppfisinp: It. With the new 4,200-seat Publlx house, now in the course of construction, showmen here say the city will bo [dentjr oyar-»eated. Pathe Line-Up Among the Producers Distribut- ing Corporation ofi^clals who hav# left the ranks of the orprani/.atlon, with tho Pathe amnl;^antatlon, are F. Monroe, formerly jircsident; Ilaymond Pawley^ sopretary and treasurer; Joseph Berger, purohjis- ing affent and tho former bend of the P. I>. C. auditing tli partment. Monroe and Pawlcy sure now devot« ing their time almost entirely to the affairs of the Cinema Corpora^ tion. It Is understood that Ralph Clark, assistant sales mana^rer oC P. D. C, m.ay shortly leave the company to take up duties in con- nection with tho operation of sev- eral theatres in Now York In whicli he Is lnt< reKted. Pathe sales organization is to be headed by Phil Retsman with throe asslstant.s, William Morgan. Kd lOshman an(l Lenllo Weir. The sales territory is to be dividird Into threo divisions, east, middle west and west, under the direct rupor- vision of Kelsman's .a.'^slstant'i. Thero are to be a total of 11 dis- trict managers with 35 branches. Foreign Theatres Washington. July 12. Dep.'irfment of Commerce has re- celv<.d tho followirii^ list of picture theatres which may be secured by requesting same and giving th« c'>de number: Portuguese East Africa, FUIt- 233H0; Czechoslovak Republic. 10lfU-lG380; llon.luras, LA-L»r,380; India Prevision). I'l: L'l.MO; L.itvia, KD-S03S0; New Zealand (revision), FK-213K0, and Portugal, FCU-10380. Wh ' t I' li i. 'l " to - d. bt i >.lilb!iiir .-^ !• .-'• irid ' xli.l.if 111.- md «listribufed by I Lasky Corporition. Paragraph 1L -The aets. pri ?i><S atid thiri!'^ doe- t m le-i' ;nb fory .s'.'l forth h ivy unduly hind filniH fifidu'-' imous PI lyers- In addition to tb-se ,\> has al.^o just rec-dvcd a list of tributors in Cz'-ehoslovakiii, is coded KUU-1638L partment * liH- Tias iJ. "Main Event" Fight Film • TjOH A nureli-S, J lily —Vitni Ri^vri ulds' next for |)e Mille will bo "The Main Kvent." an orig- inal, by P.i'jI Aili^!')ri. with a priso fi;',bt rini: b i■ Ici «)un(l. U'dl ani K. Howard will handle ,j I tho mr'ijaphono.