Variety (Mar 1928)

Wednesday, March 7, 1928 P I C T U R E S VARIETY 9 DE MILLE'S RELATION TO PATHE BECOMING KNOWN SHORTLY Peclaratipn Expected During Kennedy'* 3-Week Visit on Coast—Keith-Albee Bought Pat Powers* FBO Interest for $6()0^0()()-^Like Gen. EI.-R.C.A. SILL EXHIB T[LL SINGLE HEADS FOR SMNLEY A decision by Cecil B. DeMitle is looked for during the current visit of three weeks in Hollywood by Joe Kennedy, in unofflcial charge of f»athe. Kennedy left New York Saturday. While west he will decide as to the present FBO studios there and It to be sold to Paramount, with, FBO moving Into the Metropolitan studio (Pathe). It's sadd that Kennedy will be most diplomatic in talking to De Mill^. The latter Is understood, to be thoroughly. Independnet in spirit and action. Many say there is no one in the Pathe organization, other than J. J. Murdock, its president, whom DeMille will listen to. .DeMiUe senses Murdock as a emart- showman and prefers his con- versation for that reason. They are reported to often speak on long distance, and DeMille may be guid- ed to some extent, if remaining with the Pathe line-up, through Murdock's expressed desires. It Is also said that It was Mur- dock, active head of Keith-Albee- Orpheum, who directed the purchase last week of the stock held in FBO by Pat Powers for K-A and at a quoted price of $600,000. This stock came to Powers as part of his Rob- ertson-Cole connection, and Is said to have .consisted of 40,000 shares R-C evoluted into P. D. C. with the latter now merged with Pathe. Before the present shifting about arrived In FBO, Kennedy, as report ©d at the time, securied an option, on Powers' holdings. This option was turned over to K-A by Kennedy, from the account, and the sale con Bumniated last Week. Powers, from reports, offered to buy back the Ken nedy option, but Kennedy preferred :K-A as another stockholder in his film firm. Message Transmission Murdock . wanted the FBO . con- •^nection through FBO also having General Electric and the Radio Cor- poration . of Ameriac as a .joint stockhaUler, to an amount o£ around 1500,000. This purchase was recent-^ ly made and reported. A very con- fideht foeling asserts itself in FBO ranks that television, along with other sound and sight devices being -■worked out between Gen, Elect, and RCA, will have a far.reaching effect upon, the theatre exhibition business of the near future. These devices aa they are perfected, with a G: E. sound device, already in operation will be handlM t studios, distribution eventuaUy, from reports, being taken care of by Keith-Albee. A Bide aspect of the television principle being worked out by the engineers Is reported as the trans- mission of written message on the radio principle and without delay, the transmission traveling like sound. It is reported the men in- tereeted state that this may reach a state of perfection that will super- sede either teliegraph or cable. Laugh in Gag The Chester Hale Girls at the Capitol, have formed a "Leap Year Club" as a pub- licity gag! Each girl promises to get herself a hubby during. 1928. Companionate marriages out. The laugh is that Johns and weddings .are generally the bugrabod of all dancing, troupes and the cause of breaking up many a good line. Hearing on Senatorial Meas- ure to .Regulate Film In- dustry Ended After Five Days^—Independents at Last Place Their Side Be- fore Congress —^ H a y s, Petti jo hn, Kent and Brecher Most Active Wit- neses^Williams of Oma- ha, Small Indie Exhib with 3 Houses, Praised Big Companies HAYS HEAVILY BLAMED Margaret Mann's $10,000 A Year Xady f or Fox Margaret Mann steps on the train tomorrow (Thursday) with a two-* year contract guaranteeing her dver $10,000 each year from Fox coffers. This is not her reward for 10 yiears of extralng at $7.50 per day when she could get It, but for running away with the Fox special, "Four Sons." Following her schedule of per- sonal appearances with the picture at the Gaiety, a schedule was ar- ranged for her whereby she flew to the opening in Philadelphia on Monday night in a plane, piloted by Casey Jones, with Colonel Llnd- berg's mother aa her guest. Reports that Miss Mann had been brought on to New York purely to ballyhoo the Broadway gate and that she would once more be rele- gated to the extra ranks, caused the contract to be presented. "She was never setting prettier in her life than she has since 'Foui: Sons' got is reception," a Fox ex- ecutive, stated. So. good is Miss Mann in on the Fox payrool that a few days ago she was able to get a $600 advance on her salary to finish her New York shopping. Besides that she occupied a $14 a day suite at the Park Lane Hotel during her stay here. Lios Angeles, March 6. Cecil iB. qeMille replied to a que.stlon.as to leaving Pathe with the statement that he is making pictures and not playing politics. 4 Co/s at Met Studios Mt.MropoUtan studios, U-as'od by Pathft, liave taken in four new ih- depondcnt companies. . . They include Charles Bros, pro- ductions. First Division Pictures, Inc., Oold Seal Productions and Riiyart. The combined productions to be* ma.de here by this, group of Independonts total 52. It will make this plant the mo.st actlvf loa.Mlng studio on th© coast tor thf» coming yea*. Fighters Quieted by Judge Los Angeles,. March 6 _A near-fistic encounter between Eric von Strolieim, film director, and Lyndol Young, attorney, oc- curred in the courtroom of Superior Judge .Warne where the suit of Fay Wray, screen actress, was being tried against Edna Schley her manager, for a reclslon of con tract. , Von Stroiielm was on tlio, stand for Miss Wray when the cross-ex- amination of Young began to irk him. The director lost his temper Young also made a break and looked like a fight was on but Judge Warne quieted the contestants with a warning of the county Jail for both. New President of Stanley Company Has Executive Rieorganiztftion Outlined—-Group Comhiittee for Final Decision on House Operation Washington, Mar^H 6. if. Congress does nothing to cor- rect the alleged wrongs of the pic- ture theatre independents as incor- porated in the. Brookhart bill, and the predictions, here are about equally divided as to a favorable report from the interstate commerce committee of the Senate, the bill at east gave those independents some- thing they have been trying to at" tain for a great many years: a chance to tell that body what they thought of the Hays organization; In the telling they placed prac tically all of their troubles on the doorstep of that organization. To make it doubly effective that same legislative body got Will Hays himself, before another committee had succeeded in getting informs tion ^rom him in the oil investiga tion that four years ago he failed to reveal to that same eommittee All of which gave Mr. Hays a very uncomfortable session during which he clearly indicated it. That the Hays organization and Mr. Hays were both getting it at one and the samel time was a break the exhibitors will probably recount to their children and down through posterity, To get their story across to the committee was one thing, but to al.so get it across in such a manner as to have, those members present lean- ing forward in their chairs and shooting questions from every angle at its climax Is something el.se again. Accomplished by what was claim- ed to be "an unorganized group of men who spoke for themselves and not through a high power attorney" made it just that much more ef- fective with the committee. The hearing extended over four and one-half days. It found" the in- dependents' presentation being torn to shireds by tbe very^^^^^^ gumenta of Charles C. Pettljohn, general counsel for the Hays or- ganization, and Sidney S..Kent, sales manager for Paramount. These two successfully brought out facts and figures that block (Continued on page 19) Applaus<e Plea Chicago, March 9. ' Great States tlioatres (Pub- llx subsidiary). are running film trailers precedliig Vita- phone bills, inviting applause for Vita subjects. Managers reported that audir en.ces have an instinctive de- sire to applaud but are, uhde- cided. • The trailers ask for applause, stating It will assi.st in the ae-. lection of subjects. Coogans and Semsteins Start to Air Scandals liOS Angeles, March 6. The domestic uprbar in the family of the Jack Coogans, parents of Jadkie Coogan, and. that of Arthur L. Bernstein, executive manager of the Coogan Pictures Corp., had its prcllininary airings in Superior Judge Tattle's court. Mrs. Corabel. Bernstein, who started the Hollywood fllm colony talking when she filed her sensa- tional divorce and $75.0,000 allena tion actions, naming Mrs. Lillian Coogan as , co-respondent, was awarded $S0o a month temporary alimony from Bernstein pending further action In the divorce. Mrs. . B6rnsteln, previously es- tranged from her husband, asked for $1^000 a month, but the court, after listening, to the account of her financial difficulties, decided she could get along on less. Bernstein lost his compo.sure when called to the stand to testify, and broke down completely when Attorney Charles Cradick began quo.stionlng him, Bernstein declared that the sbandal Was hurting him in his business and that he had offered to resign his position, but the Coo- gans wouldn't let hlni. He described his financial status before the court and declared tiiat his total in- come for last year did not exceed $16,000. Jack Coogan, Sr., was pres- ent in the courtroom sitting besides Bernstein and evidenced that all was right between them. The next stpp to be taken by Bernstein will'Tje a cro.s.M-complalnt for divorce, denying all of his wife's charges and charging her with men-r -tal : cruelty,- causeless nagging ..and neglect, it .was afOrmed by his attor- ney, M. B. Sllverbcrg. Lion Hypnotized it Milking Contest Over And No Split With Cows St. Catherines. Ont., March 6. =^.Th G ri ffl n rJtiUJlihg j:anauuiLJila.t^^ ers house hero, scored with "The Fir.Mt StaKO Millc Maid Contc'.t in the World," Ted Adams, man.'iger, arraiiprrd for eight cows to l^e mllkr-d on tlie Rebuilding Studios If "Talkers" Become Vi^ue Lros Angeles, March 6. Jesse Lasky is authority for the statement that film studios . will have to.be entirely reconstructed, so far ais stages and seta are concemfd, if s.vnchronized pictures are to bo- come common. Either heavy con- crete or brick Instead of present flimsy structures will have to i>f I.,.nsky hr-UfV(Ui, that dialog l.q Im- practical for picture purpoa'.-;^, f':'l- Ing that .suli-titles are more effective anrl more economical. P.irnmount' still has.Hoy iPomfpoy Brahmia, Alglerlah lion hypnotizcr, tiic'd out last week at the Central, .Jersey City,; and niay be used by Stanley-Fabian as a. prolog with "{^imba." Conflicting reports wore received as to the succchs of Brahma In put- ting the lions into a trance/ The Alglorian, who arrived in the country Feb. 13, is working with strange lions. Many bookers went over to .for.soy to watch him work. Depend- ing on-.the allow Uicy caught, the V)ookorja reported JJrahma. as im- Iirc's.siV'e or a flop. J-!raiima's stunt l,'i.«t.s about three luiiiiileH.- lie entf'ns the .lions' cage n;i 1:0(1 exci'pt for a loin, cloth and If proving practical, Stanl«y- 1 I'ViMan Is Inlfrf'SKHl in- Brahma In i'"nnru'ction with bookings of thf> Single heads for allot the execu- tive doivvrtments of the Stanley Company of America have been, de-.- clared for by Irving D. Rossheim, the new Stanley president. These ■ heads will be solely responsible to Ros.sheim and will oiM?rate In: uhi- sori with him. Through this moyenieht RosSr helm -Will move his lieadquarters to. New York City. A" meeting of the Stanley heads. was held in' New York last week and its president's , skeleton plans heard. ."There Is no report upon their reception, al- though even the Stanley people themaolvea have conceded of . late the need of,a more conipact work- ing org.anlzatlpn. Included In . the departmental heads, from understanding, are those, for the general management of the theatres and of unit prod 4('- tions for the Stanley deluxe thea- tres, about 10 of the latter amongst the 2r)0 In all Stanley operates. In the general direction of the thea- tres,- with Moie Silver mentioned for that position, will be a group com- mittee for conferences whenever a drastic question of policy shall arise. . 'This Is reported to be thought requisite through the vari- ous Stanley isubsidlaries, such as Stanley - Davis - Fabian - Mark- Crfindall, etc. . Otherwise the heads of each de- partment will have-full"sway, sud- ject to the president. In produc- tiori it is said that stage units will; be produced . to rotate over the Stanley deluxe chain, this taking in . all of tiio deluxes excepting where there are two in one city, such as Newark. Can Buy Brains Rossheim, who makes no pretense at showmanly knowledge from the accounts, is reported going after a built-up organization of his own under the belief it can be success- fully co-ordinated if hoMihg knowl- edge and bra.lns, with tiie latter purchasable. It Is said that the changes In the Stanley's directorate at Its last meeting in Philadelphia wore throjugh the RoRshelm ' persuasion and to give the Stanley Company a more national complexion. An- other strong idea he has In mind, from accounts, is to* weld the sub- sldiariPH more closely with the parent Company, for mutual opera- tion. At present there are no negotia- tions on for a Stanley merger, al- though, as. reported, in, Variety last week, if one is imminent, It would appea,r to be more favorable toward Piiblix (Paramount) • at present than elsewhere, through that same complexloti of its board. The Stan- ley Company is not bank-tied in any manner. Take H. 4 B.'s Five Besides the financial announce- ment Issued by the Stanley Com- pany Monday through Its press de-. partment, it announced the con- summation of the Harlng-Blumcn- .thal five-hou.se buy in New Jersey, they going on the Fabian string. The houses are the Central, Union and Rltz, Jersey City; Lincoln and Roo.sevvlt, Union City (llill). Both of the .partnr;ra have disposed of all of their Interest In the tVic.'itrc.s, but Haring or Blumerithal of l/oth may continue to. operate' tlicm for a while. It ha.<3 boon, roportod that Jacoh F:ilii;in. held a pierr» of the positive, stage', but 19 milk maids turrK-d i working-on the sound deyico cur- up and they had to take ttirns. Mrs. j rently U-S'-d In connection with Stanley ^Vilcok3 and Mrs. Jam^n Eiereaford carried off the fur lined milk pall and FP carried off the (lough. House didn't .iplIt with the cows, "Wings," This will be made avail- able to all producers to e-llminatf- diipllc.Ttlon of coat, in In.'italllntr. sev- eral diffe-ront sound dervlcdfl . In +heatrofl. .Johnson picturei. POLA FLIRTS WITH TT R'lme flirting was dOTic this wpeU iietween Pola J^egrl and Universal. It is said the Btar wns submitted trj U Rt $10,00,6 per, with the pro- ducer having It under ernisidn.rotJ'^n. C O S TU IM E S K O M I R E3 i>nr>r>0CTtoNfl KXl'MJITATIONg PH]5«lSNTATION8 C O S T O AA E is