Variety (Oct 1929)

Wednesday, October 9, 1928 PICTURES VARIETY 13 Coast Studios Qamp Down on First Night Tree Usts-W^ D8j#. Lop (Hf 1^ ; : • ' Hollywood, Oct. 8. :■ • ChatloiVfs. scribblers, local news^ papcf publishers, iDUsineiiS .omces and politicians, as woU as alle^ importaht oue-of-town press cor- Sondents. ^eve let down' when itqdio- .press. .:ascnts vana r>}ctuv^^ theatre; managers . got; ^o^cther to cut the-: first night ^list ^V^"'^^^^ pairs oC sbats to, a low more than 50. pairs. .-, ■ .' ' Thoati^es^ : holding ^ ^5 premieres can now gross about , $750 more from the srile of choice scats. Move • has upsot some. of the downto\vn publisher.^ arid advertising depart- . incnts, who threaten reprisal for the alleged iiisult.- .. in the past- the theatres have boriie tlve hruiit of! handling the .ex- tent(,ive lociil first night liat/ .So as not to offend anybody^ tlioy _took care of everyone, with the stU(.Uos sciuawking! ■ Finally the stuclio^ x3.o^ cidod that thoy wo\ild control' diS: tributlori. of' tickets. : .;Eist :Wafi culled and cut,, the ncvys servjoes. and the suppo&ed freelance.: writers .heitig eliminated altogether. : Rgt. vised lineup ■ \Vas appi'ovecl. by each of the studio. ..publicity heads,: and ' It wa:^ liriit visicd fpi' thip opening oC "Sp- Tins . Is' .Paris" XVoay at the VCar.lhii\ ^Mr(^lo.-: ■ • ■-'•Squavyks : Plenty of squ.a.Wks winen the chi.-^-: : ellin.g aggregation found tliat they ■ couldn't make the gate.. And then tiie theatre- men, respon.sihlo ; only • for tlie seating. of local iJaily news- papers, had :;theit ta.sk .to. perfoi-m. . They to J d the ne\vsph.pers to supply; theii- "must'' lists. .Tliose were trc- . mendbusi including tlie ; publisher^ bl^sino.ss nittnager, niana-gihg editor, city editors,! pictui;e . editors, film critics, cditbrs and feature writers, society and music' editors, fashion editors, drama, editors, artists, sec retaric^s to picture editors, advertis Ing manii gers and. even advertising solicitors. ■ . One publisher of an afternodn. daily never hesitated to ask... for 10 ■ seats in addition to .the foiif allowedjiim. . . ■ - , ' ".Da^ilies*-.Lists'.^ .. Inioaireti have eliminated, a 30 ■ pairs of seats for the last three pic- . ture opcning.s in town. But th^ list . Is still rather large; l?or instance, the Times (mbrriing) gets two seats for its picture editor, two for his secretary, who previously ;demaride|d and :got four; ohb for .the son of the owner; ; pair each . for the society editor, picture column, writer, Sun- .. (day' picture writer, . picture feature writer, review makeup man, drania editor; pair. each, for tho two city editors and some for the • p|icture layout editor and aHist,, and a "must" pair for a solicitor .Who gets out a midTWinter ad section for the paper. Tliey cut she who is styled as the fashion editor. . , On the Examiner (morning) they cut the .publisher,-but Louella-Par^ . sons insists that she have her foui', as well as two for her secretary; .Florence Lawrence, drama editor, also gets a pair, as do the society fditpr, daily draim editor, city edi- tor, studio beat man, rriusic editor, day citj^ editor* and- two of the Par- . sons' riinriprs, ■ •: On the Evening Ilerald Hie pub- lisher, heads the. list with four seats. Then comes, the jnanaging arid city editors, drama editoiv Porptliy Hcr- ' ■ zog, -stu<lio beat ; riian^ picture .f ea- ture writer,and two men in the ad department-'•v\'ho are ''musts.'':. On the Evejiing Express Ev A. Didcsen, associate publisher, was cut to three . singles, b.ut- four dthei' pair ^ ar^ .doled out here, .The Illustrated Daily News had its. pictiire editor . give up her seats , to the publisher, with two other pair handed out there. Los AngelesJ Record retains its aubta of .four pairs, and the Hollywood Citizen is alloted two pair. Also remedied was the so-called political list. Here -15 pairs were eli minated. iScPincjl_a.sJLhoug.h,any, •The ' bigger ; thfe gate ih> better - the,, .talkprreprod is. Westei'n ;: Electric" lias: found that ..customers'.are the best absorber.s of sound, arid that rugs,.upholstery and many, other, what-nots, follow in cpnr ;tribuiirig.>towaf(J .a ^/theptre. -prdp'orly. incHnod,. acoustically. ; .S.. K. .Wolff ij.nd his aides, in : WE's: .Acoustic . :Bicsearclx der partment spdnt -a lot of time in finding this ovtt.. They had . to^ artalyise. conditions in 2.000 difCerdnt types of • 'thofitivcs^ bcr; ■ fore reaching the verdict. • I-ioiisels of sci.uare arc'hi-r. tectUral- lines ajf^e bf'tter ./able to - stand. pbbP bu.<5iness • u-nd , give -a. good perf prmarice ,tliri.n maiiy .o£ the ; otjiori-; of the Grecian' land ■ Italian; periods.: But, sriuaro arid' poinied., the jpints . AvitVr tlie: most, human lillevs. "re; 'bOurid to make' .ve-: cdrdirig- reproduce, the b<ist.v 'riiis.: stellar .need, necdlci.s.s to ' say. •■ has bpeii- the: ambitiOri. of exhibltor's before talkers,. fiIm, .arid . acoustics ;wer6 thought of. F. P.-Can. Stockholders Can t See How Zukor Can Control Canada's Chain T*he Paramount Girl JOE BROWNING Week October. 11th : Loew^s.Contury . Washin&tdn,; U. C. . -V- Direction Abe Lastfogol, ..lliirr^ Lorietska,. Wiinutm .Tiiorris Agoricy, Inc;. '-' . ••. . ■• ■:' '■ '■■ . A rie\y introducer of taikirig ■ shorts and .pictures . came, into vi^w Monday night at the' C>i- ; toribn.: -vy-here Parampunt's. - VA pplauso''. played ;^0 a . press sho-w'. : ■ [. ..: :it'.s..U girl on a podostal, who ' infoi'ins tlie audlphce what it S to/see in the' w.a.y of piottires; before each one. .■ ■ She iboks Mk^ a n^ce airl', on her perch. .:.' ..' Reppato'(i|y'. .iappoaring . here . the girl's faoci may become a: •. .fixture in liio m.ind's {jf her • public. ... ■ ■■ ' . \ Hollywood,; Oct; s; • After nipiiths .of experiment local electrical experts and technici.'ins of the' .LpS Angeles Bureau of Power and ii.lght have developed a gene- rator" attachmeiit Which- eliminates the iium from arc lanips. Signifl c;ance Qf .the 'mechanism, which maj'^ be inistalied in a. studio for approxi ■mately ${500, is that riiillioTis in arc lariip -equipment may be .restored to the' iridustry for- sound work. ■ . Some of the stridips, rtotably .Fox arid Pai-ariiou'nt, hav6 been eriiploy^ ing a choke coil for' the arcs with fair suocess. . New device/' however, is Installed in the . gen.erator rponi and answers for the entire plant. New gad{jet is described as a lo-w. impedence filter ..c6nn'§icted. in shunt with the generator, affording a very low. impedence pass for the h'gher harriionics, consistinjg principally of an electrolytic condenser of Very high capacity. Tie that. A public demonstration will, be held ' in the Metropolitan studio,, the device al- ready being in opcratipn tliere. Aipadetny^s New M .Holly^vbpd, Oct; 8.; ■ .Sbnie .20 more; Wieriibers = added, to the -.-^Aca^^^ of ■ ivrption ■ Pictures Art^ and: Soiencesv-r: ■■■■■■ Jflarie . Dressier, Hugo Riesenfeldi E. ' H/. 'Griffith.: Joliti 'CroiTiweil (ParaWipuht: . director), Alfred T. Mannon (Tec-Art pVesideril),. L. A. Savecky . (FIKO studio manager),. David O. ..aelznick, Sol Lesser, % V. Parsons (acoustical staff riianqger for ■ Johns-Ma.nville, New York), E, 'H. Hansen (operaitirig; .head Fox soiirid)., . John K. Hilliard (U. A. director-of -solind), Ray June (U. A; ciriematographer), Hal (5, Kern (tJ. A. film" editor),?Gerald. F. Rackett (directoi.*. '.bf ; producers' 'technical ■ burea.u), . .RuSsell ■ .Hv. McCuUough (Supei'visbr projectiori and elec- trical ^ejciuipmerit Eoic boast Thea- ters),. Frederick >I.; Sammis (cbasl rep for .RCA ■Photophorie), Douglas Shearer ''(MG recording, direc.tqr), I, James ^ Wilkinson (ParambUnt filrii editor)., Oiindo ipl. Geccarini (M-Cj soiind engineer). Eve. -Unwell. Columbia's 5 Stages .J Los Angeles, Oct. 8; Columbia, .Pictures has TJurchased additional property ori Gower street and wiU erect two more sound stages.- They will- be built in 3.0 days, by, the lise of a .three-shift crew. : Colurnbia • yirill have, five stages with tlie. addition..: one who had an executive job Avith the city or county felt he must be a first nlghtor. Most of tho 'un important ones were shunted : off until subsequent evenings,, although 710.. .second or third night ji.st has been .eslablishod. j Alsq taking the cut are many merchant.s and social frlends.Qf those connected with the thOvitre operation. MiUicians^ : • dhicagb; pGt.^; Charlie Agrie, ni. c. at the Capi- tol and. A-valpna;hd Hunter Kuyier, Ned Cplby and Walter:Foster, mem- bers of the band,. w^ere. injured in an auto accident Oet. 1. Men were returning from a farewell dinner tendered to Agnc, -who is leaving the theatres this weelc. Laid up for a few days. 100 Color Films in Year AndrcAv J. Callaghan; business manager of Technicolor, on from iHollyviTOod to see "Rio Bjta". and to talk ;:expansion plans with- Presi dent. Herbert- T. Kalmu-'s, said , he figured on iOO. pictiires .within the year, either all color. or part color He said -25..cameras, are in . cpn- staiit use in HbHywpbd and prinli- rng ■ laboriitorie.s .. ate Avorki'rig- in. three, shifts, .to handle .the output. Anriouncement was, riiade recently of lar'ge cixpansion in the cbrii-iiany's Boston plant; Blank .stock filni product pi the factory is .said to-be sold for months ahead. STANWYCK'S "MEX|CAU" ■ . .Los Angeles, Oct. 8. Barbara ' Stanwyck, from legit, goes cinertia in Columbia's. "Mexi- cali Rose." ' ' Masters with Stanley. Edward L. Masters, former ac- count executive with Loi'd, Thoms & Logan, advertisers; liais . joined tlie Stanley -iPilni Advert Co. as executive sales r manager.. Masters is: an -bid tinier in the film industry, pioneering in the old days .with; .Vitagraph'^Lubin. and Sawyer and also with D.W. Grif- fith. .For a time; he also served- as promotion .iiianager .for the. iTcai-st publications.. ; ;.. • The Carrs'. 'Age ' , Hollywood, Oct,. 8 Tr.em- Carr ; is preparing "The Rampant Age," by Robert S. Carr. Phil Ro.seri-^will' direct, starting Oct. 15, from script bf Harry O lioyt. Continental i-cloase. Witii the riipst.- powerful news- paper hook-up ever effected by any company . in' tlie... film industry, gauged to give It over ,'$1,000,000. Worth bf spftce during: the iirst ye?vr,; TJniversal's "talker reporter" hcwsr reel; with disC: accompaniment as the only addition, in cost over the silent version is being sold on the same scale as'the 10.0% sound newsr reels gotten out by Fox, Paramount and Pathe, _ ■: ■ Already 50 of the leading dailies have, signed with Universal on ; a partnership and wbrking basis. in their territories. ' The country is divided by U into 60 zones. The last 10 dailies, it is clairned, are closing negotiations for tho remain- .lng-. rights.. •■ -■.. '■■ '' During the; month arid .a half the: fe.el-riewspap^r tie-up' has been in operation Universal figures it has received $200,000 in' advertising, space in only about 40 of the dailies. Of these the Clilcago "Daily News," with the largest circulation of any in the combo, donated 10>000 lines during 'th.e- first two weeks of the campaign; That paper and the Philadelphia "Inquirer" together arc apportioned by H for $200,000 in space during the first year. In Chicago the "News" is report- ed riot only plugging the reel in its paper but also asfeignihg its Cameramen to "movie" duty and lending its two planes until it has reached the: point where 55% of ;the footage shown in Chicago theatres is the work of the newspaper's men. In other .spots. Universal says, newspaper ;6xccuti.ves are personal- ly selling exhibitors on the service, while, most of the dailies are. also wising up the U sales force .at dif- ferent tiriieson.the high spots of box office buys from the. daily i)ci'- apectivo. Page ads in all of the'dailies aire part of. the hobk-up, consummated by Fred ; McConrMl, ..former trade papef f'ditor and now hoad of Tinl- ver.«;.ai shprt subject department. • "Talking Reporter" WHiere the ' regular spurijl- reels are placed at a .terrific firiancial dis- placement, witii $35,000 going, into every sound truck placed bn the street; arid 'with ^sprne- of, tile dom-* panics figuring -weekly runnirig . exr' penses bf the truck at $500, as well as the difficulties encountered in sound recording of ; riews events. Universal shoots In the simple si- lent way. Back, in the office the "sound" is applied when the "talk- ing reporter" supplants subtitles with wisecracks a.nd dra.m.atic ob- servations. —Tii.i-.irit.). Oct. .S. •/ IlVn. ;\y.' . jy.. 'Roh..*!, l.ii'Utohaivt-■ GoycrnoV. of OntUripi'-iia.-^ rosig.M d ■: from' .l'he board' of .(-iiroctori^ of tho Pamons Players Canadian. . ■' Sir lloiiiort Holt may al.^o rosilHri .15 thri' KaiiU.bf the row, it is said, caiispd by tlVe resignaliori of N. L. Nathansdn as nVariaging director. - . - Minori ty sharohdl'dere are tr^:ing: .to.i.npist lliat a A<iiio)-aI riioctirig-be •.' called .'io get to the. botlum of the- difforenccs between. Adolph Zukor, , L Killaril. ::Nath;inson' ahd tlH*: • offer .of BritiHh-Ga.umont to .l)nv' v Fainous . Piayors. Can, at ■ $7') . iy share. They think there should be a., fuller.:. disc.u.ssion of the "■.bon- •• trovcrsy ^'liich ^has spUt, the.ranks, .'fhey say it necessary a- new board .should be chosen. The position, of P. P.. Can. is said 'to have. becri - weakeriod over, the ro.w. V While ail this is - going on'.Zukor . and lyillani are as usual sayin.g riothlnfr. '• ;Naf hanison has. been . .Strangely .quiet iii the last :week. . The . picture indxistry ;' will hear from ^:athanson shortly, it.is.: said. The questiori .of. an eriipire chain, of the.atres, . in which Natiianspn... iiiay be interested,, is being con- ^ sicTered.' by, Bi'itish..bankers at the pre.sent. tirhc. . . . . .. • A chain, of five : theatres ; built iicioss Canada in Moritreal, :Toronto, , Winnipeg, Calgary and: Vancouver coMl.d cut ifitb. F. P. Can. Fox may. be -^vorking on some stich plan; The sale of Famous Players tb Gaumont is still being talked. If !Fox has control, of Gaumont it is felt that any: chan.oe .:bf a .B^^^ film, industry is. through. If it is • still British then they are. called the logical people to buy F. P. Cam The ''question of whether the com-: pariy is to be a.llied with the British or S. film industry is' felt :to. be ■. .too important for ; Zukpx-,, Killani and Nathanson to decide. ■ A largo number of the share- holders tl on't understand -what tlie whole. thing is about, they can't understand how Zukor could sell all his stock, take the riioney and yet have control of the company when soriieone else's money is being risked/ Tiiey call this unfair and want a meeting. But no meeting lias been called and there is. not likely to be One for some; time yet. Arthur Lee and T.-S. JTififiiny^LSiahl's working agree- mcnt with British Gaumont ''ancT WeiIs.-Pearsoj), English produccr.«», has resulted in: Artliur Lee; vice- president Of Gaumont Canadian in- teresrtfl aiitl pro.>.Ldi>nt• of Anicvan- glo, .being dc.-<i;.;ii,'itod' for<-ign super- visor. Tho job Uri«j)s Leo in T.-S.'.- Xrw Tork office, but call," for numerous trips lo the Coa-st and abroad. .Asst. Moves Up Hollywobd, Oct. 8 Warners'Will put into, production Oct. 14 "Rough Waters," written by Jimmy Starr for. Riri-.Tih-Tin #()h7i=Da:u 111 e«'7=af<si wtan t=d iiie-etoi at studio tor thi'o.rv yeai-.><, ' will di; rect. . bowling's Director Los: Aivgelos, O.ft. .S. n-'ti.'^tn'l .'• li.iitTliian. ' inst«'a.l • nf Gv'ir;,'" CrDKi'V Um'rt J-Milii.- Dowlih.g in-"P.lazfv o' f sji/ry." Butty Comp!>y'ii oi>po>iLe DowIihSr. . McCormack Returns John McCormack and his picture nriiiiiie docked, last night' (Tuesday) on tfie "Berengaria." ====^i%er^pai'ty=brought^With=it'Fprrlnt.s= of Irish exteriors for' McCormackis film on Ireland for Fox. Party, including Mc's manager, .Di nny ilfSwoony, and Torn fJiii'ry, atillii;r of tlie singing blaekSTnilli •| iieiue. Tl.ev will .slay in M;itiliii':.'in ';» wf.c.k before jom-neyihg to ' liolly- woo<l for work on iuleriors. Strip Ticket Men in U. S. Trade Conference Washington; Oct. 8. . . Makers of machine tickets and the printed rolls thereJbr as used in the picture houses, and els*^- vvhere, are .to meet here .shortly with the Federal Trade Cominisslon for a trade conference. Subjects to be discussed are:;— inteiference with contracts; defa- mation of competitors; enticement of employees; price discriminations; secret rebates;: sales below cost; discrhnination in price: by means of split shipments; delivery points; sales without mutuality; cost ac- counting; standardizatipn arid sim- plification; riiisbrands; statistics; quotations; terriis; discounts and . free service. . Approxinriatiely 75 per cent of all such ticket manufacturers . are scheduled to attend the conference. CLAIM MIND KEADEIl'S GAG . Hollywood, Oct, 8. Introducing iiiriiself as Sonar Tuio Cuellar Chartes, or Prof. Max Orloff, a chap has been around the studios . repriesenting himself as a correspondent . of foreign papers. • Wampas. crederitial ::.committea lias asked its meriibers, to bar hirn, : frorri the lots. . Wampas' tip .is that he's a mind reader trying to crash the gates to ply his trade. Schnitzer Going to Coast Joseph I. Schnitzer, Radio Pic- tures chief, is leaving for the west coast, accompanied by his priya.t9: secretary, Harry Taidff,' either' at the end of the week or early next, . He goes.to look oyer the. produc- tion situation and may- be goneiicv- cral weeks, ' . Fish for Goldwyn Ben Firfh, manager of M-G-M'a .•^fattic .rxcli''i!i,'r. f,i'r 12. years,- has Johicd S.-nnUT;l .Ciohlwyii. as' special 1 (■•(v-f'Viiii,r s-'.l's inaii L.ger for "Con- <li iriiii'.l ".. ' It will be a senii-roti.d showjirpp- osilion.