Evening star., 1929-12-15

pertaining to the Fox organization
which have just come to light.
Mere statistics are dry material
for Sunday reading, but the
amounts involved in the Fox deals
place them in the human inter-
est" column. For instance, it is
stated that the Fox obligations
amount to $91 100000. Also, there
are assets of $500,000,000, and re-
turns from the properties amount
to $33, 100000 annually. 1t is un-
derstood that $27,000,O00 of the
obligations are held by interests
represented by John E. OtterSon,
president of Electrical Research,
and Harry L. HalSey, member of
HalSey, Stewart g. Co. These two
have been appointed by William
Fox to act with him as board of
trustees in handling the affairs of
the Fox Films Corporation and the
Fox TheaterS..
Within just a few years the Fox
organization has grown from al
most nothing to a corporation
with $500,000,000 in assets, and
with a debt of $91,000,000. The
latter amount is claSSed as a tenn
porary obligation incurred by Fox
since last January, at which time
he started to obtain control of
Loew's, Inc, and which he planned
to make permanent through
stock offering of an amalgamation
of his various companies. 1t is
understood that Mr.. Fox could not
get the stock issue underwritten
because of the drop in market
values, and he was forced to seek
outside help for the first time in
his career.
The Fox Theaters Corporation
controls 1900 theaterS, and an
other Of the Fox interests is the
Fox Movietone News, a pioneer in
the field of sound news films.
Yes, figures may be a bit dry,
but when they take on such re-
markable proportions in connec-
ton with the movies, that is some
thing else again. The movie in
dustry no longer can be called
among the infants of the business
world.
AS 1.-THE Birth of a Nation"
spelled great things for the
silent photoplay-opening up, as
it were, the wonderful future
of screen possibilites-"General
Crack" the new John Barrymore
picture, is being hailed as firmly
establishing the merit of the new
sound pictures. "The Birth of a
Nation" directed by that master,
David Wark Griffith, placed the
silent picture upon a firm founda-
ton; General Crack" is said to
end the experimental stage" of
the sound picture. All this, nat
urally, comes from the critics and
the public who have seen and
heard John Barrymore in the lat
est Warner Brothers product.
Here in Washington we must
await the showing of General
Crack" before we make our final
decisions about talking pictures.
John Barrymore went into pho
toplay work at the height of his |
popularity as an actor. This in |
itself has greatly aided his efforts |
before the camera. Other we'll |
known stage stars have joined the
picture ranks after their stage
popularity started to wane. His
first celluloid vehicle was "Raf-
f1es," the younger of the Barry
more family establishing himself
as a favorite cinema star. Then
came star parts in Redemption"
''Peter Ibbetson" and ''The Jest"
This work was done in connection
with stage appearances. Before
the German character actor, Emil
came to this country
John Barrymore had made de-
cided hit with his "Dr. Jekyll and
Mr.. HYDE" and two other screen
plays followed-"The Lotus Eat
ers" and Sherlock Holmes" Then
came the Clyde Fitch play. Beau
Brummell," originally produced on
the stage by David BelaSco; "Moby
Dick" and the "Sea Beast" In the
latter picture Barrymore selected
as his leading lady hitherto un-
known young actress, Dolores Cos
tello, who afcerward became the
bride of the star. The last two
pictures before beginning work in
general Crack" we're Don Juan"
and when A Man Loves"
Others in the cast of General
Crack" are Lowell Sherman,
Philippe De Lacy, Marian Nixon,
Armida, Hobart BoSworth, Jacque-
line Logan, otto MatieSon, Andres
De Segurola, Douglas Gerard and
Theodore Lodi. Alan Crosland
was the director.
CARL E. MILLIKEN of the Hays
~ organization in a recent ad-
dress, pointed out that one of the
big problems of the producers to-
day was the making of sound pic
lures which would please the So
phiSticated taste of Broadway and
yet not offend the Main street
ideals.
Viewing the matter from this
point, it is difficult to understand
how the artistic standards OF
Broadway can differ so materially
with those of Main street. If a
picture can be exhibited where the
white lights are brightest and be
Teiled by critics and public as
success, why can't the same pic
ture make a success in the out
lands? Is it all a matter of geogra-
Dly VI WOulO I1ObOhCAA ASAOoS W
pass a picture which received ap-
plause from the BroadwayiteS?
The trade magazine Exhibitors
Herald World takes up the prob
lem with the idea of classification;
that is, certain pictures not in
tended for general distribution.
"Without such a plan," says the
magazine, various subjects that
cry for expression in the dialogue