PARAMOUNT CONVENTION

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 238, 22 June 1926, Page 9

PARAMOUNT CONVENTION

SOME BIG PICTURES ANNOUNCED.

The New Zealand representatives of Paramount returned by the s.s. Tahiti yesterday from the Paramount convention held in Sydney. The convention was presided over by Air. John W. Hicks, junr., managing director of Paramount for Australasia, and there were also present some 60 representatives from all branches of the organisation. About 50 theatre exhibitors from all parts of Australia also attended the conference, and guests of honour included Aiderman Stokes, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Sir Mark Sheldon, and Dean Talbot. Among others present were Mr. Gus Mclntyre,' managing director of the Sydney Broadway Theatre Circuit, and Mr. Stuart F. Doyle, managing director of Union Theatres.

Mr. John W. Hicks, who has recently returned from America, outlined the policy of the release of Paramount's Fifteenth Birthday Group comprising 75 pictures and a number of road-show attractions. Two outstanding road-show attractions to bo released by Paramount will be "The Wanderer," which is the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, and "The Vanishing Race,” from Zane Grey’e "Vanishing American.” With regard to "The Vanishing Race,” Paramount will bring to Australia and New Zealand 10 American Indians, to be used in the presentation of this picture. These Indians are at present on their way to Australia on board the s.s. Sierra.

Paramount week will be held again in New Zealand this year. Paramount announces the signing up of two important stars hitherto unknown in the Dominion. These are Lya de Putti, the Hungarian actress, and Emile Jannings, one of the greatest character actors who has appeared in Europe. Other outstanding attractions will includo: —“Padlocked,” by Rex Beach, "The Sorrows of Satan,” by Marie Corelli, and produced by D. W. Griffith; "Aloma of the South Seas,” with the famous' vaudeville dancer, Gilda Gray; “The Rough Riders,” a travesty of the adventures of a band of modern musketeers gathered together by Theodore Roosevelt; "Old Ironsides, by James Cruze; “So Is Your Old Man,” with W. C. Fields; "The Wedding March,” featuring von Stroheim; “Behind the Front,” with Wallace Beery and Ray mond Hatton; “Beau Geste”; a number of Zane Grey’s, Harold Lloyd s, and other important attractions, with the stars now under contract for Paramount. .. . , u . A similar conference to that held in Sydney will be held in New Zealand early in July. Mr. W. R. Hoggan, general sales manager, of Paramount, will arrive shortly from Sydney to preside over this convention. New Zealand exhibitors will bh invited to attend, and they will sit in conference with Paramount in Wellington. Details of this will be announced at a later date.