Slick A lick

NZ Truth, Issue 1152, 29 December 1927, Page 4

Slick A lick

ONDING oneself in New York withF out influence or friends, armed

only with a big game hunting film, and the /hunter in person is not an enviable position to be in.

Such was once the position with Alick M. Plckford, who now manages the Luna Park Amusements at Auckland.

Alick was wandering around the biggest city in America, determined that "no fate, no circumstance w.ould hinder or control the firm resolve of his determined soul," and so he turned to that saviour of all things in the amusement business — publicity.

In no time he had secured gratuitously thirteen pages of pictorial and written matter in the largest daily newspapers, besides copious space in the magazine sections of three other influential publications.

The race was not yet won, for an organization known in film circles as "the death watch" took a hand in the game and tried to prevent exploitation of the film.

Pickford beat this effort by floating a company, thus putting himself and his film beyond their reach, and again a New Zealander proved himself a match for the wise ones of U.S.A.

This company, the African Jungle Films. Inc., sold the world's rights of the film for £150,000.

A lick started his business career as manager of a jewellery concern in Christchurch. Later he established himself as an accountant and auditor find promoted a number of successful Auckland companies.

He became a borough councillor at Devonport and afterwards mayor of that seaside borough. After .occupying various offices in connection with numerous public affairs, he went into the amusement side of business, his first theatre being the Victoria at Devonport.

Later he organized Paramount and Artcraft Theatres, Ltd.. in Wellington, and Picture Theatres, "Ltd., Dunedin. Nowadays he wears a broad smile and is a happy man, for business is flourishing.