Local Film Representatives

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 538, 15 December 1928, Page 12 (Supplement)

Local Film Representatives

MR. G. M. BROWN Mr. G. M. Brown, Auckland manage] of the Fox Film Corp. (A’sia), Ltd. joined his company in 1921 and after several months in every department of the head office in Sydney was transferred to Brisbane to travel through with the famous picture, “Over the. Hill.” Early in 1923 he was appointed manager of the South Australian branch in Adelaide and, as he was then only 22 years of age, was the youngest branch manager in the business. He came to New Zealand in September, 1925, and has watched his company progress from a small distributing office in Wyndham Street to one of the most up-to-date offices in Auckland. MR. W. E. KIRBY When, over three years ago, Famous Lasky Film Service (N.Z.) Limited (Paramount Pictures) extended their activities in New Zealand, by opening an exchange here in Auckland, Mr. W. E. Kirby, New South Wales salesman, was appointed to the position of Auckland manager. Mr. Kirby has been connected with the Paramount organisation for the past six years, and prior to entering the motion picture industry played a prominent part in the theatrical world. MR. W. A. HISLOP Mr. W. A. Hislop, chief sales representative for Universal Pictures, is a New Zealander who commenced working in the picture business as secretary of the Film Exchanges Association in July, 1923. He joined Universal as office manager six months afterwards and was later promoted to sales representative. He has represented Universal for over five years and holds his firm’s much coveted award for sales efficiency. During the present year he undertook the business management of the Universal's Maori film production made in New Zealand.

MR. P. W. MADDOCK Mr. P. W. Maddock, who is the provincial representative for the MetroGold wyn-Mayer organisation, joined the firm on its formation in New Zealand in 1925. Prior to that date he was on the staff of the Waikato “Times,” in Hamilton, for a number of years, and although born and educated in England, joined up with the New Zealand Artillery in 1914. He has represented Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer throughout New Zealand, and is extremely popular with theatre proprietors throughout the country. MR. ERROL FULLER Mr. Errol Puller, who is manager for T. A. O’Brien Theatre, is a New Zealander who went into the film business from the stage six years ago. He opened the Fox Auckland branch in 1923, and took control of the Selznick Pictures Corporation in New Zealand during 1926, but shortly afterwards came to Auckland to open the Auckland branch office for First National. I He joined the administrative side of T. A. O’Brien's Theatres in August of this year. With such varied training and excellent qualifications this bright and breezy young man should go far in the industry in the future.

Do you remember when Grace Cunard ■ and Francis Ford were one of the most popular serial teams in pictures? Grace has been in retirement for several years, but is going to reappear in the film entitled “Show Boat.” Harry Pollard, who is directing the film, likes to have real troupers in his cast and he has assigned an important role to Miss Cunard. Among the animals used in “The Haunted House” are two owls, two bullfrogs, a pheasant and an iguana, all stuffed. “Thank God,” exclaimed a harassed member of the cast yesterday, “that stuffed animals don’t jump.” The entire cast is kept on the edge of nervous prostration throughout the picture by trick shadows, ingenious and unexpected noises and the hideous faces which the director makes up to help them register feeling.