A BIG OFFER.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 20 December 1926, Page 7

A BIG OFFER.

WAR THREATENED ON TALKING FILMS. LONDON, Nov. 15. A remarkable situation has arisen over ‘‘Phonofilms,” the famous “talk-ing-films” invention. There are two “Phonofilin** companies, a British one, with a capita, of £50.000. headed by Sir George Hamilton, and an American concern, headed by Dr Lee de Forest, the actual inventor of the process. The company-owns the whole of the British Empire rights, excluding Canada, and the American company owns the rights for all the rest of the world. The success of the London, demonstration of the invention has been so great that Mr William Fox, one of the “Big Five” American cinema magnates, has offered the American and British companies £250,000 each for sale outright of the process, coupled with a suggestion that if they do not accept The offer he will compete against them with an invention called the “TriErgon,” which is understood to approximate in principle to the de Forest invention.

'Hie British company has refused the Fox offer, despite the fact that it is equivalent to £5 per £1 share, and the American company, it is understood, has adopted the same attitude. The next move is with Mr Fox.