Thursday
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
December 15, 1938.
"O.D." Owns 300 Cinemas Goes To The
Pictures"For A Little Relaxation
"Good Wife" Aids Him In £30,000,000 Deal
BIRMINGHAM.
Covering a wall in the office of quiet, mild little Oscar Deutsch, cinema magnate, is a map of Britain studded with illuminated green bulbs.'
They
Each bulb represents an Odeon cinema. show how, in six years, their owner has risen, from a metal merchants' yard to negotiate, this week, a £30,000,000 deal that will make him Britain's Cinema King,
He already owns 300 cinemas. If he brings off a deal now And pending with Gaumont-British he will control 600 more. 600 bulbs are waiting to add to the cluster on the map.
Bald-headed, 44-year-old Mr. Deutsch is known to his 15,000 employces, as "O. D." There is magic in those initials.
From them he coined the name | "Odeon," a name that shines in neon lights in almost every town in the land.
the Amazing He recently told story of how he has come to lend the cinema Industry in six short years.
Asu young man he took an academie interest in the cinema. It was in 1930 that he opened the first Odeon at Perry Bar, Birmingham.
BY 1933 HE HAD 50 CINEMAS. ONE OF THEM WAS BUILT IN VIRTUALLY AN OPEN FIELD, HIS FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY JESTED BUT PRE-
AND
CINEMA ABOUT THE SITE.
SENTLY HOUSES SPRANG UP ROUND THIS ODEON ALMOST OVERNIGHT.
By 1937 the Odeons numbered 200. To-day there 300, valued at
דוח
ubout £22,000,000.
HIS SECRET
"I've come to control 300 theatres," said Mr. Deutsch in matter-of-fact tones, "but I haven't finished yet. I have a £10,000,000 plan
stil more.
"HOW DID I DO ITT OF CONCENTRATION. HAS BEEN MY SECRET.
to build
A GIFT THAT
num still concentrating," he laughed apologetically, "and every week another Odeon cinema opens,"
He told how his chestnut-haired wife is always at his elbow to help him in the great decisions he has to make.
"She is on my Board of Directors," he said, "and has been responsible for the decoration of all our halls. No two of them are alike.
"She learned that when we were first married. She designed the
home furnishings of our
twenty
years ago. Her wonderful sense of colour and design has been evident in all our homes--and in all our
cinemas.
"A good wife is the greatest gir) that a man can have."
While he directs the organisation of his grent cireult Mrs. Deutsch s travelling all over the country super- vising the decoration of cach new hall.
TELEVISION NEXT
But at week-ends they meet, and forget business in their large, com- fortable home at Edgbaston, here.
near
Claemas are never mentioned. Mr. Deutsch becomes the family with his three children.
man
IIE
TO
HE TOLD OF HIS AMBITIONS" FOR THE FUTURE. "TELEVI- SION 18 THE NEWEST FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT." SAID. "I PLAN LATER HAVE FULLSIZE TELEVISION BCREENS IN EVERY ODEON CINEMA.
"My favourite relaxation?" he re- peated, and whispered a secret.
"I often work 10 hours a day, but
in odd hours off 1 go to the pictures
for a little relaxation."
Mr. Deutsch travels continually be-
human dynamo.
Five secretaries hovor rund to take his instructions; the telephones ring incessantly.
Italy plans to Homes, stables and
New homes in agricultural colonies in Libya, Itallan empire across the Mediterranean in Africa, will be found by 20,000 tallans In 1,000 familles, vanguard of millions. rettle there eventually. Here is one of the fumes about to leave Home, irrigation wells have already been constructed for them.
Britain, governing Palestine through a mandate of the League of Nations, is attempting to stamp out acts of terrorism that have upset the Holy Land in frequent clashes between Jews and Arabs. Here, a member of the Royal West Kents brings in two bandits captured near Tul Kurum. British have erected barbed-wire internment camps..
300 CATS
'INVADED" STUDIO
Two Men Said They
Were Ill-Treated
An allegation of cruelty to cats in the production of the film "Goldwyn Follies of 1938" was mentioned in
a case recently before Mr. Justice Singleton in the King's Bench Division.
"which denounces cruelty in the Goldwyn Follies Alm."
"That society," unid Mr. G. D. Roberts, xc. (for the flim com- panics) "has been prominent. In the hands of MacMichael, in making ullegations against persons who are connected with the circus trade, and has a long record of litigatios.
Goldwyn, Incor- Samuel
"MacMichael and Coubrough have porated, and United Artists
received notification in regard to this Corporation were granted an action, but they have refused to cater injunction to restrain Edmund any appearance, although in corres T. MacMichael, J. M. Coubrough, pandence they assert the truth of the and the Bancroft Press, Hit-legations and express their inten-
tlon of repeating them." chin, Hertfordshire, from re-
Mr. Justice Singleton asked if peating or publishing similar
MacMichael was in court, and a mor ilbels to that which, it was from the back came forward with alleged, was contained in a what he said was his reply to the pamphlet printed by Bancroft notice of motion. Press and distributed by Mac- Michael and Coubrough.
An order for damages was not asked for as it was not likely to be of any avall,
"TO REPEAT THEM"
In the pamphlet MacMichael and Coubrough were described, respec
director and hon. tively, as hon.
and of the Performing treasurer Captive Animals Defence League,
Safest Hands In The World
SHE HELD CHINA WORTH £3,000,000; NEVER A BREAK
The safest hands in the world. To whom do they belong? A statesman, a helmsman, or an en- gine driver, a surgeon, a dentist, or an artist, a wicket-keeper, or a goalkeeper?
No-they are reputed to belong to quiet humble Mrs. Louisa tween London and Birmingham, al- Allen, of Arvon-road, Highbury, N.-a white-haired war widow, ways with a secretary at his elbow.
His head office is still in Birming-aged about 60, who has the air and the bearing of a family re- ham, but lavish London offices were tainer in a ducal house or of the old-fashioned "nannie." opened in Park-lane in 1934.
It is in Park-lane that the mililon- aire cinema king la scon at his best
For the last 20 years, six days a week, she has earned a living washing, scrubbing, and polishing the treasured porcelains, pot- teries, and pieces of china passing through the hands of a great West End firm of antique dealers, Mensre. Rochelle Thomas, of Dog "Retrieves" Shark King-street, St. James's-street, S.W.
During that time she has averaged between 150 and 160 Queenscliff, Australia. Even dogs have taken to shark pieces a day (a million pieces in the aggregate). And on the fishing here. A retriever jumped average each pleco has been worth between 21 to £4. So she has from a pier here, caught a 5-foot cleansed about £3,000,000 worth of pottery, china, and porcelain. sliark by the tall, and dragged it ushore where fishermen shot it.
CONTINENTAL
STURDY
and STRONG
CARLOWITS
She has not broken a single piece during her 20 years; and she has only chipped three. Surely it is with justice that she claims to have the safest hands in the world.
THERE'S A thrill
and soft, but not weak or in- definite
Her nails are manicured and perfectly shaped, showing sym- metrical "moons," but they aro not long or tinted.
Louisa, as Mrs. Allen is known
Colonel *Fulgencio Batista, virtual dietator of Cuba, who was a recent guest of the Ameri- can Army in Washington.
Lens Shows Up: 1
Mars
Oakland, Cal, Alfred Leash, president of the East Bay Astronomicat. association, has built a telescope in his garage with -inch Newtonion reflector that has permitted him to make observations of Mars that have convinced him the planet has life on it.
Mr. Justice Singleton:
I see you
are called Captain MacMichael.
"I was a captain during the war in the 8th Devonshires," was the
ansver,
IN SAME REGIMENT
Mr. Roberts: I can give personal evidence of that. I happened to be In the same regiment.
[Mr. C. D. Roberts, .C., served from August 1914 to April 1010 in the Devonshire Regiment and on the Staff. Ho was in France tour years.]
In u statement he read, Mac- Michael said he had tried, through the court, to prevent the exhibition of the film.
"We are prepared to fight Samuel Goldwyn at any time in this matter," he added.
[In "Goldwyn Follies of 1938" the Ritz Brothers sing a song about cats, ending with a flm studio being In- vaded by 300 cats1
FAMOUS PIANIST DIES
23
Leopold Godowsky, 48-year-old Russian composer and planist, who made his debut at the age of nine, has died in New York after operation.
Godowsky
atk greatest of pianists from the point of execution.:
Horowitz nowadays might excel him, or Rachmaninoff, but in his day than he was more dazzling even Paderewaki or Pachmann.
was
He "transcribed the Chopin studies, and some of the great ones could not play them, although they sounded simple enough when he was at the key-bourd.
Pachmann, the eccentric, said of him: "Godowsky is the king of planista--but I can play better."
He could, but never as brilliantly.
AMERICAN WIFE
In 1909 the Emperor Franz Joseph made him head of the Imperial Royal Piano School In Vienna, but he spent the greater part of his life in New York, and married an American,
His Vienna contract specified 200 hours a year of teaching, of £4 58. on hour.
Classes were never to exceed 18,
among antique dealers and art con- WPA Nap Nearly Fatal and if he were absent from Vienna
noisseurs, told me that the knack of handling china is hereditary.
עות
aven in Ainerico-the class had to goto hiin, expenses paid by the Government
NO BOUQUETS
It was a pension post, and he start-
Ask him what he'd like from Mackintosh's
On a chilly morning or
evening he'll probably
bo nurturing fond. thoughts about a nice
muffler. (from $7.50),
Here's Luck!
EWO
BEER
We try to make it easy
for you to buy your
CHRISTMAS Gifts
FOR SMOKERS-
WE-HAVE A WIDE SELECTION OF CIGARS, CIGARETTES AND SMOKERS REQUISITES
IT IS CERTAIN THAT SMOKERS WILL APPRECIATE |
·SMOKING GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS
OBTAINABLE AT.
SHUI HING
CO
DEPARTMENT STORE
187-195-Des Voeux Road Central.
Recently, she was one of the
Fireworks Trap proudest women In London, for she
BUTTE, Mont "My brother was a chinn packer," has more than 350 china and porce
Sneaking a sleep on a WPA pro-
Smuggler. lain figures on view in the Antique she said. "My father was foreman
House at Christie's, And
married Ject can entail oven greater dangers Dealers Fair at Grosvenor Each piece has been carefully and daughter is very domesticated too, than merely getting discharged. A
MURRAYVILLE, B. C.- lovingly, washed by her expers I think anfo hands must be in the local worker slipped under aware-ed with ten years nominally to his
family.
house platform to take his nap and credit"
Thomas Alax, barber, was Andd hands.
There's a thrill in washing up was sleeping woundly, when truck He disdained plantate hair and 150 for smuggling fireworks from the display pieces. I remember wash- drove onto the platform. The aim when a bouquet was passed up to the United Staker. Omcers at a border ing the famous Dresden Music port gave way, and the trick sallied platform after one of his Londen customs house found 893 small back Teacher which
valued at ob the ground polyan foot town the recitals, he spurned it, s vysoko umes of frecracker concealed in t £3,000
"I'm not a Ballet danceri” he, îaldo eur.
What are her bands like?
Her handshake is a gentle.
caress, neither clinging nor curt.
It is precise but kind.
Her Angers are long, artistic,
BREEN
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