The New York Clipper (December 1919)

December 31, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 33 WPICTURBS MAYORS START CENSORSHIP INQUIRY APPOINT BIG COMMITTEE Syracuse, Dec 26.—Providing for a rigid investigation of motion picture activi- ties in the State of Mew York, of which reports of graft and extortion, are current, and for an investigation of motion picture censorship, a committee has been appointed as a result of the New York State Con- ference of Mayor's action here today. W. R. Stone, president of the organisation, has appointed the following to conduct the inquiry and present recommendations to the Legislature: Authors, Rex Beach, Ardsley-on-Hud- son; churches, Charles C. Jndkins, pastor Grace - Ohuroh, Glens Falls; second-class cities, Commissioner of Public Safety, W. W. Nicholson, Syracuse; third-class cities, Mayor Palmer Canfield, Kingston; depart- ments of public safety, Commissioner B. Andrew Hamilton, Rochester; producers, A. E. Smith, president Yitagraph Company of America, Locust avenue and East Fif- teenth street, Brooklyn; distributors, Gabriel Ia Hess, Goldwyn Distributing Corporation, 400 Fifth avenue, New York City;. exhibitors, Walter Hayes, vice presi- dent . Strand Theatre, interests, Buffalo; National Board of Review of Motion Pic- tures, Br. Everett D. Martin. 70 Fifth ave- nue, New York City; Housewives League, Mrs, N. B. Spalding, 100 Phoenix avenue, Schenectady; labor, James P. Holland, president New York State Federation of Labor, 211 East Forty-fifth street, New York City, and Mrs. Mary Gray Peck, 70 Fifth avenue, New Xork City. FEATURES AT BIG HOUSES This week's array of features at the Broadway picture palaces includes "For- bidden" at the Broadway, where the Par- isian Fashion Frolic is also seen; "The Greatest Question," at the Strand with a special musical program; "Red Hot Dol- lars" with Charles Ray at the Bialto, with. an augmented musical program, and "When tile Clouds Roll By" with Douglas Fairbanks at the Rivoli, where there will also be a special musical program. PLAN BROOKLYN HOUSES Recently incorporated, with a capital stock of $250,000, the Raring Amusement Company will erect a new motion picture house at St. John's Place and Utiea Ave- nue, Brooklyn, following the first of the year. This .will mark, the. first step in a. venture to build a half score or so similar houses in.Brooklyn. Named as the com- pany's officers are H. P. Smith, C. L. Raskin and I. E. Meller. REPUBLIC HAS FLYNN SERIES The Republic Distributing Corporation has acquired a series of eight two-reel fea-' tures which portray the most thrilling in- cidents in the life of William J. Flynn, former Chief of the United States Secret Service, and at present director of investi- gation in the Department of Justice. Carl Harbaugh and J. Gordon Cooper have written the various episodes, in which Her- bert Rawlinaou plays the role of Chief Flynn. The names of the eight features are "Chang and the Law," "The Five Dollar Plate," "The SilklesB Bank Note," "Out- laws of the Deep," "The Fakir,'* "The Poppy Trail," "The Kalda Ruby" and "Hie Phantom Butler." METRO GETS NEW DEVICE Metro has purchased a new double ex- posure device which makes it possible to float one scene off the screen and bring another scene on without any sharp or visible parting line becoming evident. . It was invented by Ceatano Gaudio. POX TO HAVE FLATBUSH HOUSE William Fox will erect a new theatre on a plot he purchased in Flatbnsh last week, on the east side of Flatbush Avenue, be- tween Beverly Road and Tilden Avenue. The house will have a Beating capacity of 3,500. METRO GETS IN A CLAIRE Ina Claire has been signed by Metro Pictures to Toe starred in a screen version of her last year's success, "Polly witi a Past,*' in which che was featured by David Belasco. PLAN ONE BLDG. FOR ALL The Film Exchange Building Committee of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, is now considering plans for the erection of one large building which will house every film exchange in New York City. Several of the largest of the distributing companies have approved the plan, it is reported. The committee has already carried out negotiations for the erection of exchange buildings in various large exchange centers throughout the country. A $500,000 build- ing has been completed in Kansas City, and construction will soon be started on like buildings in Cleveland and Chicago, the total investment amounting to some- where in the neighborhood of $3,000,000. EMPEY STAFF ALL READY Arthur Guy Empey, who will shortly be seen in "Oil," has engaged the following to aid him in the presentation of his first film venture as an independent producer: Wilfred North is the director; Phil Quinn, assistant director; Harry Lee, studio manager; Herbert Messmore, tech- nical director, and Thomas Molloy, cam- eraman ; Florence Evelyn Martin, Templar Saxe, William Eville and Harry Burk- •hardt. The length of the picture, it is estimated, will be about six reels. PICKER ADDS ANOTHER HOUSE David Picker, who owns a chain of mo- tion picture theatres in tie. Bronx, will open a new house on January 22 on 159th Street. The house will be known as the Reo Theatre. Mr. DeManby, who has been known as a baritone in grand opera, and later was Samuel Rothapfel's assistant at the Rialto Theatre, will be the general director for Picker. The latter has also in prospect two more new motion picture houses. ABRAMS GOES ON TRIP Hiram Abrams and Ralph O. Proctor, of lie United Artists' Corporation, left New York last week for' a business tour of the country. They will stop at all of the company's exchanges throughout the coun- try to meet exhibitors. Sales conferences will be held in Chicago. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis • and Kansas City. ANOTHER DRURY LANE PICTURE Metro has begun work on screening "The Hope," tie second of a series of five Drury Lane successes that it has con- tracted for. The picture will be directed by Herbert Blache. The cast has not yet been announced. WILL COMBAT MANUFACTURER EXHIBITORS NEW ASSOCIATION FORMED PR1SCILLA DEAN GETS PLAY Priscilla Dean is to be seen shortly in a new picture, made from a story that has been .running serially in A»n*7ee'» called "False Colors," the story being by Edwina •Levin. MOORE SIGNED BY PLYMPTON Scott Moore has been signed for a series of pictures, to be produced by Plympton. Moore has recently been headlined over the Keith Circuit.. . dRCTHKATl, Ohio, Dec 29.—With the purpose of fighting reported plans of mov- ing picture producers to operate theatres in which they may present their own films, exhibitors from Ohio, Kentucky, and In- diana convened here last week at the Hotel Sinton. A pledge was made to co-operate and fight any movement that might impose hardship on the exhibitor. , It was stated by I. W. McMahan, of McMahan and Jackson, that the moving picture theatre men must stand together for self-protection or suffer the conse- quences of producers assuming control of the exhibitors' end of the business. The Association voted officially that it was unalterably opposed to film producing companies operating theatres in districts where it would hurt the present moving picture theatre business, and it was agreed that, if the necessity arose, exhibitors would cease to do business with any pro- ducing company that took such action. PUBLICITY MEN CONFER The Eastern District Publicity manager of the Universal Film Company held a conference in the office of R. H. Cochrane, vice-president of Universal, last week, at which was discussed the future policy of distributing Universal publicity. This was the first meeting held since the new system was worked out, whereby ten dis- trict managers were appointed to have charge of the publicity in their territory.' At the meeting were Harry Rice, director of publicity C. B. Frost, in charge of the Pittsburgh district; Palmer Slocum, of the Cleveland district; J. H. Mayer, of the New York district, and J. A. Daly, of the Charlotte (N. C.) district. FOX SUED OVER "CHECKERS" The Fox Film Company has been made defendant in an injunction suit brought by Mrs. Mazie La Shelle Hunt and Mrs. Marjorie Blossom, widows of Kirk La Shelle Hunt and Henry M. Blossom, in the Supreme Court, restraining the Fox Film Corporation from selling "Checkers," the motion picture production. The plain- tiffs claim that they did not authorize Fox to produce a film version of the play, and request that all sales be stopped until a settlement .is made with them. merit .i< i_ STATE RIGHT DOOLEY FILMS The series of Johnny Dooley comedies, which are being made by his own com- pany, have been sold to Tyred Pictures. Tyrad has acquired the world rights to the films, which they will sell on the state rights" plan. In the first of these pictures, "A Social Sleuth." Sophie Tucker, Martha Mansfield and Gilda Grey appear in'support of Dooley. WORKING ON BIG SCENARIO "A Voice in the Dark," the A. H. Woods melodrama, that ran for some time at the Republic Theatre, New York, is to be made into a picture by Goldwyn, with Pauline Fredericks in the leading role. Work on the scenario has already started. IRWIN RESIGNS FROM F. P. L. Walter W. Irwin has resigned as vice- president of Famous Players-Lesky, and has announced that his resignation stands. Irwin will, it is expected, go into the in- dustry independently. FILM FLASHES F. J. Ooldsol. of Goldwyn, Is visiting the coast studios ot his company. Constancy Blnney. stage sad screen star, sprained her ankle last week. Douglas D. Hewitt has been added to the sub title arc staff or Seumlck. "Footlights and Shadows" will be the next Olive Thomas feature for Selxnlck. Katherlne Reed has completed the scenario of "Blind Youth" for National Pictures, Inc. Peggy Byiand has left the William Fox banner and has gone over to G. B. Samuel. son. H. Thompson Rich, formerly editor of TKe Forum, has been added to the Metro scenario staff. . "Bucking the Tiger," Lewis J. Belanlck's legitimate production. Is now also being ..JS- Ai Howells will direct Viola Dana In "Eiixa Comes to Stay." a forthcoming- Metro picture. Olive Thomas and her company are at New Orleans taking- exteriors tor ''Glorious Youth. Vitagraph will release "The Invisible Hand, ,r a serial starring Antonio Moreno, shortly. Dolores Casslnenrs latest effort "The w «b or Cecelt," la to be released on Jan. IS by Pathe. . J| < * er J t J^'i tw ij k '». next *"»> ■» be called •3Sie. &££*"• " tapted *- & aoni Alice Joyce will be seen in "Slaves of Pride" soon after the release of "The Sporting Duchess." .Eugene O'Brien's next picture for Selx- nlck will be "A Fool and His Money." by George Barr McCotcbeon. Jeanette Stone, sixteen yean old. has been engaged by Hopp Hsdlev to appear with "The Movie Girls* Revue. 1 ' "The Cinema Murder" will be released by Famous Players Lasky a* a Paramount-Art- craft attraction on Jan. 14. Florence Reed's picture, "The Eternal Mother." will be released shortly. It was made by Tribune Specials, Inc. Hortense Saunders has left her position as ■pedal story writer for the Cleveland Press to do publicity tor Selxnick In New York. J. A. Bent, president ot the United The- atres, wss given a banquet recently by stockholders and directors of the concern. Harry T. Morey has been compelled to stop work temporarily on "Detective Jim" owing to an inflamed right eye. the result of a cold. "The Third Generation'' Is now being cut and titled under the supervision of Henry Kolker, who wrote and directed It for Brent- wood. ... :«r T fi«:..;- Alice Calhoun, now with Corrine Griffith In "Deadline at Dawn." has been. eng • for Vltagraph's stock company at 'Brooklyn studio. •■' ' * " Geoffrey Nye has been appointed repre- sentative for Goldwyn Qctures in New Zea- land and Australia, with other western countries Included. Elaine Hammersteln and her company have returned to New York to complete "The Woman Game." which Is being pro- duced at Fort Lee. Peggy Hyland Is at work on her first pic- ture for G. B. Samnelson, the English pro- ducer, who brought bis own company from ' London for the picture. "Love Among Chickens." another story by Pelham Grenville Wodehonse, will feature Owen Moore, wbo bas appeared la "Pica- dllW Jim," also by Wodehoose. Ike Libson. who owns a chain of theatres in Cincinnati and Columbus, and John P. Harris, of Pittsburgh, have secured fran- chises In The National Theatres. Inc. "Throbs and Thrills," with Montgomery and Rock. "Dames and Dentists" with James Aubrey, and Harry Mann in "Pipe Dreams and Prises" will be the Big "V" special comedv releases for Jsnnsry In addi- tion to five single-reel comedies.