Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Dec 1917)

X H B O R H R D Associated Theatres Inc. Stockholders to Hold Meet in Minneapolis Dec. 17 Association of Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin Exhibitors Soon to Begin Booking and Distributing Own Films Stockholders of the Associated Theatres, Inc., will hold their first meeting at the West Hotel in Minneapolis on December 17 to elect a board of five directors and adopt a franchise. The Associated Theatres, Inc., represents an association of exhibitors of four states and has been organized since October 10 to operate booking offices and film exchanges in Minneapolis, Duluth, Milwaukee, La Crosse, Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Fargo and Minot. The new enterprise is capitalized at $100,000. A membership of 600 theatres has been decided upon by the officers of the new company before actual operations will be begun. Already, according to a statement from General Manager T. J. Hamlin, the five hundred mark in membership has been passed. Although still in its infancy, the organization has a well defined policy, as is explained by Mr. Hamlin. The other officers of the association are: H. L. Hartman, Mandan, N. D., president; W. S. Smith, Menomonie, Wis., vice-president; C. W. Gates, Aberdeen, S. D., chairman; H. P. Greene, Minneapolis, Minn., treasurer. At the start the association will not be able to care for all its members, Mr. Hamlin states. The rental of films, he said, is to be determined from an information sheet which each exhibitor signs before a notary public, giving a list of films, makes and subjects which he has played in a selected period of fourteen days and the rental he has paid for them. ''Our sole aim is to eliminate the middleman's expenses," said Mr. Hamlin. "We want each producer and parent distributing company to realize more net profit on these four states and our members, under the plan of distributing, will be able to obtain better film at lower rental. "Our weekly sales sheet eliminates the expense of traveling salesmen and saves approximately seven thousand dollars a week in these four states. The seven inspection points to be established in the different localities will save our members express charges to the same amount weekly because of shorter hauls. It is eleven hundred miles across our zone from Sheboygan, Wis., to Beach, N. D., and it is a losing territory for the producers and distributors." Shipman Contracts to Produce Nine Independent Films Will Also Make Two-Reel Patriotic Comedies — Business Growing Ernest Shipman has just rounded out his second month in business for himself, which shows a rapidly growing organization and many things accomplished. Nine independent productions have been contracted for and will be manufactured during the coming months. They will be published in the open market. Some of the most prominent producers in the industry have these productions in hand. Contracts have also been executed for the exploitation of the Shorty Hamilton five-reel comedies which will be issued one a month to state rights buyers during 1918. A line of patriotic comedies in one and two reels is being exploited by Mr. Shipman and will soon be announced. The Art Studios and Laboratories at 316 East 48th street, New York, have been working night shifts in order to take care of new business which includes some of the European war negatives of D. W. Griffith. Several prominent screen stars have been enrolled under Mr. Shipman's management and a special service departmnt has been opened to attend to their needs. King Baggot was recently placed by the Shipman organization with the Warton Brothers to work in the production of the secret service serial and ERNEST SHIPMAN. which will keep Mr. Baggot occupied until next April, after which he will be starred in two special state rights features which Mr. Shipman has contracted to produce. Many prominent authors have entrusted the business management of their works to Mr. Shipman's play department. John R. Coryell's first screen play, "Talking Talbot," was so well i eceived in scenario form by the state right buyers throughout the country that its early production is now assured. THEDA BARA IN THREE SCENES FROM "DU BARRY" THIS SEVEN-PART FEATURE, DIRECTED BY J. GORDON EDWARDS FROM THE SCENARIO BY ADRIAN JOHNSON, IS SAID TO GIVE MISS BARA UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISPLAY OF HER HISTRIONIC ABILITIES. IT WILL BE PUBLISHED DEC. 30 AS A STANDARD PICTURE BY WILLIAM FOX. 24