Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1917 - Jun 1918)

Universale New Series of Features To Start April 8 Carl Laemmle Gives Company's Reasons for Taking New Film On April 8 Universal will issue the first of a new series of big features. Under the title of Special Attractions these subjects will be published at the rate of one every two weeks. Present plans call for the appearance of such popular players as Dorothy Phillips, Harry Carey, Priscilla Dean, Mae Murray, Mary MacLaren and Herbert Rawlinson, in the new series of productions, and enough pictures to provide features clear through to next November have already been completed. It is Universal's intention to make its new Special Attractions take equal rank with the biggest productions now being issued. Each completed picture, it is said, will represent the last word in quality, and to bring this to pass instructions have been issued to those in charge at Universal City, Cal., to give them their special attention. The first four features to be issued as Special Attractions will be "The Risky Road," featuring Dorothy Phillips; "The Scarlet Drop," featuring Harry Carey; "The Two Soul Woman," featuring Priscilla Dean, and "The Bride's Awakening," featuring Mae Murray. The first, as stated above, will be issued April 8, the second April 22, the third May 6, and the' fourth May 20. Although the publication dates of the next thirteen productions have already been set, the probability that their titles will be changed causes the Universal Company to withhold them at the present time. Abandons One-a-Week Film According to Carl Laemmle, president and director-general of Universal, the motive for the action of his company in abandoning the one-a-week feature idea, as embodied in the old Butterflies, is its desire to take the new particular productions out of the program class. "In spite of the quality of the program feature," said Mr. Laemmle, "the exhibitor has reached the stage where anything savoring of the program automatically falls into the 'filler-in' class. "In other words, the exhibitor regards the feature program today as he regarded the short subjects in the old days. A manufacturer may turn out a picture that costs thousands of dollars, but neither its quality nor its box office possibilities make the. slightest impression upon the exhibitors who book it, if it is merely released as part of a program. "The Special Attractions will be just what their name implies — special attractions. They will be issued just often enough to make the exhibitor who books them appreciate their box office and production qualities and so cause them to be profitable pictures for him. "Universal will spend more money on these pictures than it could possibly spend in producing the ordinary program feature. The exhibitor, according to our belief, will not be inclined to use a 'filler' on the days he shows them, be cause they will be strong enough to carry the whole show. Nor will he be at all inclined to use them for this purpose, for their quality will not permit. "We have put our best foot forward in the Special Attractions. I say this frankly, because I want the trade to know that in these pictures they will be given productions that represent topnotch Universal quality. Proof of our determination in this respect can be found in the stars who are to appear in the new brand." Gaumont News Reels To Be Issued Every Tuesday and Friday No persons are quicker to feel the pulse of the public than state-right buyers of motion pictures. At this historic period more newspapers are being sold than ever before, and this is due not only to the ever-increasing education of the masses but to the people's desire to keep posted about war happenings. The demand for news on the screen, the Gaumont Company declares, has become so insistent that no theatre which tries to please its patrons can afford to omit the news-reel from its programs. Until the Gaumont Company decided to enter the independent field, staterights buyers were unable to offer their patrons any pictorial news service. They were quick to realize their opportunity, however, and letters and telegrams asking for the Gaumont News Service beKan to pour into the Flushing, L. I., office. So insistent were these demands that the Gaumont Company sent representatives to interview a number of the most important buyers, and the result is that the greater part of the country has already contracted for the new Gaumont semi-weekly news-reel, the Gaumont News and the Gaumont Graphic. The Gaumont Company advises that these news-reels will be issued on the dates of shipment from the factory, and that shipments will be made from New York City every Tuesday and Friday morning. As soon as the reels are received by the buvers they will be placed on exhibition. The exhibitor will be quick to recognize that this is an improvement over the old plan of having a set date for each issue and holding up the showing of the news until that date, even though the news-reel might be received by the exchange several days in advance. The first issue of the Gaumont News will be shipped on Tuesday. March 26, and of the Gaumont Graphic on Friday. March 29. Success of Sunday Opening Bill Aim of Buffalo Exhibitors Buffalo exhibitors are taking an active part in the campaign now obtaining throughout the state of New York to get a bill passed by the state legislature permitting Sunday opening of motion picture theatres. Tuesday of last week a meeting attended by exhibitors and exchange men in the Buffalo territory as far east as and including Rochester, was held in the Majestic Theatre. Harold B. Franklin, manager of Shea's Hippodrome, presided, and Thomas E. I Doug. Mary and Charlie to Tour For Liberty Loan Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chap I ' lin and Mary Pickford will leave 1 Los Angeles this week to devote | their time to a three weeks' drive | as money-getters for Uncle Sam. The third Liberty Loan is the 1 particular government project in ! which the famed trio will interest 1 themselves and their eastern audiI ences, and each has been given a I certain territory to cover before re[ turning to Los Angeles. Already Doug, Mary and Char1 lie have spent much time in per1 fecting their stunts for the trip, it I is said. Fairbanks has provided I himself with an educated ladder, I which he has taught to behave 1 while he does seemingly impossi| ble things upon it; Chaplin has I added a most persuasive smile to I his well-known simpers, which. 1 with his hat, cane and shoes, ought I to send dollars skylarking into the war chest, and Mary will be just I herself, and that should be enough. Sullivan, executive secretary of the ex hibitors' committee, acted as secretar; of the meeting. The situation was ver; clearly outlined to the gathering b; Chairman Franklin in a brief address He was followed by Henry C. Price, at torney for the committee, who gave ; clear and concise explanation of th legal status of the bill and made a forci ble address in behalf of co-operation oithe part of exhibitors and exchangemei' Exhibitors from every section of west ern New York attended the meeting i response to personal letters sent out b ; the committee. Rochester, where a sirr ilar committee had been organized, sen a delegation of three to the meeting an pledged co-operation. Daily meetings at the Majestic The atre will be continued by the commil tee, which is composed of, beside Messrs. Franklin and Sullivan, J. A Schuchert, treasurer; Earl L. Crabl Strand and Victoria theatres; George ( Hall, Maxine Theatre; A. C. Hay mat Cataract Theatre, Niagara Falls; Jule H. Michael, Academy and Regent th< atres, and Ira M. Mosher, Palace Th( atre. Constance Talmadge to Star In "Mrs. Leffingwell's Boots Following "A Pair of Silk Stockings starring Constance Talmadge, the Sele< Company next proposes to put on "Mr Leffingwell's Boots." In both of the; pieces she will be presented by Lewis Selznick through Select Pictures. This famous comedy drama by Ai gustus Thomas has been secured by tr Select star, and the choice, it is said, a brilliant one, for in this work Thorn; is at his happiest vein and the piece ju suits Constance Talmadge. It is th; rare combination of comedy and dram of fun plus tense situations, of poignai heartache and youthful merriment th. make the work of the Select comedieni stand out distinct from that of any oth' screen star. 40