Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

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EXHIBITORS HERALD Jury Favors Mary Pickford in Wilkening Suit for $108,000 Refuses to Award Theatrical Agent Commission on Contract with Adolph Zukor— Universal Wins Important News Reel Case NEW YORK. — A verdict in favor of Mary Pickford, motion picture star, was returned by the jury to Supreme Court Justice M. Warley Platzek in the suit brought against the film actress by Mrs. Cora C. Wilkening for $108,000, which the latter alleged was due her for services rendered to the screen favorite in obtaining a contract from Adolph Zukor, head of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. The plaintiff said that Miss Pickford netted $1,000,000 on the contract and that the amount sued for was due her on commissions. The trial was the second of the same case, the former resulting in an award for Mrs. Wilkening, which was reversed on appeal and a new trial ordered. Universal Wins Suit A decision of widespread interest to the entire motion picture industry and what is probably the first of its kind was given out November 21 by the Appellate division of the Supreme Court of New York City. The showing of motion pictures of current events, the court decided, cannot be enjoined by court order just because some person in the picture objects to the exhibition of them. Under this finding the court dismissed the suit brought by Mrs. Grace Humiston, lawyer and investigator, against the Universal Film Manufacturing Company for $50,000 damages and an injunction because the defendant filmed her for the news weekly. Mrs. Humiston's action was based on pictures taken of her while she was engaged in the search for the body of a woman who had been murdered. The Supreme Court held that Mrs. Humiston had a cause of action, granted an injunction restraining the Universal company from showing the plaintiff in the films, awarded $145 costs to her, and ordered a jury to assess damages. Using Chicago City Hall for Billboard HARRY L. REICHENBACH, exploiter extraordinary for Clara Kimball Young, Harry Garson and the Equity Pictures Corporation, arrived in Chicago a few days ago to tell the town about a picture called "The Eyes of Youth" — and he did tell it loud and often. While looking about for a place for a sign he hit about the Municipal Building and decided that as it had never had a Reichenbach sign — or any other — on it before, it was about time to start. Also the fact that the City Hall is in the heart of the theatre district caused Harry to give it some preference. In order to avoid doing especial violence to the city's ordinances, Reichenbach placed stereopticons on adjacent buildings and reflected across streets and upon walls of the municipal edifice certain tidings about C. K. Y. and "The Eyes of Youth," as illustrated in the above photograph. In other odd moments while in Chicago Reichenbach put up a banner across State street at Madison street and also mercilessly jammed the Chicago newspapers with photographs of Miss Young and stories. Appellate Court Reverses All these findings of the lower court were reversed by the Appellate division, which taxed Mrs. Humiston with the costs. Mrs. Humiston brought her suit under sections 50 and 51 of the civil rights law, prohibiting the use of a. person's name or picture without his or her written consent, for advertising purposes or for purposes of trade. Justice Smith, who wrote the majority in the Appellate division, said: "I am unable to see any practical difference between the presentation of these current events in a motion picture film and in a newspaper. And when it is considered that under the plaintiff's interpretation of the statute the mention in any newspaper or motion picture film or any publication of any kind of a single name in connection with a public or private matter, without the written consent of ihe person named, is a misdemeanor the court should be slow to interpret the act." Seena Owen Secured As Leading Lady in Owen Moore Feature Myron Selznick has engaged Seena Owen, one of the most beautiful and popular of screen stars, as leading lady for Owen Moore in his second Selznick picture, a comedy, "The* Woman Hater." Miss Owen made a special trip from California, in order to appear in the Selznick picture. Immediately upon Miss Owen's arrival in New York rehearsals were begun on "The Woman Hater" under the direction of Wesley Ruggles, and within a week the picture was well under way. Miss Owen's last picture made in the west was the leading role in the Maurice Tourneur production, "The Life Line." Director Ruggles declares, however, that she has a gift for high comedy and will make a wonderful foil for the happy-go-lucky Owen Moore in his latest character, that of a cynical youth, who thinks himself a hater of the fair sex and who ends by capitulating entirely to the fairest one of the lot. Sunday Theatre Is Forbidden in Caro Following Protest CARO, MICH.— The Caro Ministerial Association invoked the aid of a court injunction to prevent the Caro Temple theatre from opening Sundays. The injunction was served the Saturday night before the advertised Sunday opening. C. H. Schukert, manager, issued a statement declaring that he believed the majority of the people in the city favored Sunday opening but that he would abide by the decision of the courts. Will Build Studio LOS ANGELES.— The Paul Studios, Inc., is planning the erection of an independent motion picture producing plant at a cost of approximately $1,500,000. The company is backed by Southern California and New York capital. H. Holmes Paul is president of the company and the studios will cover a twentv-acre tract. 56