Year book of motion pictures (1925)

1924 in Headlines December 29, 1923 "The Covered Wagon,'' elected best picture of 1923 with S3 votes. "Merry-Go-Round" second with 26 votes. New revenue bill contains no provision for removal of seating tax. Provides for lifting of all admission taxes. Mexico bans Pathe and American Releasing because of scenes showing Mexican nationals in unfavorable light. December 31 Arthus S. Friend resigns as president of Distinctive to resume law practice. Retains stock interest and place on directorate. January 1, 1924 Reported split between Jesse L. Lasky and William S. Hart. Mixed opinions on prospects for 1924 by financial authorities. Federal Reserve Hank optimistic. Stoll of Fngland reported after American managers to bolster up English presentations. January 2 Governor Smith urges repeal of censorship in New York state. Fight loked for in Assembly. English court decision fails to protect first run exhibitor from competitive advertising of same feature. January 3 First National seeking $3,000,000 gross in January. Sales drive started. Horace T. Clarke going to Orient to establish better foreign connections. Famous Players sells back 40 per cent interest to Saenger Amusement Co. Henry Ginsberg of Preferred back from trip, says theaters are doing big business but that independents have trouble getting play dates. Will H. Hays bound for Hollywood on annual production visit. January 4 Exchangemen report trouble over poor prints in many sections of the country. Claim alignment on perforation is poor. Government renews investigation into Famous Players in Jacksonville. January 5 Serious situation reported in state right field. One operator says the market is broke. Hugo Stinnes, German industrialist, enters picture business in Berlin. January 7 New plan of organization framed by T. O. C. C. Designed to placate dissatisfied elements. Warners to drop group selling for 1924-1925. Famous Players at Jacksonville hearing deny ruining business of L. D. Joel, former Lakeland, Fla. exhibitor. January 8 New Orleans next seat of Government Hearing into Famous Players Company's theater activities under fire. Industry subscribes $10,000 to Harding Memorial Fund. Five key cities planned for "The Ten Commandments." Several thousand fans discuss admission levels in FILM DAILY questionnaire. January 9 Radical changes in booking system may grow out of Government hearing. Famous to insist on general elimination of block bookings if Commission decides Famous must stop practice. Selznick cuts $958,278 in debts in eleven months. Universal calls general sales convention in Chicago. January 10 T. O. C. C. may change theaters into new division, based on seating capacity. Al Aronson revives centralized distribution scheme as solution to block bookings. Claude Friese-Greene, an Englishman invents new color process. January 11 Goldwyn and T. O. C. C. end dispute over "Enemies" and "Little Old New York." Exhibitors to be treated individually. Actor's Equity Ass'n and Will H. Hayes dickering on standard contract for film players. Lesley Mason goes to coast as representative for Hodkinson. Universal to zone country on different basis. Sales executives will confer on production policy. January 12 Charles C. Pettijohn conferring with Republican National Committee on legislation concerning pictures. Independent M. P. Prod, and Dist. Ass'n draw up uniform contract to govern dealings in the state right field. January 14 Washington favors lifting of taxes on admissions as high as 50 cents. Public hearing before House Ways and Means Committee. Fred Quimby joins Universal as short subjects sales manager. British imports duties lifted, until productions are either passed or rejected by censors. January 15 Senator Curtis of Kansas would amend revenue bill to collect five cent tax on each 25 cent admission. Money would be used for soldiers' bonus. . ] William A. Brady reported about to resume picture production. "Simon Called Peter," the first. M| B. S. Moss and Charles C. Burr contemplating joint production plan. First National to bring all of its own producing units East, with the exception of one. January 16 Universal to increase its Jewel output to 36 pictures Means added production budget of $5,000,000 yearly. B. P. Schulberg takes over Hollywood Studios on Coast. Ben Wilson about to close deal with Arrow for 26 features and three serials. Important changes in personnel reported in Famous-Lasky Film Service Co., Ltd. — Paramount's English distributor. Uniform contract of I. M. P. P. D. A. contains interesting clauses relative to bookings and rights when exchange defaults on agreement. Famous Players sales convention starts. Seventy-five attending. January 17 Famous Players to release picture weekly from March 3 to July 1. "Montmartre." starring Pola Negri and produced in Germany by Ernst Lubitsch on list. Max Reinhardt signs contract with William Randolph Hearst to direct Marion Davies. He will make one picture a year for five years. William A. Brady addressing I. M. P. P. D. A. urges them to stick to their intention and develop the independent field. Holds conference with Hodkinson relative to his own pictures. January 18 Theater Owners' Dist. Corp. frames new uniform contract with objectionable clauses removed. Charles S. Hervey and Wm. O. Hurst form Eastern Productions. Hurst to make series for Principal. January 19 Receiver in equity appointed for Prizma. Joseph M. Schenck predicts a saving in production through co-operation of various producers. January 21 Warner Bros, to float stock issue on the curb. Profits for 1923 placed at $500,000. Mae Murray completes Metro contract with delivery of two more pictures. Hodkinson negotiating with more directors. E. H. Griffith, E. L. Hollywood and George Terwilliger mentioned. Allan Dwan signs new contract with Famous. To direct Gloria Swanson in five pictures. 552