Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

62 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 12. No. 12, Employes' Faith Pulled Balboa Through Hard Times Horkheimer Attributes Success of His Company to Steadfastness of Five Executive Heads and Other Members of Staff, Who Stuck to Posts in Dark Hours of Its Affairs FIVE employees who joined H. M. Horkheimer two years ago and formed the nucleus of his original organization when he opened the Balboa studio in Long Beach, Cal., are given credit by their employer for the major part of his success in the motion picture industry to date. They are: William Beckway, scored a distinct artistic success as a producer, H. M. Horkheimer decided back in 1912 to make a venture into the cinema world. At the time he did not know what a motion picture camera looked like. Taking stock of his resources, he could count just about $7,000. Most of the initial Balboa force came THE NUCLEUS OF BALBOA'S ORIGINAL ORGANIZATION— NORMAN MANNING, BUS. MGR.; MAY BROTHERTON, ASSEMBLY SUPT. ; W. BECKWAY, CHIEF CAMERAMAN; H. M. HORKHEIMER, PRES. AND GEN'L MGR.; ROBERT BROTHERTON, CHIEF CHEMIST; JOHN WYSE, STAGE MGR. properly and to make it pay a profit. If he has done that he can get more credit, I believe, than a man doing the same volume of business in any other line. The country is full of money looking for a place to work. This is one of the results of the war. The motion picture business is the only big important thing that has not suffered through war and trade conditions. Other lines of trade and industry have been halted, or at least delayed in the natural process of expansion and these lines have not absorbed the available capital. The Mutual has a great program now. It has grown with the demands of the public and the needs of the exhibitor. It will continue to grow and to keep pace with the growth of the industry. Look for the bigger things to come. THANHOUSER NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH IN ACCIDENT Edwin Thanhouser, president of the Thanhouser Film Corporation, had a narrow escape from death September 5, when his chauffeur, turning sharply aside to avoid collision with a passing automobile, drove the front wheels of his machine over a steep embankment overlooking the Hudson River. A steel cable, running parallel with the edge of the road, but about a foot out in the air caught the Thanhouser machine and held it back from a sixty-foot drop. With Mr. Thanhouser at the time were Mrs. Thanhouser and their son and daughter, Lloyd and Marie. GERAGHTY, WELL KNOWN NEWSPAPER MAN, JOINS METRO PUBLICITY STAFF Tom J. Geraghty, one of the best known of New York newspaper men, has joined the publicity staff of Metro Pictures. Mr. Geraghty's experience should make him a valuable addition to the Metro forces ; he has spent six years on the staff of the New York "Herald," and has also been connected with the New York "Press" and the New York "American." chief cameraman; Robert Brotherton, head chemist; John Wyse, stage manager; May Brotherton, superintendent of the assembly department, and Norman Manning, business manager. Today, the Balboa Amusement Producing Company has a weekly capacity of 20,000 feet of negative film. But for the loyalty and splendid support that these people gave him, Mr. Horkheimer says there would be a different story to tell. As an evidence of their faith in him, when the clouds were blackest, some of these department heads even loaned their employer money of their hardearned savings, despite the fact that he was in arrears on salaries to them. After having met financial reverses in the theatrical business, although he from the Selig plant. And these five people are still with Mr. Horkheimer. There were many times during the first year of Balboa's operations when any one who had less than heroic faith would have been tempted to fall away. There was even one time when Mr. Horkheimer owed his workers $11,000 dollars, yet they stood by him. What is more, they refused to desert him when offered more money to join other companies. They stuck and finally the clouds dispersed. The market turned in favor of Balboa, so that Mr. Horkheimer could pay every cent he owed. He discharged a part of his obligation to the faithful ones, insofar as that is possible. As soon as it is feasible, they will be rewarded with a working interest in the business which they have contributed so much to build up by their whole-hearted interest and unselfish devotion. Besides the five already named, there are on Balboa's roster today more than forty people who have been with the company in its various departments the greater part of the two years since it began. At the Balboa studio, these men and women are all on the roll of honor. The names on the list, in addition to the five already mentioned, are: Bertram Bracken, Joe Brotherton, Jackie Saunders, Henry Stanley, Mollie McConnell. Frank Erlanger, Daniel Gilfether, Charles Dudley, Fred Whitman, Gordon Sackville, Bruce Randall, Harry Harvey, Bruce Smith, Sherwood MacDonald. Roland Groom, William Reed, Frank Kearns, William Kearns, Gene Kearns, James Loy. Guy Ward, Mrs. B. Ahrens, Grace Scott, Nettie Clark, Edgar Moore, R. R. Rockett. Irma Mendenhall, Richard Johnson, Roy Freichett, D. Willey, John Cunnard, Percy Dewey, George Crane, Marguerite Nichols and Madeleine Pardee. Boost Meeting for Keystone Exhibitors on 19th Local No. 1 in Pittsburgh Issues Appeal for Wide Attendance of Film Men, Whether Members of the Organization or Not — Herrington Will Address the Gathering Special to Motion Picture News Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept. IS. SEPTEMBER 19 has been selected as the date for the meeting of Local No. 1, Motion Picture Exhibitors League of Pennsylvania. A circular letter has been sent to all exhibitors in the state telling them of the meeting and is selfexplanatory. The letter follows : "To exhibitors in general and all those interested in the film business, including exhibitors not members of the organization as well as those who are members, film exchange men or managers and supply dealers : "A mass meeting will be held in the Olympic theatre, 318 Fifth avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., on Sunday, September 19, at 2:30 P. M. "Questions of the most vital importance to the motion picture interests will be brought up for your consideration and everyone in the business should make a special effort to be present. "The meeting will be held under the auspices of Local No. 1, M. P. E. League of Pennsylvania and many able speakers will be present to address them, including National President F. J. Herrington and others. " 'Make arrangements to be on hand early,' is President Herrington's appeal. 'Let us have you with us and get closer together. We are too much divided and the time was never more opportune or appropriate to get together for our own good. United we are a power, otherwise we are a failure. " 'If you find it is impossible to attend personally, delegate your manager. Let us have a booster meeting and do something for ourselves.' "