Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 23 Motion Picture Exhibitors Association of Greater New York THE largest attendance of New York exhibitors took place at a meeting of the Motion Picture Exhibitors Association of Greater New York, held in their rooms, No. 136 Third avenue, on Thursday, October 9th, Samuel H. Trigger presiding. When the meeting was duly opened and the secretary's report had been read and adopted, Mr. Grant W. Anson, treasurer of the above organization, stated that the profits accruing from the exposition amounted to $8,295, out of which $2,750 had been sent to the National League to pay the railroad fare of the national vicepresidents who attended the New York convention, at the rate of five cents a mile one way. Two hundred and sixty dollars ($260) in cash and checks had been paid to Mr. Clem Kerr and Mr. Lou R. Thomas, and one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) counsel fees, the balance of $5,135, was paid to the New York Local, out of which a check for $2,567.50 had been paid to Mr. Davis, state treasurer of the New York State Exhibitors Association, and another check of $600, being the per capita taxes due to the State Association by the New York City Local. Here Mr. Anson stated that the New York Exhibitors during the year that we had been associated with the National League, had paid to that body over four thousand dollars ($4,000). and asked what we had received in return? This question, however, was dropped as we are not desirous of having any controversy with that body. After the treasurer's report had been accepted as read, the following resolutions were unanimously carried: Whereas, our business necessitates our utmost assistance in electing a Mayor who is not, and never has been, opposed to the working class, but has dealt fairly towards all, and whose character has always been above reproach — a man with liberal ideas who can give us a liberal administration, therefore, be it Resolved, that a letter be sent to each exhibitor throughout Greater New York asking for their co-operation and assistance to elect the Honorable Edward E. McCall for Mayor at the forthcoming election. The following resolution was also adopted: That a campaign committee composed of one hundred and fifty exhibitors representing every assembly district in Greater New York with Harold W. Rosenthal as chairman. be appointed for the purpose of visiting every picture theatre and having the slides of Mr. McCall displayed upon the screen at every performance and also procure speakers for those theatres to give a three-to-five-minute lecture daily. That whereas the fire risks in a picture theatre has become practically nil and the insurance rates retained for same are a higher percentage than those of any other business, be it Resolved, that a committee wait on the Board of Fire Underwriters and endeavor to adjust matters so that we may have an equitable and just rate as compared to other lines of business. Committee appointed: Mr. Hollander, Mr. Landau, Edward Valensi, Frank Tichenor, J. A. Koerpel, Mr. Tisch. That whereas the old block system of procuring a program whereby the exhibitors had a full knowledge of what reels they were to receive a week or ten days in advance, and whereas the said block system has not been in use by a number of exchanges, and there are quite some petty annoyances in a number of the exchanges owing to the exhibitors being unable to secure their programs in time to open their theatres, be it Resolved, that a committee wait on the managers of all exchanges and endeavor to have a system inaugurated whereby all reels can be collected at night and they can then be ready for delivery early the following morning, and also to ask said managers whether or not the old block system would meet with their approval as we consider it very essential to our business and mutually beneficial to both manufacturers, exchanges and exhibitors. Committee appointed: Mr. Lee A. Ochs, Mr. C. R. Martineau, Mr. Bauerenfreund and Mr. S. H. Trigger. Following the passage of the above CHECKERS," with Thomas W. Ross in the title role, is definitely announced as the next release of the All-Star Feature Corporation, whose first release, "Arizona," was put on the market about three weeks ago. As a novel by Henry M. Blossom, Jr., "Checkers" first came into popularity some ten years ago. Its story had to do with racing, and the novel had also a strong love interest. Stirred by the Committee, Mr. A. Coleman, stated that he had sold over one thousand tickets and several boxes for the ball to be held December 15th at Terrace Garden. Mr. William Brandt, chairman of the Program Committee, reported progress to the extent that over one thousand dollars worth of ads had been received to date, and that estimates for our souvenir programs would be in by next meeting, at which time a vote would be taken as to which printer should receive the contract. The meeting was then adjourned. East New York Branch Meeting A meeting of the East New York branch of the Motion Picture Exhibitors Association of Greater New York was held at the Empire Theatre, No. llA Sumpter street, Brooklyn, on Monday night, October 13th; Mr. William H. Hollander in the chair. There were forty-five local members present and the following speakers were given the courtesy of the floor and spoke on the forthcoming municipal campaign and the effects it will have on business in general and the motion picture industry in particular. Mr. Frank Mann, candidate for Assembly, Sixty-fifth Aldermanic District; Mr. Thomas L. Ingraham, candidate for Assembly, Twenty-third Assembly District, and Mr. Joseph Monahan, Democratic candidate for Alderman of the Sixtythird Aldermanic district. Mr. Philip Kaplan, of the Theatre and Motion Picture Review, spoke on the educational advantages of the motion picture. A committee appointed at the last meeting to report on all East New York theatres in reference to number of reels run and the admission fee, stated that all exhibitors in that section were running four reels of pictures for five cents, and on Saturdays and Sundays were running five reels for ten cents, and that the whole of the Eastern New York organization were working in harmony and uni great popular success of his novel, Mr. Blossom dramatized it, and it was produced in 1903 with Thomas W. Ross, who will appear in the photoplay version, as the star. The play met with immediate and immense success, and certain of its speeches have passed into slang which is still preserved in the speech of the street. There are few theatregoers who have not a keen recollection of the scene in the Arkansas resolutions, the chairman of the Ball son. " Checkers " to Be Produced by All-Star Feature Corporation