Motography (Jul 1918)

62 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XX, No. 2. Chicago Censorship Plan Wins Friends Reform Forces Willing to Support It If Changes Are Made and Alderman Maypole Agrees to All Except One THE Maypole censorship ordinance, which was at first opposed by the women's clubs and church societies of Chicago, now appears to have won their support, provided certain amendments are made. This proposed ordinance has not been forgotten in the excitement of the trial of Major Funkhouser, as the council judiciary committee last week listened to recommendations by the various reform organizations. Alderman Maypole accepted all of the suggestions except one, which he said he wished to consider further. This was an amendment giving to the second deputy superintendent of police power to veto recommendations of the censor board if the vote stood 6 to 5. The board would be given power to override the veto of the second deputy if eight affirmative votes were recorded. The ordinance, as amended, would provide: The censor board to .be under control of the chief of police. Censors to submit their recommendations in writing and the reports made a public record. Board to have power to recall and revoke permits. All censored pictures to bear Chicago label, such as shown on pictures passed by the national board of censorship. Permits for pictures to be shown to adults only abolished. These now are termed "pink permits." No permits issued while pictures are involved in court litigation. With these amendments, the proposed ordinance is approved by the Women's Church Federation and various Protestant ministers' associations. Raise $9,000 for Soldiers' Kin Approximately $9,000 was realized from the recent carnival and dance held at the big Lasky studio at Hollywood for the benefit of the Folks at Home fund of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation West Coast studios. This sum will be devoted to the care of the men of the studios who are now in the service of the United States and the dependents they have left behind. Many stars were present at the affair and did something to aid, among them being Mary Pickford!, Douglas Fairbanks, William S. Hart, Fred Stone, Clara Kimball Young, Dustin Farnum, Milton Sills, Doraldina, Charlie Chaplin, Constance Talmadge, Blanche Sweet, Mary Miles Minter, Louise Glaum, Lillian Gish, Mildred Harris, Carmel Myers, Bessie Love, Marjorie Daw, Pauline Starke, Elsa Lopez, Molly Malone, Eleanor Fields, Colleen Moore, Clara Kennedy, Edna Earle, Mary Charleson, Anna Walthall, Henry B. Walthall, Bryant Washburn, Earle Williams, Elliott Dexter, Edythe Chapman, Julia Faye, "Edna Mae Cooper, Charley Murray, Roscoe Arbuckle, Billy Mason, Robert Harron, Alice Lake, Elmo Lincoln, Maym Kelso, Ruth Roland, Polly Moran, Jerry Dean, Louise Fazenda and Mary Thurman. Big V Companies to Keep Busy There is to be no summer let-up in the. production of Big V Comedies, according to Albert E. Smith, president . of the Vitagraph company. Two companies are steadily working at the company's studios in Hollywood and they will continue there indefinitely, Mr. Smith says. One of these companies is headed by Lawrence Semon, the other by Earle Montgomery and Joe Rock, and they alternate on the Vitagraph program, a Semon comedy being presented one week and a Montgomery-Rock production the other. A statement from the Vitagraph offices is to the effect that the comedy business is on the increase and it is attributed to the general desire of the public to see the brighter side of life, even if it is slapstick. Exhibitors report that there has been a steady improvement in the Big V's, both in the matter of story and settings, and each one seems to get better than its predecessor. "Work or Fight" Hits Operators Word has been received by Motography that a ruling has gone forth from Provost Marshal General Crowder's office in Washington that motion picture operators of draft age are included in the "Work or Fight" order, unless they are in class 5. No 'class 5 men, it is understood, come within the provisions of the regulation. Colonel Warren of the provost marshal's office told Representative O'Shaunessy of Providence, Rhode Island, that operators of draft age are positively included in the order, as "they are engaged in an amusement or entertainment business and anyway can readily be replaced by men above the draft age and by women." View of the crowd at the dance and carnival given at the Lasky studios in Hollywood on June 8 for the benefit of the "Folks at Home" fund. Honor Original "Little Eva" Mrs. Cordelia Howard MacDonald of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who as Cordelia Howard appeared in the role of Little Eva in the original production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," the first performance of which was given at Troy, New York, in 1852, has been invited by the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation to be the guest of honor at the initial screen presentation of the play in Boston.