The Moving picture world (February 1920-March 1920)

March 20, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1927 Secured from Sundry Sources ifniniiiiiniMiiiirinniiriMiniiMiiiiiitiiiiriiiiniiMiiiiirniniHininiMniiiinitiiiiirriiiiiiniHrtmmiMiHiiiHiiiniiHiiiiiiiiiiii^^ Resolution Asks Showmen to Hold Americanization Film A RESOLUTION was adopted by the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association requesting all its members to refrain from showing the Americanization picture, "The Land of Opportunity," with Ralph Ince, until six exhibitors are appointed to the board which has undertaken to make and distribute the Americanization pictures recently requested by ex-Secretary of Interior Lane. In explaination of the resolution, Secretary Samuel Bullock stated he had information that the picture was made for a sum of $20,000 and that the producers stood to receive $50,000 in returns from rentals, and that furthermore the exhibitors will not receive the proper credit from the government that they are entitled to because there are six producers on the board and only one exhibitor. The Cleveland association recently protested the action of the board complaining that it was impossible for it to make a definite offer that these pictures would receive a universal distribution because the exhibitors of the country were not properly represented. Cartoonist Pat Sullivan Signs Contract with Famous Players PAT SULLIVAN, creator of "Felix, the Cat," and other animated comics, has signed a long-term contract with the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation to make cartoons for the Paramount Magazine. Outside of Bobbie Bumps, Sullivan's cat, Felix, is among the best known character of the motion picture 'comics and its antics have had a record run at leading houses throughout the country. Sullivan hails from Sydney, Australia, but he left the Antipodes before attaining full majority to continue his art studies in Paris and London. Subsequently he came to American where he drew cartoons for leading publications, notably the McClure Syndicate and the Evening World, gaining added laurels to the name he had acquired through his drawings for leading Australian, English and American publications. Palmetto Enterprises Buy South Carolina Theatres A THEATRICAL deal of some magnitude was closed in Columbia, S. C, this week when George C. Warner, veteran Columbia Theatre owner, sold to the Palmetto Enterprises, Inc., his Ideal and Broadway theatres. The Palmetto Enterprises, Inc., was recently incorporated with a capital of $100,000, the incorporators being W. E. McNulty, J. P. Matthews, J. W. Thomas and John J. Seibcls. The former named is president. It was announced simultaneously that the new concern had engaged Laurence T. Lester, owner of the Rivoli and Rialto theatres there, to manage the Ideal and Broadway temporarily. Mr. Lester in turn announced that he had sold his Pastime theatre to the Lynch interests of New York, through their Atlanta office. While no definite figures were given out as to the consideration for the purchase of the Warner theatres it was understood to be in the neighborhood of $70,000. The Famous Players-Lasky group in taking charge of the Pastime announced that they would send their own representative to Columbia to take charge of the theatre, and that it will be a first run Paramount-Artcraft house. George C. Warner is the oldest motion picture exhibitor in Columbia, and as a coincidence, he sold his interests there exactly ten years to the day from the time he came to Columbia and took charge of the old Grand Theatre. In 1918 he bought the Broadway from J. W. Lambeth. Mr. Warner states that he will engage in other business in Columbia. He is president of the South Carolina Exhibitors Association, and was largely influential during the recent censorship fight in South Carolina. Screen and Phonograph Will Aid Reconstruction Program ALFRED E. SMITH, Governor of New York, will employ the newest developments of art and science in placing his reconstruction program before the people of New York State, with the assured result that within the next two weeks a majority of the men and women voters of the State will have seen the Governor in action and heard his voice lifted in a plea for sound and economical government. Governor Hughes, on his famous "swing around the circle" when he was fighting for the adoption of his legislative program of reform, used trains and automobiles, the telegraph and the telephone, and the press, of course, in getting his message to the voters. In addition to these. Governor Smith will employ the motion picture and the talking machine. Preceding the Governor's departure from Albany on Friday, March 12, it was announced that a motion picture showing the governor making a reconstruction speech had been purchased by Harry Levey, of the educational department of Universal, for immediate circulation throughout the state. At the same time, a talking machine record of the speech was made which will be used in connection with the appearance of the governor on the screen. National Screen Service, Inc., Has Animated Announcements THE seventh inning of every motion picture show is the time when the slides begin to advertise coming attractions. The people utilize that moment to uncoil their limbs and readjust themselves in the chairs, to tell Dolly some little bit of news about the new babv Molly forget to tell her. The exhibitor has for the moment lost the attention of his parons. They walk out or begin to talk. The National Screen Service, Inc., has an animated announcement service designed to prevent the audience from temporarily losing interest in the screen. This new organization has mailed descriptions of its service to exhibitors everywhere, whether they operate one, two or seven days of the week. It answers three questions in which exhibitors are interested: How the .service operates, what subscribers have alrerdy been secured and what cooperation it will receive from producers. Among the subscribers are such important exhibitors as the Stanley Booking Company, Keith's Circuit, and B. S. Moss. The company has contracts with producers which enables it to secure from them the main titles, close-ups and most dramatic scenes from their different productions for incorporation into the animated announcement. The producers are represented as anxious to see that their pictures are advertised in an artistic and effective manner. Said Moon in the Background. Dori.s Kenyon here in her Deitrich-Beck. feature tor Hodkinson, "The Harvest Moon." iHiiiuiinriiniiiiiiimiimiimuiiliiiiiitiiitiiiiiiinMiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiiiitiiii Enjoins Pioneer from Using Title of "Midnight Frolics'* WHEN is a copyright a copyright? That is the question which is puzzling the minds of the Pioneer general staff. Sometime ago Pioneer announced that it had given to one of its forthcoming productions the title of "Midnight Frolics." Immediately following the announcement, Flo Ziegfeld, Jr., who owns the musical comedy which is running on the New Amsterdam Koof under the name of Ziegfeld's Midnight Follies claimed that his title was being infringed upon. The Pioneer legal staff took an opposite view of the matter as the first and last words of the two titles differed, one being frolics and the other Ziegfeld's Follies. When this point was put forward by the Pioneer in its answer to the charges of infringement, the Ziegfeld interest claimed that they had protected both words, frolics and follies. It now develops that Ziegfeld is using both titles for the one show, and secured a court order enjoining the Pioneer from using the title until a verdict is rendered. Exhibitors Talk Co-operation. New Jersey exhibitors and other members of the industry met at a luncheon at the Hotel Astor, New York City, on March 4 and discussed the Sunday opening bill which was argued before the New Jersey legislature four days later. The speakers were Harry Buxbaum, president of the F. I. L. M. Club ; Dr. Charles Hespe, president of the New Jersey Exhibitors League; Harry M. White, president of the Philadelphia Exchangemen's Association; Louis Innerarity, of Pathe and the national association ; Henry P. Nelson, manager of the Capitol Theatre, Elizabeth, N. J., and Joseph Stern, of Newark. Chairman Buxbaum appointed a committee of five to enlist the co-operation of the industry. Taylor Out of Inter-Ocean. Official notification is made to the trade by Inter-Ocean Film Corporation of 218 West Forty-second street, New York, and Inter-Ocean Film Company, Ltd., of 162 Wardour street, W., London, that John H. Taylor is no longer in the employ of either of the above-named companies, his relations with said corporations having terminated.