The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

November 27, 1926 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 205 Hiram Ahrams^ President Of United Artists, Dies At Pinnacle of Qreat Career By MERRITT CRAWFORD ^^IRAM ABRAMS, president of United Artists Corporation, died at his ijj^ home, 128 West Fifty-ninth Str eet, New York City, on Monday evening, Nov. 15, following an illness which had kept him at home for several weeks. The immediate cause of death was heart disease. With Mr. Abrams at the time of his death were Mrs. Abrams and Mr. Moxley Hill of United Artists, who had called to consult his chief, for in spite of the seriousness of his physical condition Mr. Abrams had insisted on keeping in closest touch with the affairs of his company throughout his protracted illness. Simple funeral services, conducted by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and attended by notables from all branches of the industry, now in the East, were held at 3.30 P. M. Tuesday, at the West End Chapel, 200 West Ninetyfirst Street, New York. Interment took place on Wednesday in Portland, Me., Mr. Abrams' native city, where Rabbi Wise, who accompanied the funeral party from New York, also officiated. A special car attached to the "State of Maine Express" transported Mr. Abrams' remains and his immediate family and executives of United Artists' staff to Portland, Me., where the final ceremonies took place. A partial list of those who accompanied Mr. Abrams' body to its last resting place, besides his widow, Mrs. Florence Abrams, Tier mother, Mrs. Hamilton, and Rabbi Wise, were Mr. and Mrs. Moxley Hill, Dennis F. ■O'Brien, Harry D. Buckley, Paul N. Lazarus, Cresson E. Smith and Charles E. Moyer, all close personal friends of long association with the deceased and members of United Artists' executive staff. Notables Pay Tribute Among the prominent figures in and of the industry, who were noted at the funeral services in New York, may be mentioned, D. W. Griffith, Richard A. Rowland, Arthur W. Kelly, Al. Lichtman, Dr. Giannini, Oscar Price, Arthur Friend, Lewis J. Selznick, Mitchel Mark, Abraham Lehr, Walter Green, and many others, Mr. Green, the last named having been associated with Mr. Abrams, when he first entered the motion picture business in Bostoii over a score of years ago. During both the services in New York and Portland, the offices of United Artists were -closed. The passing of Hiram Abrams brings to a close the career of a real film "pioneer," a man who made motion picture history, and one, who gave and received such an extreme of loyalty and devotion in his associations it was, perhaps, his proudest boa.st, that never once during all his long career had he found it necessary to discharge a member of any organization which he headed. Hiram Abrams was born in the city of Portland, Me., forty-eight years ago, on Feb. 22, 1878. As a boy of nine he sold newspapers in his native city. Later he sold milk. Still later he sold victrolas and pianos. And selling or salesmanship constituted the ■whole of his business life. buyer and seller alike, and always he devised way5 of popularizing the article he was selling, that were new and original. He had built up a "slide" business among the New England theatres by his selling and organizing ability, that was most prosperous, when in 1905 he met Walter Green, then handling an exchange in Boston, which later became the agency for Famous Players pictures in that territory. The two joined forces and from that date began Mr. Abrams' identification with motion pictures. Had Colorful Career His rise was rapid. He was one of the original organizers of the Paramount Pictures Corporation and its second president, succeeding W. W. Hodkinson in 1916. He was perhaps the only one of that pioneer group of film men, who have made the history of this industry's development so colorful, who served it in practically every capacity, in turn as salesman, booker, exchange manager, manager, exhibitor and head of a great distributing organization. In 1919, with Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith, Mr. Abrams founded and organized United Artists and became its first president, the post which he held until his death. He instituted a new type of selling, as compared with the systems of marketing pictures on the "program' 'or "star series" plan, that of selling each picture separately and individually, on its merits. This principle, which Mr. Abrams inaugurated as the basic policy of United Artists at its outset, and from which the company has never deviated, proved so successful and so popular with independent film producers and stars that Joseph M. Schenck, Norma Talmadge, Gloria Swanson, Constance Talmadge, Rudolph Valentino, John Barrymore, Buster Keaton, Samuel Goldwyn and Morris Gest have become attracted to the United Artists' standard within the past two years. The affection and loyalty which Hiram Abrams inspired in all who were associated with him was one of the outstanding characteristics of the man. His was a personality, which men loved and trusted. And tlicy did not do so in vain. Some years ago in an article in "System" Magazine, Mr. Abrams stated that in an experience covering more than twenty years of employment of help, during which he had hired between 3,000 and 4,000 people, he had He believed that selling was service, to never found it necessary to discharge any The late Hiram Abrams wearing the familiar smile which deceived friends as to his health. one. Than this, no man could have a finer characterization. The president of United Artists was one of the youngest executives in the industry. He was only thirty-eight when he became president of the Paramount Pictures Corporation, and but forty-one when, as the first president of United Artists, he undertook the responsibility of looking after the distribution of the pictures of the four biggest factors in the industry, its founders. The destinies of this great organization he has guided to its present outstanding position in the industry. Was 111 in August Last August Mr. Abrams took his first vacation in fifteen years, visiting at his 96acre farm at Poland, Me., sixteen miles from his birthplace. He was not well when he went away, but it was not believed that his indisposition was of more than passing importance. On his return to the offices of United Artists, however, it was realized that a longer rest was needed and Mr. Abrams was persuaded to lay aside his activities until a real improvement in his condition could be noted. For some weeks past his friends had hoped that he was making progress and that within a short time his return might be expected. Then came the sudden ending, almost without warning. Word of his death flashed from coast to coast and across the sea. Everywhere, men in the motion picture business received the news with bowed heads and words of tribute to a striking character which they said iiad left a lasting imprint for posterity. Hiram Abrams is dead, but the work he did goes on and will go on forever — so said the men who make pictures in New York and California. Mr. Abrams leaves a widow and a daughter. Miss Grace Abrams.