The story of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation (1919)

submarine warfare waged by the Germans, and in full compliance with the rules and regulations of the War Trade Board and the Foreign Shipping Ministries. Statistics show that fully four-fifths of the American films shipped to England, as well as to Continental Europe, South America and the Orient, were Paramount-Artcraft productions. A complete and up-to-date publicity and advertising service is maintained in the Foreign Department for the benefit of the foreign exhibitors of films. The exhibitors in all parts of the world are encouraged to make use of the exploitation methods which have proved a success in the United States and which are easily adaptable to other countries with slight changes. Photographs, publicity stories, fiction stories, news stories from the studios, advertising suggestions and ideas and other exploitation material are supplied to all foreign agencies and branches, and reports received indicate these exploitation helps are proving increasingly helpful to exhibitors in all countries, many of whom are following as closely as possible in the footsteps of the American exhibitors advertising and exploiting Paramount- Artcraft pictures. The exhibition of motion pictures in foreign countries, especially in England, has been very much on the same order as the new program to be carried out by the Famous Players- Lasky Corporation. In London, trade showings are held and are largely attended by exhi- bitors who select their pictures on the same open market basis as will be inaugurated in America by Famous Players-Lasky. For this reason the tremendous popularity of Paramount- Artcraft pictures in England is an indication of the popularity Paramount-Artcraft pictures will have in America under the Selective Booking Plan. This same process of selection has been carried out in the Scandinavian and other European countries, and in Australia, South America, and other countries. Much of the credit for the remarkable growth of the export business of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation is due to the untiring efforts of Mr. Emil E. Shauer, assistant treasurer, and in charge of the Foreign Department. An advertisement which appeared recently in the leading newspapers throughout the country in which a large publishing company solicited advertising carried the thought that after all it is the modest man who wins out in the long game of life. Such a man is Mr. Shauer. The press department has always said that it was harder to get Mr. Shauer to talk about his accomplishments than it was to put over the Actress' "Lost Diamonds" story in the New York Times. This doesn't necessarily mean that Mr. Shauer will not talk, but it does mean that he does believe in devoting his energies to the sales and promotion of Paramount-Artcraft pictures throughout the world. That he has succeeded is evident from the facts already detailed—that Paramount-Artcraft pictures are shown in every civilized country on the globe and that the foreign business has steadily increased despite the almost impos- sible barrier raised by four years of war. Mr. Shauer does not wish to take credit for the creation of the Famous Players-Lasky British Producers, Ltd., but without his preliminary work and the representation of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation in London, such a great organization as that already launched would scarcely have reached the stage of development that it has. Mr. Shauer and his associates, Mr. J. C. Graham, and Mr. C. A. Clegg in England, Mr. Alec Lorimore, in charge of the Australasian Field, Mr. John L. Day, who has been largely responsible for the success of Paramount-Artcraft pictures in South American fields, and Mr. Ingvald C. Oes in Copenhagen, have done a tremendous amount of work in popularizing Paramount-Artcraft pictures in all corners of the globe. John L. Day has established an exchange in Mexico City in the interest of Mr. C. M. Clay, who will act as distributor for Paramount-Artcraft pictures in Mexico. The establishment of an authorized exchange in Mexico is expected to curtail considerably the operation of film thieves, and will assure the distribution of Paramount-Artcraft productions outside Mexico City itself. Thus the Mexican people will be able to see in their theaters the same stars and feature productions that appear in the theaters of the United States. [ ^S ]