Variety (July 1914)

VARIETY 19 COMMISSIONER BELL, CENSOR; MUNICIPAL FILM ATTENTION Head of License Bureau Will Work in Harmony with National Censor Board, but Obtain His Reports and Act Upon Recommendations of Mayor's Committee. Also Intends Amending Present Employment Agency Law. If George H. Bell, Commissioner of Licenses, has his way, there is going to be a closer censorship of pictures, features and otherwise. Bell's office working in absolute harmony with the National Board of Censorship, the present unsatisfactory employment agency law will be amended providing the theatre men of New York assist in the drafting of a suggested amendment to the Legislature and the lurid, flam- ing movie posters will have to submit to inspection from his office. Mr. Bell is one of the busiest of Mayor Mitchel's new city officials, and under the head of the Commissioner of Licenses comes the granting of certifi- cates to operate to the legitimate houses, photoplay theatres, dance halls and nearly everything that hinges the slightest upon employment licenses. To get the divers departments into or- ganized shape Bell has moved from the Broadway Chambers (Broadway and Chambers) into one of the entire floors of the old New York Life An- nex (49 Lafayette place). Regarding the legitimate theatres, Commissioner Bell informed a Varibty' representative that inasmuch as most of the houses had gotten their licenses and there were practically no com- plaints at hand affecting them, that de- partment is not expected to cause any disturbance until next May. As to the present employment law which is giving the theatrical agent a chance to holler, Commissioner Bell expects to hold a meeting this summer for the purpose of receiving views from the men in the business whereby the proper measure can be constructed and passed. He intended to hold this meeting some weeks ago, but moving and numerous odds and ends caused a postponement. From time to time ap- pear complaints against pictures which are said to do more harm than good, and Commissioner Bell is going right into the thickest of argument of cen- sorship. It's his idea to have a com- mittee report on the merits of the com- plaints. This committee, recommend- ed by the Board of Aldermen, is ap- pointed by Commissioner Bell, who also has an inspector viewing the films at close range. After the committee has turned in an adverse opinion, and Bell's inspector gives his decision, the picture is no good for New York display, the Com- missioner will notify each exhibitor who, if he should perchance insist on running the film, will stand a chance of having his license suspended. Ac- cording to Bell's statement, some of the films of foreign make (unknown to the Board of Censorship) slip by and work their way into respectable houses. Recently the Commissioner read an article bearing the sanction of the White Rats and published on the Rats' page in Varikti" regarding prosecution and punishment that should be meted out to certain agents. Commissioner Bell says that he has given the matter a close investigation and says that the case does not come under the employment agency license at all, but that if the Rats produce the desired proof that this agent is violat- ing the law, action will be taken im- mediately against him. June 5, or prior to that time, the Commissioner expected to hear some- thing definite from the Rats regard- ing the matter, but nothing further had been heard. Commissioner Bell says his office is open at any time to receive complaints regarding theatrical agency violations, etc. Following up his proposed line of censorship of movies, Commissioner Bell Monday named the following to look over the local and foreign films and make the proper suggestions, etc.: S. S. Eldridge, of the Brooklyn Char- ities Society; H. H. Hart, of the Rus- sell Sage Foundation; Gustavus Kirby, a builder; Dr. Charles S. Bernheimer, ot the Brooklyn Neighborhoods Asso- ciation; Mrs. Josephine Redding, of the Department of Education; Mrs. Joseph \f Price and Mrs. R. S. Blaikie. Matty in a Feature Film. It was understood Monday a movie concern had gotten Christopher Mat- thewson, the master pitcher of the New York Giants, under a year's contract as a photoplay star. He's to be seen in a feature to be written by Captain Leslie T. Peacocke. MISS WILLIAMS ASKS DIVORCE. Los Angeles, July 1. Kathlyn Williams, a prominent pic- ture actress, who played the leads in "The Adventures of Kathlyn," has in- stituted suit for divorce against Frank R. Allen, charging desertion. Mrs. Allen asks for the custody of her nine- year-old son by a former marriage. Allen, aged 40, met Miss Williams when they were former members of the Burbank stock here. It's reported Miss Williams will marry a man closely connected with the Oliver tftforosco forces and a prominent mem- Der of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, whose wife is also a movie star. HITCHCOCK CAMERAING. Raymond Hitchcock, no sooner closes his New York engagement at the Astor, than he begins to carry out a contract he made with Lubin to do some feature film work for that concern. Hitchcock and the people he will use in the movie are working before the camera at Great Neck, L. I. MITTENTHALS VS. CORBETT. Through their counsel, Dittenhoefer, Gerber and James, the Mittenthal Bros. Film Company has served no- tice upon James J. Corbett that any attempt of the latter or anyone else to present a moving picture play based upon the drama, "The Girl and the Burglar," will be followed by an application for an injunction. The Mittenthals claim the copy- right of the production. Corbett ap- peared in it for a season. The Silax- Blache folk are filming it at their Fort Lee studio. Grace Cunard Leaves U. Los Angeles, July 2. The finishing up of the Universal's "Lucille Love" series at Los Angeles has necessarily resulted in some elim- inations of film folk used in the fea- ture. Grace Cunard has resigned from the studios here and is now heading east. Most Popular Picture Caption. The most popular caption used in feature films is "That Night." "The Prince of Pilsen," featuring John W. Ransone, opens early in Au- gust. The show plays Syracuse fair week (Aug. 22). NO PICTURES FOR GEO. M. George M. Cohan for pictures.'' Yes, everybody seems to have thought of it but George M. himself. At least half a dozen offers have been made to Cohan in his own pieces, but Cohan has flatfootedly declined all sugges- tions, offers and propositions to ap- pear before the camera. Among flattering offers were those made by George W. Lederer and Au- gustus Thomas for different concerns and it's understood several of the big companies in the "Licensed" made a bid for Cohan's appearance. One proposition had the salary at $50,000. KLEINE CLOSES CANDLER. The Candler on West 42nd street, which recently opened, has closed for the summer, the feature picture policy there not panning out as the George Klcine interests had anticipated. As a result of the failure of the Candler to "go over" as a movie house, Kleine will not lease any New York theatre for the exploitation of features. The Candler takes up a legitimate policy in the fall. Hereafter the Kleine pictures will go to the regular movie houses, and it's almost a certainty that there will be no road outfits of his playing the legits next season. "JUNGLE" OUT AT WEBER'S. "The Jungle" left Weber's theatre last Sunday night, after a stay of seven * days there, during which the feature film played to around $250 gross. Weber's is now "dark," and it is unlikely another picture will play there during the summer. "Little Lord Fauntelroy" has also decamped from the Lyric. REPUBLIC'S "SUNDAYS." The Republic, A. H. Woods' theatre on 42d street, which is to open in the early fall with "The High Cost of Loving" (Lew Fields), will have its Sunday during the season occupied by moving pictures, playing at 25-50, and operated by Walter Rosenberg, who has agreed with Woods to split the gross receipts of that day each week. Movie Man with Bogus Checks. Cincinnati, July 1. Warrants are out for the arrest of James Carragien, charged with passing fraudulent checks for $325 on T. A. Nolan, local picture supply dealer. Carragien came here from St. Louis, the impression going round that he had bought a movie here. His where- abouts are unknown. The police say he never bought the theatre. MARY PICKFORD IN "THE EAGLE'S MATE." A scene taken from the forthcoming FAMOUS PLAYERS production of "THE EACiLE'S MATE" with MARY PICKFORD. 12,000 Feet of Wild Northern Animals. Edmonton, Can., July 1. Maurice Blache, formerly with Gau- niont, who has been in the north for seme time making feature animal films, returned last week. Blache and A. J. Aylesworth, man- ager of a new company, with head- quarters here, secured some 12,000 feet of film, showing various wild animals iv. their haunts. Forty pack horses and an equal number of packers and guides were re- quired for the trip.