Variety (January 1915)

MOVING PICTURES 23 WALL STREET PROMOTERS INVADE FEATURE FILM FIELD "Big Interests" Have Been Underwriting Stock For Feature Companies—Learning of/Tremendous Margin of Profit They Are Reported Planning Gigantic Amal- gamation of Feature Interests. Within the last six months almost a scort of men who have heretofore confined their activities to Wall and Broad streets have become actively in- terested in pictures. One of the largest of the feature corporations has a former broker di- recting its .financial destinies. This particular corporation has the backing of one of the largest Wall Street bankers. These capitalists took over the stock of the company, underwrit- ing it at 1J4, had it listed on the curb and since has managed to dispose of it in the neighborhood of 4 and over. Several of the other companies have had Wall Street capital interested in them. But it is only recently that the Wall Street crowd have come to real- ize the possibilities that there are in the feature game. There is a possibility an amalgama- tion of all of the big feature interests may be brought about within the next two weeks, though the big downtown interests that have recently become ac- tive in the picture field. The ease with which one feature con- cern sold between $800,000 and $900,- 000 worth of stock has impressed the financial men who like to "promote." While the expense of that corporation getting rid of the stock was terrific and nobody knows what has been done with the proceeds of the sales, the Wall Street bunch profess to see a melon in the picture thing, before It grows cold. G. F. OFFICERS. At a meeting of the directors of the General Film Co. Tuesday the follow- ing officers were elected: J. J. Ken- nedy, president; C. H. Wilson, vice- president; Albert E. Smith, treasurer; Paul G. Melies,'assistant treasurer; F. R. Clarke, secretary; P. L. Waters, general manager. BOSTON'S PICTURE FLARE. Boston, Jan. 20. A ruling by Building Commissioner O'Hearn to the effect that short time bookings of films are practically stopped in this city has started a wholesale storm of protest which will mean new legislation for the entire state within the next six months. According to the new ruling, no public hall, church, school or cluhroom can use films and dozens of enter- tainments have already been stopped by the refusal of O'Hearn to "grant permits for the location of temporary picture booths. The film agencies have been hit hard. The Vitagraph people 'r.ivr already submitted a long list o que : r *o O'Hearn asking him to dc"iu* ; ' what they can do. There is a further .uesti »n a. •• whether a number of houses of sec- ond class construction will be given their renewals of their licenses next August because they are not first class construction as the present law de- mands. The ruling on the big Park theatre is not taken as final by Building Com- missioner O'Hearn and what was sup- posed to be a test case is not given any weight at all because not carried to the Supreme Court. OFFICIAL WAR PICTURES. The Reliable Feature Film Co. (B. S. Moss) has the promotion of the Ger- man War Pictures, said to be sanc- tioned by the German Government and endorsed by the Staatz-Zeitung, the leading German daily of New York. The Reliable will dispose of the film principally on state rights. ERIE POOLED. Erie, Pa., Jan. 20. All the picture houses here, except- ing two, are said to be pooled. There is considerable dissatisfaction among those in the pool, according to report. The two houses outside of it are re- ported taking advantage of conditions to their financial benefit in some way. TWO NEW CONCERNS. The National Film Co., comprising Joseph Weinberg and Richard Perry, has been formed and one of the pic- tures taken with booking rights outside of Greater New York is the Charles Hawtrey feature, "The Message from Mars." The Feature Film Associates, with David J. Weinberg and Irving D. Bernman as directors, starts agoing with 12 features, mostly of the sen- sational variety. BILLY QUIRK'S TRY-OUT. Billy Quirk, of the Vitagraph, stole a inarch on his film co-workers last week and made a vaudeville plunge that almost passed unnoticed but for the alertness of several of his Screen Club cronies. Billy offered several songs along with a photoplay in which he was the central figure. LEO FRANK FEATURE. George K. Roland is to the fore again with a picture called "The Frank Case." It is a five part feature dealing with the Leo Frank murder trial in Atlanta. The characters were taken as follows: Frank, William Sorellc; Mrs. Frank, Iva Shepard; District Attorney, William Cavanaugh; Mary, Marie Pavis; the negro, E. T. Roseman. VITA'S APPEAL ARGUED. Philadelphia, Jan. 20. The appeal of the Vitagraph Co. from the verdict obtained against it last March for 12.000 damages by Louis M. Swaab, an independent exchange owner, in Court of Common Pleas No. 2, was argued in the Supreme Court of Penn- sylvania yesterday. The case was an action in replevin brought by the Vita against Swaab to recover certain films or their value. The jury which tried the suit not only denied the claim of the picture company in the films but awarded Swaab a certificate for $2,000, representing the value of the films, $8,424 damages for the seizure and retention of the films by the Vita and also $10,000 as exemplary, or punitive damages, making a total of $20,424. When the General Film Co. was formed offers were made to buy Swaab's Exchange, but he refused to sell and it was then decided to cancel his license and seize the Alms in his possession under writs of replevin. Swaab claimed that some of the films seized were his own personal property. A large amount of testimony taken in this case was used by the Government in the anti-trust suit recently heard here against the Motion Picture Patents Co. and other members of the so-called "trust." G. F.'S FEATURE SERVICE. The General Film Co. is contemplat- ing the organization of a complete feature film service, according to re- port. The move is necessary to hold its daily release manufacturers in line with their feature films. The G. F. manufacturers or some of them have been talking about organizing their own distribution bureaus for features, which have been planned in large quan- tities for the future. While the G. F. does not want this to happen if it can be avoided, it is said that to protect itself the big ex- change may attempt a consolidation or merger of all the principal feature services, with its own, if formed, list- ed among them. RAMO MAY RESTART. The Ramo Film Inc. is making a brand styled the Regent, per an agreement Irving Lang Cobb, general manager, made with the United Ser- vice whereby the latter is to furnish it 40,000 feet (minimum) of film a week. Comedy and dramatic pictures of one and two reels will be made, the first, "Her Lesson," marked for release Jan. 25. Ramo has one of the biggest studios in the East, at Flushing, L. I., but no Ramo features have been turned out since last August when "The War of Wars" (six reels) was made. The Ramo may resume April 15. MANAGERIAL CENSORSHIP. Spokane, Jan. 20. Spokane theatre managers will be- come their own censors, according to an agreement made by Samuel Glas- gow, newly elected commissioner of public affairs, at a conference with the managers of 13 houses. Commissioner Glasgow compliment- ed the theatrical business upon the character of the men in charge of local show places and expressed confidence in their ability to conduct their busi- ness along lines demanded by the pub- lic PISKE PIECE IN FILMS. "Salvation Nell," in which Mrs. Fiske starred some years ago, is to be produced in pictures shortly by the World Film Corporation from a scenario adapted by Capt. Leslie T. Peacocke. The production will be in five reels. 'QUAKE FILM. An announcement was sent out Wed- nesday by Walter Rosenberg, of the Savoy theatre, that he had secured the first earthquake pictures of the Italian disaster and they will be shown at his theatre. The announcement states the ar- rangement was made with the Milano Film Co. of Rome (Italy). The pic- tures will be shipped from Italy Jan. 23, the statement says. MARRIES A BANKER. Syracuse, Jan. 20. Alma Hope Latimer, a picture actress (Warner's Feature Co.), and Arthur J. Gordon, an official of the Syracuse Trust Co., were married here yesterday by Rev. Dr. White. The couple met a few weeks ago when the young woman entered Gordon's bank to open an account. LIKES OWN OPINION. Atlantic City, Jan. 20. Atlantic City's Director of Public Safety refuses to permit the exhibition of the "Three Weeks" feature film un- til he has passed upon it. Friday has been set for the verdict. The picture has already been passed by the National Censoring Board. REAL FILM WEDDING. Philadelphia, Jan. 20. A real wedding will take place in the Lubin studio in this city Feb. 13, when Clarence J. Elmer and Edyth Stroud Anderton, both Lubin players, will be married while the cameraman registers the scene. The film will form part of an elab- orate production, the scenario for which has been written by Shannon Fife, of the Lubin scenario staff. Jo- seph Smiley, the director, will be in charge and the bride and bridegroom will be attended by the other members of the company. BURLESQUE PICTURES. More picture recruits have been obtained from the burlesque ranks. Lew Talbott has entered into a con- tract whereby his burlesque star, Eva Mull, now heading her own show over the Columbia Extended Wheel, will take up picture work within a short time. Don Barclay, of "The Prize Win- ners," has finished the lead in a one- reeled comedy for the Universal en- titled "The Wrong Address" and is now engaged in another called "Donald and His Pigs."