Variety (March 1916)

MOVING PICTURES 25 3SZ zc VAMPIRE SUBJECTS ON WANE. That "Vampire" subjects are on the wane was a fact gleaned this week through a talk with both exhibitors and producers. Two of the latter who have been in the vanguard producing pictures of the "vampire" type admit- ted that their bookings for features with the subtle adventuress as the lead- ing character were falling off. The exhibitors say the public want the society drama with a punch right now. The society play with the woman in fashionable attire always appeals to the women, and that is what the ma- jority of the exhibitors are catering to as an audience. One of the members of the booking department of the Fox Film Corpora- tion stated that "Bara's" (as all of their vampire pictures are called, because of the star) are not holding up in book- ings as they should. In another de- partment this fact was* substantiated by the information that, although The- da Bara had been the "meal ticket" of the Fox office in the past, the trend of public desire had made that pro- ducer realize that picture audiences were tiring of that type of picture and that \#ithin a month a new type of Fox picture would appear on the market. Through outside sources it was learned that Pauline Frederick, who is the "vampire" of the Famous Players Co., was to be seen in the future in scenarios totally % away from the type of pictures in which she has been ap- pearing in the past. Other manufac- turers are also said to be placing the ban on "vampire" subjects as far as the future is concerned. However, in sections the vampire is still holding a great deal of attraction for the theatre patrons, as may be wit- nessed by the fact that the latest Fox release, "Gold and the Women," with Theda Bara as the star, when shown at the Academy of Music on Sunday of this week, necessitated a call being sent in for police reserves to maintain or- der in the neighborhood of the theatre during the evening. FEARED FOR ANIMALS. Los Angeles, March IS. A rather amusing incident regarding the light in which David Horsley re- gards the great Bostock collection of animals which he has purchased and which are appearing in his film pro- ductions here, came to light through an interchange of telegrams between this point and the New York branch. Remarking on the increase in the price of beef, some one in the East wired Horsley that he might save money by feeding a few of the actors to the animals. The producer replied "What have you got against the ani- mals?" A local wag on hearing the yarn remarked that after looking over the actor collection, Horsley might have replied that his beasts had dis- played Hebraic instinct and wouldn't tackle "hams." TO STATE RIGHT DUMB GIRL Universal has decided to state right its big Anna Pavlowa feature, "The Dumb Girl of Portici." This was determined upon after an investigation of the amounts alleged to have been received by other con- cerns by this method of release. The sale of "The Ne'er Do Well" by Selig for $10,000; "Madame X" by Henry W. Savage for $110,000; the returns ac- cruing to the California Motion Picture Corporation, B. S. Moss and others, from this source, clinched their de- cision. ESSANAY'S NEW STUDIO. Chicago, March 15. Essanay will" open its new studio here, declared to be the largest arti- ficially lighted studio in the world. Spoor has closed his studios at Niles and Los Angeles. INGRAM'S TWO BLUEBIRDS. Rex Ingram, who has been with the U. for about two months, has com- pleted one picture entitled "The Experi- ment," in which Violet Mersereau and Lionel Adams are featured, which is to be released as a Bluebird picture. He is now working on another five reel feature entitled "Yellow and White," which is to star Miss Mersereau, who is supported by Wm. Garwood and Paul Panzer. Ingram wrote and directed both pictures. "BIRTH" INFRINGEMENT. Buffalo, March 15. An injunction restraining the exhibi- tion of a film, called "In the Clutches of the Ku-Klux-Klan," was issued in United States District Court March 7 and granted to the Epoch Producing Co. This three-reeler has been adver- tised and screened in and around Wil- liamson and Sodus and is an infringe- ment on the copyright of "The Birth of a Nation," as it is only a condensed form of the above. The injunction was placed on^ the following, who were named as the owners of the film: Ernest R. Scott, Adelbert Williams, Frederick M. Lockley, C. I. Trimble and others. Walter I. Scott, of Rochester, attor- ney for Jhe defendants, asked for a hearing on the injunction, but there was no appearance for the defense. A motion for a preliminary injunction, pending trial of the action for a perma- nent injunction, was granted by the court. FOX'S NEW CANADIAN BRANCH. Louis F. Rogers, of the Fox Film Corporation sales department, left for Canada last Monday, to visit the branch office for the firm in St. Johns, N. S. Later the Fox people will also open an office in Winnipeg. HOFFMAN GOES WITH LASKY. Milton E. Hoffman, manager of the Peerless studios, has resigned to ac- cept a similar position with the Lasky Co. on the Coast EXHIBITORS PADDING FEATURES. An instance of exhibitors doing their own padding of feature films, when they figure that the story can be helped by the insertation of a bit of scenic or other film that they may have on hand, came to light this week. Fred J. Dol- linger, manager of the Claremont thea- tre, who is playing the Triangle Billie . Burke picture "Peggy" at his house to- day, stated that he was going to in- sert a bit of scenic show views of Scotland to break the quickness of the jump of Peggy from Pelham, N. Y., to her guardian's home in Europe. This is one of the first instances of this sort of padding that has come to light. I ( WILL MFRS. BE GYPPED? The ertect of the M. P. E. L. vs. Board of Trade feud will prove very interesting to those in the trade when the Board of Trade exposition opens in May at Madison Square Garden. The New York State organized exhibitors, at their convention at Albany recently, rejected a resolution to work in har- mony with the Board and the expo, was definitely mentioned as something that every organized exhibitor would stay away from. Early this week Frank Samuels, who managed the last Exposition at Grand Central Palace, was in conference with Rich. G. Hollaman, President of the Exposition Co. who financed the two previous expos., regarding the possi- bility of the exhibitors having a show of their own. Mr. Hollaman is reported as having said that if the exhibitors could swing their national convention to New York, the possibilities of hold- ing a trade show in connection with such a convention was not impossible. The national convention is now slated to convene in Chicago. The wise ones observed that in either event the manufacturers were sure to be "gypped." On Wednesday exhibitors announced an exposition at the Grand Central Palace May 1-6, one week prior to the Board of Trade Exposition at Madi- son Square Garden. Variktt is in a position to state that at an executive meeting to be held today (Friday) the Board of Trade manufacturers will taboo the other exposition. A. M. JOHNSON HERB. Archibald M. Johnson, son of Gover- nor Hiram Johnson of California, has been quietly mulling around in the motion picture mart here in New York for the past few weeks. Mr. Johnson is connected with the San Francisco law firm of Sullivan, Sullivan & Roche, and is general counsel for the Califor- nia Motion Picture Corp. In conjunc- tion with General Manager Alexander Beyfuss of the California company, Mr. Johnson has been giving his personal attention to the closing of states-rights contracts on "The Unwritten Law," with Beatriz Michclena. PICTURES FOR ORPHANS. New Orleans, March 15. The seven hundred inmates of the Jewish Orphans' Home here are to have a picture theatre in their midst, due to the thoughtfulness of Herm.in Fichtcnbcrg, who has started a fund for the erection of a booth, screen and picture machines at the institution. Local film companies will donate regularly enough film to keep the chil- dren entertained right along. The id««a is an excellent one, and should be in- stituted universally, considering the nominal expense as against the splen- did good achieved. VIRGINIA NORDEN A flit growing Vitagraph atar who will shortly be se«n in "PETER GOD," a Vitagraph Blue Ribbon Feature. "BEN BLAIR" CONDENSED. The Pallas feature, "Ben Blair," is part of the program at the Broadway, despite the original intention of the management to reject it. The picture has been cut to two reels and is used as a "filler."