Variety (July 1919)

^S^^^^^^PHiiiSi 1 • ■■■■' , '^^BBP8RHB@8 ^P^^^fl^^^^^P^^P^ii^^^^^ IPPIP Vol. LV, No. 6 «UT M LIU Erot*rmy, Stun, Nw T* X T., T»ri«t7, In imil iohmlp- i. 15. Blatk ondat 15 watt. gjag NEW YORK CITY, JULY 4, 1919 ..iJ.tH»l.um....J.UI l .l mi.. '.I ii II AMERICAN FILM INVASION ABROAD STARTING SOMETHING !•; - ■•■ ■ English Exhibitors Seem Panic Stricken, Fro mCabled Reports. Exhibitors' Session, at Glasgow Declare Against Famous Players-Lasky Intention to Build in Britain. Some Exhibitors Combine to Fight. l f ■ i ;". ". London, July 1. With indications pointing to the building of,hundreds of new cinema theatres in the United Kingdom next vear, it has become the view of wise insiders that these indications are nothing more than feelers thrown out to test the market. It is their idea the Famous Players' enormous cinema building corporation is a huge bluff to force English exhibitors to sell rather than court opposition. ' The plan seems to have every chance of success as exhibitors here are al- ready scrambling to get under cover. They are offering to sell their houses to the new concern, payments for same to be based on percentage of takings at the box office. Furthermore, Eng- lish producers are offering their out- put for international world release to the Famous Players. All they ask in return, is that the cost of production be guaranteed. .The only opposition in sight is from other American produc- ing organizations. This is because the average continental production is no more suitable to the English than to the American market. — . . I Glasgow, July 1. The Kinematograph Exhibitors' As- sociation, which has been in session here, took a strong stand against the Famous Players-Lasky Building Cor- poration. They propose to boycott that concern's producing and distribut- ing branch, refusing to rent films from it, unless absolute assurances are given them that the renting, producing and building parts of this huge corporation are not in alliance. No such assurance has been given them. They feel that if they book films of- fered by Famous, they will be indirect- ly pouring money into coffers at the disposal of the five-million dollar build- ing corporation. To do so would be to sign their own death warrant. As they see it, the building corporation intends to erect theatres to put them out of. business. In addition, they do not want to,help establish a British film monopoly Whatever its-American affiliations. To prevent eventual annihilation, they left here ■ announcing that they would begin at once a campaign of propaganda against the Famous com- bin at ion. . • * ; l .... London, July 1. A crowd of English exhibitors, act- ing in co-operation, have cabled to the United Artists Corporation (Big 4) in New York, asking their help to fight the Famous Players-Lasky invasion of British territory.. At the offices of the United Artists, 729 Seventh avenue, it was stated categorically no such .appeal had been received. In sources close to the man- agement of the 1 Pickford-Fairbanks- Chaplin-Griffith combination, the idea that English exhibitors in a fight against F. P.-L. would get help from the company headed by W. G. McAdoo seemed to create amusement. London, July 1. ' Independent exhibitors have formed a committee to fight the Famous Play- ers organization. They have arranged for mass meetings of protest to be held in every large city, beginning today. They have sent to every newspaper a pamphlet explaining their views and asking help and co-operation. They are also advertising their point of view in large type. London, July 1. William Jury's Condern Provincial Cinematograph Theatres. Limited, has appealed for $1,500,000 additional capital to be subscribed by the public. This new company will be used to build theatres to fight the Famous organiza- tion. — London, Julv 1. H. O. Davis, formerly with Triangle in New York, is now with the Western Import Company. This company is also seeking sites for large cinema the- atres in order to compete with the Famous Players organization. NO MET. "BLACKLIST/* Submerged by the flu epidemic dur- ing the early, months of their Park incumbency last season, the American Singers weathered the storm, and broke about' even, at the end of an eight months' stay. More ambitious the coming season, the organization will offer, again Maggie Teyte. It has also secured Lucy Gaites. . '• ', Orville Harold will not be with the organization having signed for three years with the Metropolitan forces, despite the conviction by all grand opera singers approached last season by the Park group that appearance « with.the Park American Singers, meant a Met. blacklist. . .■___,. The Harold engagement by the Met. is a big boost for the Park aggrega- tion, since it opens up the way tor singers of international account to join in without fear of Met. reprisal. Ruth Miller will also. sing with the uptown group, and this year sing light as well as g. o. .roles. Conductor Hoggemann, of the Met., will lead the g. o. Park programs, and John McGee the lighter works. The Society of American Singers, which has David Bispham and Herbert Witherspoqn among its pillars, is backed largely by the Inshaws. part of whose money comes from the legacy of the Gydes, of the Clyde line steam- ers, through Mrs. Inshaw. The new season of the Society of American Singers begins at the Park, New York, Oct. ,13, next. The Frank Hall lease of the house for pictures ends "with July. ., AUTHOR "CRASHES" IN, V A. H. Woods signed a contract this week with Tex' Charwate to write ex- clusively for the Woods firm for the next five years. Incidently Woods has accepted two plays from the author, "Shanghied" and "The Wonder Wo- man." He also has three other plays under consideration. Charwate has been knocking at the I doors of theatrical managers for the past 12 years, but has not had a hearing as yet. He has been cowman, vaude- ville author and actor, picture player and scenario writer, but was unable to "crash" into the Broadway set 1 until the Woods 'offer came along. 1 . OFFER FOR COAST CIRCUIT. v # San Francisco, July 1. According to a report the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation has offered to purchase a chain of established vaudeville theatres on the Coast. While nothing definite is known about the deal, it is understood the Hippo- drome theatres are the ones in ques- tion, and that Ackerman & Harris have the offer under consideration. Entered as second class matter December 22, 1905, at the Post Office at New York, N. "V., under the .Act. of March 3, 1879. -•-■■'i.'i ggs S= ALEX CARR piVORCED. Mary .Carr secured a divorce decree . from her husband, Alexander 'Carr,. 1 . Monday. Justice Manning, at the .: Mineola, L. I., court, where the trial was held, awarded'the plaintiff $10,000: annual alimony. No co-respondent is named, although it was proven that the" r defendant entertained illicit relations, with a number of women. Henry J. & Frederick E. Goldsmitl represented the plaintiff. Recently Mrs. Carr joined, the Motor- Corps of America and was a member of that organization of women when it lately'disbanded. "y '\ SCHWAB BACKED "DELIVERANCE." . Charles A. Schwab was-the financial;, power behind the production of the ~ Helen Keller feature, "Deliverance." The steel magnate, according to report, invested $150,000 in the Helen Keller Film Corporation. ! : ,' "Deliverance" cost about $135,000 to make and was recently turned over tp the Shuberts for an advance covering the cost of production with a proviso that an additional $125,000 is to be paid within the next six months, making the ■• total cost to the Shuberts $250,000. V The film will be shown in a Shubert house during the summer, at regular show prices. ■ '±\;l PAYING FOR BEAUTY. In his quest for ''lookers" for chorus! % work, Flo Ziegfeldj Jr.. has come forth with a liberal offer, which hasn't been ' advertised, according to Leon Fried- man, because it might be regarded in the wrong manner. , Mr. Ziegfeld wants 12 beauties, and is willing to pay them $50 per week to '; appear in the new Frolic show ori y the^ Amsterdam roof, regardless of wheth- er 'they have had experience or not. He is willing to assemble this bunch from department store or telephone exchange, the only requirement being that they be "there" with the "looks/' ', The extra > inducement is that the girls have but six performances weekly and will wear Lucille gowns. Candidates are to apply to Mr. Zieg- feld in person. DOLLYS REFUSE $2,500 WEEKLY. The Dolly Sisters, since closing their tour in "Oh, Look," have refused an offer of $2,500 a week for a run, at the new Pennsylvania Hotel, New York. The girls may play a few, weeks in vaudeville this summer before taking up another short tour in the same show next season. •',■'.?'■;»>" ■I v'/SCRl Edna Goodrich's Starring Tour, Edna Goodrich is going to exploit herself next season on the speaking stage. She has been arranging a route through the Klaw & Erlanger offices. '';-.''•■ , -'.\ ".A. v.";'. -'■'-, •■•'" ■ ■ . .V. • : •.'■' I / 3$&'- "<L