Variety (Jul 1926)

Wednesday, July 7, 1926 PICTURES VARIETY N. Y. HLM BOOKING COMBINE 'BARNIE' OVER $1,000,1)1)0 FILM, WITH MONTA BELL DIRECTING p. P. -L/t Life of Immortal Showman in ^Greatest Show on Earth'—Bell Starting on Last Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer Film, ^Up-Stage' LfOS Angelee, July 6. Monta Bell today started "shoot- ing^ "Up-Stage,** featuring Norma Sbearer, his last production under liU present M-G-M contracL It Is not expected he will renew with the latter, but Instead will go with Famous Players-Lasky to direct •*The Greatest Show on Earth," tho life story of P. T. Barnum, which is expected to be one of the outstand- ing features of the new season. Preliminary estimates are that it will require about eight months to make this picture, at a cost of be- tween $1,000,000 and $1,500,000. Bell will also direct "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" for F. P.-L., and has a tentative agreement with Jesse L. Lasky that he will wield the megaphone on the Aiming of •"An American Tragedy." CAMERAMEN AS UNION BODY Strong Talk of It—Char- ter Through I. A. T. S. E« No formal request has been made to the American Federation of Labor for the right to organize a union of the picture cameramen, but steps have been taken that may lead to it. The indications are that the first union to be organized will be by New York cameramen, with strong talk now bobbing up among the "shooters" in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It is said that when the camera- men frame their union it will be made a part of the I. A. T. S. E., which controls the stage hands and nu p. operators. It is not tlie first time talk has been hoard of a unionization of the cameramen, but better progress now has been made. It is likely a New York union will bo function- ing before the end of the year. One of the active spirits in the New York movement is a camera- man named Chaston. The cameramen havo had a social club organization for some time, they having a rather formidable array of members who have ap- provexl of tho unionization. FOn 1ST LONDON FILM WITH ENGUSH SUPPORT Edmund Lowe and Virginia Valli, Co-Features—Harry Beaumont Directing I'Minurul Lowe and Vircjinia Valli are to ho co-featurod in "Ono In- crca.-.ini^ Purjiosc," tiio flr.st pif'turo to l)n tiia-lo in London by William K<)X. H»»ih will leave tho oast about July 2i) to sail for liOndon whore Hiirry I'lMtinnrit, who .sailed thi.s WiM k iin tho "A«niatanla" will direct tho pictui o. Tho balance of tho cast V ill 1)0 .' <. l'( ted from among English playt rs. S.iiliriLj with I^oauniont, accom- patii.'d by his v\ifo, Is r.radlry KlnR v.ho nndo tho ^f-roon adapfa'lnn and wrf»to \ho fonllrujity for thi.s Hut- ch in.<;on H(f»ry. MILESTONE RESENTS STAR'S INTERFERENCE Reported Looking for Way Out of Lloyd Assignment—Ted Wilde Co-Director Los Angeles, July 6. According to reports Lewis Mile- stone, co-directing with Ted Wilde, Harold Lloyd's present pic- ture for F. P. L. distribution Is anxious to be relieved of hia as- signment. Milestone, It la said, Is accus- tomed to directing on his own, while Lloyd la practically taking the megaphone In hia own hand and directing all of the scenes, includ- ing those In which he la the cen- tral figure, utilizing both Milestone and Wilde to coach him along as the scenes progress. Both co-directors find their only opportunity to work alone or to- gether when some incidental long shots are necessary. Milestone, who has made a num- ber of good pictures for Warner Brothers and Famous Playera, feels that he is being submerged and, it is said. Is looking for a way out from the assignment. OSCAR PRICE, BANKER Oscar Price, who retired as presi- dent of Associated Exhibitors about two weeks ago when that organization was taken over by Lewis J. Selznick, is now acting in the capacity of special representa- tive of the Central Union Trust Company, New York. It is one of the financial powers behind Pat Powers and did the original financ- ing for A. E. when taken over from rathe. Mr. Price has always been more or loss Intlmatoly identified with the banking interests as connected with picturc^s. Ife always has had the faculty of pulling out his monied principals whenever they became Involved in anything that looked too risky. Because of this he has established himself with the bank- ing Interests as few men in the pic- ture industry have. Gloria Swanson Will Make One More Film for F. P. Gloria Swan.son is to do another picture for Famous IMayers, prior to licr start as a United Artists .st.'ir. ►So much time wa.s lost In making tlie production finl.shod the latter part of la.st month by Miss Swan- .son for F. P., that the original .schedule, which would have in- cluded another Swanson production, was complelely sliattored. "Fine Manners" started about Feb. 25 and finl.Mhcd about June 20. In that time there were throe directors, with MIhs Swanson con.stantly com- plaining of lllnoas and taking trips to Atlantic City for hor hoalth, Mal'olm St. Clair has l)Ocn as- slf'nc*! to direct the final Swanson picture. SWEDISH DIRECTOR ENGAGED I.o? Anprelos, July 6. Nils Chrlsandor, Swedish direc- tor, who c.ume here from Berlin, whore he worked for UFA« direqt- iiic: several I'ola Negri pictures, hfui I)Ocn placed under a long term con- tract by Cecil B. Ds Milie. Move Seen at Fight Against Circuits—^T. O. C. C. Members Behind Project —138 Houses Issuing 1,000 Shares of Stock at $100, No Par—Allotted According to Seating Ca- pacities—Indicating Par- ticular Fight on Loew Through Keith A£Filiation —By-laws Drawn^ Com- mittees Being Named 400 BOOKING DAYS About a score of members of the Theatre Owners' Chamber of Com- merce have signified their intention of becoming members and stock- holders in the proposed Film Serv- ice Corporation, a new film booklnff combination of exhibitors in the Greater New York territory, to be capitalized at $100,000. There are to be 1,000 iftiares of no (Contfnoed on page 14) SELZNICK IDEA CALLS FM LOT OF MONEY 25 Millon Least Amount If Full Plan Goes Through—L. J. Mum Speculation continues as to the future moves Lewis J. Selznick will make now that ho Is in control of Assiciatod Exhibitors. Various rumors are the Selznick has been decidedly active in the money dis- trict and is planning other things beside picture distribution and making. Selznick personally refuses to comment as to what he has in mind except to state that he has plans, plans that he would not even dis- close to his own son at this time. There is a well founded report L. J. Js out after a combined pro- duction, distribution and exhibition lineup, a program which if it is carried out along the lines which it is said Selznick has planned on will mean that ho will have to swing over $25,000,000 financially, consid- erable money, even In the picture business. In the production division It Is said that there are 52 big features planned and 52 afldltlonai that are to be of lesser calibre Tlils would mean that Associated Kxhlbltor*! would be rcleasinfr two a wo*^k, with ono selling opKanlzatlon bitting both typos of iiotiKCs, the first runs and subsequent runs. What the theatre program Is can- not be traced at this ti:ne, except for the Hlafcmrnt that the r^-turn of Ij. J. to tho picture industry was through the me<llum of first Inter- <sfing r.'iititril to s'.cure a number of llM'atres showing i>icture8 in tho \iclnlly of Now Yorlt, one of his sons being active In this connection backed by the rhIllIps-Jones money It Is possible that Solznink wants to build up A chain of Class D houses to guarantee an outlet for his lesser calibre pictures and even- tually break into the deluxe Qold, FOREIGN DUPING* OF U. S. FILM WITH NO PROTECTION TO MAKERS Poland as Example of All Countries Without Copy-* right Relations—Attem^^t to Cover 'Pirating* Lar- cency Frustrated By Native Laws Laemmle Sinks After Transfusion of Blood Ijondon, July 6. Carl Laemmle's condition was reported "very low" this morning. Tho American film man un- derwent blood transfusion last night, a desperate medical measure made necessary by what was supposed to be the rupture of a blood vessel of the heart. Laemmle was taken ill at sea and hastily removed off the Berengaria when she docked at Southampton. He was rushed to London where It was be- lieved he would have to be operated upon for appendicitis. The complications developed after he reached the hospital. LEFT OVER FILM GOOD FOR ANOTHER PICTURE Janie Del Rio Turns Over-Mat- ter of 'High Steppers' Into 'The Heart Jugglers' Los Angoles, July 6. Janie Del Hio, husband of Dolores Del Rio, screen actress, has Just completed ^an independent picture, "Tho Heart Jugglers," featuring bis wife and Lloyd Hughes. This is the same combination featured in "High Stoppers," directed by Edwin Carewe for First National. Del Hio made the picture from flim left over in the cutting room when "High Stoppers" was as- .sembled. A lot of tho scenes de- leted were not essential to the plot of the first picture. Around th<'m Del UIo wrote an- other story, Hhot some more film and wound up with an entirely dif- ferent picture at small cost. K-A. 1AYING OFF" NORTHWEST "DEAL" Reports say that the Jensen- Von Herberg deal with North American Theatres, put up to Keith-Albeo by ihe Producers' Dis- tributing Corp., tho K.-A. picture ainilation, luxs rot been warmly re- ceived by tiie K.-A. people. North Aniorlcan la said to have dcpo.sitod $350,000 for the tr.insfcr of tho nortiiucvstcrn liouscs (32) by August 1 at |2,o00.000. Harry Aitfiur, Jr., ^cnfral m.in- ager for N'tjrth Ani<-riran, Is in New Yoric tr>ii)g to pK^mote the final iiriancint;. Tho .s.irno rn'Mx-y inter- ests w<TO l.tJiind both North Amori'-.m nn<l 1*. I). C. A p' « uliar story is around ♦firoUKh l-'iitnous I'iuyois having liold Louis Oihorj, ono of It.s crack "Irad'-ra" (Lh«;a*reH) in 'Ito nortli- wost fur months. (>.st*n.sibly th<^ro to pi oniote li'-w (ip ;i I r( M, tli<; r r-- port Is tiiat Mr. ('w)ir-ri'M main ol)- Ject ritay iiavo bof-n to "j itn" tiio J. A. V. M.-.\'orLh Aineiican 'i-ii. " Jam in i ri Is not tjn'Mnirnon in picture tl'.' ifr*} r ird' s. Seastrom's Homo Visit Vb tor .S .istrorn, on" of f'p* :t' >' M-(;-M (1 ir "M lofH. ii.j.s I< ft r-r .",'< .•,' Yoi k an'J will visit. }i; ; ii in; - tn S\\<'.l»-n iii-f'ir'« !•■ : nnir' tt|.- rori.st. Ills wiftj and lnl li'n a' of/ipany iiiiii. Washington, July 6. The pirating of pictures in I'oland has roachod the stage whore but one solution soomlngly remains open to tlie American producers, an ar- rangement between the two coun- tries covering copyright relations. Tho Department of Commerce, It is learned, has Investigated what U believed to be every procedure pos- sible to put a stop to the practice. In Poland, as well as other foreign countries, It Is proving a problem to the makers of pictures In thU country. Tho most recent suggestion to the American acting commercial at- tache, Roland H. Allen, in Warsaw, was to proceed under the assump- tion that piracy could be treated as larceny. It Is presented that th^ only manner In which the pirated print could be obtained was to se- cure the original Illicitly and from another country. Bernard A. Kostckt of the division of commercial law of the depart- ment, in presenting this phase, ex- pressed the opinion that In havltif such a pirated copy was a contin- uation of the original larceny and punishable under the criminal law. Mr. Allen, however, pointed out that on the Continent, and particu- larly in Poland, there was no such thing in legal practice as continual tlon of a crime. "A person who makes a duped copy commits one offense, but a person who buys the duped copy commits an enthely dif- ferent offense." It was further stated that In purchasing the copy the bona fide purchaser In secur- ing same in good faith commi^.s no offense whatsoever. This report, which has Just beeni received by the department, thus seemingly leaves the American picture producer. In view of past experiences, with no protection in those countries with which this na- tion has no copyright Eolations. Piratss Well Advised Polish ofndals are said to be co« operating but as those who art using the pirated films In almost wholesale lots are well advised on tho lack of copyright protection, the result of the several attempts to protect American Interests has b^en nil. As was recently reported in Va-' rlety the U. S. government haJi taken cognizance of the situation and is considering the conclusion of a copyright agreement with Poland. This, however, Is a slow process. It may be n»any months "'1th the consequent loss of returns to tho American producer before an agree- ment can be reached. Tlie last film to be so Involved was Harold Lloyd's "Why Worry In this Instance tho American com- pany Is reported to havo boon ablo to >;(!t a day-for-day first showing with the pirated copy, tho first to bo ablo to ac((impllsh this. Tl»*» situation Is known to l>o raus- Ing ofinsMorable conrorn with Ita Importnnco being further magnified duo to tho many attempts of for- * lgn f-xhihllors to jxevail wpon their r' si>r>f 11 vo govfrntn'Tifs to enact b^'islaiion barring Anierl< an films. COSTUME F'OR HIR ri{Oi)Uf:TK)NS EXPLOITATIONS I'UKSKNTATIONS 1437 B'way. Tel. WW Pen