The New York Clipper (November 1916)

32 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER November 22, 1916 HUNDREDS OF FILM ACTORS NOW OU T OF WO RK IN N. Y. Conditions Surrounding Employment in Eastern Studios Very Bad and Show Little Hope of Immediate Improve- ment. List Includes Big Stars Due partly to changes of policy by big eastern producing concerns the influx of stage stars and other contributory fac- tors, conditions surrounding the employ- ment of the actor who has specialized in motion picture work have reached a point that is giving the regulars serious cause to view the present and future with gen- uine alarm. A desultory canvass among the mem- bers of a New York, club, composed prin- cipally of the dyed-in-the-wool picture X>layexs, last week disclosed the fact that nearly half of the film actors belonging to tire organization are at present dis- engaged. Five or six have quit the films temporarily and accepted employment in other branches of theatricals, while the rnnk and file, many of whom held long stock picture encasements, have been forced to rest content with an occasional job by the day, technically referred to in the parlance of the studious as ''jobbing." The closing of the Biograph studio over a year ago and the consequent dismissal of nearly a hundred players of both sexes started the movement that has resulted in the film artists' present plight. Then the Edison Co. followed suit, and let out on? hundred and fifty more. The echo of this drastic action had hardly died away when the Vitagraph announced a whole- sale reduction in the personnel of its ten stock companies, which were ultimately cut to three small organizations and only the moat essential of the principals re- tained. The removal of the Universal to the Coast six months ago and the decision of Reliance, Horsely and others to do all their producing in California coupled with the increasing colony of film con- SCREENERS HOLD ANNUAL BALL The annual ball of the Screen Club was held Saturday evening, Nov. 18, in the Gold Room of the Hotel Astor, New York. Billy Quirk led the grand march with Norma Talmadge. The attendance was satisfactory, but due to a bad season which the rank and file of the picture players are just now encountering, many familiar fr.ces that have hitherto graced the Screen Club's yearly reception were conspicuous bv their absence. DINTENFASS SUES FILM CO. Mark A. Dintenfass. president of the Amber Star Film Co.. of Providence, R. I., began suit against the concern of which be is ostensibly the head, for $853.03, Nov. 16, alleging that sum is due him, partly for unpaid salary and advances made in his capacity as sales manager. Dintenfass applied for an attachment against the defendant's studio property and motion picture films. cerns in Jacksonville, Florida, has ren- dered New York a rather poor hunting ground for the actor seeking a lucrative picture job. Even the Lubin Co., operat- ing in Philadelphia, a two-hour journey from the rialto, is no longer active, the plant having been closed for several months past, thus cutting off another big outlet for the picture player. In the "old days" when the three service companies were turning out some thirty or forty subjects weekly about New York in one and two reel lengths, each separate piece required the employ- ment of a complete set of artists, em- bracing hero, villain, juvenile, character people, etc., and the stock company was an economic necessity. The introduction of the five reeler as a standard length changed all of this; a picture company that had been accustomed to spend a week in making a two reeler, started turning out one five-part feature a month. Stage stars were engaged for the prin- cipal roles in these features, by most of' the film concerns, who observed the trend of the market, and the smaller part en- trusted to those who were willing to "job." Among the better known picture actors who have genuine claims to desig- nate themselves as stars in the screen world and who are and have been out of a studio engagement for some time are King Baggott, Billy Quirk, president of the Screen Club; Guy Coombs, Tom Moore. Gladden James, Harry Spingler, Augustus Phillips, Leo Delaney, Irving Cumminga, Bigelow Cooper, George Soule Spencer, Donald Hall and a score of others. California conditions are reported to be even worse than exist in . New York, with little hope of immediate improve* ment. COMMITTEE HEARS OCHS' CHARGES Little of an important nature was dis- closed at the hearing held Nov. IS by a . committee of Motion Picture Exhibitors League members, appointed for the purpose of investigating charges made against Presi- dent Lee Ochs in a letter published recently in a trade journal. Tobias Keppler ap- peared as tbe attorney for Messrs. Fleish- man and Goldreyer who admitted signing the letter, which charged in effect thai Ochs had used his League office for the purpose of advancing the interests of his own film theatres to the disadvantage of his competitors. Ochs denied the allega- tion. After a series of lengthy debates over questions of legal procedure with Ochs act- ing as his own counsel it was decided to adjourn. Another meeting will be held in th- .i*ar future. Timely Picture Topics EXPRESS CHARGES TRUCE Picture showmen in and around New York will not be forced to pay return ex- pressage on films rented from exchanges, as per the custom of the past few weeks, at least until Jan. 1, 1817, when a joint' meeting of the M. P. E. L. of A. and the F. I. L. M. Club, an organization of New York exchange managers is scheduled to discuss the matter further. A plan to settle tbe return express problem as an individual matter with each exhibitor, it is said, will be put in effect after that date. FIRE DESTROYS U EXCHANGE Chicago. I1L, Nov. 15-—The Laemmle Film Exchange, at 205 West Washington Street, was completely destroyed by fire today. The cause of the blase is unknown. The loss of film is estimated at $50,000. New quarters have been established at 172 Washington Street and business is progress- ing very well under the circumstances. SELZNICK'S NEW THEATRE On the site bounded by Broadway, Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth Streets, Lewis J. Selznick has completed arrangements to begin building operations on a new picture house calculated to seat 4,000, which will be constructed after plans drawn by Chas. Lamb, an architect, who has at least six big metropolitan theatres to his credit. The first runs of tbe Selz- nick feature films will be shown in'the new Selznick Theatre when finished. Wall Street capitalists are said to be co-operating with the picture magnate in the promotion of what is expected to be Broadway's most palatial theatre and which will cost in the neighborhood of PATS. CO. SUED FOR MILLIONS In a suit asking treble damages as pro- vided under the Sherman law, aggregating in this instance the neat little sum of $18,- 252322.89 was started in the Federal Dis- trict Court by Cockran and Manton Fri- day, Nov. 17, in the interests of the Colo- rado Film Exchange, Geo. Melies Co. of Illinois, the Standard Film Exchange, Miles Bros., Inc., Eugene Cline and the Chicago Film Exchange against the Motion Picture Patents Co., the General Film Co., and its constituent companies. The com- plaint covers certain conditions said to have existed in the years of 1805, 1906 and 1907, whereby the plaintiffs suffered losses well'into the"'millions, through breaches of tbe Interstate law by the defendants named in the action. HAMPTON HEADS GEN. FILM Ben. B. Hampton was named as presi- dent of the General Film Co., Nov. 14, to succeed George Kleine, whose resignation was accepted by the directors the same day. Mr. Hampton is closely connected with the Ryan interests in Wall Street and holds a large block of 'stock in tbe Vitagraph Co., of which he is an officer. IN THE DEAR DOS PAST. Commissioner of Licenses Bell, whose expeditious squelching recently of what threatened to create a revival of the un- wholesome white slavery film epidemic that plagued New York City a couple of years ago, received the plaudits of all film men, holding the real interests of the business at heart, was at one time a pro- fessional pianist, in Haviland's publish- ing house. He wrote a song, too, called "Tallahassee Tessie" that enjoyed consid- erable popularity. IVANS GETS INJUNCTION The Ivans Film Productions, Inc., se- cured a temporary injunction from Su- preme Court Justice Pbilbin Saturday afternoon restraining License Commis- sioner Bell from baiting exhibitions of "The Sex Lure" in New York City. FAIRBANKS HAS BIG OFFERS. When Douglas Fairbanks signed a con- tract with Triangle last January calling for a weekly remuneration of $3,000, the nimble-footed picture star considered that he had provided very well for the next three years. Since his unusual drawing powers have been demonstrated, how- ever, offers for his services have been coming in thick and fast, one prominent promoter having bid as high as $10,000 weekly. "Doug." is said to be scanning his Tri contract very carefully. REICHENBACH LEAVES FROHMAN. Harry Beichenbach. is no longer con- nected with the Frohnutn Amusement Co. for whose product he has been blowing the publicity trumpet ever since he left World Film. It would not be surprising to see "tha world's greatest press agent" sending out mimeographs for Sam Gold- fish, his old boss, when the latter gets into harness again, which promises to be soon. NEW METRO CO. BY JAN. i. Another constituent will be added to the Metro group before Jan. 1, a big pro- ducing organization now being in tbe for- mative process. A well known French woman who has written several successful musical comedies under a male nom de plume, will direct the destinies of the lat- est aspirant for feature film honors and -Shekels. DEUTSCHLAND HAD CHEMICALS. A fact not generally known is that the German commercial submarine Deutick- lani brought over $300,000 worth of chem- icals highly essential to the development of movie films, relieving in the nick of time what was rapidly approaching a serious deficit in the American market. TEMPERANCE TOPIC. Politicians are already predicting that twelve hundred saloons rendered hors de combat by the recent prohibition wave which swept through six Western States wfll be transformed into as many movie theatres in the next few weeks. APFEL QUITS FOX. Oscar Apfel has resigned as director for the coast division of the Fox Film Corp. He will arrive in New York this week.