The New York Clipper (January 1917)

January 31, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 33 LEAGUE SLAMS UNIVERSAL AT ALBANY CONVENTION Lee Ochs and Cohorts Put Through Resolution Condemning Laemmle's Stand on Smutty Pictures. Action Follows Universal'* Refusal to Advertise, Company Declares The New York State Branch of the Mo- tion Picture Exhibitors' League of America held its annual convention January 23, 24 and 25 at the Ten Eyck Hotel, Albany, N. Y. The "convention" brought out the cus- tomary tirades against hostile legislation, the deposit system, Sunday closing and the rest of the "evils" confronting picture showmen of the state for the past five or six years. Several resolutions were passed, the most interesting one by far embracing in its text a hysterical denunciation of the Universal Film Mfg. Co., the burden of the complaint against the big picture concern being that it had advocated the production of "smutty" films in its bouse organ several months ago. Lee Ochs, the retiring president of the New York State branch, is the leading spirit of the Exhibitor'* Trade Review, a picture journal which recently entered the field. Many film men seem to believe that the Universale refusal to advertise in tbe paper may have bad something to do with the passing of the resolution. In addition to the "denunciation" the resolution calls for the appointment of a committee of league members to "wait upon the president of the Universal Film Mfg. Co. and obtain a suitable apology and re- paration" for the alleged offense. Sam Trigger was the only member voting against the adoption of the resolution, and asked that his vote be recorded. A resolution to assess every member of tbe league $10 for the purpose of raising a fund to fight the Sunday closing movement was introduced by Walter Hoff Seeley and after considerable discussion adopted by the convention. A bill amending .Section 1425 of the Penal Code was drafted and will be presented to the Legislature in due season. A bonding plan to do away with deposits was introduced by Louis A. BlumenthaL This brought on a long discussion and was vigorously opposed by a majority of those present It was finally decided to try the scheme. The law committee prepared a bill endorsed by the convention calling on the Legislature to enact a law allowing Sunday film shows. Tbe following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Louis A. Buett- ner, of Cohoes; vice president, John Man- heimer, of Brooklyn; second vice president, David Cohen, of Binghamton; treasurer, Chas. Steiner, of New York City; Secre- tary, Tom Howard, of New York City; national vice-president, Sam Trigger of New York City; sergeant-at-arms, Wm Hilkemeier, of Brooklyn. The secretary of tbe league will here- after receive a salary of $1,000 per annum, in accordance with a resolution unani- mously adopted by tbe convention. In his parting address as the outgoing president Ochs took occasion to hand himself a few nicely assorted verbal bouquets, at the same time not forgetting to extend a mild panning to the two leading film trade papers. Mr. Ochs, with becoming modesty in effect, incidentally declared his own trade organ the Emhibitor'e Trade Review to be the last word in picture journalism. The convention, as a whole, accomplished little save tbe election of officers, living up to the traditions of similar assemblages from time immemorsble. A banquet at the Hotel Ten Kyck at the conclusion of Thurs- day's session was attended by two hundred. Upwards of five hundred exhibitors at- tended tbe three days' deliberations. The next convention will be held in Buffalo on a date to be decided by the executive com- mittee. UNICORN BANKRUPT An involuntary petition in bankruptcy was filed against the Unicorn Film Service . Corporation last week in the United States District Court by creditors with the follow- ing claims: Chas. Abrams, $27.60; Lennie L. George, as assignee of the Otis Litho- graph Co., $3,968, and Samuel Fine, as assignee of the Standard Film Printing Co., $155.00. Tbe liabilities are said to be around $140,000. Ike Schlank and John H. Lytle were appointed receivers by Jndge Augustas Hand, with bonds fixed at $3,000 each. FORM NEW STATE RIGHT CO. Frank O. Hall, proprietor of the Strand Theatre, Newark, has organized the Civili- zation Film Corp., to buy and sell motion picture productions on the state right plan. The new concern is capitalized at $125,000. Associated with Mr. Hall in the project are John C. Eiseie, John J. MacGovern, George and Henry Alsoop and Peter Fox. Tbe company recently acquired tbe New Jersey rights to "Joan The Woman." CRANE WILBUR IN AGAIN Crane Wilbur, who has not been very ac- tive of late, will appear in a new feature series under the banner of the Mutual. With the right sort of productions and stories behind him Wilbur should become a first-class drawing card again in abort order. < ALLEGED RIOTERS DISCHARGED Edward Moore and William Patrick Nolan, said to be Irish sympathizers, charged with rioting in the Luna, a Brook- lyn picture house, were discharged last week when arraigned in the Adams Street police court. The picture house manage- ment claimed tbe men had tried to stop a showing of "Whom the Gods Destroy," a recent Vitagraph picture, which they claimed to be anti-Irish. DINTENFASS SUES POWERS An echo of the ancient contest for control of the Universal which raged furiously three years ago with Pat Powers, David Horsley and Carl Laemmle as the principal combatants wss beard in the Supreme Court last week when Justice Goff denied a motion to dismiss a suit brought against Poweni and the Horsley brothers by Mark Din ten f ass. The latter alleges Powers has not kept an agreement to sell him 500 shares of Universal preferred and 500 shares of common stock, in accordance with an assignment he holds, originally held by Lewis J. Selxnick. CUNNINGHAM RECOVERING Jim Cunningham, the picture director, who has been confined to St. Mark's Hos- pital, N. Y., for the past four weeks, is out and around once more, well on the road to recovery from tbe stomach trouble that in- capacitated him temporarily. While in tbe hospital Cunningham wrote several scenarios which be threatens to produce at an early date. MOSS LOSES TITLE SUIT Justice Cohalan in the Supreme Court, N. Y., last week refused to grant H. S. Moss an injunction against Ivan Film Productions, Inc., in a controversy over the use of "The Girl Who Did Not Care" by the bitter, Moss holding that this title con- flicted with a feature be is about to release called "The Girl Who Doesn't Know." OKLAHOMA BANS SEX FILMS Oklahoma has placed the official ban on all "sex," "vampire" and "birth control" films. Hereafter films of the above men- tioned types can not be shown in any part of tbe state nnder any circumstances. SCARLET LETTER NEXT William Fox will shortly release a screen version of Nathaniel Hawthorne's im- mortal classic, "Tbe Scarlet Letter," Mary Martin has been cast for tbe role of Hester Prynne. CHICAGO BANS "KICK IN" "Kick In" has been banned by the Chi- cago Board of Censors. The Willard Mack play was filmed by Pathe and contains too much graft to suit the Chicago censors. CAREWE PRODUCING PICTURES Ed. Carewe, former Metro director, is producing pictures in association with Arthur Jacobs. The new concern will re- lease a five-reeler in a couple of weeks. RITCHEY TO MAKE PICTURES J. V. Ritcbey will return to picture mak- ing shortly. He may ally himself with tbe Sunbeam Film Corporation and release via tbe Mutual program. NEW CTNAMAGAZINE Edward Roskam and Hopp Hadley are working hard on the details of their new cinamagazine. It looks like a first rate proposition. CENSORS ENDORSE IT "One of Many," Arthur James' initial producing effort, has received the unquali- fied endorsement of the National Board of Review. TRIANGLE AND ALLIES REACH AGREEMENT OFFICIALS ISSUE STATEMENTS After a series of conferences tbe dif- ferences existing for some months past be- tween the New York Motion Picture Co. and Triangle were satisfactorily settled early last week. It had been rumored quite freely along Broadway that the N. Y. M. P. Co. and Keystone, controlled by the same interests, might release through a source other than Triangle, owing to the strained relations alleged to have obtained until recently over money matters. The advertising of the New York and Keystone concerns in the trade papers gave a rather broad bint of what might happen if a settlement could not he reached. The way matters stand at present would seem to suggest that no change will be made in the distribution of Ince and Sennett pictures, at least for some time to come. Both factions issued statements this week. Pres. HodUnson bad tbe following to say for Triangle: "I am now In a po- sition to say to exhibitors that Triangle and its producing companies are locked to- gether positively and definitely, and that the Triangle program will be supplied to exhibitors through Triangle exchanges and in no other way." Adam Kessell, president of the N. Y. M. P. Co., also issued a statement confirmatory of tbe Hodkinson announcement. Mr. Kessell said: "The Thos. H. Ince-Ksy Be* five reel features and tbe Mack Bennett- Keystone comedies are to be released only through the exchanges of the Triangle Dis- tributing Corporation." While not verified it was reported that the N. Y. and Keystone interests bad re- ceived a large payment from Triangle last week. This is said to have gone a long way toward tbe issuance of the peace announce- ments. SANGER HAS MARGARET ANGL1N Eugene B. Sanger has signed Margaret Anglin, tbe legitimate actress, for a-series of nbotodrsmaa. Miss Anglin wss to have started work before the camera several months ago at the bead of ber own com- pany, but somehow or other the corporation formed to exploit the emotional star never accomplished anything. BUYS DANTE'S INFERNO RIGHTS F. E. Backer, owner of tbe Godfrey Building, N. Y., a structure that houses more movie concerns than any other build- ing in tbe world, has purchased the metro- politan rights to "Dante's Inferno." While this feature is one of the oldest on the market it still possesses big money "«H"| possibilities. POWELL'S NEW ASSISTANT Frank McCormack has been engaged to assist Frank Powell, who is under contract to produce six multiple reelers a year for the Mutual program. McCormack was a well known stage director before entering tbe movie field.