The New York Clipper (March 1917)

32 THE i NEW YORK CLIPPER March 14, 1917 COMMITTEE TO FAVOR TAX ON POSITIVES WHEELER REPORT IN THURSDAY Albany, March 12.—The Wheeler Com- mittee, which during the past two months has been investigating the motion picture industry for the purpose of determining if the State should receive revenue from it, will Bobmit its report to the legislature Thursday. The committee is reported to be in favor of a. tax on all "positive prints," which probably would net the State an annual income of from $500,000 to $750,000. Legislation which, without the .creation of a State censorship board, will operate toward the prevention of the exhibition of objectionable films, win be recommended. To serve this purpose a motion picture bu- reau will be established at small cost to the State. During the past two months many of the prominent manufacturers and exhibi- tors have appeared before the committee and testified regarding conditions existing in the industry. The witnesses who testi- fied gave the legislators a good insight into the business, and from the information gleaned the members of the committee feel that the State should derive considerable revenue from the business. At the last meeting of the committee held in the Murray Hill Hotel, New York City, last Saturday, Commissioner of Licenses George H. Bell, Ben. R. Hampton, presi- dent of the General Film Co., and William A. Brady testified. In doing so, Commissioner Bell went into detail.on the question of objectionable film and said he believed the public was backing his department in its fight against them. He declared that, only recently, he stopped the public showing of five motion pictures considered objectionable and re- ceived the co-operation of the exhibitors in this respect. During his testimony Mr. Bell said he believed there should be one day's rest in seven, particularly for motion picture ma- chine operators, and for that reason favored Sunday observance, although he thought it was foolish to permit certain shows on Sunday and prohibit others. He submitted lists of figures of licenses issued in New York City. He put the average daily at- tendance in New York theatres at 600,000 persons, and showed there were licenses existing in this department for 864 the- atres with a total seating capacity of 630,- 266. In 1916 there were 1,039 licensed theatres and in 1915 1,169. Mr. Brady, who has appeared^ on sev- eral occasions before the committee, de- clared that, at the present time, the indus- try was not able to stand taxation. The testimony of Hampton and other witnesses was along the same'lines. SOL. LESSER HERE Sol L. Lesser, the young State rights distributor, arrived in New York, last week from the coast on one of .his fre- quent flying tripe, Mr. Leaser's present visit will hut ten days. He reports new success in his handling of the "Ne'er Do Well." BRENON DIRECTS LONE WOLF Herbert Brenott is in New Orleans, where he is producing Louis Joseph Vance's "The Lone Wolf" for distribution by the Herbert Brenon Film Corporation through Lewis J. Selznick Enterprises, Inc. The principal female role will be played by Hazel Dawn, who is taking a necessary vacation from "The Century Girl," and who will probably resume her work in that production upon her return to New York. Opposite Miss Dawn will be Bert Lytell in the principal male role. "The Lone Wolf* will probably set a high mark in cost of production. It is understood that Mr. Vance, the author, re- ceived $6,000 or $7,000 for the producing rights in motion picture form, and Miss Dawn's salary will be close to the three- figure mark, with other expenditures in proportion. This is Mr. Brenon's first pic- ture since his recent illness interrupted the making of "The Eternal Sin," featuring Florence Reed, which picture is now com- pleted and about to be distributed by Lewis J. Selznick. BEACH DID NOT DIRECT FILM "The Barrier," of which Rex Beach is the author, was directed entirely by Edgar Lewis. Some trade papers, through error, gave credit for the production to Beach. . HODKINSON LEAVES FOR TOUR W. W. Hodkinson.'presiden* of the Tri- angle Distributing Corp., has left New York for. a tour of the big cities of the West •'<■••■•■•: DECIDES AGAINST EXHIBITOR That a motion picture exhibitor must pay for a picture which he books even if the censors do not allow him to screen it is the opinion of the court which has just awarded a judgment to the Phax Pictures Company on this point. The Phax Com- pany were the distributors of "Race Sui- cide," and secured bookings from a num- ber of theatres who finally refused to pay the contract price, claiming that the cen- sors would not aUow them to run the pic- ture. The list of theatres included the Miller, Montauk, Prospect, Plaza, Chester, Garden and several others. The Phax Company was represented by Attorney Harry Saks Hechheimer. FILM COMPANY FOR OGDEN Ooden, Utah, March 12.—The only mo- tion picture producing company between Chicago and the Pacific Coast has been or- ganized here. Capital stock to the extent of $100,000 has been secured. Albert Scow- croft, who has built a number of theatres in the West, is president of the concern. COMPLETING "GOD'S MAN" The Frohman Amusement Corporation's ten-reel photo-play production of Anthony P. Kelly's adaptation of George Bronson Howard's novel, entitled "God's Man," is rapidly nearing completion under the direc- tion of George Irving, the Frohman super- vising director. A. E. SMITH GOES WEST Albert E. Smith, president of the Vita- graph Company, has left New York for Los Angeles, where he will add to the production resources and facilities of Vita- graph's California studios, with particu- lar regard to Blue Ribbon program fea- tures. SELZNICK SIGNS WOMAN WRITER Lewis J. Selznick has engaged Virginia Terhune Van de Water, writer on domes- tic problems, to write scenarios for adapta- tion into motion pictures. She is to fur- nish a stated number of scenarios during the year. Edgar Selden arranged the con- tract. MENA FILM CO. GETS CHARTER Trek-ton, N. J., March 12.—The Mena Film Co. was incorporated last week to conduct the manufacture and sale of mo- tion picture films from an office in Jersey City. • The concern is capitalized at $250,000. "TROOPER 44" SOON READY The E. L.'S. Motion Picture Corpora- tion is completing a five-reel feature, en- titled "Trooper 44." Juane Daye anil George Soule Spencer have leading roles. State rights on the picture are now being sold. EXPRESSMEN TO HELP FILM MEN SHIPMENT OF FILMS EXPEDITED A system which keeps a full record of every transfer of a package of film from the time it leaves the shipper until it reaches the consignee is now in effect with the Adams, Wells Fargo and American Ex- press Companies. This system has been in- stalled as the result of a conference between the traffic managers of the big express com- panies and a committee of the National Association Of the Motion Picture Industry. The American was the first to adopt the new rule and, within the last few days, the other two companies have followed suit. To further expedite shipments of film, the express companies are considering the feasibility of collecting all films from one exchange on one wagon, to be separated for shipment by the express company after collection. Those present at this conference were E. E. Bush, traffic manager of the Amer- ican ; J. Edward Cronin, traffic manager of the Adams; G. S. Lee, traffic manager of the Wells Fargo; F. G. Airy, secretary of the express conference; William L. Sherrill, chairman of the transportation committee of the National Association; Frederick H. Elliott, executive secretary of the associa- tion ; P. H. StQson, of the Paramount Pic- tures Corp., and J. S. Clark, of the William L. Sherry Feature Film Co. METRO, OF TEXAS, IS SOLD Oklahoma Citt, Okla., March 12.—One of the largest deals ever been made in the moving picture field of the Southwest was completed when Albert Russell and Dave Reed, of Dallas, sold the Metro Picture Corporation of Texas to L. C. Bickel and others of Oklahoma City for $50,000. The corporation distributes films in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.' The Metro Corpora- tion is one of the largest distributors in the Southwest. DORIS KENYON WITH WHARTONS Doris Eenyon has been engaged - by Wharton, Inc., of Ithaca, N. Y., to star in their first super-feature production, "The Great White Trail." The company is now at Saranac Lake taking some of the winter scenes. "The Great White Trail" will be the first of releases of the Whartons under their policy of one super-feature each month. ' CALIFORNIA CO. REORGANIZED San Francisco, March 12.—The click of the camera is to be heard again at the camp of the California Film corporation. Following the resignation of Beatrix Mich- elena, and other members of the old com- pany, a new firm has been partially or- ganized. Heading it is Lois Wilson. Nor- val McGregor will be director. LOSES SUIT AGAINST TRIANGLE Phblamxphia, March 12.—The Phila- delphia Booking Co. lost its suit against the Triangle Film Co. when the court re- fused to restrain the Triangle Film Corp. and the Triangle Distributing Corp. from cancelling the franchise for ■ the Philadel- phia territory held by the Philadelphia Booking Co. . PRES. WILSON IN ART DRAMA The Art Dramas production of Emile Zola's novel "Nantas, which will be known as "A Man and the Woman," -will have scenes in which President . Wilson ap- pears..' ATLANTIC FILM CO. TO PRODUCE Providence, B, I., March &—The At- lantic Film Corp., which was recently in- corporated in this State, will soon begin producing films, featuring five and six reel plays and one and two reel comedies. The new company plans the early erection of a commodious studio, and in the meantime will use the studio of the Eastern Film Co. in this 'city. Joseph C. Gonyea is presi- dent, treasurer and manager of the new concern. ..-.:.• '"1"- ■ FORM NEW PICTURE FIRM Edward Small and Herman Becker are the heads and organizers of a new picture firm to be known as "The Master Drama Features, Inc.," for the purpose of pro- ducing photo dramas. The initial produc- tion will be a drama by Willard Mack, en- titled "Who's Your Neighbor t" B. Rankin Drew is directing the picture, the first part of which is already under way. ANTI-SUNDAY FILM LAW.UPHELD Austin, Texas, March 8.—A majority of the Court of Criminal-Appeals have af- firmed the Fort Worth motion picture cases, holding that motion pictures are amusements and can not be operated on Sunday; also, that Fort Worth ordinance permitting motion picture shows to operate on Sundays from 2 p. m. to midnight is in conflict with the State law. SIMPLER SPELLING ON SCREEN R. H. Cochrane, vice-president of the Universal Film Company, has sent out an order that phonetic spelling shall hence- forth be used in aU film titling, publicity and advertising. Words such as cigaret, thru, catalog, and tho, which admit of being shortened, shall be used in then- simpler form, according to the. new order. WARREN TAKES PLAYERS SOUTH Edward Warren, with a company of one hundred players, started for the South last ! week by a specially chartered train to finish his exterior scenes of his produc- tion now known by the working title as the "Transgressor," It is expected that the picture wiU be released by State right holders in April. ART DRAMA ADDS 2 EXCHANGES Due to increasing bookings on Art Dramas, the Standard Film Corporation of Kansas City, distributers of the new pro- gram throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas, has opened additional. ex- changes in St. Louis and Des Moines. PULLS NEW MOVIE STUNT Edward Sachs, manager of the Morning- side Theatre at 2139 Eighth Avenue, last week originated a novel idea when he had the author of "The Royal Pauper," Henry Albert Phillips, appear in person and make a few remarks. BEATTY BILL MIGHT PASS CmcTKNATi, O., March 12.—The Beatty Bill, which is aimed at "The Birth of a Nation," prohibiting an exhibition here, has been passed by the lower house of the legislature and will probably pass the Sen- ate. SYLVIA BREMER WITH TRIANGLE Sylvia Bremer has been engaged by Thos. H. Bice and wfll make her debut on the Triangle program next month, playing the heroine in a baseball drama in which Charles Roy win'star. . • FILM TITLE CHANGED Ethel Clayton's next picture play for World-Brady is now titled "Man's Woman," in place of "The House Cat." HALL JOINS COLDWYN STAFF Emmett Campbell Hall has signed with the Goldwyn Pictures Corp. as assistant to Edith Ellis of tits scenario staff.