The New York Clipper (August 1917)

36 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER August 29, 1917 LAW SUIT OVER PICTURE IS POSSIBLE WORLD FILM MUST EXPLAIN litigation over the Brady-Made picture, "The Burglar," is possible. The story is a screen version of the stage play of Augustus Thomas, founded upon Francis Hodgson Burnett's atory, "Editha's Burg- lar." It in claimed by Alice Kauser, who says she represents both Thomas and Mrs. Bur- nett, that the World Film Corporation had no authority to make the picture, and she has demanded an immediate explanation from the film company as to where they obtained their authority to picturize the subject. "Both Mrs. Burnett and Mr. Thomas assure me that they have given no author- it,'- whatever to the World Film Corpora- tion," Miss Kauser writes in a letter to Brady, "and have given no authority other than that which they invested in me for the negotiations that have now been in band some three weeks, and were prac- tically concluded before your announce- ments were made." . At the offices of World Pictures it was stated that the film rights in "Editha's Burglar," now called "The Burglar," had been purchased in good faith from the owner, and that the photoplay would be issued on the regular World program October 22 with Carlyle Blackwcll as the star and Evelyn Greeley and little Madge Evans as the "featured" players. It was asserted further tbat Mr. Thomas no longer retained any interest - either in the play of which he is the author or the right to transfer it to the motion picture screen. "Our position is perfectly clear," said a representative of Mr. Brady, "and our rights ate unmistakable. We hardly think 'the matter will go as far aa the low courts, but if it does We shall be able to establish our ownership beyond any pos- sible doubt. Mr, Brady has repeatedly declared that 'The Burglar* is the best moving picture drama he ever saw, so that the idea of relinquising it becomes even more remote than it was before the receipt of Miss Kauaer'a letter." FILM COMPANY CHANGES OFFICE Atlanta. Ga..-Aug. 23.—The E. AH. Film Distributing Company, of this city, ha? moved from 65 to 73 Walton Street. The- firm has purchased all the fixtures of the Art Craft office, which was formerly at this address, and at the same time took over all the films controlled by the Strand Film Company, consisting.of about twenty State right features, including the "Ne'er- do-Well." BEYNON TO WRITE FILM MUSIC The Ogden." Pictures Corporation, has engaged George W. Beynon to prepare .a complete and original musical score for the production "The Lust of the Ages/* in which Lillian Walker is. starred. PICTURE ACTRESS MARRIES Edna Payne, a motion picture actress, was married on August 22 to Jack Rol- lins. After the ceremony, the couple be- gan their honeymoon trip to the Pacific Coast by automobile. LA PEARL FILM FINISHED Harry La Pearl, in bis portrayal of the clown "Tobey" in the "Polly of the Circus" production, will be seen at the Strand, New York, next week. » ISSUES SCREEN "WHO'S WHO" "Who's Who and Why: The 100 Lead- ing Lights of the Screen," is the name of a new book of a biographical character, just published by Arthur Leslie, whose "1,001 Film Folks I Know Personally," was recently issued. The following legend graces the first page: "This work is re- spectfully dedicated to Carl Laemmle, president of the world's largest motion pic- ture enterprise, The Universal Film Manu- facturing Company, whose fine courage and broad vision made the motion pic- ture world safe for democracy." Mr. Laemmle it will be remembered fought the old so called motion picture trust, the dis- solution of which ushered in the present era of expansion. VITAGRAPH FEATURES READY Albert H. Smith, president of the Vita- graph Company, announces that the Oc- tober list of Blue Bibbon features will be as follows: October 1, "Princess of Park Row"; October 8, "The Love Doctor"; October 15, "Dead-Shot Baker"; October 22, "The Bottom of the Well"; October 29, "The Flaming Omen." According to Mr. Smith's announcement, these pictures have all been completed and prints are now being shipped to the branches of the Vitagraph distributing organization. NEW YORK GETS MOTOY STUDIO H. C. Allen, the president of the Peter Pan Film Corporation, has returned from Chicago, where be completed arrangements for the moving of the Motoy studio from that city to New York. The new studio will not be confined to the production of Motoy Comedies alone, but will be utilized for the entire work of the Peter Pan Cor- poration, which will be carried on on a much larger scale. The Chicago studio will be maintained merely as a branch. BRENON FEATURE READY TO SHOW . In. bis studio' on HndBon Heights last week Herbert Brenon took the last scene of his forthcoming .production, "The Fall of the Romanoffs." And although it was finished but a few days ago, the assembling and cutting and titling has so far pro- gressed that the picture will be completed in its entirety by September 0, when the private showing at the Ritz-Carlton will be held. ; MORROW QUITS ARTCRAFT Daixas, Texas, Aug. 22.—Hoyt G. Mor- row baa resigned his position as sales manager of the Arteraft-Parn mount branch office here, and, accompanied by Mrs. Morrow, has left for a pleasure trip through Colorado. On his return Morrow will become associated with another dis- tributing organization. KITTY GORDON FILM COMPLETED The next Kitty Gordon play for World- Pictures Brady-Made will not be published until mid-November. - The title is "Her Hour," and it narrates the heart affair of a beautiful stenographer and the boss. The drama is already completed, but must take its. turn upon the far ahead World schedule. BERG TAKES NATIONWIDE TRIP Harry Berg, of the Overland "Film Com- pany, left last Saturday on a transcon- tinental trip to visit the leading state rights buyers of th,e. country. Berg, who is a comparative newcomer in .the state rights field, has already established himself as one of the live wires of the industry. CHOOSES ."EMPTY POCKETS'! Herbert Brenon has selected "Empty Pockets," Rupert Hughes'. story, for his next Selznick production. STATES RIGHTS BUYERS FORM AOT WILL CO-OPERATE EVERYWHERE With the election of officers and direct- ors of the States Right Distributors, Inc., last week, a permanent organization was effected which will immediately commence operations in procuring films for its mem- bers. The organization has a New York charter and is capitalized at $50,000. Its purpose is to buy negatives, or complete feature productions, for distribution throughout the United States and Canada, or, if the occasion warrants, through- out the world. It is a co-operative body, composed of a number of repre- sentative concern*, each to cover a given territory, with one concern to a territory. For the purchase of pictures each repre- sentative will be assessed on a pro-rata basis, and will be responsible for the marketing of the film, in its designated ter- ritory. All of North America is repre- sented in the organization, with the excep- tion of Minnesota and Colorado. The officers of the organization are Sol. Lesser, president; Louis Haas, vice-presi- dent : Louis B. Mayer, treasurer, and L. D. Notter, temporary manager and secretary; The directors are Lesser, Haas, H. L. Dollman, S. A. Lynch, J. J. Allen, C. D. St rubble and L. B. Mayer. Those who are on the purchasing committee include Nathan Hlrsch, L. B. Mayer, D. M. Van- da walker, Jr., S. A. Lynch, L. D. Notter, S. B. Lust and J. J. Allen Five of the seven members of this committee must ap- prove a picture before it can be pur- chased. BRYANT WASHBURN MUST SERVE Chicago, 111., Aug. 27.—Bryant Wash- burn, the motion picture actor, must serve in the National Army. His claim for ex- emption on the ground that be had a Wife and child dependent on Mm, was dis- allowed. Major Chlppenfeld, representing the Provost MarRhal General, said that Secret ServbJWgents learned that WaBh- burn has a bank account of $5,500, and tbat bis wife. .Mabel Forrest, had ap- peared in pictures before and after the birth of their child. "BETSY ROSS" FILM IS READY This week the new Alice Brady photo- play "Betsy ^oss" will be revealed by World Pictures. George Washington and other famous personages of Revolutionary days appear in this picture, which blends important historical events with a dramatic story. VARNER APPOINTED CHAIRMAN Henry B. Varner, of North Carolina, who represented exhibitors' interests in Washington on the ten per cent tax and other questions, has been appointed chair- man of the legislative committee of the American Exhibitors' Association. LYNCH TAKES WESTERN TRIP Stephen A. Lynch, president of the Tri- angle Distributing Corporation, has left for a short visit to Los Angeles. COLONIAL FILM CO. SUED The Colonial Motion Picture Co. has a judgment of $175.41 recorded.against them in the County Clerk's office' in favor' of ■ the New York Telephone Company. ' The 'action was brought in the Municipal Court by D. J. Bannon. ;', ■; . _''.- SCHAYERS^ARRIVE AT HONOLULU .< Mr. and Mrs. E. Richard Schayer, the bride and groom, that the Peter Pan Film: Corporation is sending on a trip around the world, have already completed the first stage of their journey and have arrived at Honolulu. WANT FIRST OGDEN FEATURE At a meeting of the executives of the Ogden Pictures Corporation, held at its New York office last week, the question of the future policy of distribution of that concern was taken up. Although the first release of the Lillian Walker pro- ductions, "The Lust of the Ages," is being advertised for disposition on the state rights basis, a releasing concern is negoti- ating to take it over aa well, aa the entire series for the next twelve months, but the acceptance of the proposition is being de- layed in order to give the state rights buyers an opportunity to secure the entire series. Lester Park, general manager of the cor- poration, gave publicity to the statement tbat the company finds itself in somewhat of a peculiar position with respect to its future releases. "We are thorough believ- ers in the state rights method of exploit- ing an individual star of the drawing power of Miss Walker and, particularly, when the production, in which she is to ap- pear, is in every instance to he written especially for her. Naturally we desire the widest medium of distribution, and one that is consistent with Miss Walker's drawing power; hence, the proposition we have received from a certain distribution company, the name of which we are with- holding for obvious reasons, appeals to us, but the answer to that is that we have all of the well-known reasons for sticking to the state rights field. However, we will definitely determine our policy for the next twelve months before the first of Septem- ber. While we are not delaying in our producing end, we are proceeding slowly in the matter of definitely committing our- selves to onr method of release. ART DRAMAS CLOSES BIG DEAL One of the biggest deals ever consum- mated by Art Dramas, Inc., since its incep- tion was closed last week by Arthur F. Beck, general manager of the concern. The deal involved the disposing of fran- chise rights on Art Dramas for prac- tically the entire South. The States cov- ered by the contract are North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. The company which purchased the franchise was organ- ized by Atlanta capital solely to exploit Art Dramas. It is known as the B. & H. Film Distributing Company, and has cen- tral offices in Atlanta. Other offices in all parts of the large territory are being formed as fast as possible. 10. H. Harden is the president of the E. & II., and P. A. Engler will be general manager. "BEANSTALK" FILM QUITS GLOBE "Jack and the Beanstalk," William Fox's cinema spectacle, which concluded its run on Broadway on August 26, opened at the Belasco Theatre, in Washington, D. C, on that date. A week later the picture, will also go into Gar rick Theatre in St. Louis, while still showing in Washington. After the success enjoyed in New York, the Fox Corporation officials feel confident that it will be welcomed elsewhere. WELSH JOINS BUD FISHER FILMS Bud Fisher has selected J. Edward Welsh as general office manager of the Bud Fisher Films Corporation.. Bud goes to war this month, and as H. A. Brock, the former manager, has been called' to the Quartermaster's Department of the Army, it'was necessary to find a man to look, after the" affairs of the organization. ALICE BRADY FORMS CO. 'The .Alice Brady Film Corp. was in- corporated in the office of the Secretary of State last week with a capitalization of $266,000. Alice Brady, the former World Film star,"will be featured in all of the new concern's productions. They will turn out eight releases a. year, the first of which will be placed on the market October 15.