The New York Clipper (November 1917)

40 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER November 21, 1917 NEW CIRCUIT TO COVER STATES AND CANADA ALLIED EXCHANGES FORMED HERE The Allied Exchanges, Inc., a new buy- ing circuit whose initial franchise holders cover eastern and middle western states and Canada, was formed last week, with temporary offices at 729 Seventh avenue. The list of officers includes Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger, first vice-president; J. L. Friedman, second vice-president; Lynn S. Card, treasurer; David L. Lowrie, sec- retary, 'and A. J. Cobe, general manager. A special meeting of the new organization was held at the Hotel Astor, Monday, to select a president, whose name will be an- nounced shortly. Two vacant places on the purchasing board of seven were also filled at the meeting, the other five mem- bers being Messrs. Friedman, Nixon- Nirdlinger, Crandall, Lowrie and Jackson. These are the holders of the first fran- chises in the new circuit: David A. Lowrie, Boston, Mass., for the New Eng- land States; Lynn S. Card, Newark, for New Jersey; Harry M. Crandall, Wash- ington, D. C for Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia; Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger, Philadelphia, for Eastern Pennsylvania; J. L. Friedman, of the Celebrated Players, Chicago, for Illinois; MacMahon and Jackson, Cincin- nati, for Southern Ohio and Indiana; L. J. Ditmar, Louisville, for Kentucky and Ten- nessee; W. F. Peterson, Detroit, for Michigan, and the Boyal Enterprises, Montreal, for Canada. Viewing of features for the new circuit will begin at the temporary offices this week. SCENARIO PRIZES AWARDED After examining exhaustively more than 7 000 manuscripts coming from all parts of the world, the winners in the scenario contest held by the Photoplay Magazine and the Triangle Film Corporation have been picked. They are: First prize, $1,- 000, Mrs. Kate Corbaley, of Los Angeles, wife of a construction engineer, and mother of four children, with "Real Folks"; second prize, $500, Katbenne Kavanaugh, formerly leading woman witn Valerie Bergere in vaudeville, with •■Betty Takes a Hand"; third prize, $300, Mabel Richards, a stenographer, with "The Tree of Life"; fourth prize, $200, Mrs. Burd Weyler Kellog, wife of a banker, with "Skipper Fly," which, she said, was con- ceived to give mature bachelors a chance on the Bcreen." Seven stories received honorable men- tion, one being by the winner of the second prize, and some of these will be purchased by the Triangle. "PERSUASIVE PEGGY" SETS RECORD Speed records for film sales were cracked last^veek when H. Heidelberger, of the Civilization FUm Corporation, >>ewark, bought the New Jersey territory rights for the Mayfair production, -Persuasive Peggy." signed contracts, handed in his S3, and closed the deal, all in less than five minutes. The lightnin; sale was made at the offices of Shelleugjrger and Pnest, in the Times building. EXHIBITORS PICK PETROVA TITLE Members of the First National Exhib- itors' Circuit themselves were allowed to pick the title for the first picture to be made by the Petrova Picture Company, featuring Mme. Petrova. They chose "Daughter of Destiny" by a large ma- jority, from a list of twenty-five proposed titles. WIFE OF MUTUAL PRESIDENT DEAD Mrs. Augusta Jess Freuler, wife of John R. Freuler, president of the Mutual Film Corporation, who died at the family resi- dence in Milwaukee on November 7, was buried at the Forest Home Cemetery on November 10. Services at the residence and grave were conducted by Frank J. Hays, reader of tbe First Church of Christ, Scientist. Mrs. Frculer's death was sudden, although she bad been in poor health for some months. She was her husband's closest advisor and associate in all his affairs and interests, and besides was deeply interested in philanthropic matters. Her husband and two daughters, Loraine and Gertrude Freuler, survive. HITS MOVIE PRICE BOOSTS Boston, Nov. 18.—Moving picture houses which have raised their prices of admission "because of the war" are killing the goose that laid the golden egg, in tbe opinion of Thomas P. Soriero, manager of the Park Theatre. He scoffs at the claim that the advance is necessary be- cause of the increase of fifteen cents a day per film. Only the Government's tax on tickets Is warranted, Soriero insists, say- ing: "Many of the New York theatres which have shot up their prices are having such a falling off in business that they are clos- ing mi."' Surieto has just returned from a trip to Nov York and other cities, studying rais- ing of prices, and its results. FIGHT FILM MEN PLEAD GUILTY Aububn, N. Y., Nov. 15.—The interna- tional case, in which the Johnson-Willard fight pictures figured as smuggled wares was finally disposed of in the United States Court before Justice George W. Ray to- day, when the five defendants, Isaac L. Uhlman, Harold T. Edwards, Laurence L. Maguire, Harry A. Fishlock and H. B. Bryner pleaded guilty to bringing the mo- tion picture films illegally into the country. Judge Ray fined Uhlman $500 and released the other prisoners. WOMEN WANT BETTER MOVIES Albany, N. Y., Nov. 15.—The New York State Federation of Women's Clubs, in annual convention here, to-day adopted a resolution protesting against "unwhole- some, insidious and demoralizing pictures which are being shown in many picture houses," and urging that the federation use its influence to make the moving pictures a greater agency for depicting the better and brighter side of human life and ac- tivity. FAIRBANKS FEATURE AT RIALTO Douglas Fairbanks, in his latest Art- craft comedy-thriller, "Reaching for the Moon," is the photoplay feature of the program at tbe Rialto this week. "Fish- ing for Fish," a scenic feature produced by Robert C. Bruce, lends a touch of the great out-of-doors to tbe bill, and Mr, and Mrs. Sidney Drew offer their latest do- mestic comedy, "A Close Resemblance." EDISON GETS SERIAL "Joselyn's Wife," a serial by Kathleen Worris, now running in the Pictorial Re- view, is to be made into a feature film by the Edison Company. It will be released by George Kleine as a Perfection picture, and will atar a well known Broadway leading woman, whose name has not yet been announced. SEEKS TITLE FOR FILM Augustus Thomas, the playwright, is at work on the story of the initial produc- tion, to be released by the combination he entered into several weeks ago, with Harry Raver. He is undecided as to the title for the picture, which, it is said, will strike a note of keen current interest. TRIANGLE GETS INJUNCTION SET ASIDE "HAPPINESS," FILM TITLE, O. K.VL The Triangle Film Corporation scored a victory over J. Hartley Manners, play- wright, in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals last week, when it succeeded in having set aside an injunction against the use of the title "Happiness" for a film play produced by the corporation. Manners' contention was that he had acquired trade-mark rights to the use of the word "happiness" as a title, in connec- tion with any play. In 1914 he wrote a one-act playlet with this, title, which was given seven matinee performances at the Cort Theatre, with Laurette Taylor, who has since become Manners' wife, in the lead- ing role. Subsequently Manners published widely his intention of writing a three-act play with the same title, and it was on the ground of these announcements in the newspapers that his attorney, David Ger- ber, claimed Manners had exclusive rights to the title. In February, 1917, the New York Mo- tion Picture Company made a film at Ix>s Angeles, named it "Happiness," and sold it to the Triangle. C. G. Sullivan wrote the scenario and Enid Bennett was the . fea- tured player. Four thousand dollars had been spent m advertising the picture, besides the pur- chase price of $48,295.18, before it was produced, according to Alexander L. Strouse, the Triangle's attorney. It had been widely exhibited when Man- ners applied for an injunction in the Fed- eral District Court, and got it, last June. The Triangle appealed and won. Judge Ward handed down the reversing decision. FILM EXCHANGE BURNS Detroit, Mich., Nov. 16.—A fire on the fifth floor of a motion picture film ex- change building here to-night overcame four firemen and threw nearly 300 girl em- ployes in a panic. The offices and store rooms of the General Film Company and Vitagraph Company were totally de- stroyed. It is known that the fire started in the warerooms of the General Film Com- pany, but its origin is unknown. THEDA BARA CHANGES NAME Justice Donnelly, in tbe Supreme Court last week granted Theodosia Gojdman, known in motion pictures as Theda Bara, permission to assume the name of Bara legally. At the same time the Justice gave permission for the film star's mother, father, sister and brother to change their name to correspond to hers. "FRINGE OF SOCIETY" IN DEMAND Exhibitors in many cities are very eager to secure "The Fringe of Society," re- cently finished by the Backer Film Cor- poration, and distributed by M. H. Hoff- man, Inc. The picture is to be shown ia New York before the end of the mouth. Already Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pitts- burgh, Buffalo and Kansas City have ordered more than their usual allotment of prints. Twice the customary number have been ordered by Hy. Gainsborg, of the New York Hoffman-Foursquare. Ruth Roland and Milton Sills are co- stars, and the cast includes Leah Baird. J. Herbert Frank, George Larkin, Ollie Kirby and Tammany Young. Pierre V. R. Key wrote the story. SELZNICK PUTS OVER BIG SALE Lewis J. Selznick, president of the Select Pictures Corporation, has signed np Marcus Loew in what is said to be tbe biggest single contract for star pictures ever written for the Loew theatres. The contract, calling for 70-day runs in all Loew houses in Greater New York and New Rochelle for pictures starring Clara Kimball Young, Norma and Constance Talmadge and Alice Brady, was secured by Mr. Selznick personally. FORM FOURSQUARE IN WEST George Backer, M. H. Hoffman and Ben S. Cohen are the officers of the Foursquare Pictures, Inc., which was formed in Col- orado last week to serve western exhibitors. Some of the pictures the new corporation will distribute are "The Sin Woman," "The Bar Sinister," "The Whip," "The Italian Battle Front" and "The Zeppelin's Last Raid." FORM NEW STATE RIGHTS CO. W. E. Shellenberger and R. W. Priest, both well known film men, have joined to handle state rights features. Their offices -are in the Times building. They are at present handling the Mayfair production, "Persuasive Peggy," and announce among future releases "The Eyes of the World" and "Ramona." WHX EXAMINE CORTS BOOKS An order to examine the books of the Cort Film Corporation, and John Cort, its president, before trial of the suit of Arthur J. May, of Chicago, against it, was affirmed by the Appellate Division, Supreme Court, last Friday. The suit is for $2,250, which May claims is due him on a note drawn in March, 1916. . JAPAN TOSEE 2 MOSS FILMS. "One Day," sequel to Elinor Glyn's "Three Weeks," and "Boots and Saddles, adapted from Eugene Walter's play ot that name, will be exhibited in Japan under arrangements made last week be- tween U. Uno, film importer, and ». »• Moss, represented by M. Wenecor. WILLIAM A. BRADY, Director-General. WORLD-PICTURES Present KITTY GORDON "Her Hour" Story by RAYMOND SCHROCK Directed by GEORGE COWL