The New York Clipper (January 1918)

36 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER January 16, 1918 FILM CONCERNS FORMING BIG COMBINE FIVE CONCERNS IN DEAL Last week marked the coming together of another group of big motion picture or- ganizations for the purpose of uniting upon a plan for the formation of a clearing house. The companies active in the movement are Metro Pictures Corporation, Goldwyn Pic- tures Corporation, World Film Corpora- tion, Mutual Film Corporation and the First National Exhibitors' Circuit. Leading representatives of these five companies held several meetings at the Astor Hotel and the field was gone over thoroughly with the view of getting to- gether and collectively saving money, chiefly on the distribution of their films, amounting conservatively to $1,500,000 per year. The organizations interested have no idea of forming a merger nor an amalgama- tion, as none of them will lose their several individualities. Bnt they do plan the estab- lishment of a clearing house for the selling of motion pictures with each of the con- cerns involved represented by its own sales- man and all under one roof. New York will, of course, be the big headquarters, but in all cities where exchanges of the various concerns are located, there will be estab- lished a combination headquarters, on the same lines as the parent one in New York. There will be one office manager at each headquarters who will supervise the general business of the office, but who will in no way interfere with the picture salesmen. It is by this combination of office space and office forces that the men in this move- ment expect to save. On the office rents there will be a monthly saving of thou- sands of dollars, while the logical cutting down of the number of employees will re- sult in materially lessened payrolls. None of the representatives of the above- mentioned concern would affirm or deny anything relating to the object of their coming together but were willing to admit the occurrence of the meetings and that those who were present were working in perfect harmony toward one given end. It is, therefore, safe to state that, while no contracts have yet been signed, the beads of the companies interested are of one mind, and that, within a fortnight, they will have under way the establishment of a clearing house that will cover the dis- tribution of their films from Maine to Cali- fornia and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. CORRIGAN SUING PEERLESS Emmett Corrigon has started suit against the Peerless Feature Producing Co. for $50,000. On December 3, 1916, Corrigan was en- gaged and signed a contract with the Peer- less Company to star in feature pictures during a period of not less than three con- secutive weeks and at the salary of $125 per day, with the understanding that he was to be starred not only in the picture but upon all advertising matter of the said films. According to his complaint, he states that individuals other than himself were starred and their names used for advertising purposes. EISNER SOLVES PROBLEM Following a protest by Lee Ochs, presi- dent of the Exhibitors League, against the new ruling on admission tax pay- ments, a means of satisfying the exhibi- tors has been worked out by Mark Eis- ner, collector for the Third Manhattan District. The original rule requested the exhibitors to open a trust account in a bank in which the tax collections would be deposited daily, instead of in the same account with the manager's own money. Ochs protested against this, saying many exhibitors did not have bonk ac- counts and that the banks would not be willing to handle such small amounts as many of them would be. Mr. Eisner thereupon advised the ex- hibitors that he would arrange with the banks a system whereby several of them could deposit in the same account, thus making a total big enough for the bank to handle. They have been requested to do this, and if the banks refuse, the mat- ter will be taken up by the collectors office. The rule is country-wide, it is an- nounced, not- applying merely to New York K. & R. SUING CARSON The K. and R. Film Co. has entered into a suit against H. I. Carson through attorney H. G. Loew. The film company had entered into a con- tract with Carson, whereby he received the exclusive rights to "Silver Threads among the Gold" in the state of Ohio and was to render to the plaintiff monthly statements of receipts. Carson neglected to do so, and, according to the agreement, the company cancelled his contract, whereupon Carson kept the film. HARRY LANDE BEING SUED Through their attorney D. H. Sloane, the Mishkind Film Co. has brought suit against Harry A. Lande, to the amount of $2,700. Lande had purchased from the plaintiff some features, slides, posters and other paraphernalia for the sum of $3,000, to be paid on weekly installments of $60. He paid $300 in this manner and discon- tinued payments it is alleged. The suit is brought to recover $2,700, the balance dne the plaintiff. GARSON SELLS "PARENTAGE" Harry I. Garson, personal manager of Clara Kimball Young, has sold the rights of "Parentage" to "Wid" Gunning, for the states of Ohio and Michigan. He will present it in both states at the same time and will carry on a heavy advertising cam- paign in order to properly exploit the film. FOX FEATURE AT LYRIC The William Fox spectacle, "Cheating the Public" is now finishing its two weeks run at the Lyric, and will be released to the Fox exhibitors on the 20th of January. It is a propaganda picture dealing with food prof- iteering and child labor. FOX AIDS JEWISH CHARITIES William Fox will devote this entire week and three days of next to the Jewish Chari- ties in New York. He has rented an office in the Claridge, from which he will direct the work of the branch of which he is in charge. MOVIES TOOK PAYNE'S MONEY Clarence Payne, a young California mil- lionaire, who recently filed a petition of vol- untary bankruptcy, lost all of his money in film ventures. In one of these he invested $75,000, and the picture has not yet been shown. J. R. BRAY WINS SUIT On account of insufficient grounds where- on to establish a claim, the suit of Carl F. Lederer, who started an action to nullify the patent of John F. Bray in the making of animated cartoons, was dropped this week. WALSH PICTURE FINISHED George Walsh has completed his latest picture, "Jack Spurlock-Prodipal." It is a dramatization of a Saturday Evening Post story and was directed by Carl Horbaugb. FARNUM PICTURE UNDER WAY William Fa mum is at work on a new pic- ture, which has the working title "Rough and Ready." Richard Stanton is directing it and he is also responsible for the story. MANHEIMER IS NEW HEAD OF EXHIBITORS ELECTED BY MANHATTAN LOCAL John Manheimer was elected president of Manhattan Local No. 1, Exhibitors' League of America, at the special meeting held by the organization Thursday, Jan. 10. Other officers elected for the ensuing calen- dar year are: First vice-president, Charles O'Reilly; second vice-president, Sol Cloe- man; third vice-president, Benjamin Kelly; secretary, Sidney Ascher; finiiwiiil secre- tary, David Weinstock; treasurer, Maurice Needle; sergeant-at-arms, Gus Koenigs- weld. The election called forth but little dis- cussion, the contests for the various offices producing a minimum of friction. The quietness of the election was rather marked in contrast to the excitement of those of preceding years. It was announcd by C. R. Marineau, the retiring president of the Manhattan Local, that plans were rapidly maturing looking to the leasing of a new clubhouse. A building an One Hundred and Forty-ninth street, it is reported, will be rented and altered to suit the purposes of the organiza- tion. A plan will be launched shortly, it is understood, which will be sponsored by Manhattan Local No. 1, that has for its object the amalgamation of all the film theatre owners' organizations in Greater New York. The new clubhouse, it is said, will be commodious enough to accommodate the increased membership of the film club should the amalgamation be con- summated. According to a statement issued by the new officials of the local, the organization is in a flourishing condition and views the forthcoming year with a feeling of optimism. EXHIBITORS TO GIVE BALL The exhibitors of Queens county will shortly give their first annual picture ball under the auspices of the Exhibitors' As- sociation of Queens. The affair will take place at Scheutzen Park, Astoria, L. I. There will be a beauty contest, of which several film stars will be the judges, and the winner will be given an opportunity to become a picture actress. SUES GREATER PICTURES A judgment of $2,019.10 has been en- tered by I. Berliner against the Greater Pictures Corporation. It appears that Berliner, who is the father of one Of the officers of the company, loaned the com- pany the amount, which was never re- turned. FORM NEW FILM CORP. The Atlantic Film Corporation, a state rights organization, has been incorporated in New Jersey. It will handle state rights features for that state, its first one being "Mother." The incorporators are Martin Wohlfarth and A. H. WeatfaU. FILM PLAYERS' CLUB GIVES BALL The Film Players' Club gave an enter- tainment and ball last evening at Palm Gar- den. 58th street and Lexington avenue. The affair was well attended by members of the motion picture industry. WHITMAN TO OPEN EXHIBITION When the Motion Picture Exhibition opens on Feb. 2, the opening speech will be made by Governor Whitman, who, of bite, has become an ardent supporter of the motion picture. MOVIE MAN CAN'T GET BOND Los Angeles, CaL, Jan. 8.—United States Judge Trippet has issued an order allowing the removal of Albert Goldstein, the motion picture exhibitor under indict- ment for violation of the espionage law by exhibiting the film "The Spirit of '76," from the county jail to the courthouse, where he was a witness in a civil case. The motion to allow Goldstein to obey a subpoena in the custody of a deputy United States Marshal was made by his attorney, L B. Rubin. All efforts to secure bonds- men for Goldstein have been fruitless and n j Federal judge will consider a motion for the redaction of Goldstein's bail, which is $10,000. Judge Trippet has refused to have anything to do with the matter, and Judge Bledsoe was one of the committee that passed on the picture, after the ob- jectionable parts had been removed by Goldstein, who is charged with having sub- sequently restored them. Several bonds- men have been proposed, but after investi- gation by assistants in the United States Attorney's office, their liability is not such that would commend itself to Federal of- ficers. CENSORS BUSY IN OHIO CmcrRWATi, Jan. 14.—Movie censorship in Ohio is tightening up, as is apparent from the tour of the state being made by J. T. Maloney and J. H. Lanneck of the Ohio Industrial Commission. This week they visited a picture theatre here and saw a comedy in which half-dressed girls ap- peared. They requested the manager of the bouse to drop the film, which he did. There was, consequently, no prosecution. Several cases of censorship arrests have come up in the past few weeks. UNIVERSAL LOSES SUIT The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court last Friday affirmed an order of former Supreme Court Justice Ordway granting an injunction in favor of Mrs. Grace Humiston against the Universal Film Manufacturing Company and the Universal Film Exchange of New York restraining the defendants from exhibiting a motion picture of herself in a news weekly service known as the Universal Animated Weekly. PATHfi CHANGES RELEASE PLANS Pathe announces that its policy of re- leasing one feature film a week has been changed, and that it will release only one every two weeks. Its releases now ready are Frank Keenan in "Loaded Dice," on Jan. 10. "Innocent," with Fannie Ward, on Jan. 27. "Kidder and Ko," with Bryant Washburn, on Feb. 24, and "Spring of the Year," with Bessie Love, on March 10. PETROVA GOES TO FLORIDA The entire Petrova company took bag and baggage to Miami, Fla., to get sev- eral exterior scenes for the third picture made by the star as the head of her own organization. The company will stay there for three weeks. The picture is "The Life Mask." HART AT WORK AGAIN William S. Hart, the luce-Paramount star, after having completed "Wolves of the Rail," started work on "Blue Blazes Rawden," his next production. In the cast are Maud George, Hart Hoxie, Gertrude Claire, P ibert McKim and Robert Gordon. RIALTO HAS BEBAN FILM As the attraction for this week at the Rialto, George Beban in "Jnles of the Strong Heart" has been selected. In this he plays the role of a happy-go-lucky French -Canadian. REH> PICTURE FOR RIVOLI The current attraction at the Rivoli, New York's biggest picture house, is "Rim- rock Jones," with Wallace Reid in the star role-