Billboard advertising (Dec 1917)

DECEMBER 8, 1917 The Bi llboard 377 opinion of exhibitors from that the personal and candid op ciated by exhibitors everywhere. ‘Will YOU do your part by sending of your views? together with a short summary of conditions as they obtain in your locality? Your co-operation in this connection will result to the ‘mutu advantage of all exhibitors reading this column. Your letter. will be published in the order in which it is received in this department permits. Address all communications to MOVING PI innati, O. HERE'S GOOD NEWS : chicago, Noy. 29, 1017. MP, Balter, The “Biltboand, Cincinnati, 0. Teg to advise that we have absorbed the excise footage tax on films, ‘We uo not Intend to add any unnecessary aditional Darden onto the exhibitor, or even the pbc, c (Signed) WHOLESALE FiLMs CORPORATION, Per M, J. Welsfeldt, General Manager. New York, Nor. 30, 1017. Mt P, Ealtor, The Diliboard, Cincinnatt, 0. ‘Sir—It is the intention of this company to asrome the footage tax on Sims, ‘We deem it wn-American and unpatriotic to codeavor to pasa this on to the exhibitor, and frm the exbibiter to the public. (lmed) JAXON PILM CORPORATION, Per Frank A. Tichenor, New York, Nov. 30, 1917. M. P, Editor, ‘The ‘Biltboard, Cincinnati, 0. It 9 not our intention to charge the exhibitor the footage tax at the rate of 15 cents per reel. We bare decided to stand this charge ourwere, as we Delleve that. the exhibitor ts Telog taxed muMiclently from other sources. (Signed) U, 8, EXHIBITORS’ BOOKING CORP... Per Prank G. Hall. Boston, Dee, 1, 1017. Mortog Pletore EAitor, ‘The Billboard, Ciactanatl, 0, Dear Sir—Wiah to state it ts not the tntention ‘of the Globe Feature Film Corporation 35 cents per reel footage tax to the e: Very traly yours, LODE FEATURE FILM CORPORATION, Per H. G, Segal, General Manager. WHY CLEVELAND EXBIBITORS SUED THB MANUFACTURERS STATEMENT BY THE COMMITTEE a August, 1014, the war began, Bince December of the same year motion pice tore theater managers ayo paid a seat tax doc to the war catting.of U, & revenues previously derived from foreign trade, 4a April of present year, 1917, while Congress Was framing tho, war revenue law, now in force, Cleretend exhibitors went on record In favor of high rate of income tax, with the lowest pov. sible exemption provision, ‘$1,000 for single mea 424 $2,000 for married, oppoerd admission taxce 4m any form and so notifled Congress thra oor Senators and Congreemmen. Fred J. Herrington carrled copies of our resolutions, ‘as National Organizer, to seven State conventions, and they (wok similar action, League members were shocked to receive tele. ‘rams from President Lee A. Oche 2 month ‘ater, supplemented by telegrams from the attomey of the Pathe Company. asking, exhibitors to wire Congress opposing the footagd tax oa. ‘im and favoring an admission tax on recelpts. Meanwhile, Varner, of. Carolina, was on the Sound at Washington, denouncing Ochs and the Rumfacturers for trying to ‘‘douSe cross" exiitors, There aro historical facts. . ‘The muddle thos produced was APPARENTLY ‘ltared up somewhat by July, aad at the Obt(180 convention we were assured that the mat{er had been settled and the motlon plctore {ide was to bo tet atone, chledy because the Mownien bad given euch loyal co-operation in ele of Liberty Bonds and other propagenda Octoter 3 brought another shock, which stowed that the manufacturers had failed to ste thelr own bus 1d had dragged ten thousand ten-cent theater exhibitors in with poe! by advocating jointly with Lee A. Ochs * the adraiesion tax on tickets, It then be: ‘ime a ontional law, tise; Eettlloha immediately “advised all 'ex tors to do business as usual, keop a record AS THE EXHIBITOR SEES IT Under this caption we propose to publish the views and expressions of parts of the ‘country. ions of representative exhibitors as to the present status of the motion picture industry, and especi the betterment of ‘present conditions affecting them, will be read and appre We confidently be ly suggestions for us a brief right-to-thi int expression space ICTURE EDITOR, care Bill Tt ts no longer = question of “Who ts to blame: selbst “What are wo golng to do at Washing toa? ‘We can at least prove’ that“chaos now exists tn our ‘business. and ask. for. relief. ‘That ie -why: Cleveland: sued the manutac tarers, (Signed) SAM BULLOOK, W. 3. sLmuoM, .-3. SIMPSON, GEORGE HEIMBUCH, 84M AUBLEY, ‘Committee, ‘November @f, 1917, Frank J, Rembosch has finally got settled tn the new offices of the American Exhibitors’ Assoclation at Indianapolis and’ has started the ‘to’ working, Now watch thiags bum. *€. ©, Petttjohn’s omces adjoin those of the association and the two will work in perfect wrmeny and to great good purpote, ‘The whole picture game has got’ to be reor~ comparing November receipts with the receipts ‘of November, 1010, and prepare statements for action on @ repeal or a revision of the law if Fesults warranted such action in December. On the other hand Lee A. Ochs advised very Doblicly: “Raise your prices of sdmiasion’ and Dass all the taxes on to your patrons." Another Muddle followed. Those who could ralse did. 40, chiefly the strictly high-class “20 per centera." ‘They went.up a nickel—not all of them the. : Another “10 per cent group” raised @ nickel ‘and are paying the tax, : ‘Meantime the great backbone of the industry —the ten ‘thousand “70 per centers""—find that sanized and this time it must be reared upon a foundation provided by the exhibitors, ‘No other scheme of reorganization is worth conteimplating. ‘The basic principle must be “Exhibitors First."" | _D. W. Grimith’s big spectacle, Intolerance, has been booked for a two-day run at the Quimby, ‘Theater, Zanesville, and for three days at the Auditorium, Newark. Both theaters were booked last week by H.. Wayne Pierson, who is representing the Grifith office in Ohic. Intolerance is to be shown at the legitimate theaters in Columbus, Cincinsiati and Cleveland later in the season. ..M. H.-Hoffman thinks that present dire conditions are ‘only temporary.. He expects better Mfr. Cohn is the new manager of the Liberty Theater, Spokane, Wash.. succeeding R Rufuer. wei Anon thruout the Northwest baviog cured Promineot in newspaper work.” Aitho young 10 70825, SAM-W. B. COHN: He Is etttiony with een, teritior, with numero atractions, and bering 11 cents and 6 ceats fe emptying thelr theaters, ud ay the lm exchanges started ently in October -to assess and collect thelr “I5-ceat per reel war tax,” they became frantic. Something must be done, Tt was then that Cleveland men decied to get to show Wasbington the chaotic conditions Drought about by “somebody's muddling,” Jost a5 Loyd George's “bratally frank speech" at Paris has brought about interallied ‘co-operaWon, we figured that court action against the manufacturers woold do" Ukewlse and induce ‘Washington to meditate carefully. ‘We expected a friendly test-of the Inw would clear the .atmoephere, but our ‘friends,"” the manvfacturers, showed no such alaposition. "They Diocked erery move.in che court proceedings at Cleveland thle week ‘and prevented the opeatag of our cate for evidence: completely, meeting with our committée after the Inalated that the ONLY SOLUTION was for the 10,000 “£0 per: centers". to alae. to 15. cents, admitting 4€ “might: put ‘half of them oat of Doslaess ne well w= Dal? of the mavufacturers"* ‘Can the trade stand thle? If s0,-which helf? times soon, but declares distributors will have to absorb ‘the Zeotage tax before things will degin: te-tecorer, Wilt the public pay Afteen cents? That ts ‘the big question. We want exhibitors te write ‘The American Soclety of Authors and PudUshers is working bard at the plctere houses in Philadelphia, all of them having recelved thelr final, notice this week to probibit the playing of thele. compositions without = Icemte, oF sult wilt be Begun for infringement damages. Acconting to King Perry the Michigan members of the A.B. A. are not golng to pay that footage tax if they cam help it At a recent meeting they got Aghting mad and agreed to stick tight and “show ome of the wise ables ~_ SENIOR AND LARGEST MANUFACTURER ———or—__ INDUSTRIAL MOVING PICTURES IN-THE WORLD = Photoplays made to order. ROTHAGKER FILM MFG. CO., 1 1238-51 Diversey Parkway, Chicago, U.S.A, that they can not beat the A, B.A” stutl, Perry; we're with you, ‘The Liberty Theater, Wheeling, W. Va., was ‘opened recently. Cleveland ‘Theaters bare started to compty with the suggestion hinted at from Washington ‘that conservation of fuel may.be accomplished thra the curtailment of electrical displays. The And to take this step are the Alhambra and ‘Mall motion pleture theaters, which houses: will Ienceforth sbut off thelr outalde lighta at 9:30 Sorember 12 saw the opening of the new Oak‘wood ‘Theater, Toronto, Can,’ and those who Know say that at’ was a sight worth seeing. James Crang, Sr., owng the house. Good 1. N, Coben, manager of the Burbank. Theater, Los Angeles, arranged for a performance of the Chinese Fan Tan Comedy ‘Trio, playing as headliners at bis house, for the benefit of the ‘Bed Cross, at the Canfield residence in Los Aneles, James Bronson, well-known fight promoter, who has the lease on the Empress Theater in Joplto,, Mo, 4s running feature pictures... Jimmy has-a World of ‘frlénds in that territory, and his venture should be successfal. ‘Walter Murray has beet of the Coloniat ‘Theater, Eleventh and Moyemencing avenue, Philadelphia, He is one of the ploneers of tlie Motion Picture Operators’ Unlon, Local No. 307. ‘ ‘W. D. Nields, formerly manager of the Tioga ‘Theater, Philadelphia, assumes management of the Academy of Musle and the Colonial Theater, playing vaudeville and plctores, at Hagers ppolnted manager Shelby A, Moran, president of Michigan State: King Perry, secretary of tho Detroit local of the A. B. A., and Ray, Branch, State organizer, have been doing some great work in behalf of the American Exhibitors’ Assselation. ‘Tho Michigan State organization 1s one of the strongest units of the A. BL A., and, these three deserve credit for the parts they have played. ‘The Arcade Theater, Walla Walla, Wash., ts running exclusive Paramount and Arteraft pletures, and Doe Cram, who, by the way, is a Boston product, bas them packed every show. ‘The exhibitor ts doing his bit nicely right now. The war tax in Chleago on motion ple~ tres alone averages $60,000 = week, ‘The American Theater, Walla Walla, Wash, ron by A, W. Euler, is a new bouse, senting. about 1,200, and 1s popularly known as Walla Walla’ feature picture and vaudeville house. ‘The Whip eclipsed anything shown there, with the exception of The Birth of a Natiog., The est big one will be the Lone Wolf, F Some Philadelphia picture house managers have informed the Authors and Publishers’ Soclety tbat thelr pianists do not play any of the forbidden copyright compositions, as thelr musicians compose all thelr own mosle. . Some composers or some music, which? P. T. Barnum said ‘they Mked to be Tooled.”” but somehow .thie -@oem't hold good with the picture et@lences. There were quite a number ‘of exhibitors who switched thelr prices when the tax went into effect, making a five and teacent advance, with the bold amertion: “We pay the war tz." ‘The public didn't like Mt. they knew what the tax was and knew what they ad been accustomed to paring. and that they sere belng hoodwinked oot of three or more ‘cents, and ‘right there they balked. Most of these’ managers have avritched back to thelr old Dricen, with the war tax additions, 0d. Dust ees goes on “an woual.”” ‘The moral tm don’t imlarepresent. Harry Nekon, ef te Trincess Theater, St. James, Mion., 15 a lve wire and doesn't figure tat town deail, He gives as much attention to Dig features as soxe of the big town suow menagers, 5 The Liberty Theater, Walla Wala, Wash, seems to be packing ‘em in at every perform ance with Goldmya and Bluebirds, mingied now and then with a sprinkle of Fox, and, for dessert, vauderille, ‘The new Dense tn Dirkinson, Mont... opened to a grand display of enthasisxm ‘Thaakegiving Day, under the msanazement of T. E. Vallancey, It ts whispered that Charles Thall, manager of The Birth of a Nation, and later connected with the Eyes of the World pleture, is coonected with @ moving picture concern which ‘will have two new houses at cantonments. After muth discussion by the Pennsylranta Board of Censors the Hungry Heart, featuring Pauline Frederick, was passed and is drawing ‘good business in varlous Philadelphia oases.