Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr 1923-Apr 1924)

Page Four CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST AN INVALUABLE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. PROMISED FOR CANADIAN EXHIBITOR Service Stations for Theatre Owners Benefit Part of the Great Scheme Being Developed by M. P. T. O.—Canada to Have Her Own Station When Canadian Division Becomes a Reality in September. The establishment of Theatre Ser vice Stations in different parts of the country is now engrossing the attention of Theatre Owners throughout the States and, will as the movement proceeds, lead to the placing of a station in Canada. When the Canadian Division of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America becomes a reality, the utilization of all of the beneficent processes now in the States will, of course, be made available for the Canadian Exhibitors. The service station is a central office placed in a given territory to take care of the interests ‘of the Theatre Owners in that. section. There is a manager in charge, who is well versed in all matters affecting the interests of the Theatre Owners and his special duty is to first acquaint himself with the elements appertaining to the handling of theatres in his district, become familiar with the owners and managers of the various theatres and hold himself in readiness at all times to hear such complaints as they may have to make regarding film distribution or other conditions, and then take up these complaints with the Exchanges with a view to arriving at helpful conclusions and saving the Theatre Owners unnecessary loss and painful delays in business. Because of this close affiliation between the Theatre Owners and the Manager of the Service Station who is there generally and meets with the exchange managers, many complaints can be readily handled, where, tf permitted to remain unsettled until such time as letters and other means of communication might be sent to the main offices, would result in endless difficulty for both sides. THE GENERAL WELFARE. The Service Station Manager seeks to comprehend the need for the ‘heatre Owners in all directions. He watches zealously and carefully over local legislative matters, police and fire department rules and other circumstances affecting the theatres and formulates such plans and processes as to him seem most expedient in conserving in every way the general welfare of the Theatre Owners im his territory. He has no special duty. His business is general, and is rendered special only when handling definite cases. He represents in every way, the Theatre Owner, and is always at his post to take care at once of anything that may come along of an individual. nature, when necessary. to bring into action the united efforts of all Theatre Owners in his territory, moves in that direction. | This matter is being taken up by the Motion Picture Theatre Owners in the States and is being pushed with considerable vigor at present in New York City, which is the Home Office of the different producing and distributing companies. A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America is being held in Atlantic City,-New Jersey, August 6, 7 and 8th. At these meetings, matters affecting the Canadian Exhibitors will be discussed, plans formulated definitely for the organization of our Theatre Owners and a report on that matter will be submitted immediately following the busy season. Strict Provision Made for Safety of Movie Fans The draft of the new bylaw regarding moving picture theatres which came before the last Montreal council meeting provides for a strict regard for the safety of patrons and makes the risk from fire in the projection room as small as possible. Provision is made that no portable booth for operating a projection machine shall be used in any moving picture hall. The booth must be entirely constructed of incombustible materials with a coating inside and out of one inch of ‘cement fastened with metal lathing. No booth must be placed over an exit, and the door must be a standard automatic fire door. There must be only two openings in the booth, one for observation and the other for operat-: ing the machine, and such openings must be provided with sliding doors that close automatically in case of fire. The bylaw also contains instructions as to the cases for films and the process of winding and the new law will apply to all existing theatres as well as to new ones to be erected, but not to halls in which movie exhibitions are occasionally given, such as schools, colleges, convents or church _ basements, etc. In these the use of machines with arc lamps is prohibited. _ Gravine, Corinne Griffith’s Contract Covers Period of. Years Under the terms of a starring contract Corinne Griffith has become a First National star. Negotiations were concluded recently for the distribution of a series of Corinne Grif— fith productions over a period of years through Associated First National Pictures, Inc. The new unit has been organized by EK. M. Asher, New York representative of Mack Sennett comedies ; Charles R. Rogers, formerly manager of distribution of two of the largest producing companies and Edward Small who has guided the destinies of many famous stars and directors. Simultaneously with the announcement of the starring contract it was stated that Miss Griffith has been selected to play the leading part in Gertrude Atherton’s “Black Oxen,” the sensation “best seller” of the past year, the screen rights of which were purchased by First National several months ago. “Black Oxen” is regarded as a most valuable modern novel for screen purposes and _ speculation has been rife as to who would play the role of Madame Zatiany, Mrs. Atherton’s heroine. The new producing unit will be known as Corinne Griffith Productions, Inc., and has adopted a policy of filming only proved successes of fiction and stage. It is possible that “Lillies of the Field,” a stage success recently purchased by Corinne Griffith Productions, Inc., will be utilized for Miss Griffith’s second production. The contract was signed after a conference between Richard A. Rowland, general manager chief of First National, Earl Hudson, production chief of First National units at the West Coast studios, who made a hurtied trip East for the purpose, John McCormick, western representative of First National and officials of Corinne Griffith Productions, Inc. Support Five Year Old Star So well did Frank Currier fit in with Baby Peggy’s company i “Whose Baby Are You?” that he has been assigned, together with Cesare Gladys Hulette, Edward Earle and Lucy Beaumont, to support Baby Peggy in her next feature at traction, “Editha’s Burglar” by Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett. Will Again Frances Marion is adapting “Dust of Desire,’ Norma Talmadge’s new photoplay which will be started within a month. She will co-direct the production with Chester Franklin. : Ghd BRAG Pictures Read The Digest Aduertismy Pages: