Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Dec 1917)

ISI EXHIBITORS H Exhibitors Will Gain Big Business by Stage Theatre Price Boost, Says Hoffman Plan of N. Y. Managers to Charge $2.50 for Seats Previously Sold at $2.00, Will Send Thousands to Film Houses, Avers Distributer R D Looking into the future, M. H. Hoffman, president and general manager of Hoffman-Foursquare Pictures, sees an advantages for the motion picture industry through the announced intentions of the stage theatre managers to raise the prices for seats. According to Mr. Hoffman, the plan of New York managers to charge $2.50 for seats previously sold at $2, raising in proportion all other seats, upstairs as well as down, is certain to send thousands of new patrons into the motion picture houses. Mr. Hoffman declares that what holds true of New York will come to pass throughout the country. "The picture," said Mr. Hoffman, "is essentially designed for the masses. I have always felt that while many thousands of people who go to the stage theatre also feel interested in the motion picture that they form the smaller percentage of the total patrons who go regularly to picture theatres. "But now that stage theatre managers feel it necessary to increase their seat prices from 20 to 25 percent, I cannot refrain from speaking my thoughts that nothing better for pictures could have occurred. I believe I am right when I say that immediately this change of prices in the so-called 'regu lar' theatres goes into effect, that the motion picture exhibitor will find his business jumping forward. Within thirty days thereafter I predict the motion picture theatres of the United States will discover a marked increase in their receipts — due to nothing else than the raising of seat prices in stage theatres. "Without seeking in any way to criticise the proposed action of theatre managers who feel increased seat prices to be imperative, I wish to state that with the picture steadily gaining in popularity as a form of amusement — that such methods are sure to be attended with threatened loss of patronage to the stage theatres. "However, what they lose will be gained by exhibitors — especially those keen enough to recognize the chance which offers to hold the new business which comes into their respective houses. "What I hope these exhibitors will likewise recognize is the necessity of securing the best pictures obtainable. If these men will pause to consider that their increased patronage may be retained permanently if they will book only the best pictures, then the industry will profit by the approaching increased cost of legitimate seat prices." Edna Goodrich Play "Her Second Husband" Flays Social Life A film play that seems destined to make its mark on the social life of the country is "Her Second Husband," written by Hamilton Smith for Miss Edna Goodrich. The film will be published through Mutual. Although the piece is referred to by its author merely as a drama of modern life, it preaches a forceful sermon against the heterogeneous habits of certain social coteries that thrive within hail of Wall Street and carry their associations of the market into their home lives. The play is one that suits Miss Goodrich admirably and seems likely to prove one of her most powerful mediums of photodramatic expression. The ,scene is laid in New York among the striving newly rich of the "war brides" contingent. It vividly portrays the extravagancies of the "social bounder" and the embarrassments of "society" due to the new invasion. Big Feature Rights Gets K. & S. Film Play "Whither Thou Goest" Lee L. Goldberg, secretary and treasurer of the Big Feature Rights Corporation, has closed contracts with Joseph S. Klotz of Klotz & Streimer, Inc., for exhibition rights in the state of Kentucky for "Whither Thou Goest." Mary MacLane Stars in Own Love Story Film for Essanay Co. General Enterprises Makes Sale Record with "The Warrior" Which Stars Maciste Four Western States, New Jersey, Alaska, Canada and Other Big Territories Sold. Dominion Rights Buyers Use Six Copies, Which Is Four More Than Usual Exhibitors soon will be offered a novelty feature by Essanay. The title is "Men Who Have Made Love to Me." It is an elaborate comedy-drama, starring Mary MacLane herself, the noted authoress of unconventional books and magazine articles, and the writer of the story on which the picture is based. Director Arthur Berthelet has spared no pains nor expense to make the settings as elaborate, luxurious and expensive as the wonderful apartments Miss MacLane describes in her story. One set alone, representing seven rooms of the apartment, contains thousands of dollars worth of the most expensive furniture, pictures and rugs. When the camera is trained on the spacious library of this set glimpses of the other six rooms are revealed through wide doors. The story deals with the love adventures of Miss MacLane, and is based on truth. In fact, Miss MacLane was really wooed by each of the six male characters in the picture. Their real names are not used. The picture reveals the love making methods of the six suitors and shows, in turn, how their attentions were received by Miss MacLane. The authoress appears in the role of vampire, but the picture is far different from the usual type of vampire stuff. In the first place, it has none of the morbid features that are usually associated with "vamp" films. It might be called a comedy-drama with a vampire playing the lead. What is considered in film circles a remarkable record, has been made in the sale of state right territory by Arthur H. Sawyer and Herbert Lubin in their marketing of the seven-part screen feature, "The Warrior." Secured by General Enterprises, Inc., of which Messrs. Sawyer and Lubin are the moving spirits, just six weeks ago from Harry Raver, who introduced the spectacle starring Maciste to America, "The Warrior" was heavily exploited by a big publicity and advertising campaign reaching from coast to coast. Immediately following the launching of the exploitation drive bids were received from nearly every representative state right purchaser in the country, many of them coming direct to New York from distant points in order to personally close the contracts. Messrs. Sawyer and Lubin announced this week that in addition to the sale of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia to the Rowland-Clark interests of Pittsburgh, Pa., the following contracts have been negotiated for 22 territorial privileges to "The Warrior:" W. S. Brewster, of the Jordan-Brewster Company, Seattle, has acquired "The Warrior" for the four western states embraced by Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Mr. Brewster also obtained the rights to distribute "The Warrior" in Alaska. The Civilization Company of Newark, has been allotted the state right privileges for New Jersey. The Globe Films, Ltd., of Toronto, Canada, to which organization the Canadian rights for "The Warrior" were sold, have broken all records in the matter of prints used on a feature in this territory. Six copies of "The Warrior" are in use throughout the Dominion, which is four copies above the usual number of prints required for exhibition purposes for the average screen offering. Mr. Sawyer states this week that four contracts for additional territory would be closed with prominent buyers within the next few days, and the rapidity with which state rights for the General Enterprises, Inc., feature are being bid for has more than met his expectations.