Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD ^iiii:;llillililiu!ili!iiii!iniiliii; lillllllllllllllllUllnllilllllllllllj^ COHEN EXPLAINS NEW MOVEMENT Chairman of 'Protect the Screen' Body Declares That Producers Are Collecting Fees From Advertisers for Many Films | mmm mm mum iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiuiiiiiiiiiiiii! iiiiiuiiiiimii luminituiiHii n annum i i yi mifflu i iiiin uuniiiu liini n niiiiniiiriil Charging that many of the so-called "educational" and "industrial" films are nothing more or less than direct advertising for various national advertisers, officers of the temporary organization of exhibitors headed by Sydney S. Cohen of New York issued additional statements during the past week explaining the reason of the new movement. Not Hostile to Advertisers "It is not that the exhibitors feel hostile toward the advertisers," Mr. Cohen declared. "It is because certain producers of industrial motion pictures have collected all sorts of fees from national advertisers for the use of exhibitors' screens. These same producers would not dare to 'snipe' the sidewalls of our theatres with an advertisement, but they do not hesitate to 'snipe' our screens with paid advertising." "Under the plan of organization now under way, and which has been completed in the states where there are the most exhibitors, it has been arranged for the advertiser to use the screen and for the exhibitor to receive the benefits therefrom. Advertisers are welcome to use the screens as long as productions are of a standard which will provide entertainment and interest. Use of Money Explained "So that there will be no misunderstanding of the use for which the money obtained from the showing of advertising film is intended, the exhibitors who are in the plan have announced that every cent of it will go into a common fund, with which members of the league will combat problems of general interest. These will include Sunday closing laws, censorship and kindred problem^, as well as a determined and concerted effort to have removed the unjust and burdensome 5 per cent film rental tax. "The time has come when the exhibitor insists on standing on his own SH A W( OULD 3MAN TE LL? ASK METRO feet," declared Mr. Cohen. "The exhibitors will solve their own problems and with a strong organization such as is possible under this plan, they will be enabled to act in all activities independently of the producers." Committee Is Announced The committee now handling the affairs of this new move is composed of Sydney S. Cohen, chairman, New York; Sam I. Berman, New York; Charles O'Reilly, New York; Fred J. Herrington, Pennsylvania; Sam Bullock, Cleveland; W. J. Slimm, Cleveland; H. H. Lustig, Cleveland; King Perry, Michigan; Peter J. Jeup, Michigan. Organizations have been completed in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan. Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, and other states. Mr. Herrington is still touring the country detailing the plan to exhibitors. Seek to Prevent Contracts Special announcements have been sent out to exhibitors all over the country asking them to withhold from contracts which offer them "industrial" and "educational" motion pictures free of charge. It is in this way that hundreds of them have been made to unconsciously give over their screens for advertising purposes for which only the producer of the films received any profit, it is claimed. M. P. Staulcup Named Metro Art Supervisor M. P. Staulcup, eighteen months a Metro art director, has been appointed supervisor of art interiors by Clifford P. Butler, general superintendent of the studios in Hollywood, California. Mr. Staulcup was Prizma's first art director, and did the same work for the Department of Public Information's propaganda pictures before coming to Metro. Mr. Staulcup was Mme. Nazimova's art director in her production of "The Brat." He had entire charge of the art and technical designing in Bert Lytell's first Screen Classics, Inc., super-feature, "Lombardi, Ltd., and for Viola Dana's second Screen Classic, the Japanese fantasy of "The Willow Tree," now Hearing completion. Robertson-Cole Takes Over Larger Quarters The entire fourth floor of the Mecca Building, at the corner of Forty-eighth street and Broadway, with the exception of a few small rooms, has now been taken over by Robertson-Cole and the Robertson-Cole Distributing Corporation. SH A W( OULD 3MAN TE LL? ASK METRO in the Screen Classics, Inc., all-star motion picture from the play. Miss Dunn has left New York for the west coast. Taylor Holmes Shoots Opening Comedy Scenes Use of the Dunwoodie Golf Club in Westchester County and the Delmar estate at Glen Cove, L. I., was obtained by Taylor Holmes Productions, Inc., in making scenes for "Nothing But the Truth," the star's first picture with his own company. Arrangements were made only after a long search that was conducted for places that would convincingly embody the fashionable atmosphere of social life in and about New York City contained in the original stage comedy. "Nothing But the Truth" is the first of a series of pictures which Taylor Holmes will make as an independent producer and release through Metro Pictures Corporation. Two others that will follow are "The Very Idea," the farce-comedy success by William Le Baron and "Nothing But Lies" by Aaron Hoffman. Tom Persons is in charge of the productions for the Taylor Holmes organization. New Griffith Film Titled "Deadline at Eleven" is the title of the new play selected by Albert E. Smith, president of Vitagraph, as Corinne Griffith's next feature. It is a newspaper story by Ruth Byers, herself a newspaper woman and magazine writer, and Miss Griffith will appear as Helen Stevens, a young society girl who leaves the home of her wealthy parents to make her way in the world as a newspaper reporter and becomes involved in a murder mystery while working on a "story." Stage Star in Film Emma Dunn, who created the role of "Angie" in the orignal stage production of "Old Lady 31" will enact that part 110 Gale Henry Starts Comedy Gale Henry, the elongated comedienne, this week started production on a new reelcr for Bull's Eye. under the general supervision of Bruno J. Becker. The first scenes were taken at the shipbuilding docks at San Pedro, Cal., where the company was granted special permission for the work. Miss Henry is supprted by Bill Franey, Hap H. Ward and George Jeske.