Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1920)

December 25. 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 203 REICHENBACH'S REVUE FILM FOLLIES OF 1920 By HARRY L. REICHEXBACH - Here's a Merry Xmas to everybody who tries to make it merry for anyone else. ** Many pictures produced during the past year were made with slow motion directors. * Some day an assistant director is going to shout so hard through a megaphone, his tonsil will backfire and braise his puttees. Robber got away with $3,000 worth of valuables from John Knnsky's house. If that burglar knew what I know — Oh boy, what he could have gotten! Yes. just what you think — and case after case. « Xmas week will be very quiet with film executives, the courts are all closed. * SeLznick goes out and gets himself another two million pesos. Wonderful, says I. That's a lot of dough, divided by five. * I imagine I know this Big Five announced recently — •Retake," ""Static," "Emulsion," "Otto Focus" and the "Telegraph." Who's the director who recently put on a thinking subject and awoke one morning with his head all bruised? Neither do I. * The Hotel Astor is taking oat bus boys and putting reel boys in the Hunting room. Nick, the head waiter, says cover charges are to be reckoned hereafter from the figures on the tai.e tilths. Warner Brothers are branching out. So many boys in the family they have to find outside sources to keep the family active. Drv Law advocates sav. '"OYER THE STILL TO THE POORHOUSE." * William Fox is going to have a tough winter, what with "Over the Hill," "While New York Sleeps," "Blind Wives." bet the poor fellow won't have more'n ten million dollars when the big thaw comes. » Griffith is telling the public how much profit "The Birth of a Nation" made and offering to let them in on some of the future stuff. Was wondering how many First National Franchise Holders would buy stock. » Morris Gest thinks pictures are injuring the drama. The drama was born with a broken leg — and Gest hasn't even offered to contribute toward a splint. * P. A. Powers is starting a church film service. If this goes over, watch all the salesmen turn their collars around and other churches will resort to bicycling. * The Rev. Dr. Bowlby wants a bigger Lord's Day Allowance. He's paid on Sunday, evidently. The picture business is certainly nice and clean — alwavs in hot water. Why not put a minister who can really entertain his congregation, in every film theatre. See how the sky pilots like competition. « If the average minister could take biblical lore and convert it into interesting sermons, the churches would be full The people demand that they be interested. • What's the use of going to church when you have a nice bed right in your own home. « FUm shows, etc., were good enough to entertain the boys when they were fighting in France and the Y. M. C. A gave Sunday shows regularly. That's all this Christian organization ever did give the boys, by the way. * Anyhow, this is not a Christian country, as George Washington said, and if you don't think he was right, go into the Astor Hunting room any noon. • Adolph Zukor has gone west again and Paramount stock took a big drop. Lord help the boys if ever he took it into his head to go to Japan. z Allen Holnbar's first Kaufman picture cost over 8400,000 cash and some Mex:ti mir.ey. Wonder if Al Lie las a hard time getting his pictures into the Rivoli and Rialto. « First National and Schenck sign twenty million-dollar contract. What's that to big-hearted men like Ruben and Finkelstein, etc Dear Sam Speedon — The Lord Rest Your Soul! EDITH ROBERT* The Iniitrul star, kiowi what little pickaninnies like, in or out of himi. Jack Pickford is going to direct Mary's next picture. Mary is foolish to retire from the screen at such an early age. » Metro office burned out. The black smoke seen coming out the front window was caused by the Nazimova cancellations. All received since that young lady got "Petrovms." » Just think, if George Be ban was triplets he could make three personal appearances a day. « If stars income taxes were based on advertised salaries, the government could pay the Wilsons' traveling bill in one season. * Secretary Houston advises doubling of the admission tax. What's the use, if the returns go through Burleson's post office they won't reach Washington in time for the present administration to mis-use. This is the second anniversary of the first Caruso negative and the first anniversary of the second Fred Stone film. Make it one event and have a regular fire while we are at it. I A dve r tisem en t CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BALL, HOTEL ASTOR (just back of the exchange), Jan. 5. All welcome at ten smackers per anatomy. » " The super-film "Determination"' that has been in the making two years and which according to report has more people in the cast than in any previous film, is just discovering that the first ten years is always the toughest with any ambitious negative. a What's happened to the old-fashioned partv who calls it "Film." Whereas "Fillum" fits the mouth better. « This is going to be a great season for Democratic propaganda pictures. • Everybody's anxiously awaiting the day Woodrow Wilson will begin seeing pictures in regular theatres and be forced to pay the admission tax his cabinet's loose methods forces us to charge. No hurry — anvtime in the next few minutes. « Hi Abrams. head of Big Four, announces his first Chaplin as almost ready. Ready for what. Wm. De Mille saw "Midsummer Madness" and liked it. Also wish to state