Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1921)

November 19, 1921 •EXHIBITORS HERALD 39 Griffin and Burford Seek To Repudiate Statements Address Letter to Herald Publisher Contradicting Certain Facts in Regard to Proposed Investigation of First National EXHIBITORS HERALD regrets to be compelled to state that C. C. Griffin and W. D. Burford, members of the board of directors of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners cf America, following a discussion of the matter at the national headquarters of the organization, are attempting to contradict certain facts and assertions incidental to the proposed invesigation of Associated First National Pictures, Inc., as revealed during the recent meeting of subfranchise holders of that company. The following letter, with which Mr. Griffin and Mr. Burford obviously are seeking to make peace with forces in the theatre owners' organization which are insisting upon the investigation, has been received: Exceptional Head I ALEXANDER BEYFUSS at the last meeting of the board of directors of Exceptional Pictures Corporation was elected president of that organization. He has been serving in the capacity of vice-president and general manager. To Mr. Beyfuss' initiative must be credited the rapid growth of this comparatively new organization in the industry. Society of Organists 1 Plans Reception for Noted French Player (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8.— The Society of Theatre Organists announces that it will hold a reception sometime this month in honor of Marcel Dupre, organist of Notre Dame, Paris. The affair will be held at the Magna Chordia studios, 10 East 44th street. Many of the foremost musicians of this city have been invited. In speaking of the reception an officer of the organization said: "This event is significant in indicating the high plane toward which progressive theatre organists are striving. It demonstrates the fact that the society, by its examinations and general policy, intends to bring picture playing as far as possible under the domain of musical art." Jerome Storm Directs New Coogan Features (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8.— Sol Lesser, who has been here, announced that Jerome Storm would direct the future Jackie Coogan productions. "My Boy" is completed and Storm will assume charge of direction with the beginning of the next picture, scheduled to take place within two weeks. Goring at Paramount (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8.— John P. Goring has arrived here as exploitation manager of the Los Angeles Paramount offices. New York, November 4, 1921. Mr. M. J. Quigley, Editor, Exhibitors Herald, 417 South Dearborn St., Chicago, 111. Dear Sir: Your article in reference to the First National investigation by the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America in your issue of November 12, 1921, on Page 35, is a deliberate distortion of the facts. Your statement that various members of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, which included ourselves, informed our National President, Sydney S. Cohen, "that they could no longer approve of the contemplated investigation of the management of the affairs of Associated First National Pictures, Inc.," is absolutely untrue, and no such message was conveyed to President Cohen in any way. The statement attributed to W. D. Burford "that the explanation of officials of Associated First National Pictures, Inc., had shed a new light on the affairs of the company and that the investigating program was not called for" is a deliberate falsehood. No such statement was made by Mr. Burford. The undersigned will ask you to give the same publicity in your next issue — November 19, 1921, to these specific denials, which the undersigned subscribe to, and that we are above all loyal to the organization of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, of which we are both officers; that any statements to the contrary are as unfounded in fact as your article printed in your issue of November 12th, 1921. Assuring you that our Organization, which was formed for the protection of the independent motion picture theatre owners of the country will always act for the best interests of its members, we beg to remain Very truly yours, (Signed) C. C. GRIFFIN W. D. BURFORD [A Statement from C. C. Griffin and W. D. Burfcrd to the trade in general appears on page 40.] Fontaine Fox Guest of Film Advertisers (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 8.— Fontaine Fox, cartoonist creator of "The Toonerville Trolley" and other humorous sketches, and Julian Ollendorf, originator of many popular motion picture cartoon comedies, were the guests of honor at the weekly luncheon of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers, on Thursday, November 3. Captain Alfred Davis of the Pavilion, Marble Arch, London, and Guy Newall, an advertising man prominent in London film circles, also attended the luncheon and spoke of their work abroad. Edward R. Russell, chairman of Ideal Films, Ltd., of London, gave an interesting talk on a series of educational war films he has brought to this country. Expose Activities of Gang Whose Film Thefts Are Rated at Million (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8. — The activities of an expert and daring gang of film thieves whose operations in the various exchange centers of the country durnig recent months have netted them films said to be valued at more than $1,000,000 have just been exposed here. Thousands of feet of film, it is declared, have been stolen from exchange centers and smuggled to San Francisco, New York and other ports and then shipped to South America and Oriental cities. Detectives have been working on the case for weeks. Until a clew was found following the theft of films featuring Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin in Buffalo recently the detectives were baffled in tracing the stolen property. This information, however, brought the sleuths across the continent to San Francisco where every effort is being made to locate the loot. Leaders of the gang are said to have obtained large sums of money from the illicit sale and exhibition of stolen films in foreign countries.