Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1921)

December 24. 1921 EXHIBITORS HERALD 57 Number of Admission Returns Now Causing Delay in Adjustment (Washington Bureau, Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON". D. C. Dec. 13.— Reasons for the delay of the revenue department in adjusting the admission returns of theatres are indicated in the fact that the sales tax unit, to which admission, rental and other excise taxes are reported, received an average of 380.000 returns a month -during the year. The unit also received 63.000 claims for refund or abatement of taxes or penalties, in addition to which 15.000 were on file at the beginning of the year. More than 6S.000 claims were disposed of during the year, and the number on file unsettled on June 30, last, had been reduced to 10,000. Realart Plans Appeal To Busy Business Men (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13.— The photoplay is to be made more interesting for the business man. That is a decision just reached by Realart, which heretofore has devoted its energies largely to the story of particular appeal to women. Announcement of the new policy was made by Elmer Harris, manager of production, following the arrival of Will Payne, magazine writer, who has made a special feature of industrial articles and fiction. Mr. Harris has mapped out a plan whereby he can utilize the talents of Wanda Hawley, Bebe Daniels. May McAvoy, Constance Binney and Mary Miles M inter, and carry out at the same time his new idea. Levey Acquires Swedish Biograph Company Films Announcement is made by Harry Levey that National Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures. Inc.. has acquired the entire library of scenic and educational pictures, together with a series of comedies, produced by Swedish Biograpn Company. "National Non-Theatrical's library of films, selected for the non-theatrical field, has passed the 1.000 mark." said Mr. Levey. "We are adding to it every day. These Swedish films are particularly adapted for schools and churches, showing as they do many of the less visited parts of Europe, such as Iceland. Greenland. Denmark and Finland, as well as the beauty spots of Norway and Sweden." Charles Ray Gets Rousing Welcome at Boston Depot Boston doffed its garb of dignity long enough to give an enthusiastic reception to Charles Ray when he arrived at the South station. Although the star, accompanied bv Mrs. Ray. Arthur S. Kane, Richard Willis and Albert A. Kidder. Jr., stepped off the train after 10 o'clock at night a tremendous crowd awaited him. Mr. Ray was welcomed by Mayor Andrew J. Peters and Mayor Edward Quinn of Cambridge, which city he visited later. He spent three days in Boston viewing points of interest before proceeding to New York, from where he left for a brief tour of the South. $1,000,000 in Film Destroyed By Dallas, Tex., Fire Nine Exchanges Gutted by Blaze on Film Row — Wid Gunning and United Artists Branches Burn (Special to Exhibitors Herald ) DALLAS. TEX., Dec. 13. — A ravaging fire which swept Film Row in Commerce street Saturday night totally destroyed nine of the exchanges and film valued at $1,000,000. Ten buildings were gutted by the fire which spread so rapidly that firemen could make no headway in placing it under control. AMONG the film exchanges totally destroyed were: United Artists. Wid Gunning. Southern Enterprises. Parker Film Company. Emergency Film Company. Texas Film Company. R-C Pictures Corporation. Peacock Productions and Consolidated Film and Supply Company. Immediate steps have been taken by the companies to establish temporary headquarters and to replenish their supply of prints so as to keep the interruption of service to exhibitors at a minimum. Vaults Save Film from Destruction Fire, which started in the offices of New Era Film Exchange and Blackstone Pictures Corporation at 21 East 7th street. Chicago, resulted in the complete destruction of office furniture of the two companies and considerpble damage to the building. The blaze, which, it is thought originated in the poster room, was confined mostly to the fore part of the building. A number of prints locked in a vault in the rear section of the offices were not reached by the flames. Temporary headquarters of the two companies have been established at IT East 7th street. Frederick Ireland Joins Fabric Studios as Chief of Production Department Frederick J. Ireland, director, has joined the Fabric studios as manager of the company's production department. In his new connection Mr. Ireland will have charge of the division which renders assistance to theatre managers in conceiving and producing prologues and presentations. Mr. Ireland, who has written as well as staged theatrical and motion picture productions, has a wide experience in this field. In obtaining his services the company is following a policy of increasing the service to be rendered by the department. Kineto Review Exemplifies Value of Variety in Films "Nature's Babies." the Kineto Review which is now in its seventh week at the Criterion theatre in New York is said to be an apt example of the Charles Urban idea — that to get the finest results in true educational pictures there is essential a variety that can only come from many sources. In the case of "Nature's Babies." the material conies from probably a dozen different photographers in many parts of the world. Their material is all assembled in the Kineto editing room and out of all of it comes the reel in its final form. Vitagraph Cast in South To Make "Island Wives" Corinne Griffith's next Vitagraph picture. "Island Wives." which contains South Sea island scenes, will be made in the vicinity of Miami. Fla. Director Webster Campbell, with his technical staff and cast, has left for the Southern resort to start work on the production. Included in the company, which will remain in the South for about six weeks, are Charles Trowbridge and Rockliffe Fellows, who have leading male parts. The story was written by Bob Dexter and adapted to the screen by William B. Courtney. Vignola Selecting Script For His Next Production Having just completed a second production with Marion Davies in the star role for Cosmopolitan. Robert G. Vignola now is engaged in reading scripts with a view to beginning a new production shortly. The special just completed was taken from a magazine story by Sophie Kerr entitled "Beauty's Worth." and is said to offer Miss Davies as fine opportunities as did "Enchantment." which was Mr. Vignola's first production with the star. Second Castle-Hodkinson Picture Is in Production Irene Castle, favorite stage and screen star, has started work at the Estel studio under the direction of Edwin L. Hollywood on her second production for \V. W. Hodkinson Corporation. The picture , is from "The Rise of Roscoe Paine." by Joseph C. Lincoln. The first Castle production, which was also directed by Mr. Hollywood, is "French Heels." a story by Clarence Buddington Kelland. "Over the Hill" Tops Blank Record by S400 Word has been received from Lowell Cash, who is exploiting Fox's "Over the Hill" in the Middle West, that the picture broke the house record at the Strand theatre in Des Moines.. Ia.. on Thanksgiving Day by $400. The Strand is an A. H. Blank house.