Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

January 21, 1922 Organization Formed to Produce Pictures on Cooperative Plan (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS AXGELES, Jan. 10.— Cooperative Producers, Inc., has been organized to produce pictures on the cooperative plan. F. H. Broghan, prominent Coast capitalist, is president of the company, while players associated with it are Lewis S. Stone, Lon Chaney Noah Beery, Henry Otto, David Hartford, lack Donovan and others. The company is capitalized at $250,000. Space has been rented at Universal City and work will commence shortly. Business offices are at 3274 West Sixth street. David M. Hartford is vice president, Edward Alexander, secretary, and E. F. Kelton, treasurer. Rumors Have Sponsor Of Censorship Slated For Political Oblivion (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Jan. 10.— Rumors persist in political circles that Senator Clayton R. Lusk, father of the New York State censorship measure, is to be dethroned by Governor Nathan L. Miller. The senator has been marked for political oblivion because of his delay in obtaining enactment of the censorship bill, according to the rumors. It is said that when the delay continued the governor grew irksome, called Lusk into conference and demanded in rather sharp terms that the bill be revived and passed. Fox Exchange Manager Victim of Pneumonia (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 10.— Louis Green, manager of the Fox Film exchange of this city, died at his home here after a short illness of pneumonia. Mr. Green came to Albany October 1 from New Haven. Conn., where he was manager of the Select exchange. Before that time he was connected with the same company in Boston. A wife and two children survive him. EXHIBITORS HERALD 25 Present German Version of "Two Orphans" to Griffith Action Takes Foreign Picture Off Market— Gift Is Intended as Tribute to Producer's Efforts, Declare New York Brokers (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Jan. 10. — Every once in a while a ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds which usually furnish a barrage for the scramble for dollars in the business of the film industry, but it is seldom that precedent gets such jolt as was given it one day last week. And this is the jolt which has precedent hanging on the ropes and gasping for breath: Immediately after the first presentation of "Orphans of the Storm" at the Apollo theatre, D. W. Griffith was handed a gift of a seven-reel German made version of "Two Orphans." The gift consisted of the negative and positive films, and the copyright in all countries signatory to the Berne convention, with the exception of Germany. Proffer Made by Nathan & Semarad The donor of the picture is Nathan & Semarad, brokers at 81 Fulton street, and the offer was made through Donald Campbell, head of the film department of the concern. The reason for the unusual gift was that the donor believed that in view of the great expense and labor which Mr. Griffith had gone to in making "Orphans of the Storm," no other film based on the "Two Orphans" story should be marketed. Chemical Routs Fans; Theatre Offers Award (Special to Exhibitors Herald) WATERLOO, IA., Jan. 10.— An award of $25 has been offered by the Columbia theatre for the arrest of the person who placed a bottle of vile smelling fluid in the house. The patrons were completely routed by the chemical. The letter proffering the gift to Mr. Griffith follows: Dear Sir: We herewith have the honor of confirming the offer by our business representative, Mr. Donald Campbell, to your Mr. McCarthy, of the negative and the positive prints of the German version of "The Two Orphans," together with such copyrights as go with the film in the countries signatory to the Berne Convention, for which film we own the world rights outside of Germany. This offer is made absolutely without condition and without reservation, and without any expectation of compensation, either directly or indirectly, and we await your instructions in the matter. Receive German Print The circumstances which prompt us to make this offer are as follows: Early in the summer of this year we received a parcel of films from German sent to us by our agent, and upon examination found the film of "The Two Orphans" among them. Knowing that you were in the process of producing a film with the same title and subject matter, on a colossal scale, and that you had laid out large sums of money in doing so, we felt that it would be unethical on our part to ext'loit the same. Nevertheless, various advertisements have appeared in the trade papers without our knowledge or authority and we have reason to believe that the inserters of these advertisements, having learned that we were in possession of such a film, believed that they could obtain our negative by means of an attractive offer. We fear that these various advertisments have been instrumental in causing you to change the title of your films from "The Two Orphans" to "The Orphans of the Storm." To allay any misapprehension on your part regarding the possibility of publication of another ■film with a story similar to yours, which might be exploited, at your expense, we believe that the only honorable thing to do in the matter is to turn over the negative and all the positives that we own. In order that our motives should not be misunderstood we make this offer with the strict est understanding that there be no compensation to us directly or indirectly, and that you are absolutely free to do with this film whatever you wish, and even to destroy it if you think it advisable. We also want to assure you that neither the negative nor any positive print whatever has passed out of our possession. Tribute to Efforts We have every reason to believe that our negative is the only foreign made film of this name in this country and we ask you to accept the assurance that our action is prompted only by our desire to disavow any connection with any advertisements of this film for sale, but is intended as a small measure of tribute to your wonderful and successful efforts to raise the moving picture industry to the high level which it occupies today. Relinquishes Rights on Serial to Theatre Men (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ST. LOUIS, MO., Jan. 10.— Barney Fegan, general manager of Independent Film Exchange, announces he has waived his rights on the "Blue Fcx" serial to permit Exhibitors Direct Service Exchange to obtain the Arrow picture. Incendiary Fire Burns Edwardsport Theatre (Special to Exhibitors Herald) EDWARDSPORT, IND., Jan. 10.— The Edwardsport opera house was destroyed by fire, believed to be the work of an incendiary. The building, a brick structure, was owned by Mis brothers of this city. Mississippi Governor Wants Censor Board (Special to Exhibitors Herald) BATON ROUGE, MISS., Jan. 10.— The governor, in his message to the legislature which has just convened, recommends the enactment of a law establishing a board of censors. Will Attend Premiere (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10.— Maude George has gone to New York to attend „-„~: — „ „£ «t?„_i:„i. in which the premiere of "Foolish Wives she has a prominent part You Are Missing One of the Good Things of Life if you are not reading "The Week in New York," a page conducted by John S. Spargo. It is one of the many exclusive features which makes the Herald different and has earned for it the title of "The Trade Paper That is Read." Wins Legion Contest (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10.— Violet Sheldon, a former Cincinnati girl, sponsored by Madge Bellamy, Ince star, won the motion picture contest staged by the American Legion here to decide upon a lead for a story H. C. Witwer, wellknown author, has written for Legionnaires. Spier Joins Mission (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10.— Richard Spier is now publicity director at the Mission having left West Coast Theatres. Jack Retlaw succeeds Spier.