Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

80 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 28, 1922 LETTERS From Readers A forum at which the exhibitor is invited to express his opinion on matters of current interest. Brevity adds forcefulness to any statement. Unsigned letters will not be printed. "I Thought I Was Hooked " NORTON, VA.— To the Editor: Just a word from one of the many who receive your splendid publication, also from one who will never be without it as long as he is in the movie game. Your department, "What the Picture Did for Me," is worth the price alone of the Herald and with all the remainder of your Herald thrown in, it is worth — well, to be perfectly frank about the matter, I am afraid to tell you what I think it is worth to an exhibitor like myself for fear you might raise your price to somewhere near its true worth" and that would be mighty high. When in Washington last June, booking some picture, a man approached me in one of the exchanges and asked me to subscribe to a certain motion picture publication. I thought, "Well, he is catching suckers," but I bit and subscribed. I would just like to see that man long enough to sincerely offer an apology for having such a thought. The man in question was your representative. The publication I bought was the Exhibitors Herald. An honest confession is good for the soul. Hence, the above. It is useless to wish vou success for the quality of the Herald merits the same and you cannot keep a good thing down— C. P. MacDonai.d, manager, Strand theatre, Norton, Va. Some Advice on Booking CHALMERS, IND.— To the Editor: In reading the Herald from time to time I occasionally notice where some exhibitor is lamenting because he has to buy so many pictures he doesn't want in order to get a few he does want. This is especially true of the small town exhibitor who cannot show but one or two nights per week. If he has a particular star that is a real drawing card, they compel him to buy other pictures that are starred by people who are not drawing cards. The result is that what business you build up by showing popular stars is torn down by showing pictures that are starred by the ones who are not liked. The small town exhibitor has his hands tied by not being able to buy pictures that his patrons want to see, but is forced by some well paid cuss in the exchange office to buy what he can't sell. What the exhibitor in the small towns should do is to refuse to buy pictures he don't want and if they won't sell them what they want, just tell the film company to take their service and go to the devil with it and refuse to sign any more contracts for service they don't want. If I was to say all that I think about this matter, I am afraid it wouldn't look well in print. 1 just wonder what some of the other "little fellows" think about it. I always <?njoy reading the Herald and one of the best departments is "What the Picture I >i<l for Me." \\ iih best wishes. M \rion Wilson, manager, Happy Hour, theatre, Chalmers, Ind. More on Useless Expense EUFAULA, OKLA,— To the Kditor: I have just read the article by Mr. W. P. NORMA TALMADGE in a scene from "Love's Redemption," her latest First National picture. Perry of Cheyenne Wells, Colo., in which he mentions the numerous mistakes of the distributors in sending out small articles by express instead of by parcel post. He does not go far enough as he does not mention the C. O. D. usually put on by the distributor in spite of the fact that all of the exchanges are holding from one to several hundred dollars of exhibitors' money. They are afraid to trust the exhibitor for so much as a one-sheet. I will mention one case that happened to me. I ordered paper from an exchange that was holding over $100 deposit money of mine and they were short the two onesheets. They had them shipped from their Dallas office, C. O. D. 30 cents ; the express was GO cents and return charges 25 cents, totaling $1.25 for two one-sheets. The only way I can figure it out is that 90 per cent of the exchange men are crooked and think everybody else is crooked also. I would like to meet one man who has ever gotten a square deal out of an exchange. I always pay cash for my serials and have the first one to finish yet that there was not a C. O. D. on the last episode, in spite of the fact that all advertising had come to me C. O. D. — L. R. Creasox, Palace theatre, Eufaula, Okla. Hunter Finishes Picture In Which He Is Starring Glenn Hunter has completed work on "Apron Strings," the first of the TuttleWallcr Productions in which he is starred. The picture is being cut and titled in the Glendale studios. Frank Tuttle, author of "Apron Strings," which he directed, is writing a new story for Mr. Hunter which is to be known as "Stage Door Johnnie." Joins Famous Players Mrs. Marie Ginoris lias recently been added to the technical staff of Paramount's London studio in the capacity of head film cutter. Mrs. Ginoris is a veteran in the American film industry, having started with Pathe's New York branch in l()0(i. 'TOPICS OF THE DAY" The Literary Digest EXHIBITORS HERALD k» »»»ei«I tnufnar *M ikm r*iLakm Manager — I like your voice, Miss Gargle, but I can't understand the business with your eyes and shoulders. I can see no excuse in the song for that. Miss Gargle — It is in the music. Right here, after the, introduction, it says "vamp till ready." — New York Daih News. * Acca — You have a good voice. Why don't you cultivate it? Demic — Well, you see, this is a dry climate, and I can't get anything to irrigate it with. — Rice Thresher. * Arthur— How those old songs do haunt me! Gertrude — They should. You've often murdered them. — Paterson (N. J.) Press Guardian. * Speedo — Can your wife sing? Peppo — No; but she does. — "Topics of the Day" Films. * Howard — What good are you at a party? Coward— I can talk to the people who can't sing, and want to sing, and prevent 'em from doing it. — Judge. * News Item: Old Si Lazarus has been sorta puny this week with lumbago and had to be excused from singing at Coon Holler church last Sunday, being too weak to carry a tune, or lift his voice.— Arkansas Thomas Cat. * Roberta— Don't you think her voice ought to be cultivated? Robert— No, I think it should be harvested.— Mil ford (Del.) Chronicle. * A wonderful singer was Mamie McGee She never was known to get off the key She never was known to get off— aw gwan! How could she get off when she nevei got on ?— Vaudeville News. Exhibitors Are Guests at Play to See Otis Skinnei Exceptional Pictures Corporation anc Otis Skinner acted as hosts at a series of theatre parties in honor of a numbei of Pennsylvania and New Jersey exhibitors during the week of Jan. 9 These parties were arranged so that ex hibitors of Lancaster, Easton and Allen town, Pa., and Atlantic City, N. J. where Mr. Skinner played during th( week, might have the opportunity o witnessing his performance in "Blooc and Sand," the stage play in which hi is at present touring the country prioi to starting work on his second motioi picture, "Mister Antonio," which will b( produced under the direction of Excep tional Pictures Corporation. Danny Gray Here Danny Gray, Marshall Ncilan's filn editor, brought the negative of "Penrod' to the Rothacker Chicago laboratory fo release printing. He expects to pa> New York a short visit before returning to the Coast.