Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

28 EXHIBITORS HERALD June 24, 1922 .MARTIN J. QUI G LEY PUBLISHER, & EDITOR Published every Wednesday by Martin J. Quisley. Editorial and Executive Offices: 417 South Dearborn street, Chicago, Illinois. (Telephone: Harrison 9248-0240.) New York Office: 1478 Broadway. (Telephone: Bryant 1308 and Bryant 5111.) I. os Angeles Office: 453 South Spring St., (Telephone 600-10.) All Editorial and Business Correspondence should be addressed to the Chicago Offices. Subscription Price: United States and Its Possessions, Mexico and Cuba, $3.00 a year: Canada, $4.50 a year; Foreign Countries (Postpaid), $5.00 a year. Single copy, 25 cents. Copyright, 1022. All Rights Reserved. Copyright throughout Great Britain and Colonies under the provision of the copyright act of 1011. Vol. XIV. June 24. 1922 No. 26 The Search for Stories What is termed a "story committee" has been appointed by Associated First National. The purpose of this committee is to assist producers who are making product for First National in getting desirable story material. This is a good idea; anything and everything that can be done toward drawing into motion picture production the best stories available is of immediate and far-reaching importance. But we hope that First National's story committee will do what is not now being done in a consistent manner by the scenario departments of practically all of the producing organizations: namely, looking beyond current literature and stories of comparatively recent publication for material for motion pictures. To follow the story hunt that is being made by most of the producers it would appear that practically all stories that are worth while for motion picture purposes have been written remit 1 v. Much work is involved in digging into stories of past generations and past centuries, but a rich mine of picture themes is to be found there ! # * * A Changing Industry It is not long ago that such a pronouncement with respect to safeguarding the moral aspect of pictures coming from a neutral executive as was recently issued by Mr. Will H. Hays would have been hailed in many quarters as the height of absurdity. There are those who would have jeered at the idea of anyone outside their own organization even attempting to insist upon what Mr. Hays, in effect, has insisted upon. But many changes have come about and many more are due. The early, riotous days are done and the individual or group which has not as yet realized this is very liable to be seriously hurt. * * * Censor's "Standards" There are several very practical phases of the censorship situation as it now exists which apparently are not being given due consideration in the studios. Irrespective of the principle involved, there are several things being insisted upon almost generally where censorship now exists. Until the system is changed and, at any rate, as long as the boards are in a position to insist upon what they want to insist upon, we see no good reason why producers should continue to waste money on sequences which must inevitably be cut from prints in an important percentage of the territory. An explanation, perhaps, may be found in the fact that producers generally have very little familiarity with what is termed the "standards" of the censorship boards. A little study of this matter will produce a saving. One particular in which pictures are suffering is with respect to incidents of violence and crime generally. As the import of these — as far as the censors are concerned — can easily be made acceptable in the direction, a study of the "standards" appears highly advisable. Re -Takes J. R. M. Well, I see Tom Edison has broken out again with a new set of questions. * * * And everybody is sitting up o'nights trying to figger 'em out. * * * Personally, we don't see what difference it makes if a big manufacturer takes a little chorus girl into a big restaurant and eats a little food, as long as he pays the check and his wife doesn't find out. * * * But it seems to have Thomas A. worried. * * * He forgot to ask which one of the James' boys rode a horse. * * * Or what's a steam roller got to do with a film convention. * * * Or why is water wet. (Maybe he'll include 'em next time.) * * * Dixie Stuff Following the epidemic of "Mammy" songs it was but natural we'd have plantation cabaret numbers. Southern cooking in our restaurants and Southern service. The service is the same. * * * INSIDE STUFF By Dan E. Daily Yea, verily, we say unto you, the life of a col. editor is a merry one. He gets up in the morning and plays nine holes of golf before breakfast and then he goeth forth and scoopeth the rival trade papers 52 weeks a year on items of vast size and importance and in his mornin' mail he getteth two kicks — one from Maine because his Herald didn't come on time and another from Texas because the weather is too hot. -And he getteth hell from the boss in enormous quantities on both counts. Say, it's no cinch, woiking for a trade paper. We'd rather be a Sheik, 'er something. * * * How Exciting It is rumored after they film the Einstein theory they're going to screen the Congressional Record. * * * Our Weekly Fable Out in L. A. there was once an actress who didn't crave publicity and had never "appeared in pictures." »• * * * Sounds Inconsistent A flapper's long suit is her short skirt and her bobbed hair. * * * Another Fable Once upon a time there was a motion picture actress who didn't care for an auto. She had four. * * * "If Winter Comes" isn't worrying the exhibitors just now. It's this d — hot weather. IN THIS ISSUE B] la] section devoted to the stu dios and <<> the people who make r<>«fr« l<'orniM Film liookinsi Offices to llinidlf H-<' mid Independt -tit 41 % l .W s OF THE \\ EEK Connecticut Re-elects True) \. V. Screen Writers' Guild <<> Probe "Bce II DBF VliT>l ENT8 Imerlcan Federation <>f Labor Not so . 40 Brnnton Hum Ijnbltlous I'lnn for n s:t ohlo'N Autocratic Pllm Ceasor is 88 Deposed i>> State Executive 81 nr. Exhibitors Producers C onal il e r 80 "IMn> or l*« y ** Coiitrnrt S3 >l. I*. T. O. A. Officials Hold Pint Coatereaes with Kays IMlM SUBUU] 1 POTCCS lllnlik to 117