Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

20 EXHIBITORS HERALD July 22, 1922 Hays to Aid Entire Industry, Not M. P. P. D. A. Alone Producer President Addresses Convention of National Education Association in Boston (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, July 11. — Will H. Hays is not going to be content to help only members of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America, of which he is president. He has the entire industry at heart, and this much he expressed in a letter addressed to Gus Schumacher, general manager of O'Conor Productions. IN reply to a query from Mr. Schumacher asking if non-members would receive any consideration from the producer — distributor chief, Mr. Hays wrote : "We are organized for the purpose of helping the motion picture industry, not any particular company. While naturally our first duty is to our members— we would not have been in existence if it were not for our members — we are at all times anxious to help anyone in the industry. * * * "Our constant aim is to be of%benefit to those who are working to increase the moral and educational value of motion pictures, and are glad at all times to receive suggestions as to how this can be best done. I appreciate very much your assurance of loyalty to, and cooperation with, this association." It is understood that Mr. Schumacher will suggest to Mr. Hays the organization of a division for short-subject producers and distributors, membership being confined to the comedy and educational field. Since his association with the motion picture industry, Mr. Hays has been in constant demand as a speaker at conventions of educational, welfare and other organizations. Last week he addressed the National Education Association, meeting in Boston. The producer president told the educators that the one way for them to help "us make good pictures is by refusing to patronize bad pictures." * * * He pledged cooperation with the N. E. A. that further progress might be made by the industry. "On behalf of our organization," he said, "I offer to your association all of our facilities to aid in your experimentation. There is already a great demand for pedagogic pictures. I propose "Herald' News Story Prompts Editori al Aid A news story in the June 17 issue of this paper has made a great deal of money for one of the nation's best showmen and his competitors through the influence of a precedential newspaper written as a result of its publication. The "Herald" is the only trade paper that makes money for readers from cover to cover. TURN TO PAGE 31 that we jointly study that demand and that we jointly find ways and means of supplying it. Let a committee be appointed by this association made up of the very best talent within your ranks ; let them meet with the great producers of the country and find ways to use our facilities." In denouncing censorship, Mr. Hays said: "The motion picture business objects to political censorship for one great reason — because the motion picture business is an American business." Advertising in Trade Papers Most Effective Says Robert O'Conor (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, July 11.— To judge fronv the hundreds of inquiries received by Robert O'Conor, producer and distributor of the two-reel series of comedies featuring Billy Franey, the state rights market is far from being "dead," according to a message sent out by Mr. O'Conor. "It pays to advertise in the motion picture trade publications," says Mr. O'Conor's message, going on to relate the number of inquiries, traced directly to display advertising in trade papers, which were received. "We made it a point to advertise by letters, post cards, booklets and a teaser campaign, and I want to say that the trade paper advertising is the best bet to get your product before the exchange manager. And the state rights market isn't 'dead' as more than half of our inquiries made us a cash proposition before seeing the product." Rothacker Abroad to Confer on New Plant (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, July 11.— Watterson R. Rothacker, accompanied by his wife and daughter, sailed for Europe on the Majestic July 8. He plans to go direct to London for a conference in regard to the proposed London Rothacker laboratory and then on to Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Rome and Brussels. It is expected that he will return to America Sept. 6. Summer Admission Is Cut by Omaha Theatre (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OMAHA, NEB., July 11.— Admission prices at the Moon theatre have been reduced to 15 cents for matinee and 20 cents for evening, including war tax. "These prices" says Manager Ralph Goldberg, "will be charged just for the summer." Seek Reduced Wages For N. Y. Operators Projectionists and T. 0. C. C. to Hold Mass Meeting; Contract Up Sept. 1 (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, July 11.— A mass meeting of the members of the Motion Picture Machine Operators Union, for the purpose of discussing a new wage scale contract with the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce, will be held in Wurlitzer Hall tomorrow afternoon. The executive committee of the T. O. C. C. will be in attendance, and Bernard Edelhertz and Leo Bracher, speaking for the exhibitors, will present reasons why a revision of the wage scale is necessary. Propose New Contract The present contract between the operators and the T. O. C. C. expires on Sept. 1, and the discussion is preliminary to the arrangement of a new contract. The theatre owners hold that the operators are now being paid war time wages and that conditions in the industry do not justify this. It is not expected that an effort will not be made to bring wages down to a pre-war basis, but an earnest effort will be made for a downward revision. 900 Are Affected Local No. 30C of the operators union, of which Samuel Kaplin is president, has nearly 900 members, and it is expected that nearly all of these will attend the mass meeting. New Lynbrook Theatre Is Leased by Wm. Fox (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LYNBROOK, L. I., July 11.— The new 2,500 seat theatre here, now in course of construction, has been leased by Fox Film Corporation for a term of years from the Merricker Realty Company. The new house is located on Merrick Road and when completed will be one of the most modern on Long Island. It was designed by architect Harrison G. Wiseman. Society Women Appear In Hughes Production (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, July 11.— One hundred Pacific coast society women will apyear as extras in Rupert Hughes' production for Goldwyn "Gimme." The social leaders will lend atmosphere and correctness to the various society phases of the picture. They are being paid $10 a day which they will turn over to charity. Among the players in the cast are Helen Chadwick and Gaston Glass. Stork at Schallerts (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, July 11.— Edwin Schallert, motion picture editor of the Los Angeles Times, Is father of a new eight-pound boy. Mrs. Schallert, former publicity director for T. L. Tally, and child are doing splendidly at Angelus hospital. Plan Extensive Activity (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, July 11.— Jack and Sam Warner and Harry Rapf are back from New York announcing extensive production plans for Warner's Hollywood studios here.