Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

September 23. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 23 Cohen Says Exhibitors Must Develop Distribution Plans National President in Address at Boston Attacks Present System of Marketing Films — Number of Other Conventions Scheduled President Sydney S. Cohen of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America in his scheduled address before the joint convention of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire exhibitors at Boston on September 12 attacked the present system of marketing film as antiquated and too costly and declared that the M. P. T. O. A. '"must prepare to develop in a definite way such distribution plans as will most effectively meet this situation." Support Independents and Defeat Monopoly, He Urges It touched upon "trustification" and urged the exhibitors to support the independent as the only means of defeating monopoly. The Massachusetts and New Hampshire convention is but one of the state gatherings which has been held in the past few days or scheduled for the near future. Oklahoma met last week at Oklahoma City ; Kansas Theatre Owners will convene at Wichita on September 25 : Missouri decides the date of its convention next week; Nebraska has called a meeting for September 18, 19 and 20. while Michigan will not meet until October 10 and 11. Lesser and Gore to Bring Big Dramatic Plays to West Coast The big musical comedies and dramatic shows of Chicago and New York are to be brought to Los Angeles by Sol L?sser and A. L. Gore, the film executives told a Herald representative during their brief stop in Chicago last week while en route to the East. A large down-town theatre, sealing 2,500, is to be leased and thoroughly remodeled at a cost of $2.50.000. "The West," said Mr. Lesser, "is in a position to support any and all of the finest attractions now playing in the East and Los Angeles is particularly ready to receive these presentations with open arms. Los Angeles has proven herself in the support of grand opera and it is no more than right, this big city should receive her share of the highly successful stage presentations." Further additions are planned to the chain of West Coast Theatres now comprising fifty-five playhouses. it was stated. The party also included John McCormick, M. C. Levee. Harry D. Wilson, some of whom will attend the First National meeting in New York this week. Wesley Barry to Star In Warner Photoplays; Neilan Contract Ends (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK.. Sept. 12. — Wesley Barry, who was under contract with Marshall Neilan. has been signed for a number of years to appear exclusively in Warner Brothers productions, his contract with Neilan having expired. "Freckles" Barry recently completed two productions for Warner Brothers. "Rags to Riches," and "Little Heroes of the Street." which were produced by Harry Rapf, and directed respectively by Wallace Worsley and William Beaudine. With the completion of the second picture a tour of the country was planned for Barry. Arrangements have been made by S. L. and Jack Warner at the coast studios with G. H. Dumond. whereby the latter will take the freckled youngster on a tour of the principal cities of America. Metro Film Opens New Policy at Loew State (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES. Sept. 12.— Loew's State theatre will change its policy next Sunday, September IT, eliminating vaudeville and presenting first-run motion pictures exclusively. Rex Ingram's Metro production, "The Prisoner of Zenda." will be the opening attraction. It is planned to give premieres of big pictures only. Manager E. C. Bostick is arranging for a gala opening under the new policy. Road Show Bible Film (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. Sept. 12.— Staffs and equipment for road show companies are being organized by Weiss Brothers to present "After Six Days" film version of the Old Testament. All will be under the direction of Louis Weiss with Bert Ennis managing exploitation. In Kansas the exhibitors look forward to the attendance of Attorney General Richard J. Hopkins and the Rev. Earl Blackmail, prominent divine of Kansas. Nebraska holds its convention during Ak-Sar-Ben, the annual fete which brings thousands to the state metropolis. No definite announcement has been forthcoming from Michigan, but the officials of that organization have a number of formidable propositions for discussion. Meets Prior to Convention An executive board meeting will be held in Wichita. Sunday. September 2-1, at 8 o'clock, prior to the Kansas convention, while an address of welcome by Mayor Kemp of Wichita will mark the opening of the convention the following morning. Then will come a closed business meeting and adjournment at 12 o'clock. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 o'clock with another closed business meeting, while at 4:30 an open meeting tor the exchanges and supply men will be held. The big free banquet, to be staged at the expense of Kansas City exchanges at s o'clock, will be the one bright spot of the convention. It is at this banquet that Mr. Blackmail, who is national chapiain of the American Legion, as well as a minister of prominence, will lecture upon a topic that already has created state-wide interest. "Jesus and the Movies." Just what is in store, exhibitors do not know, but the subject of the topic has been widely heralded and anticipation is rife. Will Decide Meeting Date At a meeting next week of officials of the M. P. T. O. Missouri, the date and place of the semi-annual convention of the Missouri body will be decided. A letter from President Sydney Cohen to Lawrence E. Goldman, counsel and secretary of the M. P. T. O. M.. advised Missouri exhibitors of Mr. Cohen's contemplated presence at the convention. With the proposed anti-censorship bill of Missouri now in the grip of routine procedure at the constitutional convention at the state capitol, Jefferson City, the activity of the convention will be centered upon lower film rentals, according to Mr. Goldman. At the meeting last week of the Oklahoma Theatre Owners and Managers Association business of the trade was dis cussed. All of the leading film exchanges had their exhibits in profusion, with a regular midway of carnival attractions. Sydney S. Cohen Talks In his address to the Massachusetts and New Hampshire exhibitors, President Cohen in part said: "Several important changes in the business processes now prevalent in the motion picture industry must be made at once so that the interests of the theatre owners may be more completely safeguarded and the future of our business generally assured. "Present distribution systems are antiquated and must be so changed that the cost of handling pictures will be materially reduced and independent producers given an opportunity to market their product among exhibitors. "Methods in the distribution of pictures now in vogue lead to needless waste, excessive costs and inferior pictures. The system throttles independent effort in picture play making by denying to the independent producer an outlet for his pictures to the public and constitutes the greatest menace now facing the industry. Objects to Block Selling "One of the objectionable phases of this close corporation distribution system is the 'block' selling of pictures, where forty or more pictures by a single company are presented to the theatre owners in such a way as to practically compel them to purchase the entire 'block' of pictures or be denied the right to exhibit any of them. It is an imposition upon theatre owner and public alike. It imposes upon the public inferior pictures having little or no artistic appeal or entertainment or informative value. In the second instance through a control of distribution processes, the same agencies shut out independent effort and deny the public that to which they are always entitled, namely, the highest possible -expression of unhampered art and genius in picture production. "It is obviously absurd and an indictment of the business processes in vogue that the cost of distributing a motion picture should at times reach to 60 per cent of the gross business. This is not the case in marketing of any other product (Continued on page 65)