Exhibitors Herald (Sep-Dec 1924)

November 15, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 39 Kansas and Missouri Join Hands to Fight New Insurance Raise (Special to Exhibitors Herald) KANSAS CITY, MO, Nov. 4.— This week saw members of the M. P. T. O. Kansas and Missouri working shoulder to shoulder in effort to defeat one of the most detrimental propositions to exhibitors ever introduced in the Missouri legislature. The measure, Proposition No. 6, which provides for an increase of 6 per cent in insurance, not only is declared a strictly piece of class legislation, but would virtually shatter all benefits received by exhibitors in admission tax elimination. The proposal, in brief, would “hit” all employers in Missouri who employ more than two employes. The bill, drawn by a sub-committee of the Missouri State Federation of Labor and frankly designed to meet the demands of a group of radicals within labor unions, proposes to establish a commission of five, at salaries of $6,000 per annum, and places no limit on the number of its employes. It will put the state of Missouri into the insurance business and place in the hands of a politically appointed commission, the collection, control and disbursement of an initial appropriation of between six and seven million dollars annually thereafter, which the law will require the employers of the state to pay to the commission as insurance premiums. Liability insurance premiums would be increased 100 per cent or more by the passage of the bill. “Chu-Chin-Chow” Film on Metro-Goldwyn List (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 4.— “Chu-ChinChow,” claimed to be one of the most gorgeous spectacles yet seen in pictures, will be issued in the United States by MetroGoldwyn Distributing Corporation, it is announced by Nicholas M. Schenck, a vicepresident of the company. The production, a screen version of the Oscar Asche and Frederic Norton stage success that ran five years in London and three years in New York, was produced and directed by Herbert Wilcox. Betty Blythe is a featured player in the role of Zahrat, the desert dancer. *‘Isn*t Life WonderfuV* Title of Griffith Film (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 4. — “Isn’t Life Wonderful” is the colorful title D. W. Griffith has given to his new production for which he went to Germany to take the exterior scenes. The story has developed into nine reels under the working title of “The Dawn.” The picture is now nearing completion at the Griffith studios in Mamaroneck. Mr. Griffith has been working on the production since July. White Heads Warner Publicity Department (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. _4.— Randall M. White, for twelve years in the advertising and publicity end of the picture business, has been chosen head of Warner Brothers publicity department. Lon A. Young and Watt L. Parker, who have been jointly in charge of Warner Brothers publicity and advertising for the past two or three years, are leaving the employ of the company. Finds $2,873,500 Fire Loss Result of Inflammable Film Mellon Institute, After Research, Urges Use of Cellulose Acetate Base — Fourteen People Killed by Theatre Blazes, According to Investigation (Special to Exhibitors Herald) PITTSBURGH, PA., Nov. 4. — Fire hazards will be greatly minimized if appropriate legislation is enacted against the manufacture of inflammable film, according to the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research of the University of Pittsburgh, which has just issued its report of an investigation of the subject. Cellulose nitrate film (inflammable film) was the cause of thirty-six fires between April 1, 1923, and April 1, 1924, according to the report, with a total property loss of $2,873,500. In these fires, fourteen persons were killed, 1,000 were made homeless, thirteen were burned and three injured. Urges Use of Cellulose Acetate Base in Film The report urges the use of cellulose acetate base in the manufacture of film. The additional expense of using this base would be greatly offset by the measure of safety that it would bring, says the report, which adds that while present regulations have lessened the number of fires they have not prevented the hazard. The report says: “The film almost entirely used at present in the motion picture industry is of nitro-cellulose base It is very infammable and if confined to a small space when ignited becomes highly explosive. If allowed to decompose without burning or to burn in an atmosphere of insufficient oxygen, carbon monoxide in large quantity is given off which is more lethal to human life than fire. Now in Daily Use “The many accidents and catastrophies that have been caused by the use of films of nitro-cellulose base have induced scientists to search for a film composition of non-inflammable nature. “The film that is particularly applicable and has shown its suitability wherever inflammable films are strictly prohibited is one that consists of a cellulose acetate base. “There are millions of feet of noninflammable films in satisfactory daily use abroad and there will soon be available results of educational efforts along this line in France. Inflammable films have been outlawed from Paris after January 1, 1925 — a movement that will undoubtedly prove successful and be followed nationally because the French are appreciative of the value of human life and property and will not permit a few million dollars to stand between assrfred public safety and a demonstrated hazard. “The manufacture of non-inflammable cellulose acetate films is increasing greatly each year in this country and the American industry should soon be able to meet the demands of the motion picture business as well as of non-professional operators. “It is realized that there is a difference in cost of these films which is reported to be three-fourths of a cent a foot, but this would amount to an increase in cost of only six million dollars for the quantity of films, eight hundred million feet, used in 1922, and in producing this safety film on a large scale there should be a considerable lowering of cost of production.” Fires Are Listed In the following list of fires published in the report, the data is given in this order: Place, date, cause, property damage and personal injury. These fires occurred between April 1, 1923 and April 1, 1924. Army Headquarters, Washington, D. C., April 1, 1923, overheated film, $250,000. Danville, Va., April 16, 1923, overheated film, unknown, operator burned. Princess theatre, Wauseon, Ohio, April 30, 1923, overheated film, unknown. Palace theatre. Port Jervis, N. Y., May 7, 1923, overheated film, $20,000. Mexicala, Lower California, May 22, 1923, overheated film, $2,000,000, 14 people killed, 1,000 people homeless. Tejou theatre, Denver, Colorado, May 30, 1923, overheated film, $150, operator burned. Hippodromo theatre, Cleveland, Ohio, June 3, 1923, overheated film, $6,500, operator burned. Elite theatre, Philadelphia, Pa., June 27, 1923, overheated film, unknown. Famous Players-Lasky Motion Picture Co., Long Island City, N. Y., June 22, 1923, fire started in film storage room, $500,000, two firemen overcome. Blue Springs, Nebraska, July 6, 1923, overheated film, $350. Premier theatre, Buffalo, N. Y., Aug. 14, 1923, unknown origin in room, $10,000. Palace theatre, Lufkin, La., Sept. 11, 1923, originated in films, damaged theatre. Paramount theatre, Logansport, Ind., Oct. 5, 1923, overheated film, $2,000, operator burned. Temple theatre, Portsmouth, Ohio, Oct. 16, 1923, films took fire, $100. Cellulose Products Co., Newark, N. J., Oct. 22, 1923, spark ignites films, $10,000, 1 person burned. Ideal theatre, Akron, Ohio, Oct. 27, 1923, overheated film, small, operator burned. Federation Settlement House, New York, N. Y., Oct. 28, 1923, short circuit ignites films, unknown. Cellofilm Corporation, Fort Lee, N. J., Dec. 1, 1923, started in film baler, $5,000, 2 persons burned. Our Civic theatre, Richmond Hill, South, N. Y., Dec. 3, 1923, overheated film, unknown. High School auditorium, Kingwood, W. Va., Dec. 6, 1923, film ignited by resistance coil, films destroyed. Strand theatre, Greensburg, Ind., Dec. 10, 1923, broken fuse falls in discarded films, slight. Lyric theatre, McKees Rocks, Pa., Dec. 22, 1923, exploding film, $6,000. Sunbury, Ohio, Dec. 31, 1923, overheated film, slight. Queen theatre, Navasota, Texas, Jan. 16, 1924, overheated film, $3,000. Victoria theatre, Newark, N. J., Jan. 19, 1924, overheated film, $200. Manhattan theatre, Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 8, 1924, overheated film, unknown, 1 person burned. Fox Studios Hollywood, California, Feb. 26, 1924, overheated film, $50,000, 2 persons injured. Simplex Supply Co., Richmond Hill, N. Y., April 30, 1924, unknown, fire fed by films, $10,000. Strand theatre, Denver, Colorado, March 7, 1924, overheated film, $200, operator burned. Strand theatre, Lerange, Pa., March 8, 1924, overheated film, unknown. Queen theatre. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 10, 1924, unknown fire fed by films, unknown. Star-Casino theatre. New York, N. Y., March 16, 1924, film explodes, unknown, operator burned. Strand theatre, Kansas Ctiy, Mo., March 22, 1924, film fire; origin unknown. Berman Assists Browning LOS ANGELES. — Pandro Berman, son of H, M. Berman, general sales manager of Film Booking Offices, has been appointed assistant to Tod Browning, who has launched the second Gothic production, starring Evelyn Brent, “Silkstocking Sal.“