Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

32 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 10, 1925 Dinner tendered Louis B. Mayer and Harry Rapf, in New York — Just before the vice-president of M etro-GoIdwyn Distributing Corp. and his associate studio executive, left for the Coast Dec. 16, executives of Loew, Inc., and Metro-Goldwyn arranged a banquet at Sherry’s. Many stage celebrities attended, including David Warfield, Raymond Hitchcock, Ina Claire, the Four Marx Brothers and others prominent in the film trade. Stevens Takes Fight Against Reformer to Public People Agree With Theatre Owner That Evangelist’s References to Motion Pictures Were Exaggerated (Public Relations Department) The evangelist, perhaps the most radical of all reformers and notorious because of his persistent misrepresentation of facts, has fallen before the attack of one whom he sought to persecute at Princeton, 111. The plans of the evangelist is to go into a town where for four or five weeks he lets loose a steady barrage at many local institutions, among them the theatre. During that period he collects a neat little sum of money and scampers away to ply his trade in other localities. TJUT one e\angelist in particular, the one ^ who recently held services at Princeton, 111., went a bit too far in his statements about motion pictures and as a result W. O. Stevens, Apollo theatre, there still numbers among his friends those people whom the evangelist endeavored to alienate. As soon as the evangelist had made his scathing denouncement of shows, Mr. Stevens sent an open letter to the local paper pointing out to the “preacher” and to the public wherein the evangelist had misrepresented the theatre. The people believed Mr. Stevens, for they were citizens of the same community and knew of the wholesome entertainment which the exhibitor afforded Princeton. As a result of Mr. Stevens’ immediate retort the “citizens agreed with me that he (evangelist) had gone too far in his assertions.” * * * Here are some of the misrepresentativc and untrue statements which the evangelist made : “No show will pay for sixty days that doesn’t cater to the passions and the depraved tastes of the viciated.” “You like to be lied to when you go to a show. If that show told you the truth about the pictures you look upon the outcome of sin you see pictured there would be so horrible you would lie awake at night in horror of it.” To which Mr. Stevens replied: “As a citizen I fully appreciate anything you have done to improve conditions and approve of your stand against gambling, drinking and other immoral conduct. As a manager of a theatre here for the past sixteen years I can not pass unnoticed your attack on theatres and moving picture shows. “Take ‘East Lynne’ for instance. This play teaches the moral that ‘the wages of sin are death’ and then there are other good plays' like ‘The Old Homestead,’ ‘Shore Acres’ that are uplifting in effect instead of degrading. “Now you mention several pictures mostly of the white slave variety and it is an insult to any community to insinuate that they go to see something smutty or off color. Why, in our theatre local ministers and well respected citizens attend and compliment me on clean shows. “If you live in a community showing the class of pictures you mention or you know of such a community, I should think that would be an ideal spot for a tabernacle.” That is but a part of Mr. Stevens’ letter, but it serves as an example of the Republic Relations activities which every exhibitor must practice in order to properly combat those who too freely misrepresent the motion picture industry. In addition to the letter Mr. Stevens sought to debate the evangelist, a Mr. Harper, but the offer was never accepted. Mr. Stevens did not have to misrepresent. Maybe that was the reason. F. B. O. Gives Bonuses (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30. — A week's salary was given to the employes of Eilm Booking Offices last week as a Christmas gift in view of the fact that the company has made unusual strides in its progress for the year. At the meeting in which the bonus was distributed talks were made by Major H. C. S. Thomson, president; Harry M. Berman, sales manager; Nat. G. Rothstein, director of publicity and advertising. Graf Extortion Plea Dismissed by Court (Special to Exhibitors Herald) SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Dec. 30.— Complete exoneration of the charges of extortion was the decision of Judge Lile T. Jacks, recently, in the hearing of several directors and executives of Graf Productions, Inc., in which Max Graf had become the complaining witness. The defendants named were Leon M. Rey, George Newman, Albert Casper, Harry Lapidaire and J. Hesser Walraven. The defendants pleaded that the common stock which they received from Max Graf, and upon which he placed a valuation of $200,000, did not belong to Graf, but that it really belonged to the stockholders. Poor Business Noted in Christmas Season (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 30,— Extremely poor conditions were reported generally by exhibitors in this section during the period following Christmas up to the present time. While some declare that business has had a greater slump than in recent years, others feel that because business during the fall months has been so good they do not feel a complaint should be made. On New Year’s eve many of the larger theatres plan midnight shows, expecting good attendance. Elect Two Companies to Hays Organization (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30.— At the regular quarterly meeting of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association last week Inspiration Picture Producers and Kinograms Publishing Company w'ere elected to membership. The membership of the Hays organization now numbers twenty-three producing and distributing companies. Brown in Hall of Fame (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30. — Clarence Brown, producer of the Universal Jewel, “Smouldering Fires,” has been voted a place in the Hall of Fame at the University of Tennessee. This is a new honor which the school is bestowing upon its graduates who have made unusual achievements.