Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

28 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 24, 1925 B. P. SCHULBERG is bringing outstanding players to the screen in productions for the state right market. Among the players just signed are, left to right: Anita Stewart, Alice Joyce, Bert Lytell, Ethel Clayton and Mae Busch. Miss Clayton is returning to the screen in “The Mansion of Aching Hearts.” Others of these players will appear in "The Boomerang,” “The TriHers” and “White Man.” 174,000,000 Feet of Film Are Exported in Nine Months Less Than Twelve Countries Not Showing American Product, States Report Made by Chamber of Commerce {IVashington Bureau of E.vhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C. January 13. — One hundred seventy-four million feet (just think that over) of film, were exported by American motion picture companies during the first nine months in 1924, according to a report just issued by the foreign commerce department of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. That 34,000 miles of film went into practically every country in the world, there being less than twelve countries of minor importance not listed as customers to whom America exported direct shipments of film during the period under survey. The department report continues : “Wherever American films are shown — from Norway to South Africa, from Portugal to Japan — American-made motion picture machines are found. “During the first nine months of 1924 government statistics show that we exported $6,545,000 worth of motion picture films — 174,000,000 feet. About three-fourths of this amount was in exposed films — negatives as well as positives — 128,000,000 feet, valued at $5,526,000. The quantity is over 17 per cent greater than the 109,000,000 feet exported a year ago. * * * “The 6,000,000 feet of negatives were valued at $1,070,000, while the 122,000,000 feet of positives were worth $4,456,000. “Our best markets for the negatives were England, France, Italy, Mexico, Germany and Argentina, while our best customers for the positives, ready to be exhibited, were Canada, Australia, England, Argentina, Brazil, japan, Mexico, Cuba, France, New Zealand, Denmark, British South Africa, India, Chile, the Philippines, Sweden and Spain. Some of the out-of-theway places buying American films included Esthonia, Latvia, Hejaz, Siam, Abyssinia, British Eiast Africa, Portuguese East Africa, South Sea Isles, Sumatra, Java and Madura. “During the nine months of 1924 we exported 795 motion picture machines, valued at $299,581, an average price per machine of $377. “The statistics for the same period of 1923 show that 945 machines, valued at $189,198, the average price being $200. Although we exported 150 fewer machines in 1924, a decline in quantity of 16 per cent below 1923, yet the value in 1924 was $110,383 higher, a gain in value of 58 per cent. “Imports of motion picture films in 1924 were mostly of unexposed films, with ex posed negatives next in value and exposed positives third. We imported during the first nine months of 1924, 182,000,000 linear feet of sensitized, unexposed motion-picture films, valued at $2,214,000, larger in both quantity and value than the imports for the entire year 1923. Nearly all these films were supplied by France and Germany. ♦ * J|c “Imports of negatives totaled 1,800,000 linear feet, valued at $353,000, for the nine months of 1924, as compared with 1,700,000 feet, valued at $585,000 for the same part of 1923, a 5 per cent gain in quantity, but 40 per cent lower in value. Imports of positives amounted to 3,200,000 linear feet, valued at $175,000, for the three quarters of 1924 — 44 per cent lower in quantity and 40 per cent lower in value than the 5,800,000 feet, valued at $253,000 imported during the same period of 1923. “The chief suppliers of negatives were Italy, France, England, Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Australia and Panama, while the positives came from France, England, Japan, Canada, Italy and Germany.” Blue Noses Win Censor Struggle in Missouri ^Concluded from Page 31) rising tide of propaganda which is being spread through the agency of the moving picture.” O’Toole Confers at Harrisburg ( special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Jan. 13. — Congressional and legislative activities are being carefully watched by the officials of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. With the congressional session on and the legislatures in thirty-two states meeting, the task ahead is a great one, but with the assistance and co-operation of the theatre owners in the different states and in Washington, D. C., the ground is being well covered, and nothing of interest or concern to the theatre owners is being neglected. National President M. J. O’Toole spent a good portion of the past week in Harrisburg, where the Pennsylvania legislature is in session. This legislative body was organized on Tuesday, January 6, and Mr. O’Toole conferred with Governor Pinchot and all of the other administrative and legislative leaders there. He expressed the belief that there might be some bills introduced, as is customary at most of the legislative sessions, which would be against the inter ests of the motion picture industry, yet the feeling at Harrisburg toward the theatre owners was of such a friendly nature in an official way because of the vast amount of public service work being done by the theatres of that state, that in all probability, not much difficulty would be encountered in having this kind of legislation set aside. Sydney S. Cohen, chairman of the administrative committee, and President O’Toole are co-operating actively with theatre owners everywhere in this work and paying particular attention to the music tax and other matters developing at Washington. Costs of Production on Basis of Census (Concluded from Page 27) able data is given for 1921, nor are any figures given to show the number of actors engaged as compared with other employes. The amount paid for salaries in 1923 was $21,824,319, and for wages $16,601,153, a total of $38,425,472, or 1.9 per cent more than in 1921, when such payments amounted to $37,693,351. The cost of materials was $30,656,770 in 1923, against $31,190,160 in 1921, a reduction of 1.7 per cent. The value added (the value of output less cost of materials) was $55,761,400, against $46,207,221, an increase of 20.7 per cent. The above figures, it is explained by the census bureau, represent the cost of production of motion pictures from start to finish, but do not cover distribution nor projection in theatres. ■ 9 Technicolor Men Plan Expansion of Program (Special to Exhibitors Herald) HOLLYWOOD, CAL. Jan. 13.— C. A. Willat, vice-president of Technicolor and manager of the local plant left yesterday, according to a telegram received, to join a conference of Boston and New York executives at New York regarding the program for 1925. Plans are under way for handling several new productions which will be photographed entirely in color, it is said.