The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

of THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. May 12, 1923, LEEDS EXCHANGE TRADE SHOWS. Renter Complains a (From our own HERE was a sidelight on. the prevalent conditions in xegard.to trade shows atthe Yorkshire Cinema Trade Exchange at the May meeting of the Leeds Branch of the C.E.A.:on Friday week, when, at the commencement of the meeting, Herd Oates, one of’ the. directors of the Exchange, mentioned ‘that a trade show was taking. place simultaneously in the trade theatre, ‘that the renter concerned was annoyed that his show. was ‘* clashing '' with the C-E,A. meeting, and suggested that the meeting might. be adjourned until the trade show was ‘over. of trouble.at.the Exchange regarding trade shows, and it was common knowledge that many. had been taken outside the Exchange. --The directors of the Exchange. were anxious that all the support possible should -be given to those renters who showed films in the Exchange. He proposed that the meeting be adjourned for. an hour, in order that those present might attend the trade show. A “ Floating ’’ Meeting. F. Jesson objected to.this course, and said that if they were going to have to give way becanse of a trade show then he should’ propose that they shonld hold their meetings clsewhere.‘ He sympathised with the directors, but there were anumber of grievances to which they might better direct their attention.. He had known, for instance, members of renting firms walking round the Exchange canvassing the members to ’ go outside and attend trade shows. Herd Ontes suggested that before the secretary called a meeting of the C.E.A. for any particular day he should first * ascertain whether it would clash with any trade show. The chairman, Mr. T. Herbert Kaye, pointed out that if that were to be done it would mean that the C.E.A. mecting would be a floating one. of C.E.A. Meeting Clashing. Correspondent.) J. Mackenzie said that a few years-ago when this matter was thrashed out an arrangement was made whereby the secretary of the Exchange would. inform any renter desiring to book a . trade show on the C.E.A. meeting-day of the fact that it was . the C.E.A. day, and then the renter could please himself whether -he booked it or not. Arthur Cunningham said it had long been understood that the C.E.A. should have the first Friday in the month, and the renters were aware of that fact. There had, said.Mr. Oates,.been a great deal Wanted: Reciprocity. H. J. Martin said that the directors of the. Exchange were anxious to do their best to help those renters who brought their , trade shows to the Exchange, and he thought it would be an act of courtesy on their part to adjourn it for a short time. He felt’ pretty strongly that they were never likely to do much good unless they were prepared to work with the renters and not against them.” Arthur Cunningham said he was afraid that whintever arrangemeut they made they would always have the same trouble. There was the convenience of the exhibitors to be considered as well as that of the renters. Personally, he bad risen at 4 o’clock that morning in order to get down from London in time to attend’ the meeting. He did not think there was much in the complaint of the renter, because his own firm liad some one present at the trade show, and no doubt others would be similarly represented. He moved that the secretary of the C.E.A. approach the secretary of. the Exchange and request him to notify renters that the first Friday in the month was the day of meeting of the C.E.A. Branch. ; Mr Oates withdrew lis resolution, and the meeting proceeded with the business. IMPORTANT FIRST NATIONAL —GOLDWYN DEAL. ALVH J. PUGH, of Associated First National, is more R than usually gratified by tho news of the important arrangement just entered into between Associated First National Pictures, Inc., and Samuel Goldwyn, for a series of George Fitzmaurice Productions, including the picturised version “Potash and Perlmutter.” This amusing comedy will constitute the first release under the contract. This deal opens up to British exhibitors, through Associated First National, Ltd., still another fount of valuable pictures to swell the growing list which the recently maugurated policy of the American First National Company has made possible. It is announced that Mr. Fitzmavrice’s initial production will be onc of Hall Caine’s biggest stories, and that Barbara La Marr, Montague Love, and other players of similar calibre have been engaged for the all-star cast, whilst in ‘‘ Potash and Perlmutter ” Barny Barnard and Alexander Carr will portray the characters which they created in the notably successful stage version. Another featured player will be Vera Gordon. Mr. Pugh's gratification over this latest First Nationa] announcement would appear to be well grounded in view of the very strong producerdirector combination afforded in Mr. Goldwyn and Mr. Fitzmaurice, and the important pictures it bids fair to make available. JACKIE'S POPULARITY IN CENTRAL EUROPE. N a recent dissertation of European-Amcrican relations, Emil Lengyel, « noted statistician and political authority in Hungary, declared that Jackie Coogan was the talk of Central and Eastern Europe. The newspapers there, he says, are using columns and columns of their space in praise of the little American. “«* We ought to invent new words of praise and appreciation for Jackie Coogan,’ quotes Lengyel from ‘‘Az Ujsag,’’ the greatest paper in Hungary. ‘‘ One thing is sure, that Jackie could not be compared with any other talent in the world—he outdoes everybody.’"* Mr. Lengyel quotes other European newspapers in praise of Jackie, notably the Czecho-Slovakian ‘* Kassai Naplo,”’ which, after speaking of acting geniuses, says : ‘* Jackic Coogan leads them all.” Jackie's next picture, incidentally, is laid in a mythical Balkan principality, located somewhere near the present CzechoSlovakian Republic. It is being adapted by C. Gardner Sullivan and Eve Unsell from ‘‘ Long Live the King,” by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Victor Schertzinger will direct this first Coogan production for Metro.