The Film Daily (1922)

iTHE 7Ao brAdstreet o/" FILMDOM Authority FORMERLY Vol. XIX No. 47 Saturday, February 18, 1922 Price 5 Centi New Sales Kink How Big League Sales Manager Handles His Force and Saves Time and Money J. P. Newell, sales manager of the Toledo Sales Co., a company that employs 400 salesmen in the United States, tells of a new kink in dividing territories in an article called "Working the Invi.sible Market," published in "Printer's Ink Monthly" and reprinted by permission of that publication. This is the second in tlie series of articles which will appear in THE FILM DAILY every Saturday devoted to sales helps. Mr. Newell's article, in part, follows: "When you tell a salesman, 'We are going to take three of your nine counties away from you,' and can give him no better reason than the answer a child so often receives, 'Bec^ ise I know it will l)e belter for you that way,' the man who has enough spunk to be a good salesman is almost sure to hit the ceiling. "The tradition among salesmen runs -somewhat along these lines. 'The bigger the territory the bigger the commissions.' In boom times this was in a measure true, for mail orders frequently came in to swell commissions. But now, with mail orders almost unknown, it is simple to show the salesman that it is costing him and us money to liave so large a territory on his hands. "When Barnes, working out of Springfield, objects that his big territory means more earnings for him, and that a cut in territory would be equivalent to a cut in his income, we show him his sales sheets and his section of the map. We point out what is almost atwa>s true — that he is doing 90% of his business in one or two or three of his counties, and that even in these counties he is doing almost no business in most of the villages and smaller towns. Gener (Continued on pagre 2) Sawyer Incorporates Company (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Albany — Chester E. Sawyer, Inc.. has been formed here with a capitalization of $10,000. The incorporators are C. E. Sawyer, A. L. Pratchett and S. M. Kohn. The attorney is C. Katzenstein, 115 Broadwav, New York. Sawyer is an official of the Caribbean Film Co., important distributors in the West Indies; Pratciiett is also identified with Caribbean and Kohn is with Howells Sales. Tariff Plan Reached Government Officails Receive Instructions on Features of Valuations from Senate (.Special to THE FILM DAILY) Y\'ashington — The Senate Finance committee yesterday instructed members of the Tariff Commission, Judge Fisher, the Board of General Appraisers, Presiding Judge De Vries of tlie United States Court of Customs .\ppeals, and Treasury experts, all of wiioni have been advising with tlie committee on the tariff, to proceed to draw up a valuation plan on wliieli to base duties on imported merchandise and to incorporate the following: 1 — Present basis of foreign valuation. 2 — ,\ currency provision to take care of situations wherever the depreciation is greater than 70%. 3 — .\ sliding rate up and down, not to exceed 50%i, which may be added by the President to meet special sittiations wherever American manufacturers cannot compete with foreign manufacturers. 4 — Granting authority to the President to reclassify merchandise, after investigation by the Tariff Commission when this action is deemed necessary for the protection of Ameri ■an producers. Unfair jiractices in foreign trade w ill also be taken care of. Upon preNcutation (if these provisions the Finance Committee will proceed with consideration of ad valorem rates. '"'m's will include rates on positive ind negative films. Spitz Sells Out (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Boston — It is understood that Abe Snitz has sold out his interests in Black and Spitz Theaters, Inc., to a New York and Boston syndicate. Spitz intends remaining in the amusement Held and will continue to mainlain h\< offices in Providence. He is at pre-^ent on a vacation in the South. LiV-e "Mellers" in Buffalo (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Buffalo— The Parent Teachers' Association has completed a survey as a result of which it is learned that 80% of the 50,000 school children here orcfer "mellers" and "blood and thunder" films. Weekly there is spent $8,000 by the children for picture shows. Godsol Starts for New York (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — F. J. Godsol of Goldwvn left for New York vesterdav. PowelUHere David Powell is in New York from London, where he appeared in several Paramount pictures. He is slated to go to Hollvwood for Famous. Getting Ready for A. M. P. A. Dinner A. M. Fiotsford and Tom Wiley of the entertainment committee are busy arranging for the A. M. P. A.. "Naked Truth" diimer which this year falls on Marcii 25 at the Biltmore. Another House Found Defective The American, 910 Manhattan Ave.. Brooklyn, has been found unsafe and ordered closed bjr the building department officials in that borough. This makes the fifth house to close there. Many on Way East (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angele.s — James R. Grainger left for New York yesterday. Al Lichtman, Mack Sennett, Thomas H. Tnce. T. D. Williams and Josepii M. Schenck also left for New York. Edna Purviance in Feature (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — Charles Chaplin expects to start work sliortly on a feature starring Edna Purviance. who lias been his Iftiding woman for a number of years. It is iniderstood lie iilans a series. Sees Improvement in Philadelphia (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Philadelphia — A well known film man speaking of business in this territory said yesterday: "Business is picking up just a least l)it in this territory, and attendance figures are getting near normal, though not anywhere near the abnormal of two years ago." Hartford Heads Coast M. P. D. A. (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — David M. Hartford has been elected director (president) of the M. P. D. .A., to succeed the late William D. Tavlor, Other officers are: Wallv Van, technical director; Norval MacGregor, treastirer (re-elected) ; Frederick h. Thomson, secretary : Charles Parrott, inner c'latd: Duke Worne, outer guard; Maurice Campbell and M. J. MacQuarrie, trustees. 47 More From F. P.-L. Making Total of 87 for the Season— 40 Releases from Sept. 1 to Feb. 19 The i)resent releasing schedule of Famous Players for the current season provides for 47 features from Sunday to Aug, 31, the end of the hooking year. Forty features have been released from Sept. 1 to the week ending; tomorrow, making a total of 87 for the year. Of this tola!, liiere will be 10 Realarts and the remainder, t!ie regular Paramount features. Although production oflicials of Famous have at various times stated that they had no more (German pictures here for distribution, the list for the rest of the year includes several new ones, Pola Negri in "The Devil's Pawn" and in "The liycs of the Mummy"; Mia May in "My Man" and in "Truth Conquers." Ml told there are 12 foreign pictures and in addition to those listed above, "Love's Boomerang," "The Red I'eacock," "The Mistress of the World" in four parts, "Spanish lade," and "The Man from Home." The releases for the rest of the leaspn are as follows: For the remainder of February the following will he released: Ethel Clayton in "Her Own .Money"; "Love's Boomerang"; Tola Negri in "The Red Peacock"; Constance Hinney in "Midnight" and Bebe Danxls in "A Cianie Chicken." .March — William S. Hart in "Travelin" On" ; Elsie Ferguson and Wallace Reid in "I'eler Iblictson"; "The Mistress of the W'cjrld' in a series of four; Wallace Reid n "The World's Champion"; Gloria Sw»nson in "Her Husband's Trademark"; Wanda Hawlcy in "liohbed Hair"; "Fool's Paradise"; Constance Binney in "The Sleep Walker" and Marion Davies in "Beauty's Worth." Ai)ril — Betty Compson in "The Green Templation"; May McAvoy in "Through a Tilass Window"; "Find the Woman"; Ethel Clayton in "The Cradle"; Mary Miles Minter in "The Heart Specialiit" ; Agnes Ayre.^ and .lack Holt in "Bought and Paid For"; I'ola N'egri in "The Devil's Pawn" ; Dorothy Dalton in "Tharon of Lost Valley"; Wanda (Continued on Page 3) Would Check Theaters in Bay State (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Boston — A bill has been introduced here by Marian C. Nichols, a censorship advocate, which would subject picture theaters to the same requirements that govern publication of political advertisements in newspapers. Miss Nichols' object is to prevent propaganda by way of the ■ oroen. Judge J. Albert Brackett, the N. A. M. P. I. representative here, charges the bill is being used to thwart the referendum on the censorship bill which comes up in November.