The Film Daily (1923)

7Ao brAdstreet of FILMDOM ^recogmizeb Authority vol. XXIII No. 3 Thursday, January 4, 1923 Price 5 Cents New Contract As Planned by Actors Equity — Some of the Terms— No Strike Contemplated The council of the Actors Equity Association has appointed a special committee to draw up the proposed standard contract for motion picture actors in the East, guided by the proposed standard form received Tuesday from Los Angeles. The main feature of this, is a provision that a standard week's work shall consist of 48 hours. Other provisions follow: An agreement as to the minimum length of time of the actors employment shall be arrived at prior to each engagement. Actors shall agree to return to work for retakes or additional scenes after the completion of the picture al the same salary provided they arc not otherwise employed. (Continued on Page 5) A T and Smith for Repeal Of Censorship Act — Believes Act Was a Step From Constitution (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Albany — Governor Smith, in his annual message to the Legislature will recommend the repeal of the law creating the State Motion Picture Regulating Commission. Governor Smith comments upon the subject a? follows: "Censorship is not in keeping with our ideas of liberty and of freedom of worship or freedom of speech. * * * I believe that the enactment of a statute providing for censorship of the moving pictures was a step away from that liberty which the Constitution guaranteed and it should bt repealed." Big Deal On Famous Players Reported Taking Over Entire Lynch Holdings in South — Exchanges as Well as Theaters — Lynch to Retire From Picture Field Grainger Off On Trip James R. Grainger, Vice President and General Sales Manager of Goldwyn, left New York yesterday for an extended tour of the country, during which he will visit the 27 Goldwyn Exchanges. Grainger is delighted over the success of the pictures released by Goldwyn for the first months of the season. "Conditions in all parts of the country are looking up," he said, "and 1923 will be a good year. All we need is confidence and good pictures." "It is not apparent that there is a particular demand for any special type of picture. Reports that I have been receiving indicate that exhibitors are depending less on famous names and more on good, sound, well produced stories. This is a healthy condition and gives producers iust the incentive they need to turn out pictures that will win on their own merits." McConnell to Coast Fred McConnell, serial manager for Universal, left for the Coast on Tuesday. Natural Market Of State Right Field the Neighborhood House, Says Producers Security The result of a nation-wide survey made by Producers Security Corp. covering the state-right market indicates conclusively to the officials of that company that the outlook for 1923 for the independent distributor is very good, but that to cash in on his possibilities he must have real boxoffice values to mix in with his regular program stock, and that likewise it is just as important to have a line of program pictures as a few big box-office values. (Continued on page 3) Hawley In Vita Picture (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — Wanda Hawley has been signed by Vitagraph for one of the leading roles in "Masters of Men." It is reported that an important deal is under way between Famous Players and S. A. Lynch. As the story goes, it" the deal is completed as outlined, it will mean the retirement of Stephen A. Lynch from motion pictures. Under the plan outlined Famous Players will take over the exchanges now operated in the South by Lynch and Lynch will release Famous from the contract now in effect with Southern Enterprises by which the Lynch organization will be removed from all identity with Southern Enterprises and various allied corporations which are at present operating the so-called "Lynch string" in the South. According to reports if the deal is closed it will mean that Lynch will retire from motion pictures. Baker Preparing Scenario David Selznick announces that George D. Baker is now working ov. the script of "The Easiest Way." foi which Ferdinand Earle is to direct Theda Bara. :%~""-f~: "Sure Fire Flint"— serves chiefly to amuse those who have had a afternoon watching other moving pi ctures— Evening Sun, ruesday.— Advt. Importance of Move Probably no move within the industry holds as much interest as the probability of a deal between Famous Players and Lynch. Some years ago. when Lynch left New York to undertake the distribution of Famous Players in the South he immediately demanded instantaneous recognition "by securing theaters all over his territory. He became rot only an important factor in the distribution of Famous Players and other product but within a brief period became the most active buyer of theater properties in this country. So much so, that eventually Southern Enterprises was formed, and while Famous Players was practically the owner of this corporation the Lynch organization through a contract operated these properties on a percentage basis of the gross. The Lynch plans were of such an (Continued on Page I) Stoll Dividends (Special to THE FILM DAILY1) London— The Stoll Film Co.. Ltd., for the year ending Oct. 31. reports a profit of over £36,076, and the directors recommended a dividend of 5 per cent. A final dividend on the ordinary shares of the Stoll Picture Theater, Kingsway, at the rate of 15 per cent per annum for the half year ending Nov. 3, VU2. was also declared, which with the interim dividend, will amount to 121/. per cent for the year.