The Film Daily (1923)

iTHE 7/>e BRADSTREET of FILMDOM ZfoRECOCMZEft AUTHORITY Vol. XXV No. 43 Tuesday, August 21, 1923 Price 5 Cents Trade Holds Up . S. Labor Department So Discovers iter Survey That Covers 65 Industrial Centers— More Employment (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Washington— The Labor Departent has just completed an industrial irvey into conditions at 65 centers business throughout the country td finds that in July there was "an mosphere in industry that is decidlly optimistic." All amusement enterprises will •obably find the" reflection of these editions at the box-offices. The irve" which is conducted regularly I ft* department this time included 428 firms, each employing 500 or ore workers. ■ Thirty-seven cities sported increased employment and venty-seven a slight decrease. (Continued on Page 4) Sol Lesser Arrives Sol Lesser arrived in town on Sunay from the coast. He sails on the eviathan for Europe on Sept. 8. Progress Penalized I Kane on Star Values Rembusch Has Something to Say Regarding Prices — Calls Block Booking a Menace (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Indianapolis — Saj^s Frank Rembusch: "In this industry progress on the part of the exhibitor is penalized. If there is a little storeroom show in a town of 5,000, pictures for that theater are very reasonable in price. If this exhibitor would build a large theater out of his earnings, or perhaps (Continued on Page 2) Pasternack Joins Stanley Co. (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Philadelphia — Josef A. Pasternack will assume charge of the musical programs at all Stanley houses beginning Labor Day, and will personally lead the orchestra at the Stanley theater. Explains How He Figures Them, Comparing Production Cost with the Gross Collections Arthur S. Kane has definite ideas about stars and star values. This is how he determines them: "Star value, in my opinion, goes like this: If a star has to spend or have spent for him $100,00, negative cost only, to gross $200,000, from which distribution, prints, advertising, as well as negative, must be paid, that (Continued on Page 3) Fox After Los Angeles House? (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles— John Zanft, head of the theater department of the Fox organization is here, according to report, to secure a local house for first-runs. The new Fox theater at Oakland is slated to open Aug. 25. Arrivals From Abroad Arrivals from Europe yesterday inluded Lou Baum, sales manager of Iquity and Roy Crawford, secretary f Associated Exhibitors, Inc. Say They Have $175,000 Fund Harry Mackler, president of Local lo. 306 stated yesterday that the oprators' union had on hand a $175,000 defense fund" raised through assesslents against various members and hat this money would be used for ither "a fight or a frolic" as the case night be. Mackler denied that the iperators had threatened a strike and leclared that no extended conference vith T. O. C. C. officials had been idd. May Exports Total 15,500,000 Ft. (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Washington — Figures just compil:dby the Department of Commerce ihow that exports are maintaining heir high level, the shipments for May alone totaling more than 15,500,)00 ft. The most important class of ixports is positives, of which 9,211,252 :t., valued at $360,840, were exported luring the month. Canada was the most important market. Exports of unexposed film amounted to 5,031,366 ft., with a value of $133,678. the most important markets being Japan and England. Shipments of negatives totaled 1,274,401 ft., worth $100,657, of which approximately half went to Mexico. FILM DAILY'S INQUIRING REPORTER QUESTION Do you think the uniform exhibitor contract is more equitable to both exhibitor and distributor than the old form? ANSWERS Edward Abeles, New York exchange manager, Metro— "I think any contract discussed by ten wise men for a year and a half is bound to be better than something formed without such careful consideration. It has points that favor both. F Heath Cobb, Grand Asher— "Yes. For the first time in this business, what appears to be an equitable arrangement covering relations between the distributor has been made, tfotn have their rights defined and both know their limitations. Murray Garsson— "Had the distributor given the exhibitor what he had demanded originally, he would have had less than he has now received. It is in favor of the exhibitor but nevertheless there is still room for adjustments to be made. Nathan Hirsch, Aywon Film Corp.-"Yes. The principle of arbitration is part of the uniform contract works advantegously for both parties. Disputes on both sides can thus be settled with satisfaction to all concerned. M H. Hoffman, Tiffany Prod.— "A shade in favor of the exhibitor. In the old form contract, the exhibitor had the : terms binding upon him without any opportunity of withdrawal. Under the new form, the contract does not become binding unless both sides accept." Arthur Lee, Lee-Bradford Corp.-'There is no doubt about it The uniform contract makes the understanding between the exhibitor and the distributor a definite one. Each knows where the other stands." To Star La Marr Signed with Associated Pictures Corp, for Five Years — Four Productions Planned Annually Arthur H. Sawyer, who had held Barbara La Marr under a personal contract until now has signed her on behalf of Associated Pictures Corp., the company which has succeeded S.-L. Pictures, Inc. The contract period covers five years and under the terms of it, four specials a year will be made. Miss La Marr returned last week from Italy where she appeared in "The Eternal City" which Feorge Fitzmaurice started over there. Her work in it will keep her busy for about five weeks longer after which she will return to the coast to start the first picture under the new arrangement. Heyl with Choice Prod. (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — Martin J. Heyl, who produced "The Little Red Schoolhouse" and acted as production manager for "The Purple Highway," has; associated himself with Choice Prod.1 Inc., as supervisor of production for "Satan's Secret," a six-reeler, now being filmed under the direction of William H. Clifford. Choice Productions are to be distributed through the newly-formed Anderson Pictures Corp. Exhibition Values Reports generally are to the effect that "The Green Goddess" is going out on an exhibition value of $2,000,000. Just what the exhibition value (?) of "Ashes of Vengeance" is to be seems a trade secret. But inasmuch as the exhibition value of recent Talmadge pictures has been $1,200,000, and as the latest cost considerably more than any Talmadge picture ever made it is safe to say that previous values must be surpassed. "Ashes" will probably be quoted at somewhere over $1,500,000. Now this is all very fine. "The Green Goddess" is a mighty fine picture. The Talmadge production is magnificent. But how either of them are going to get that amount in — well, it's interesting. DANNY. .