The Film Daily (1924)

i 2&? BRAftSTREET o< FILMDOM JBfcRECOOUZED Authority Vol. XXVII No. 46 Tuesday, February 26, 1924 Price 5 Cents Buy 'Spring Gleaning' Stage Success Goes to Famous — Swanson Scheduled for "The Swan" Famous Players has acquired one of the prize plums of the present theatrical season: "Spring Cleaning" which is enjoying a successful run at the Eltinge theater. It is quite likely that the play will be released in film form as "The Smart Set." That, however, is a matter yet under discussion. "Spring Cleaning" will be one of the fall releases. The schedule of the next group of Gloria Swanson releases has been determined upon. "A Society Scandal" opens at the Rivoli on March 9 and the sales department is attempting to line up as many simultaneous runs for the picture as possible, beginning with March 24. A sales executive stated yesterday that it looked like 200 or more runs. Mi«s Swanson's next picture will be "Manhandled" and following that will come "The Coast of Folly," from the new novel by Coningsby Dawson; then "The Swan," now running at the Cort theater and "Aren't We All," written by Frederick Lonsdale, who incidentally is the author of "Spring Cleaning." Le Baron, Paramount Supervisor William Le Baron has resigned from Cosmopolitan to join Famous Players where he will supervise two of the producing units at the Long Island studio. Le Baron will work in conjunction with Julian Johnson and E. Lloyd Sheldon. "America" for Boston Run (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Boston — "America" opens at the Majestic on March 3 for a run. The Griffith offices have not made any further plans for out-of-town runs for "America." The usual number of key cities will have special engagements, as is customary with all of the Griffith pictures. Unger Joins Famous Joe Unger. former New York branch manager for First National yesterday joined Famous Players, in charge of the local exchange. John Hammell will supervise New York. Albany and Jersey. Richards Here E. V. Richards is in town from New Orleans. Bamum's Show Outdone At Last. T. N. T. March 29. Mabel Normand's "The Extra Girl," a glorified "Molly O," is proving one of the greatest comedy drama trium phs of the year. Mack Sennett produced it, Associated Exhibitors is di stributing it. — Advt. Millions In Theaters $179,821,700 in New Projects Planned for 1924, "Architectural Forum" Survey Shows The "Architectural Forum," a recognized journal in its field has prepared an analysis of new building construction planned throughout the country during 1924. The report shows that $179,821,700 will be expended on new theater projects. This total is divided as follows: Northeastern states North Atlantic states Southeastern states Southwestern states Middle states Western states Total $30,209,500 29,192,700 2,055,300 18.848,000 81,003,000 18,513,290 $179,821,700 The survey was conducted through the offices of architects throughout the country. No special information was sought relative to the kinds of theaters, but those familiar with the construction situation, stated yesterday that there could not be any doubt but that the greater percentage of the total involved concerned motion picture houses. Charnas Here Harry Charnas, Standard Film Service Co., is in town from Cleveland. Reviving Keystones Kessel and Baumann to Resume Production — Plans In the Making Kessel and Baumann have plans under way for the revival of the famous old Keystone Comedy brand. Adam Kessel and Charles Q. Baumann will be directly concerned in the production of the new series. The matter is now being discussed and while final arrangements have not been made, they will be completed very shortly. Just where production will be centered has not been determined upon. The pictures will be known as Kessel and Baumann's Keystone Comedies. Form Canadian Subsidiary (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Toronto — Goldwyn-Cosmopolitan, Ltd., has been chartered here to distribute in the Dominion. Goldwyn releases are now being handled by Regal. The formation of a subsidiary in Canada carries no special significance, according to Gabriel L. Hess at Goldwyn. Distribution will continue through Regal, as heretofore. "Lab" Combine In Air Republic, Craftsmen and Erbograph Involved — New Moves by Rothacker and Evans A thrcc-c^rnered consolidation of important laboratories operating in New York is understood to be taking definite shape. In each instance, the report is denied by persons involved, but despite that, the move is said to be progressing. The plants involved are the Republic Laboratories, Inc., which have a capacity of about 1,000,000 ft. weekly; Craftsmen Film Laboratories, which are understood to have a weekly capacity of about 900,000 ft. and the Erbograph Co., which has a capacity of about 750,000 weekly. The name of the combined organization is expected to be Consolidated Film Laboratories, Inc. and the purpose is to eliminate the overhead in operating expense and at the same time make the volume of business greater. It is planned to eliminate certain members of the executive staff of each plant and thus cut the salary list considerably. At Republic, H. J. Yates was said to be out-of-town and in his absence, no one cared to discuss the matter. L. J. San, general manager of the Craftsmen plant scouted the report and said it was the bunk. Ludwig G. B. Erb of Erbograph said such a move had been talked about for some time but that there had been no developments to occasion a new crop of reports. He admitted that figures concerning a consolidation and the advantages put forth on behalf of (Continued on Page 2) Order Non-Rewind Machines Edward C. Earle, representing Bioscope Improvements Ltd., of Johannesburg, South Africa, and introducing the Way Non-Rewind, a device for the elimination of rewinding pictures, say his organization has placed an order with The Pneumelectric Corp. of Syracuse, to start the manufacture of the Way NonRewind here. Interests In Dean Prod. Split Charles R. Rogers stated yesterday that he and Hunt Stromberg had purchased Murray W. Garsson's interest in Priscilla Dean Prod. Garsson declared that he had released Rogers and Stromberg on the first four pictures, but added that he (Garsson) returned his interest in them and in the company. Get All Lit Up With Joy. T. N. T. March 29.