The Film Daily (1924)

Jflljl£ i*/" FILMDOM f^RECOCMIZEB Authority XXX No. 7 Wednesday, October 8, 1924 Price 5 Cents iVESTERNS By DANNY \ hat a lot are being turned Not only by the large conis. But by the smaller ones \ ell. Famous still believes in n. Fox has two stars — Mix Tones. Universal has Hoxie Gibson. With an occasional 1 Bill Desmond. icn there are the state right (1. Bill Steiner with Pete Mor i Weiss (Artclass) with Buddy evelt and Buffalo Bill, Jr. Phil ^tone has Snowy Baker. The Thomsons go well. Arrow has always. Then the Neal Harts: Maloneys; Art Mix; McGowan, und Cobb, Bill Cody and others. Many of these are made leaply. But somehow or the her they seem to get bookgs. Many are most amateurh. Cost little. But are shown, nd the reason must include is: that the American people ':e them. c spirit of the old Wild West in practically all of us. Years boys rode broomsticks about yards, and hurled old rusty lets as tomahawks. They are loing it. Give a boy an old wide ined hat and a toy pistol. And a Bill Hart or a Tom Mix. Or other Western hero. It never And men are but boys'" grown And men like westerns. Even ey don't appeal to women so 1. Still they appeal. The inter JT question is this: are there too Westerns being made? We'd -ome answers to this. Frankly don't know. Play Values ' w are they fixed? What cones the value of a play. Which lever get out further than BroadYet some of these get excep1 prices. Some are sold before really get going. As for ine "Grounds for Divorce." Which ;ht over $20,000. Yet there are plays that have three or four companies out. And picture e won't consider them. As maWhy? Is it because they feel do not contain sufficient picture ■ial? Many speculative producing nagers have figured it this »y: they can present a play on (Continued on Page 2) Reorganizing New Company to Supplant Selznick Distributing Forming — Com mittee Meets It is understood that the committee handling the reorganization of Selznick Distributing held a meeting yesterday at the Bar Association to discuss details in connection with the new company. It is understood a name is being jought and that, when the revamping process is complete, the exchange system will also bear that of the parent company. One thing is certain, the Selznick trademark will pass out of existence. "Naked Truth" Feb. 7 What shall the Naked Truth be this season? That is the burning question which is engrossing the membership of the A. M. P. A. right now. The annual affair will definitely take place at the Astor Saturday evening, Feb 7. The members of the A. M. P. A. are working on a questionnaire sent out by President A. M. Botsford asking for suggesitons and some are already coming in. P. C. T. Buys English Theaters (.Special to THE FILM DAILY) L o n d o n — Provincial Cinematograph Theaters, Ltd., has purchased the Premier Electric Circuit, including the Ilford Super Cinema and East Ham Super Cinema in London and the Premier Electric, Ilford and the Sydenham Rink Cinema. The company occupies a powerful position. Borrows Aileen Pringle Samuel Goldwyn, by arrangement with Mctro-Goldwyn, has signed Aileen Pringle to play one of the leads in "A Thief in Paradise." "Lincoln" in Los Angeles (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — "Abraham Lincoln" began its local showing at the Criterion last night. Brewer, a 1st Nat'l Manager First National has appointed E. D. Brewer, manager of its Oklahoma City branch succeeding W. A. Ryan, resigned. Bachmann on Sales Trip J. G. Bachmann of Schulberg Prod, is on a sales trip that will take him as far West as the Coast. Francis Howard for "The Swan" It is understood that Francis Howard who has excited considerable comment by her work in the stage plaj' "Best People," has been selected to replace Elsie Ferguson in "The Swan." Miss Howard has done little, if any, work in pictures. "Rudy" to Make 3 on Coast (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — It is understood that Rudolph Valentino will make his next three pictures at the United Studios where Stage No. 6 has been engaged. C. B. C. Sells 4 for Canada Joe Brandt has sold "Marriage Market." "Forgive and Forget," "Innocence," and "Temptation," to Film De Luxe Co., for Canada. Grauman Arrives Tomorrow S'id Grauman returns from a long vacation in Europe on the Berengaria tomorrow. Public Service Boost Milwaukee Names Committee of Three— Part of M. P. T. O. A. Program (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Milwaukee — ^A public service board has been named by the M. P. T. O of Wisconsin to carry out the policy of community and public service decided upon at the last state convention. Members of the new board are George Fischer, New Milwaukee theater, Milwaukee, chairman; E. W Van Norman, Parkway, Milwaukee, and J. H. Silliman, owner, Milwaukee As its first work, the board has put its shoulder to the wheel in an effort to get out the full voting strength in the November elections, as urged recently by Michael O'Toole, National president. The Milwaukee board is probably an outsrowth of a suggestion made by O'Toole when he was there recently. The public service work of the M. P. T. O. A. is functioning in a more or less scattered fashion in various sections of the country. O'Toole was instrumental in forming an M P. Board of Trade in Pennsylvania about a year ago. Weinberger with Schulberg J. G. Bachmann has appointed Mack D. Weinberger sales manager of B. P. Schulberg Prod. Inc. Forsakes Distribution I. M. P. p. D. A. Abandons Plan for Own Exchanges — Sees No Need For Move The Independent M. P. Prod, and Dist. Ass'n, Inc., which numbers the more important state righters among its members abandoned its plan to enter distribution on a co-operative basis. This new twist is a development in conditions generally throughout the country. The executive committee considered reports from representatives in the field and from various headquarters in New York, and dc(CoHtinued on Page 2) 3,500 Seat House For Portland, Ore. (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Portland, Ore. — The Jensen Investment Co., has puchased a downtown block of the Fleischner Estate, for the purpose of erecting a $1,500,000 theater and office building. The Jensen Investment Co., is allied with Jensen and Von Herberg. Construction will begin as soon as plans now being prepared are completed. The house is to seat between 3,500 and 4,000 people and will be the largest on the Pacific Coast. This interesting announcement closely follows the announcement of Warner Bros, that a $500,000 theater will be erected in Portland. First Bookings on "Hot Water" Los Angeles — "Hot Water" opens at the Metropolitan Oct. 11. Detroit — The Adams will show "Hot Water," beginning the 19th. Chicago — The new Lloyd picture goes into the Orpheum either the 25th or Nov. 1. As noted, the .Strand showing of "Hot Water" opens Oct. 26. Brandt Answers C. B. C. Executive Answers C. C. Griffin Charges About Block Bookings in California Joe Brandt of C. B. C. took up the cudgels of the independents yesterday and answered the charges of C C. Griffin, Oakland. Calif, exhibitor who declared he couldn't buy independent product as he pleased but was forced to book in blocks. Touching on the block booking situation as denied by the Michigan M. P. T. O. and Griffin, Brandt states it is not true that producers, as a body have failed to warn against the practice, as asserted in Michigan. Brandt adds that (Continued on Page 2)