The Film Daily (1924)

Ya -, iTHE 2^4? brAdstreet of FILMDOM ^recocmizeb Authority /ol. XXX No. 8 Thursday, October 9, 1924 Price 5 Cents ^OWWHAT? By DANNY The Independents won't tablish their own exchanges, round about the country. They ive decided that. Flatly. Just ; though it is surprising. What ould have been surprising — id interesting — would have len to see them do it. Yet iw they could have arranged itails as to the handling of the iried product in one exchange, ould have been a most interting experiment. Talking with a producer. (He hates e use of the word "independent." > let's call him just Mr. Producer.) lio said he had managed to get a reise. Through one of the old line nipanies. And was glad of it. Because he could not see his way clear. Doing business in the state right field. As it is constituted. Here are some figures. Gathered im The Film Year Book. To ow what has heen happening. Tn I' "Independent" market during the -t few years: Year 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 About Releases 104 174 . 226 123 200 Of course the current year is an proximate record. Of course there ■re a lot more productions made ich 3'ear. Than were released, lere always are. Wonder what hemes of that stuff, anyway? Finding Pictures Did you ever try to find a picture? iter its first run on Broadway? Well = good sport. Better than anythine (^ Mah Jung. Or the new fangled 'lies of any kind. You look for n the newspapers. You never find You call up the exchange and get booker. Then he tells you — if I find him — (except for the impor it pictures) that Soandso is play -r the picture. A few weeks from ■n. And if you want the print. It's the "lab." Getting fixed up. Famous Players sales crew to hold meeting shortly. To determine on plans and policy (Continued on Page 2) Shauer Optimistic Expects Foreign Business Will Soon Exceed Domestic — Prospects Most Encouraging Emil Shauer, head of the foreign department of Famous Players, returning from abroad yesterday on the Homeric, was met at Quarantine by a Wall Street Journal representative, who quoted him as follows: "Our foreign business is runiiing about 33 1-3% ahead of last year. I expect in a short time that foreign business will exceed domestic. "Prospects of Famous Players are more encouraging than ever. We are operating on a larger scale which should be reflected in earnings. "We are organized throughout the world 100% from a distribution standpoint. Business in I^rance, Belgium and Switzerland is double what it was a year ago. Subsidiaries in both Holland and Italy have been organized, which will help materially in our distribution. We now have producing units in California, New York and London. "We are operating 211 theaters in (Continued on Page 5) Government Active A dispatch from "The Sun" bureau in Washington states that educational films produv;ed by the Dept. of the Interior in its campaign for visual instruction, have now reached the unprecedented figure of more than 1,600,000 feet. Rowland Sailing R. A. Rowland, of First National, sails in a few weeks for a brief trip to Europe. Watty Rothacker and Sam Katz of Chicago may join him. Decision Expected Tomorrow A decision in the Henry KingInspiration suit is expected tomorrow. Attorneys for both sides have exchanged briefs. First National Signs Hillyer (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — First National has signed a contract with Lambert Hill yer. Wilcox Bros, and Smith Sail Charles and Herbert Wilcox and A. George Smith of London, left for home vcstcrday on the Aquitania. Sol Lesser Leaves For New York (Sfecial to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — Sol Lesser is en route to the East. He left yesterday. Conway Tearle Coming East Los Angeles — Conway Tearle and his wife, Adelc Rowland, have left for New York. O'Toole In Doubt M. P. T. O. A. Head Not Sure Why His Organization Should Serve on Contract Committee Apparently a doubt exists in the mind of M. J. O'Toole, president of the M. P. T. O. A., as to whether or not his organization will be a party to the uniform contract committee planned by the Hays office. O'Toole declared yesterday tliat lie didn't quite know the stand of his group, inasmuch as it had "had nothing at all to do" with the drafting of the committee. He declared he had heard nothing definite about the plan except an occasional report here and there. It is understood Charles L. 0'ReilI>will represent the T. O. C. C. As noted. R. R. Bichele of Kansas will be the Allied State Organization representative. Saul Rogers, Charles C. Pettijohn and Gabriel L. Hess will represent the Hays organization The plan, as pointed out, is tr Iiave all exhibitor groups represented on the one committee to handh suggestions regarding changes in th( contract. Harry Carey Sues (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — Harry Carey institu ted attachment jiroceedings for $10, 000 against Stellar Prod., Inc.. yes terday. Carey claims the amount i due him on time of contract date(' August IS, extending the previou^ contract, whereby he agreed to pIa^ in a series of six pictures for a salary of $60,000 and 25 per cent of thi gross profits. The agreement shouh' have been completed .Sept. 1. TIk defendant asks ah extension. Th' sixth production according to Carey has not started. The Carey series is being releasee' through Producers Distributing Corp. Stanlaws To Make A Series Abroad Penrhyn Stanlaws has signed ;i contract to produce a series of pictures for a French syndicate. Robert Lee. representing the syndicate declared yesterday that Stanlawwill sail for Paris on March 15. Sam Sax Leaves For Coast Sunday Sam Sax, head of Lumas Film, leaves for the Coast on Sunday to confer with James P, Hogam who is producing the series of six Gotham productions. Frank Conklin Here Frank Conklin is in from tiic Coast. At the Algonquin. Warners On Broadway Make Deal With Piccadilly — Name to Be Featured in Lights — Other Cities to be Announced Soon Announcement was made yesterday that a deal had been completed Ijetween W'arner Brothers and the management of the Piccadilly on Broadway, whereby Warners have the right of way of pictures shown in the newest theater downtown. The deal becomes effective immediately. The first Warner classic to be shown at the Piccadilly will be "The Lover of Camillc," renamed from the famous Belasco play "Deburau." This will occur probably in several weeks. It is understood that the Piccadilly has booked "Sundown" as well as "Welcome Stranger," which must be shown ahead of the Warner product. It is expected that within several days the names of theaters to be built in several more cities will be announced by Warners. The Piccadilly deal calls for Warners name to be used on the big sign. Harry Warner leaves on Monday for the Coast. Aaron Jones Sailing .A.aron Jones, of Jones, Linick & Schaefer, of Chicago, is in town. Sails on Saturday for a several months stop on the Riviera. Eraser Coming East (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — W. R. Fra.ser, of Harold Lloyd productions, leaves for New York on the 15th. "Thief" Closes Saturday "The Thief of Bagdad" closes its long run at the Liberty on Saturday. Berlin Unsettled Considerable Speculation over Effect of Dawes Plan on German Industry (Special to THE FILM DAILY) London — The Berlin correspondent of Kine. Weekly, writing about the effect of the Dawes plan in Germany, advances the suggestion that the loan to be granted as part of the plan will bring about changes in the German protective tariff. Exhibitors and exchanges are clamoring more loudly than ever before for free trade in films, but the producers are determined to maintain the "contingent" at its present status. Kine. says: "There is a good deal of disappointment and even bitterness at the possible restoration of the 26 per cent, (Continued OH Pag* 6)