The Film Daily (1924)

s^brAdstreet • F ' ^iDOM ^recocmizei Authority XXX No. 11 Monday, October 13, 1924 Price 5 Cents EAN COWS By DANNY Atlantic City i.n<l fat ones. And if you iw your little old Bible. And parable of Joseph. And his thren. You'll know that e were seven fat cows which ■esented the seven years of ity. And then the seven lean s — representing the seven ■s of lean times — came along gobbled the seven fat ones. id Harry Warner. Of Warner hers. Says many exhibitors have leir mind. The seven fat cows. n they start buying pictures. Be; they always say that the seven ows — meaning the seven big pic1 of the past season — are much r — better at the box office — than ; now offered. All of which gets Harry Earner's goat. Not having ny cows to annoy him. Beluse he believes pictures like Three Women" are as good s pictures can be. I e big problem, however, appears I : to make exhibitors agree with I He has told the fat cow story i ten it annoys him. And he has iht to be annoyed. The quicker |i e get out of their minds that r ictures can be as fine as "The jred Wagon," "Robin Hood," Sea Hawk," "Hunchback"— thers of this consequence — the ". The big point on which any iter must live — or perish — is not )r two big, fine pictures which alone intermittently, but doggood, worthwhile pictures with ainment in them week after No company in this business produce a series of productions iial those named. No one comever has. The best Mr. Exr can get from any source is le entertainment, as often as company releases. When he for more he is blowing bubbles. All of the big concerns are 1 inning several big specials next year. They know they ist have them. Whether these ; specials can— or will make I iney, is another song. Usual 1 it has been sung in D Flat. had an era of "big" pictures years ago. The result was I (.Continued on Page 2) Plan Goes Through American Railway Express Finally Enters Distribution — Walter W. Irwin In It It is understood that the plan for the launching of a neutral, physical distributor, harbored for some time past by the American Railway Express Co., is about to become a reality. A company known as the Railway Express Film Transport Co., has been formed under the laws of the State of New York and, according to papers filed, will operate "motion picture exchanges." While definite information is lacking, it is believed that action of a specific nature will occur shortly after the first of the year and that it will follow the lines partly suggested by Robert E. M. Cowie, president of the American Railway Express Co., and partly by Walter W. Irwin, whose distribution analysis plan was recently awarded a prize of $1,000 by the Motion Picture News. It is more or less generally known that officials of the American Railway Express Co., which is a common carrier associated with the American Express Co., have nursed the idea of a neutral film distributing medium for several years. It was first broached at a meeting of executives called by Cowie several years ago but nothing developed at that time. Cowie, is said to have made an intensive study of motion picture distribution and has gleaned a vast amount of information. The details are understood to be (Continued on Page 2) Schnitzer on Coast (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — J. I. Schnitzer arriver here Saturday from New York for a three months' sojourn, where he will confer with B. P. Fineman, regarding winter and Spring product for F. B. O. "Savior" in Detroit A. W. Hale, Self-Styled Coast Director Has Plan to Succor Producing Company There (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Detroit— Albert W. Hale of Hollywood is in Detroit with a plan to instill new life into the inactive Detroit M. P. Corp which made one picture called 'Uust Mary" and then discovered what a financial mess it had made of matters. Hale says he has been in the husi(Continued on Page 2) Lichtman Resigns Forced to Leave Universal Because of 111 Health — May Produce Later On The following statement, in part, was issued from the Universal offices Saturday: "Owing to the state of his health and a partial breakdown from which he has failed to recover, Al Lichtman, whose contract as general manager of Universal exchanges has just expired, has decided to give up business entirely until he is in better physical condition. He has been unable to be in his office and for the last six weeks has been under the care of physicians who have ordered him to take a complete rest. "It is understood when Mr. Lichtman fully recovers that he will go into the production end of the business." B. and K. Control Peoria (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Atlantic City — Sam Katz announced yesterday that Balaban and Katz had acquired a controlling interest in the five theaters in Peoria, 111. It is expected they will become affiliated with the MidWest Theaters organization which is now reported to have over 50 houses enrolled. Fox Sells the Comedy? It is reported that the Fox circuit has sold the Comedy, Grand and South 1st Sts., Brooklyn. The theater is one of the oldest in Brooklyn. Grauman May Sell Seriously Considering N. Y. Permanently— Would Involve Disposal of Coast Theaters Sid Grauman may dispose of his theater holdings on the West Coast to make New York his permanent home. The prominent Coast showman is personally responsible for the statement that a $5,000 000 theater project for a new Broadway firstrun is being contemplated and that an important figure in production is his associate in the plan. Grauman is impressed by New York and the possibilities it offers for unique endeavors along showmanship lines. He thinks there is room here for five or six more big theaters, advanteously situated and believes Broadway can easily accommodate two more. Commenting on theater conditions abroad, Grauman said: "All of Europe is practically untouched territory. It is virgin. There (Continued on Page 3) Busy On Production 1st Nat'l Lines Up Interesting Material— Robert Lieber Expected to Remain as President By DANNY Atlantic City, N. J. — First National .s lining up a number of important pictures for release later in the seaton. The executive committee held .ts first meeting Saturday afternoon and discussed production. AnnounceiTient is expected to be made of the following specials: "Sally," with Colleen Moore. "The National Anthem," starring Corinne Griffith. "The Far Cry," recently purchased. "Chickie." "My Son " "One Year to Live." There will also be others of importance. Several spectacular productions are also in sight and these may be announced later. The advance guard of First Na■lional officials assembled on Friday for the annual meeting. The home office force met Sam Katz of Chicago and Abe Blank of Des Moines here. Others from all over the country drifted in over Sunday. It is fully anticipated that Robert Lieber will be prevailed upon to continue in the presidency and that the executive comriiittee will remain intact. Much time will be spent relative to production plans for the East. As part of this move, it need not be surprising to find Al Rockett, one of the producers of "Abraham Lincoln" holding an important position in the home office when Herman Bruenner, Richard A. Rowland's chief aide becomes identified with the Eastern studio organization. F. W. Thring Sails F. W. Thring, an executive of Australasian Films, Ltd., sailed Saturday on the Franconia for London, en loute to Australia. W. A. Gibson, Australasian's managing director, leaves this week. N. W. Merger New Exchange There Lines Up 150 Features for This Season — Ludwig Heads It (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Minneapolis — Samuel Ludwig, a pioneer in exchange circles here has formed the Ludwig Film Exchange and has lined up about 150 features for release during 1924-1925, as well as three serials. The company has absorbed Adventure Prod, and will handle that organ(Continued on Page 2)