The Film Daily (1924)

V of FILMDOM Authority Vol. XXIX No. 4 Sunday, July 6, 1924 Price 25 Cents P. D. G. Ready By Fall Arthur Smallwood Expects to Finance Several Series — Pyramid Name to Be Kept Arthur N. Smallwood's new company, Producers Dist. Guild, will actually be functioning in the larger centers in the early Fall with many of the features of the Smallwood plan "tested" in Eastern key cities as early ^s September. Producers Dist. Guild will act in a three fold capacity. It will finance production, sell and also exploit. P. D. G. will not produce pictures but will finance the making of several series to be filmed by allied or affiliated companies. The Pyramid name in production will not be permitted to become a -jnatter of the past but will be preserved through the screening of a number of pictures under that name. Smallwood has committed himself in his policy announcement which is now en route to exhibitors against block-booking, producer-distributor {Continued on Page 5) Ufa and Aubert in Deal (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Paris — Aubert will distribute the Ufa product in France for a number of years and the latter will handle Aubert productions in Central Europe, by terms of a deal just closed. New $5,000,000 Theater Unit {Special to THE FILM DAILY) Dover, Del. — The Secretary of State has granted a charter to the United Theaters of America, listing capital at $5,000,000., Features Reviewed Page The Arab ' Metro-Goldwyn 8 Love of Women ' Selznick 8 The Heart Buster Fox 8 Missing Daughters Selznick 8 The Code of the Wilderness Vitagraph 9 Young Ideas Universal 9 The Lone Chance Fox 9 The Enemy Sex Paramount 9 Recoil Metro-Goldwyn 11 Montmartre Paramount 11 Short Subjects 12 Not A Week Stand Jake Wells Says Pictures Should Not Play Richmond, Va. for Seven Day Runs {Special to THE FILM DAILY) Richmond, Va. — Jake Wells of the Colonial theater has sent letters to all exchanges in Washington, opposing the general practice now in vogue of insisting that the average picture play a full week here. Wells says he has contended for some time past that Richmond was not a week stand, although he admits that a limited number are worthy of that sort of treatment. He points out that the Colonial is compelled to put many films in for a full week that attract only three days of healthy business. "I repeat," says Wells, "that it is (Continued on Page 5) Protest New Coast Phone Rate (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — Producers are protesting the new increase in phone rates, planned by the Southern Calif. Telephone Co. The new exchange area plan would levy a fiat rate of 10 cents for all calls between Culver City and Los Angeles. Another Week for "Enemy Sex" "The Enemy Sex" will play two weeks on Broadway. It will be transferred from the Rivoli to the Rialto. Don't Feel Combines In Southwest as Much As in the South and East, Testifies Witnesses at Government Hearing (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Oklahoma City — The gathering of defense by Famous Players against monopoly charges made by the Federal Trade Commission, has been resumed here and will continue through next week. Only two witnesses were called at the first session, J. A. Epperson, of Pathe. and W. P. Moran, Universal. Both testified that they had no difficulty in selling in the local territory. They declared that Oklahoma City and other Mid-western key cities do not feel the effects of combinations going on in the industry as greatly as Southern and Eastern cities. Hawley and Mayo in "Chicago Fire" (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — Wanda Hawley and Frank Mayo are in the cast of "The Great Chicago Fire", now l:)cing made for Associated Exhibitors at the Incc studios. Others in the cast are Tom Santschi, W. Lawson Butt, Wally Van and Wm. V. Mong. May Work on Coast It is understood that Murray Garsson will make a picture for Associated E.xhihitors on the Coast. Costs (Carey Wilson pinch hitting for Danny) At Sea on Board S. S. Le\uathan. Negative, of course. Everybody in Hollywood doing heavy thinking. All on the same subject. How to cut 'em down. Funny, too. Lots of 'em are coming down. Right now. On this year's prodtictions. How? Ctitting continuities mostly. Trying to look at the thing from the viewpoint of a finished picture ready to release. Not shooting anything that won't be there in the first run houses. Sure. They been talking about this. For a long time. Now they're doin' it. Getting smoother running scripts, too. 'Cause a picture will run smoother and more logically in seven reels. If it's written for seven reels. And shown in seven reels. Than if it's over-written for seven. Turns out to be twelve. Then gets cut to seven. With the great open places in it covered by titles and trick cutting. Sounds sensible. It always did. For the past ten years. DifTerence now is. They're DOING IT! RADIO Marcus Loew believes you can learn from it. Get an idea of what is public taste. Says his broadcast station shows him ptiblic wants same thing they want in pictures. Same class of entertain {Continued on Page 4) Last Under Contract Griffith Making Eighth and Final Picture Under United Artists Agreement D. W. Griffith and company sailed on the George Washington for Germany yesterday to shoot exteriors abroad for "The • Dawn." It is understood the picture will be the eighth and final production under his contract with United Artists. While it is believed that he has signed no contract for future services, it is stated in certain circles that Griffith has reached a pretty clear understanding with Famous Players on forthcoming productions. It will be sometime before "The Dawn" can be completed. The trip abroad will consume about six weeks, with an equal amount of time to be spent in finishing the picture here upon the return. One of the matters that will require delicate handling is understood to be the relations of Griffith in,sofar as D. W. Griffith. Inc., and that company's stockholders are concerned. Prod. Dist. Meeting On (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Chicago — Producers Distributing Corp. has all of its branch members, division managers, department chiefs and executives here at the Congress Hotel for a discussion of sales plans. The New York delegation includes: F. C. Munroe, Raymond Pawlcy, John C. Flinn, Paul C. Mooney, L. W. Kniskern, Charlie Giegerich, George W. Harvey, Joseph O'Sullivan, W. F. Seymour, (icorge Dillon, L. J. Hacking, W. G. Humphries. I. K. Burger, G. M. Davidson, H. O. Duke and S. Galanty. W. E. Wilkinson of the Hays organization, P. Major of Whaling Film. Charles R. Rogers of Hunt Stromberg Prod, and A. H. Sebastian of Belasco .Prod, are also here. Wins Title Suit Inventor of Lane Process Upheld in Action Against Craftsman on Infringement Claim Tiirougii a decision handed down by Judge Learned Hand in the Federal District Court, George Lane of Palisades, N. J., manager of the title department of Universal has won a suit filed hj' him for infringement against the Craftsman Film Laboratories, Inc. This decision restrains Craftsman from infringing what is known as the Lane process for making titles quickly, and with sharply defined white {Continued on Page 5)