The Film Daily (1924)

jfjIE of PILMDOH J; Vol. XXIX ^recocnizei Authority Wednesday, July 16, 1924 Price 5 Cents Kent Altering Titles Conferring With De Mille on Coast — Both Plan Vacation on Yacht Later (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — It is understood S. R. Kent's visit to the Coast concerns changes in the titles of the "Famous Forty." Aside from that, Kent and Cecil B. De Mille plan a vacation on the latter's yacht as soon as C. B. finishes "Feet of Clay." Split Sales Control Ready For New Move It is understood changes in some of the titles of "The Famous Forty" were decided upon, in part at least, as a result of protests filed by several exhibitor organizations, among them the Michigan unit. ( Fischer on His Own (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Cleveland — Meyer Fischer, formerly with Standard Film Service, has opened the Fischer Film Exchange, to handle state-right product. He is distributing "The Man From Beyond," "Who's Cheating?," "Is Money Everything?", and the "Felix, the Cat" series. J. R. Grainger in East and E. M. Saunders, West for Metro-Gold wyn — Changes Denied The final disposition of sales control for Metro-Goldwyn has been made with James R. Grainger placed in charge of the East and E. M. Saunders, in charge of Chicago and exchange centers West. W. E. Atkinson issued a statement yesterday, denying a report published in "Times Square Daily" that Saunders was about to withdraw from the company and that Arthur Abeles, New York manager had resigned because of the merger. It was said Abeles has resigned previously, but that he agreed to continue until the office affairs had been adjusted to operate without him. Protest Ban on Posters (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Montreal — The proposed ban on billboards has brought forth a storm of protest from exhibitors. Claiming that picture advertising is entitled to the same privileges as other industries exhibitors have retained legal advice. New Directors Start Frank Tuttle starts ,.work Monday on "Dangerous Money" and R. H. Burnside on "Manhattan". In both cases, it is the directors' first for Paramount and in the case of Burnside, his first for any organization. Women Fighting Sex Films (.Specica to THE FILM DULY) Sacramento, Cal. — The Federation of Women's Clubs is strongly in favor of and fighting for an ordinance to regulate the showing of sex films. "Cyrano" in Pathe Color (Special to THE FILM DAILY) London — Pathe will release an Italian version of "Cyrano de Bergerac" in Pathe color. It was produced by Augusto Genina. Blumberg Goes to Coast Milton Blumberg, secretary of Rueben Samuels, Inc., is on his way to the Coast on a combined business and pleasure trip. Big Coast Deal West Coast Theaters. Inc., Sign for Metro-Goldwyn Output — Their Position Strong (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles— West Coast Theaters, Inc., will play the entire MetroGoldwyn output, under terms of a deal closed while James R. Grainger and E. A. Schiller were here. While the amount involved is not known, it is understood to run into several hundred thousand dollars. West Coast now operates in the neighborhood of eighty theaters in California cities. The deal covers all houses and forty-six Metro-Goldwyns with an arrangement for individual deals on the Cosmopolitan pictures. West Coast operates Loew's State here and the Warfield in San Francisco and must show twenty-two Metros under the arrangement. The theater organization now occupies a very powerful position on the Pacific slope. Through Sol Lesser, it holds a First National franchise. The circuit has booked the "Famous Forty" and now controls the MetroGoldwyn output. Committee Discussing 1st Nat'l. Swdtch to New York— "Life of Christ" Bought The executive committee of First National held its first series of meetings yesterday, to be followed by others throughout the week. The important order of' business concerns the switch in production headquarters from the Coast to New York. The committee will go over the details which are understood to have been entirely mapped out by Richard A. Rowland. The question of adequate studio space has caused some difficulties, but it is believed that particular problem is well on its way toward solution. First National has purchased Giovanni Papini's "The Life of Christ", for production by one of the Eari Hudson units. A great deal of care will be exercised in making the picture. It is planned to devote many months to research and, in all likelihood, the majority of scenes will be made abroad. 400 Theaters Closed Hergesheimer Enters Producing Joseph Hergesheimer, author, will act as supervising director of the "Three Black Pennies" unit at Paramount when the picture is started Aug. 18. Paul Bern is en route from the Coast to direct. Williamson Due Today J. Ernest Williamson is due today from Nassau where he has spent the last two months at work on a new sub-sea photographic process. Crosland Going To Coast Alan Crosland, now finishing "Sinners in Heaven", will next direct Agnes Ayres in "Worldly Goods", for Paramount. Coast-made. Busnng Reserve Material Stories and properties under consideration by Universal will take care of that company's needs for the next eighteen months, provided they are purchased. Frederica Sagor, Eastern scenario editor left for the Coast yesterday to confer on the matter. Lasky, Wanger Here Saturday Jesse L. Lasky is due in from Europe on the *Paris Saturday. Walter Wanger is making the return trip with him. Gloria Swanson on Way Home Gloria Sw;anson, sailed yesterday on the Leviathan from Cherbourg. Her next picture is "Wages of Virtue". Gance With Stinnes (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Paris — Abel Gance, prominent French producer has joined the Hugo Stinnes film enterprises and will produce from now on in Berlin. P. D. G. Plans 30 Releases The Producers Dist. Guild will probably have 30 pictures the first year, according to Arthur N. Smallwood. In St. Louis Territory— Yet Many New Houses Are PlannedGoldman's Started (Special to THE FILM DAILY) St. Louis — Despite many new theaters planned for the territory, a survey shows that out of the 900 houses served out of St. Louis, 400 have shut down snice the summer started. Closmg coal mines are blamed for 250, the usual summer slump for 100, while at least 50 have quit permanently because of poor patronage And yet, despite this, a number of houses are planned, and some big ones, too. Marcus Loew's new State, at Eighth and Washington, will open early next month, while Freund Brothers' Kingsland, on Gravois Ave., is finished. Excavation for the foundation of Wm., Goldman's $1,000,000 St. Louis, is proceeding rapidly, and a report has it that another big house is planned for Grand Blvd., in the vicinity of the Missouri and Grand Central. Downtown, two lots on Market Street, between Broadway and Sixth, changed hands recently and it is reported that a house will be erected thereon to cost $250,000. This is opposite the Grand O. H. In South St. Louis, Fred Hoelzer, of the Ivory and Marguerite, has purchased the old Carondelet Turner Hall and is tearng down that structure to make way for a theater to seat 1,500. The contract has already been let. The site is at Robert and Michigan Aves. Fred Wehrenburg plans a theater at Grand and Meramac, and another house at Grand Ave and Bates St. Both are located in rapidly growing districts at present with inadequate theaters. Several other houses are contemplated for outlying districts. "Meredith" Opens Aug. 4 August 4 is the latest date set for the premiere of "Janice Meredith" at the Cosmopolitan. Neilan's Plans (Special to THE FILM DAILY) London — Kine. Weekly states that Marshall Neilan will later produce "Return of the Soldier," by Rebecca West and that the director intends visiting the North Country hoping to see a gathering of the clans around which he will eventually build a scenario. Doug and Mary Here Monday Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford are aboard the Leviathan due in Monday morning. Robert Fairbanks returned from Hollywood yesterday, presumably to be on hand when the boat docks.