The Film Daily (1924)

Monday, July 21, 1924 THE lOSim^LSL DAILV Prices Too High {.Continued fiom Page 1) poor man adopted it as such and patronized his movie house with his entire family, three, five or seven times a week. But times have changed, and with the changing of the times we hear complaints on all sides that the motion picture industry is 'over seated,' that there are too many theaters and similar complaints, whereas the real truth of the matter is that we have chased three out of every four customers away from our box offices by excessive admission prices until today we have a daily attendance of approximately 5,000,000 instead of the 20,000,000' admissions we sold every day when movie theater attendance was at its peak. "A glance at statistics showing the incomes in the United States tells a story of its own. There are 40,000,000 income earners in this country and 86 per cent of them earn less than two tliousand dollars a year. They represent the mass of your picture audience prospects and they earn less than forty dollars a week apiece. They are the people whose early patronage made the motion picture industry "with their nickels and dimes. They are just ordinary people who do not say much, who seldom break into print to expound their views, but who, nevertheless, make or break politicians or producers of mass products by their patronage or its withdrawal. The other 14 per cent of your forty million income earners represent the 'class' or 'high-brow element' from which the motion picture industry has received most of its 'uplift' and criticism. It is for this latter group that 'two dollar picture presentations' and costly prologues were originally prepared. "A return to normalcy in the matter of picture theater admissions will take the movies out of the luxury class and put them again with our list of daily necessities. This movement in the motion picture industry and this one alone will bring back to Mr. Working Man the daily habit of attending the movies which he formed years ago but which "j we made him break. "There has been a marked tendency in our business to make the public pay all the traffic will bear. Producers with ambitious and costly productions and others not so costly demanded bigger revenues resulting in the distributor jacking up exhibitor rentals. The trade press, too, carried on an aggressive campaign for higher theater admissions and now we have them — but we have lost seventy-five per cent of our customers. Too many seats in our theaters? Abbsolutely no! But there are too many exhibitors who have raised their admission prices 100 per cent over the amount they were getting at the box oflice when they were making money. Wouldn't it be better to sell 1,000 admissions at 10c. and get the peak of regular attendance that would give us back our 20,000,000 customers a day than to travel along at the 5,000,000 daily attendance gait selling 250 admissoins at 20c. apiece? Woolworth made his success through big sales at small prices. So did the picture industry. We can bring our old customers back and double our receipts in thousands of theaters by cutting our admission price in two." Russell Plans 12 Productions W. D. Russell of Russell Prod., Chicago is in town. Beginning today, the company will start work on a scries of eleven features, all to be made in Chicago. One special, "Lost in New York" is planned. Distribution will be via the state rights market. T. E. Dillard Appointed (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Atlanta, Ga. — T. E. Dillard has assumed charge of the local branch of United Artists, succeeding M. C. Coyne. Mrs. Dillard who has been with the organization since 1919 is assistant manager. U. K. Studios Slump {Continued from Page 1) motely removed from foreign appeal as the}' can be. "From this fault", writes Tilley, "Germany was herself a bad sufferer, but she is finding a solution through methods far different from those which Sweden sought, and in the seeking lost her own art. Germany is using the actors, actresses and the stories of other countries, especially those of the English-speaking countries, and is grafting on to them her own technique, unrivalled studio facilities. Abel Gance goes from France to produce for the Stinnes organization; English, French, Italian, Swedish and American artistes are, in addition to German, in nearly every responsible studio. Working agreements are being arrived at with sound and stable organizations here, as well as in France and America. While we .... we are arranging a garden party, and we have one producing organization at work! In September the international conference of European producing factors spoken of by Tilley, Wolfsohn of "Lichtbild Buhne" and Fredman of "The Film Renter" is scheduled to occur. Tilley urges that as an opportunity to impress that London intends to continue as the world's center for export. Movie Advertising Censor {Special to THE FILM DAILY) Baraboo, Wis. — At a meeting of the Public Opinion Committee, Harry A. Staab, of the M. P. T. O., advocated censorship of posters. The committee will join other organizations to formulate a program of reform in Madison. New House For Dyckman Section Adolphe Factor has purchased property on the south side of Dyckman St. and Sherman Ave., on which lie will erect a new house. 0 Hurd On Trip to Coast {Special to THE FILM DAILY) Detroit — C. M. Hurd, of Consolidated Theaters is on a six weeks' trip to the Coast. Temple, Toledo, Closes for Summer (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Toledo, O.— The Temple, operated by H. C. Horater, has closed for July and August. To Act On Free Shows (Continued from Page 1) every Thursday night. The opening picture was "North of Hudson Bay", starring Tom Mix. Performances will be given every Thursday during July and August, with a possible extension into September. Steel workers and their friends are invited. Elizabeth Taylor, secretary of the N. Y. Tuberculosis Association has advised this publication of ' further plans for free shows. She states that the programs have been confined to Statcn Island but, beginning last Friday night, included parks of Manhattan. The usual program consists of three or four health pictures and a one-reel comedy. This list is amplified by Department of Agriculture pictures. The secretary declares the attendance is usually very good. Exhibitors make the point that it makes no difference what kind of pictures are shown. Anything of such nature, they say, takes business from their box-offices. Justify Tax Stand (Continued from Page 1) three hundred per cent over 1918. This is how he figures it: Operators in 1918 drew about $22 per week. They now get about $60. Musicians drew $25 where they now secure $75; good porters formerly cost $15 and now the figure is about $30. Cashiers in 1918 were paid about $10 per week but today they now earn $25 and more. This exhibitor pointed to the increase in the cost of coal and of electrical current. When he came to discuss the jump in film service, his patience gave out. The exhibitor reaction to the tax is that they here have an opportunity to retrieve some of their losses. Examples are freely offered of exhibitors who have been paying the Government the war tax out of their own end of the business. Last Fall, Marcus Loew made a slight increase in admissions all over the local circuit. It is said the independently operated theaters would have had to do the same thing this fall had something not occurred. However, that something has occurred in the partial lifting of the tax. The exhibitor units in Minnesota and the Dakotas have decided to benefit by the reduction, making the same point as the New York exhibitor group. Galezio Recovering (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — Leonard Galezio, Universal camera man, who while on location with the Rupert Julian company was run down by a cavalry of horses, is recovering. He expects to be back on the job in a month. Texas Theater Bums (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Lamesa, Tex. — The Majestic was destroyed recently in a spectacular fire that destroyed 15 buildings. Fox Circuit Books "Sea Hawk" Following the run of "The Sea Hawk" at the Astor and its Strand engagement, the picture will play over the local Fox Circuit. New House for Pittsburgh (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Pittsburo'h — Another house will be added to the city's roster when the New Schenley opens Aug. 30. It seats 1,600. Milwaukee Next (Continued from Page 1) unable to attend. A skit, "Bizznezz Is Bizznezz," by H. H. Cudmore, directed by Samuel Bradley, was one of the features of the banquet Friday evening. Leo Dwyer. Cleveland, discussed "Old Man Overhead." Lears Heads Equipment Bureau (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Cleveland — Sam Lears, of Arlington Heights, was elected president of the Bureau of Associate Members of the Ass'n of M. P. Equipment Dealers of A. Other officers are: John Hertner, Cleveland, vice-president; J. W. Brenkert, Detroit, treasurer; L. M. Fulton, Chicago, secretary, and the following new directors: Adele De Berri, J. E. McAuley, Chicago; Irving Samuels, Allentown, Pa., and W. J. Newman, Cincinnati. Records Smashed at the Grand Opera House Pittsburgh Big Play Dates Everywhere ! Sol Lesser Presents Baby Peggy m Captain January" By Laura E. Richards With Hobart Bosworth, Irene Rich, Lincoln Stedman, Harry T. Morey and Barbara Tennant It's A Box-Office Cleanup! i.'lisWWWilliSIWWBii'ilWBSBS Distributed through our territorial franchise holders who own and operate individual distributing branches in every key center. COMING SOON y ^ey ^0 mm ^jy_^,y ^j'. PRODUCERS DISTRIBUTING CORPORATION HUNT STROM BER& & CHARLES IKUP'IDCKVT MM :S R ROGERS * I ■ ^^ *%e Siren *" of SeviUe Sionjby HHVAU LQAN-te/«/iy JEROME STORM