The Film Daily (1924)

:^^ brAdstreet of FILMDOM r^RECOCMQEI Authority rOL. XXIX No. 28 Sunday, August 3, 1924 Price 25 Cents Paramount Scores [ore L. A. Managers Declare They Have Had No Trouble With First Runs There (.Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — The defense built up / Famous Players in the Federal rade Commission hearing here has )parently scored effectively. From all the local exchange manfers introduced as writnesses by )unsel for Famous, there has been ) testimony indicating that Los An:les has been a closed town, so far first runs are concerned. Ben Rosenberg, Metro manager, on e stand declared that the theater tuation did not prevent Metro from curing proper representation. Art mp, at present Selznick manager, It formerly with Goldwyn, said that jldwyn for three years past has id adequate first runs. The hearing has covered a number diversified angles. For example, ■ank E. Garbutt of Famous was lied to the stand to describe the rmation of Bosworth, Inc., in 1913, tell of the difficulties of securing (.Continued on Page 3) Kent Ends Vacation (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — The DeMille yacht5 party, including S. R. Kent, has turned here. Kent's vacation is 'w over. He will return East rtly. Terriss Increases Capital (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Dover, Del. — An increase in capital been filed by Terriss Productions, w York City, of from $100,000 to SOO.OOO. I Features Reviewed Page Big Timber Universal 6 The Red Lily Metro-Gold 6 Single Wives 1st Natl 6 Manhandled Paramount 6 The Call of the Mate Goldstone— S. R 8 That French Lady Fox 8 Western Vengeance Ind. Pict.— S. R 8 The Man Who Fights Alone Paramount 8 Short Subjects 9 New^ Booking Unit W. T. Yoder Plans Exhibitors' Association Which May Develop Central Booking Project (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Atlanta — W. T. Yoder has left on a vacation to Kansas City, and, upon his return, Aug. 15, plans to organize a new association "for the protection of exhibitors." Several well known exhibitors are said to be interested with Yoder. In due time, Yoder states, a charter will be applied for and the company incorporated with a capital of $50,000. The purpose of the organization will not include the services of a booking office, to begin with, but later a central booking project might develop. Yoder was for a number of years with Pathe, covering the Southern territory, later joining Prod. Dist. Corp. Warners' First Nine The order of release on the first nine Warner productions follows: "Three Women", "Find Your Man", "Deburau, Lover of Camille", "This Woman", "The Dark Swan", "The Narrow Street", "A Lost Lady", "The Age of Innocence", and "The Lighthouse by the Sea". Libson Buys Out Kress Cincinnati — Ike Libson has closed a deal with Harry Kress covering three theaters in Piqua, Ohio. The houses are the Mays O. H., seating 1,200; the Strand, seating 700 and the Bijou, seating 600. The houses will all be remodeled. Brenon and Goldbeck to Sail Herbert Brenon sails on the Acquitania, on Wednesday, to submit a new batch of "Peter Pan" tests to Sir James Barrie. Willis Goldbeck, who prepared the script, also sails to submit it to the author. Parade Starts Stunt "Greater Movies Season" in Los Angeles— Two Hundred Stars in Line-up (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — A monster parade launched "Greater Movies Season" Friday night. It included many pretentious floats built by the studios. There were close on to two hundred stars and players in the procession that wended its way through downtown Los Angeles. It was one of the greatest publicity stunts for the business as a whole that has ever been arranged here and served to focus the attention of the public squarely on theaters. The plan is, of course, to stimulate business. Next week there will be a number of special stunts, at all of the downtown theaters. Stars will make (Continued on Page 3) Ravasco Heads the U. C. I. (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Rome — Signor Ravasco, president of the Banca Commerciale Italiana is now the active head of the U. C. I. which the bank financially sponsors. The Pasquali studio at Turin has been reopened and Febo Mari is at work on a new program of three pictures. "Beaucaire" for L. A. Run (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — "Monsieur Beaucaire" opens at Grauman's Million Dollar thealer Aug. 11, for an extended run. The premiere will open at $2 top. W. B. Frank Returns W. B. Frank, Eastern representative for Hal Roach is back from Los Angeles where he declares all of the Roach units are working at full schedule. Roach will come East in September. Kent To Testify Will Appear When Gleichman-Famous Players Hearing Is Resumed in New York U. S. Commissioner, Allen G. Thurman, acting as referee in the local hearing between Phil Gleichman and Famous Players, adjourned the meeting Friday after all contracts, which are expected to figure prominently in the trial in Detroit, had been marked for identification. The only witness called for examination was George W. Weeks, of Famous. Just before adjournment, it was agreed by both parties that a continuation of the hearing will be fixed by the commissioner upon proper notice to Famous. Sidney R. Kent, who was named as a witness in the proceedings, will be produced for examination when the hearing is resumed. The revelation of prices secured by Famous at important theaters in key cities did not develop, although contracts with some fifty-five houses were brought to the hearing for identification. Meeting In Penn. Will Discuss Emergency Lighting Systems — New Burden on Exhibitors The M. P. T. O. has arranged for a conference with officials of the Department of Labor and Industry at Harrisburg, Pa., to discuss a plan of Pennsylvania authorities to have installed in theaters a so-called emergency lighting system which is intended to take care of illumination in the event that the entire lighting current of the city or town is turned ofT. This has caused a storm of protests on the part of theater owners generally. It is contended that present sys(Continued on Page 2) Indiana Protests Will Take Steps to End Special Runs in Places Other Than Theaters (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Michigan City, Ind.— N. N. Bernstein, counsel for the Indiana M. P. T. C, declares he will formulate measures to curb distributors who show their productions outside of regular theaters. It is claimed that some producers release films which they advertise extensively as "specials," attempt to hold up theater owners for high rentals, and, failing to do this, rent auditoriums and other public buildings, where they exhibit at high prices and then vacate. Reduces Import Duty (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Berlin — Word has been received that the Czecho-Slovakian Government has reduced the import duty on films 50 per cent. According to the new tariff, 15 kronen are to be paid after 1 kilogram foreign film. This reduction, however, refers only to films from Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, Roumania, and England, because the Czech Government has a commercial treaty with those countries. Blaisdell with Rayart George Blaisdell has resigned as editor of the Exhibitors Trade Review to represent Rayart Pictures on the Coast. Rayart is the new state right organization formed by W. Ray Johnson, former vice-president of Arrow. At a luncheon at Keen's Chop House yesterday, about sixty friends of Blaisdell's gathered and presented him with a wrist watch. He leaves Sunday. No Knowledge of Fox Deal Lee A. Ochs declared Friday that there was no foundation in fact for the report that William Fox had taken over the new Piccadilly theater. Flinn Back From Coast John C. Flinn, of Producers Dist. Corp., returned from the Coast Friday.