The Film Daily (1924)

:s& brAdstreet of FILHDOM RECOCHIZEI Authority Vol. XXIX No. 49 Wednesday, August 27, 1924 Price 5 Cents SERVICE By DANNY The big job. For every exhibitor. In towns large as well as small. Cannot do too much of it. And it pays the biggest of dividends. In good will. Mike O'Toole continues to' hammer this home. To his state units. And he is right. The M. P. T. O. of A. will get a lot further. And accomplish much more for Mister Exhibitor. By fighting this through. Than anything— almost — that can be tackled. Once you "sell" your public on the house the rest is easy. Then if the picture isn't as good as it might be — and that is often the case — it makes little difference. Because the folks will think of your place as an institution. As part of their lives. And what you show is secondary. To how you show it. And the rest of things. Once you get the folks at home behind you. Supporting you. The rest is easy. And you never can tell where it ivill stop. You can have their support. Their power. To fight all the things that are constantly needing fighting. Just imagine what ^ strength such support would give — and will givewhen you want to fight taxation, Sunday closing or censorship? And right now. At this moment. There looms in a nunibcr of States a definite taxation program. You'll see it develop in fact. Between next January and ■ March. You'll have a lot of time to build that good will. By service. Between now and then. The quicker you get to it the better. The more quickly you make friends of your patrons, the better. You'll need all their help. And more. If the proposed taxation looms up. In your State. And don't forget it. Just taking money away from picture fans isn't the answer. With some of the pictures you will have — or might have — that part of the program is a cinch. But what is more important is this: that you make your folks feel glad you are running a house. FOR THEM. In other words you are simply the custodian. So get to this SPIRVICE idea. And Stick to it. Like a fly on a gummed {Continued on Page 2) Unusual," "exceptional," "enthralling," "gripping," "thrilling" are just a 'iew of the adjectives reviewers have used to describe B. P. Schulberg's Preferred Picture "The Breath of Scandal," directed by Gasnier. — Advt. Up To Operators T. O. C. C. Won't Grant IncreaseGives Union Until 2 P. M. Today to Decide A meeting was held at the T. O. C. C. Monday night between the Labor Committee of that organization, and the Wage Scale Committee of Local 306 under Col. Reegan, representing Commissioner of Labor Sliientag, in a final effort to reach an understanding on the question of renewal of contracts. At the request of the Commissioner, both sides were asked to present final propositions. The operators' committee refused to make any further proposition than their previous one of thirty per cent increase, and the reduction of a maximum of 36 hours per week. (Continued on Page 10) Boston Unsettled (.special to THE FILM DAILY) Boston — .\nothcr meeting of ofTicials of the M. P. Operators' Union and local theater managers was held yesterday. It is understood new agreements have been reached nisofar as the mu(Cotilinued on Page 10) New B'way Theater May Be Part of 15 Story Office Building Going Up Near the Palace Theater A deal is expected to be closed tomorrow involving tlie inclusion of a 600 seat theater in the plans for a fifteen story oflice building to be erected at 1558 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Sts. The plan is to build a house something like the Cameo and on the same intimate style. The entrance will be through the office building, entering from the Broadway side. Andrew J. Cobe, at present managing the Lyric is handling the detail for a syndicate, the personnel of which he is keeping secret at the moment. It is certain that pictures will be shown, but whetiier it will be a popular-priced theater or one designed to cater to a higher-class patronage is a point yet to be determined. The same group, interested witii Cobe in this project will probably build a picture theater at Broadway and 69th St. Finlayson Returns Jim Finlayson. Roach comedian, has returned to New York en route to the Coast from Scotland to begin work on Labor Day. Old Tickets Good Exhibitors Can Use Present Form. Until Oct. 1 — Extension Means Saving (.Special to THE FILM DAILY) Washington — Thousands of exhibitors throughout the country will benefit by a decision announced yesterday afternoon by the Treasury Department to the effect that they may continue to use, until Oct. 1, the form of admission tickets which they have been using until now. The old form was to be discontinued Sept. 1. Tliis extension of time was secured by the Hays office and will mean a substantial saving for exhibitors, as millions of the old tickets remain unused. Hays at A. M. P. A. Will H. Hays will address the A. M. P. A. Thursday at what is ex-" pected to be one of the largest and most important meetings yet held by that organization. Harold Lloyd will also be present. Griffith Sails Sept. 6 D. W. Griffith has booked passage on the Scythia, sailing from Southampton lor New York on Sept. 6. The company he took abroad may return a week earlier. Russell Signs Wesley Barry Russell Prod, of Chicago have signed Wesley Jiarry to appear in a series of twelve outdoor pictures. The first has been started in Hollywood. They will l;c known as Roval Prod. Lyon Cast for "So Big" Ben Lyon kit Monday for the Coast where he will play opposite Colleen Moore in her first stellar vehicle for First National, "So Big". De Mille on Third Bank Board Los Angeles — Cecil B. Dc Mille is now an executive of three banks. He has just been elected a director in the Bank of America, and is already vice-president of the Commercial National Bank of Los Angeles; in active charge of the Hollywood branch, and a director in the Bank of Italy. War In Ottawa (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Ottawa — A merry little theater war is on sfs a result of the withdrawal of Marcus Loew and the decision of directors of Loew's Ottawa Theater, Ltd., to lease the house, seating 2,600 to B. F. Keith. {Continued on Pag* 2)