The Film Daily (1921)

ryfe B&ADSTREET >/ FILMDOM 7/cRECOCHIZED Authority OL. XVI No. 89 Wednesday, June 29, 1921 Price 5 Centi ZUKOR UNDER FIRE "alk Of $5,000,000 Fund For Production Stirs ConJ vention Exhibitors Divided on Subject— Methods of Financing M. P. T. O. Discussed At Length (Staff Correspondence) Minneapolis — Nothing has proven so important a question the history of the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America, the proposed fund of five, million for the purpose of distributg. and if necessary the producing of pictures for use among khibitors identified with the organization. This was the chief Bpic of discussion in Minneapolis yesterday. I The chief difficulty of the proposed measure is the fear on e part of a number of the larger exhibitors that if this plan put into effect that they will be driven out of business before can be effectively inaugurated. They point out that it will ke at least two years to perfect a producing and distributing Ian which can provide for the needs of 8,000 exhibitors, the limber now said to be included in the national organization, lefore the plan has been effectively put together they say the Important producing companys now in business would cut off ■:ir product and this would compel C;m to close. ^Another interesting view was prelited by an important exhibitor of ie of the key cities, who was active ■ the formation of the Chicago gathIng a year ago which paved the uy for the present national body, 'lis man, who does not wish to be (Continued on Page 3) Head of Famous Spends Grilling Three Hours Before M. P. T. O.— Told Promises Cannot Be Relied Upon — Matter Goes Before Convention Today Talk of Finance fveral Interesting Plans Advanced To Raise Funds for Operative Purposes (Staff Correspondence) '.'Minneapolis — Financing of the Itional organization is being disissed at length here. rSeveral interesting plans have been loposed and others will be before He question is finally solved. One of rte most interesting suggestions adHced is to have the exhibitors set hide one day a ye«r on which film • own will be secured without cost 'jm the producers. All receipts are be turned into a general fund of is sum. Two thirds is to be relined bv the state organization and e third turned over to the national ' conization. Each strife treasurer is to be bondI assuming there are 8,000 metrics. The average receipts of this (Continued on Page 3) (Staff Correspondence) Minneapolis — Adolph Zukor spent a grilling three hours and longer before the executive committee of the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America yesterday. At the conference the entire situation with regard to the policy of Famous PlayersLasky as chiefly affecting the operation of the smaller exhibitor throughout the country was gone over. It is understood that Mr. Zukor made a definite promise that from now on such incidents as the case of Mrs. Pauline Dodge of Morrisville, Vt., that of B. F. Uran of Mattoon, 111., and that of H. Schwartz of Willimantic, Conn., would not again occur. He was told flatly by the members of the executive committee that his word could not be given serious consideration inasmuch as his written pledge had been broken. He was further told that there was no reason to assume that future promises would be kept. The committee finallv reached the Johnny Hines in C. C. Burr's first Affiliated feature "Burn 'Em Up Barnes," made expressly for the Independents. The supporting cast includes Betty Carpenter, George Fawcett, Edmund Breese, J. Barney Sherry, Julia Swayne Gordon, etc. — Advt. decision to place the matter before the actual convention for decision. DANNY. Convention News Additional reports of developments at the M. P. T. O. convention will be found on pages 3 and 10. Many At Dinner Executives and Prominent Exhibitor Officials at West Hotel Last Night (Staff Correspondence) Minneapolis — A notable gathering of film executives, and leaders of the M. P. T. O. attended the dinner at the West Hotel last night at which a number of important problems were discussed. Among those present were Sydney S. Cohen, Senator James J. Walker, Sam Berman, Charles O'Reilly, John S. Evans, E. T. Peter, Adolph Zukor, Al Lichtman, L. J. Selznick. Benjamin B. Hampton, J. L. Friedman, Senators Owen and Kenyon and a host of others. The dinner broke up at a rather late hour. Details of the various speeches made will be published in tomorrow's issue.