The Film Daily (1918)

7jfeBftADSTREET of FILMDOM 7/feRKOCHIZED Authority Vol. V, No. 83 Wednesday, Ju"y 31, 1918 Price 5 Cents FLORENCE REED IN WAR FILM To Be Starred By Jack Stahl In a Picturization of Rev. Dr. Dwight Hillis' Book on German Atrocities Bearing the endorsement of President Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and the Rev. Dr. Dwight Hillis, the next feature in which Florence Reed is to be starred by Jack Stahl is to be made part of the propaganda for the next Liberty Loan drive which starts in September. The picture is founded on the writings of the Rev. Dr. Hillis revealing a number of German atrocities in Belgium. Mr. Stahl received the permission of the author to picturize his writings and then went after the Government officials to obtain their endorsement. Stahl will personally direct the picture and will start work on it in about a week. Following the propaganda picture, Miss Reed will do five additional features for Stahl this year. He has her under contract for a series of at least five features in which she is to be starred or co-starred with a male star. Bushman-Bayne Metro Actor, Just Divorced, Marries Co-Star Francis X. Bushman, divorced in the Baltimore courts last Friday, was married on Monday to Beverly Bayne, his co-star in Metro pictures. Mr. and Mrs. Bushman have gone to the actor's estate in Maryland for a brief honeymoon. Mr. Bushman and Miss Bayne have been associated in picture work for about six years. Fuel Committee At a meeting of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, yesterday, William A. Brady appointed a committee to co-operate with Federal Fuel Administrator, Dr. Garfield. The committee, comprising S. L. Rothapfel, P. A. Powers, Marcus Loew, Harold Edel, J. H. Hallberg and B. S. Moss, will meet tomorrow noon. Government's Rule Causes Flurry The recent ruling made by the Government rescinding the tax on films for exportation has caused more or less of a flurry in the exporting field. In most cases where exporters have bought films from manufacturers or brokers in recent months and held them for shipment there having been no sailings lately, the exporters are trying to have the brokers or the manufacturers return the amount paid to cover the tax, but have been unable to obtain a rebate. Several of the exporters are threatening legal proceedings in the event that a refund is no* made to them. "Victory Screen Pledge" In recognition o the service done by exhibitors in showing Government war pictures, the Division of Films has prepared an official diploma to be known as a "Victory Screen Pledge," which will be awarded to managers who run the official war films, beginning with "Pershing's Crusaders." Double Admission Tax WASHINGTON— The Ways and Means Committee, in preparing the new war revenue bill yesterday, decided to double the admission tax and also to place a tax of one cent on admissions to amusement places where the minimum charge . does not exceed seven cents. This means that when the bill becomes a law, theatre tickets will be taxed twenty per cent., instead of ten per cent., as at present, and that five-cent houses will no longer be exempt from admission taxation. Terry Ramsaye ^s expected to call upon Frederick H. Elliott to address the Mitt Me luncheon on the advisability of making fifteen cent coins the standard admission price to future and futuristic expositions. Controls King Bee Spitzer Closes Deal For Billy West Comedies Nat Spitzer has closed a deal whereby he takes over the control of the King Bee Producing Company which has been making the Billy West comedies. The deal was closed yesterday and the West company is to start work again in a few weeks. The first comedy release under the new conditions will be made about September 1. Berst Called to Colors? The fact that the Republic of France lias entered an arrangement with the United States regarding the calling of the citizens of the former to the colors, it is believed, will affect the status of J. A. Berst, now handling the distribution of the Division of Films for the Committee on Public Information. At the offices of the Division of Films it was stated yesterday that it was understood that Mr. Berst had been called, but that they did not know what steps he would take to remain in the service of the Committee on Public Information, it being stated that his work was more important there than in the ranks. Petrova Returns Olga Petrova and her personal representative, Beulah Livingston, returned yesterday from the W. S. S. trip that covered a large part of the country.