The Film Daily (1918)

Tuesday, August 6, 1918 Published Every Day in the Tear at 71-73 West 44th St.. New York, N. Y. By WID'S FILMS & FILM FOLK, Inc. F. C. ("WID") GUNNING President and Treasurer LYNDE DEXIG, Editor Entered at New York Post Office as Secondclass Matter Terms (Postage free) United States, Outside of Greater New York, $10.00 one year; 6 months, $5.00; 3 months, $3.00. Foreign, $20.00. Subscribers should remit with order. Address all communications to WID'S DAILY, 71-73 West 44th St., New York, N. Y. Telephone: Vanderbilt 4551 — 2 Cuts and Flashes Henry Seigel of the Select returned to the New York exchange yesterday. George Kahn of the Universal has left for parts unknown and will remain away for two weeks. Adele Elsowitz, secretary to Paul Gulick, is to leave the Universal and marry on Aug. 25. The title of Alia Nazimova's latest picture, now completed, has been changed from "L'Occident" to "Eve for Eye." ACTION STARTED IN STOCK CASE Lincoln Classics, Inc., Must Show Why Permit To Sell Should Not Be Revoked George H. Christophers will represent W. W. Hodkinson in the Buffalo territory. Hale Hamilton leaves for Saratoga today to take some race track scenes for his picture "Five Thousand an Hour." These scenes are the first in which Hale appears as a Metro star. The Famous Players-Lasky sales force scored a three to one victory over the exhibitors in a ball game played at Freeport on Saturday. The score was 21 to 7. Louis Sherwin, dramatic critic of the Globe, has made a personal appearance in films. For some time past he has been interested in scenario work and is nominally on the continuity staff of Famous Players; but as far as may be ascertained, this is his debut as an actor. His bit was done last Friday evening for the new Alice Brady picture and incidentally the first directing venture of Charles Maigne. The set upon which he worked was a cabaret affair and Louis is said to have represented one of the town bloods on a spree. CHICAGO.— Action has been started by State's Attorney Hoyne against Frederick Bennion, former fiscal agent for the Lincoln Pictures Classics, Inc., a film concern chartered under the laws of Delaware and said to be a $1,000,000 corporation. Officials of the picture company placed the matter in the State's Attorney's hands following a meeting last week in the offices of Attorney C J. Trainor, at which it was disclosed that the stock sales proceeds held in escrow in the LTnion Trust Company, under an agreement with the secretary of state, were short about $9,000. Bennion, it is said, has not been seen for some time and his well equipped offices at 208 South La Salle street stand, closed and unoccupied. Assistant Attorney General Pruitt has had Bennion and his salesmen under surveilance for some time in connection with "The Birth of a Race" film stock sales. The Secretary of State has issued a rule to show cause why the Lincoln Classics company's permit to sell stock under the "blue sky" law shall not be revoked. Attorney Trainor in a statement issued last Friday said: "Fortunately for ourselves and the stockholders of our concern we got hold of the situation in time to prevent the corporation and investors from losing any money. We have obtained an injunction preventing Bennion and Henry Belmar, former president, from interfering with the operations of the company. We have the 35.000 shares of promotional stock which were to have gone to Belmar in our possession and even should we lose the $9000 that was withdrawn from the bank we are in better financial shape than we were before. The stockholders will lose nothing and we are going to see this company through to a successful conclusion." "Bennion." said Mr. Trainor. "is the cause of the misunderstandine with the secretary of state's office. We agreed that not only were the funds from stock sales to be expended in making the film only with the authorization of the state officials, but also that our selling literature should have the O. K. of the blue sky authorities. Bennion. in violation of this agreement, circulated pamphlets as well as tried to take over the whole corporation." Some of the literature, it is said, states that the Secretary of State has granted the corporation a license to sell stock. These pamphlets were circulated by Bennion, it is claimed, in violation of the state la—, as they should have clearly stated the Secretary does not recommend the purchase of this or any other stock. Another circular places the probable annual profits of the finished films at $5,000,000. Bennion is now the defendant in a suit in the civil courts, brought by the corporation which engaged him to sell Lincoln Classics stock at $10 per share. Dean Finishes Trip Charles A. Dean, the president of the Educational Distributing Corporation, designed to handle the product of the Educational Corporation, has returned to New York after an eleven-day trip through the Middle West. Mr. Dean has organized ex ^ changes in Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland. E. W. Hammons, vice-president and general manager of Edu^tional Films, also returned to New York after his supervision of "When the Giant Wakes" at Charleston, W. Va. Mr. Hammons expects to take a fiveday pleasure trip starting to-morrow. Getting Acquainted in Brewery Col. Jacob Ruppert has sent out a letter to all of the film men that he would like to meet them at the brewery, today, at 2.30 to talk over matters pertaining to film distribution. Here's a chance that you shouldn't overlook, boys, 'cause they do say that those brewery meetings are great stuff. Boston American Co. to Continue The American Feature Picture Co. of Boston desires the trade to know that that company is to continue in business despite the fact that Louis B. Mayer has relinquished the general managership of the concern. Mr. Mayer stepped out of the organization to devote his time to his interests in the Gordon string of theatres and the Anita Stewart productions. J. J. Rotchford, assistant general manager of the Select Pictures Corporation, is on the second week of his fortnight vacation. William M. Ritchey leaves the American Film Co. as scenario editor to go with the Famous Players-Lasky.