The Film Daily (1918)

Tuesday, November 26, 1918 iM^ DAILY Vol. VI No. 50 Tuesday, November 26, 1918 Price 5c Published Daily at 71-73 West 44th St. New York, N. T. By WID'S FILMS S FILM FOLK, Inc. F. C. ("WID") GUNNING President and Treasurer LYNDE DBNIG, Editor Entered as second class matter May 21 1918, at the post offlce at New York, N. Y. under the Act of March 3, 1879. Terms (Postage free) United States, Outside of Greater New York, $10.00 one year; * 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 Arrow Closes Contracts The Arrow Film Corporation has closed another series of contracts under its consolidated plan of distribution with the International Film Corporation of Denver, Col. Contracts call for the delivery of two productions a month. The attractions taken over by the International for the territory of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico being "Her Aviator," "The Perfect Model," "My Husband's Friend," "The Woman's Law," "The Sunset Princess," "The Web of Intrigue," "The Fire of Hope," "Human Shuttles" and "The Shadow of Fear." The International Film Corp. is under the management of C. John Predari, formerly general manager of the La France Feature Film Company of Denver. Mr. Predari will shortly open an office at Salt Lake City and will specialize in feature attractions. Large Returns The receipts brought in on several "Hearts of the World" productions for the week ending November 16, were unusually large. They were: Toledo, O., $9,697; Utica, N. Y., $8,657; Morjristown. Plainfield, $5,650; Newport News, $6,647: Newark (7th week), $5,452 and Coatesville, (3 days), $2,917. Stolen Print Returned The print of "Ashes of Love," which was stolen from the Graphic Film Corp. a few weeks ago was found in the hallway of the building last Friday. The film was in perfect condition. P. Kaplan, general manager of the Graphic Film Corp. also announces the sale of "Ashes of Love" and "When Men Betray" for Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia to Milton Caplon of the Variety Picture Corp. STARS THAT NEVER SHINE J. A. Quinn Explains Object of House Gleaning Campaign Endorsed by California Exhibitors Solving the "star" question is one of the chief objects in the House Cleaning Campaign launched by J. A. Quinn and endorsed by Southern California exhibitors. Investigating and regulating the salaries of stars and so-called stars, and eliminating the use of the term, except in relation to a few artists who by virtue of their ability, personality and magnetism have won a position in the hearts of the public, is a part of the campaign. "Never in the world has the word 'star' been so abused as it is in motion picture business," said Mr. Quinn. "One of the main reasons for the inflated value of the film is the so-called 'star.' Now what I am going to say on the 'star' question may appear to be rather cold-blooded, but there's no use kidding ourselves any longer, and we must realize the fact that these overpaid, inflated value stars get these salaries, not from the men who try to force them over, but from the exhibitors. "In what other industry or business will you find such sinful waste and throwing away of money? "There is not the slightest doubt that some of these so-called stars get, and are still getting, real starts through pull and favoritism. Personality is the real requisite for successful screen artists. Actors that can get over sometimes on the stage with a good speaking voice and other camouflage to help out. will fall flat in the silent drama if they are not gifted with unusual personality. If I were selecting people for a producing company, I would want to know something about their private life and manner of living. If they were wanted to play good, inspiring parts, I would want to know that they had real fine qualities within them, and if I wanted types to interpret other parts I would give preference to people that naturally looked and lived the part: in this way working towards what people most want in the pictures — naturalness. "Now, I contend that there are many people who have never taken part in a picture, or in a play cither, who would be glad of the opportunity and would be willing to work a great deal cheaper and do far better work than a lot of these so-called stars, if properly coached by someone who understands, and who has the art of bringing out the best that is in them. "The writer pre-viewed a picture sometime ago made in San Francisco by a cast that had never before played a part, but they were the right types and made good and the picture was released on the Paramount program and was far ahead of many other pic tures that I have seen on the same program. "There is also a .large number of stock actors who would make good if given a chance, but I know for a fact and can cite instances of artists who have had considerable success in pictures but who are unable to get work, although they are far superior .to many who are kept steadily employed and it looks to me as though these people have failed to get work because they did not have the right pull. I also know of several cases where the performers have drawn pay checks for weeks, months and as long as a year at a time and have never faced the camera. WHO PAYS? "It is my intention, as one of the moves in cleaning up the business, to go right down the line and investigate the pedigrees of a lot of these people who are drawing fancy salaries, and have an intelligent investigating committee pass upon their magnetism, personality, ability and drawing power, and we will get a rude jolt when we sum up how much money is being thus foolishly thrown away. "The exhibitors are tired of looking idly on, watching their money being spent in this manner while they are slaving and planning night and day earning money and digging up more money from their own pockets to help pay the so-called stars many times what they are worth. Now, I do not want to be understood as fighting for low salaries. I want to see everyone get what their ability and drawing power entitles them to, but I want to see an end to this system of forcing inferior people down our throats by sheer force of advertising, and untruthful advertising at that. Taken To Supreme Court Supreme Court Justice Weeks has granted an application by the Imp Film Co. to remove from the City Court to the Supreme Court a suit against Robert Herbst to recover $2,400 for breach of contract to take the plaintiff's films for a year for Brazil and the Argentine. The suit was filed several years ago and the plaintiff applied to have the case transferred to the Supreme Court after the defendant had asked in the City Court to have it dismissed for lack of prosecution. The plaintiff explained that the delay in the trial was due to the fact that the papers had been lost. The Fausto theatre, Havana, Cuba, has inaugurated the children's matinee. Although the plan has had a thorough trial here and has proved to be a success it had not been tried before in Cuba.