Associated First National Franchise (1921)

4 First National Franchise Semi-Monthly Refund from Exchange Pleases Exhibitor ON the back page of this issue of FRANCHISE you will see something which you have probably never before seen in the motion picture industry. Because it is so unique, we re-produce it to show exhibitors throughout the country the spirit that prevails, not alone in individual exchanges of Associated First Nationl Pictures, but in the Home Office and in every theatre allied with our cause. The re-production mentioned is that of a letter from A. H. Paxson, President and Manager of the Valdosta Amusement Company, Inc., of Valdosta, Georgia. Mr. Paxson, in writing Associated First National Exchange of his city said : "I am in receipt of your favor of the 17th, enclosing check for $140.00, difference due me, "Please accept thanks for this cash refund, and I want to tell you this is the squarest deal I ever had handed me by any exchange. However, I never yet heard of First National handing anyone any other kind of treatment but the best. I have always considered my franchise a valuable asset and now this little incident of fair play causes its value to increase 100 per cent, in my estimation. "Again thanking you for the check and with best possible wishes for yourself and First National, I am Yours very truly, A. H. Paxson." Incidentally, we might say this is one of the reasons why "There'll be a Franchise Everywhere." Charles Mason Wins Promotion In Indiana Charles Mason, whose exploitation of many productions distributed by Associated First National Pictures, Inc., during his regime as manager of the Orpheum Theatre, Fort Wayne. Indiana, attracted the attention of exhibitors, has been appointed assistant general manager of the Bankers and Merchants Theatres Company of Indianapolis, according to a recent announcement by A. F. Brentlinger, general manager of that company. Thomas H. Moore, of Fort Wayne, will succeed Mr. Mason as manager of the Orpheum. The Bankers and Merchants Theatres Company owns and operates a number of high-class moving picture theatres in some of the larger cities of Indiana and considers one of its most valuable assets its franchise holdings in Associated First National Pictures, Inc., as among its most valuable holdings. Mr. Brentlinger, general manager of the company, is a member of the board of directors of Associated First National Pictures, Indiana. Milwaukee Ball Scores The Milwaukee Exhibitors Club announced that its sixth annual Movie Ball, given Saturday, January 29, was a huge success. Box office records showed an attendance of over 5,500. L. Nahin, leading Milwaukee exhibitor and sub-franchise holder, was chairman of the committee in charge and through his untiring efforts extra credit is due him for the success of the ball. Mr. Nahin is proprietor and manager of The Rainbow Theatre, a neighborhood house in Milwaukee and is widely known to the exhibitors of Wisconsin, being also chairman of the Legislature Committee combating the Blue Law and Censorship. Mr. Nahin has also acquired quite a reputation in representing the Milwaukee Baseball Club, as business manager. One of the events of the Movie Ball wsa a composite Beauty Contest, fostered and handled by the Milwaukee Journal. It is needless to say that the flower of youth and beauty of Milwaukee was well represented. A goodly share of the proceeds was turned over to the Legislative Committee to be used in the fight against Censorship. Milwaukee Exhibitor L. Nahin, proprietor and manager of the Rainbow Theatre, Milwaukee. Attraction Aids Manager In Winning Big Prize With the cooperation of Mayor R. V. Mundy, Circuit Judge S. G. Houghton and members of the Kiwanis Club, and prominent business and professional men, Constance Talmadge in "Good References," distributed by Associated First National Pictures, Inc., aided James E. Rutherford, manager of the Orpheum Theatre, Bay City, Michigan, in winning the fifty dollar prize, offered by Col. W. S. Butterfield owner of a string of Michigan playhouses, to the manager who put on the best Christmas entertainment for poor children. The award was announced this week. Managers in the eighteen houses on the Butterfield Circuit competed for the prize and Rutherford was declared the winner despite the fact that his small theatre with a seating capacity of only 840 was in competition with others which had a seating capacity of as high as 2000. Colonel Butterfield offered two prizes, one to the manager of the motion picture theatre staging the best entertainment, and the other to he manager of he vaudeville house which had the best program. Seven managers competed under the last head. Rutherford was included with the motion picture house managers. Noble Work The motion picture theatres of Louisville, Ky., gave one of the finest examples of charity that has been known when on January 29 every house in the city gave a special morning show for the benefit of the fund for the Starving Children in Europe. There was no condition or limit to the benefit. Every house threw open its doors with the best pictures to be procured and gave all the money that came in to the children's fund. Asociated First National Pictures, Inc., had reason to feel proud of its share in this splendid work. In all except two theatres the pictures were First National. They were selected especially to have the widest appeal and pictures of the highest class were chosen that they might be worthy of the occasion. Picker Visits New York A. L. Picker, general manager of the Ironwood Amusement Corporation, Ironwood.Mich., controlling four theatres showing First National Attractions, was a visitor in New York last week. While here Mr. Picker stopped at the Pennsylvania, but made his headquarters at 6 West 48th street. First National Stars Lead In Contest THE National Star Popularity Contest, originated by Moving Picture World, in cooperation with exhibitors of Associated First National Pictures, in all sections of the country has now struck its full stride and should round the turn into the home stretch in the near future, with First National stars in the lead. Reports from the various newspapers and theatres which have been conducting the contest, which is primarily to ascertain who are the leading male and female stars, indicate that Norma Talmadge will be returned the winner in practically every city in which the contest was held. In no locality was Miss Talmadge closely pressed for first honors, but even when she was given a run for her money, it was her sister Constance who was always closest to her, with Mary Pickford and Anita Stewart in her wake. The result in Los Angeles gave Norma Talmadge 2020 votes against 1964 for Clara Kimball Young. In that city Mary Pickford closed third and Constance Talmadge fourth. On the male side of the contest Charles Ray won out over William S. Hart with a record of 1631 votes, 200 more than Hart received. Wallace Reid, who has set a good pace in other sections of the country, falls into fourth place in the Los Angeles contest. Returns from Columbus, Ohio, although not completed, show that Miss Talmadge is leading the feminine stars and Charles Ray the men. The Seattle Star closed its contest January 22nd and devoted nearly a half page to the returns, with a large photograph of Norma Talmadge and Wallace Reid wearing crowns as the king and queen of movieland. Miss Talmadge's number of votes in Seattle was 1126. Louise Glaum closed second with 933. Constance Talmadge and Anita Stewart were fourth and fifth, respectively, and Katherine MacDonald finished a little further down the line. Charles Ray closed third among the men. The national star popularity contest is probably the first of its kind which has been set in motion in all sections of the country simultaneously, to determine who is not only the favorite screen star in one city, but for the whole nation. While the race among the men is, of course, being more bitterly contested, Charles Ray and Charles Chaplin are nevertheless holding their own and there are many localities in which Mr. Ray is by far the most popular. In New Haven, Conn., Norma Talmadge finished first with 1201 votes and Katherine MacDonald third, with Constance Talmadge fourth and Anita Stewart fifth. This placed four feminine stars from Associated First National in the six leading places, the only outsider being Mary Pickford, who took second place. Charles Ray was first among the men. In Meriden, Conn., Norma Talmadge was first, as was also the case in Springfield, Ohio; Kalamazoo, Mich., and Alpena, Mich. Anita Stewart won first place in Ontonagon, Mich., with Marguerite Clark in fourth place. The Springfield results gave First National not only first place, but second and third as well, the stars following Norma Talmadge being Katherine MacDonald and Anita Stewart. In its issue of January 29th, Moving Picture World totaled the results as follows : Norma Talmadge 14,897 Constance Talmadge 8,131 Mary Pickford 6,065 Katherine MacDonald 4,866 Anita Stewart 3,804 Marguerite Clark 2,153 This means that for the whole United States, as thus far totaled, First National Stars have taken first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh places. And the hottest and most interesting part of the contests is yet to come. It looks like a landslide for Associated First National Stars and Exhibitors. What's the Surprise in "The Old Swimmin' Hole"?