Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

February j o , 1923 683 Hays U niform Contract is Completed {Continued from page 675) and identified by the signature of its President,, a copy of which will be furnished to the Exhibitor upon request) by the Film Club or Film Board of Trade in the city 'wherein is situated the branch office of the Distributor from which the Exhibitor is served, all claims and controversies arising hereunder for determination pursuant to the rules of procedure and practice from time to time adopted by such Board of Arbitration. " The parties hereto further agree to abide by and forthwith comply with any decision and award of such Board of Arbitration in any such arbitration proceeding, and agree and consent that any such decision or award shall be enforceable in or by any court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the laws of such jurisdiction now or hereafter in force; and each party hereto hereby waives the right of trial by jury upon any issue arising under this contract, and agrees to accept as conclusive the findings of fact made by any such Board of Arbitration, and consents to the introduction of such findings in evidence in any judicial proceeding." The provisions relating to arbitration are as follows: In the event that the Exhibitor fails or refuses to submit to arbitration any controversy over a contract containing an arbitration clause, or to comply with any decision of the board, or if any Exhibitor shall be found by the board to have been guilty of such a breach of contract as seems to justify the Distributor in requiring security, the Distributor may, at its option, demand payment by the Exhibitor of an additional sum not exceeding $500 and not less than $100 under each existing contract, to be retained by the Distributor until the complete performance of all such contracts and then applied, at the Distributor's option, against any sums due or damages determined by the board, the balance to be returned to the Exhibitor. If the Exhibitor fails to pay this sum within seven days, the Distributor may suspend service until paid or terminate the contract. • In the event that the Distributor refuses to submit to arbitration or to abide by the decision of the board, or if the board find him guilty of such breach of contract as shall in the opinion of the board justify the Exhibitor in refusing to deal with the Distributor, the Exhibitor may terminate this and any other existing contract with that Distributor by sending notice by registered mail within two weeks. In the meantime this Distributor shall not be entitled to redress from the board for claim against any Exhibitor until it shall have complied. " The provisions of this contract relating to arbitration shall be construed according to the laws of the State of New York. " The parties hereto agree that every e isting contract between the parties hereto shall be and hereby is amended so as to include the foregoing section with the same force and effect as if originally incorporated therein." "Twentieth: (Optional Clause.) If this contract designates certain photoplays by title, it shall be non-cancellable as to such photoplays. If it embraces a series of photoplr.ynot designated by title it may be cancelled ato such series by either party after two photoplays of such series have been played anil paid for, by notice in writing to the other party ^within ten (10) days after playing the second of said photoplays, such cancellation to take effect after additional photoplays shall have been played and paid for." Scenes from " No Wedding Bells." Vitagraph Comedy starring Larry Semon. Principal Pictures ' Staff in New Studio Quarters Sol Lesser and his staff, under the title Principal Pictures Corporation, have invaded their new studios, the former King \ idor plant on Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood. Work will be started at once on the initial production which will be the screen adaptation of George M. Cohan's play, " The Meanest Man in the World." Casting* for the players and directors and technical workers will start this week and, according to Lesser, actual " shooting " should be started within a tenday period. Pettijohn Launches Censor Fight in Missouri C. C. Pettijohn. general counsel of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, in St. Louis, Friday, January 26, fired the opening gun in the fight against motion picture censorship in Missouri, in an addiess before various women's organizations 01' St. Louis at the headquarters of the League of Women Voters, Century Building. In his talk lie thoroughly exposed the fallacy of the position of the reform element that are seeking to put through censorship in this state. The Committee of Fifty has already presented a censorship bill to the legislature at Jefferson City. Starts on Tour for Hope Hampton Picture F. G. Conklin, special representative of the Hope Hampton Productions, has left for a tour of the South and West in the interest of "The Light in the Dark." Miss Hampton's recent picture for First National release. He will visit the First National exchanges in this territory with regard to first run presentations. "The Prisoner" with Herbert Rawlinson Ready '• The Prisoner," Universale adaptation of Barr MeCutcheon's romantic novel titled "Castle Craneycrow," has been completed. The first print reached the New York home office this week, and members of the Universal reviewing committee, after viewing the production, rated the picture as among the best of Universal's product. " The Prisoner " will be released on the list of Universal attractions and will consequently be available for screening within a few weeks. Release is planned for the last week in February. Herbert Rawlinson is the star of " The Prisoner," and the supporting cast includes Eileen Percy (as the leading woman), June Elvidge, Bertram Grassby, Esther Ralston, George Cowle, Lillian Langdon. Hayford Hobbs, Lincoln Stedman, Bert Sprotte, Boris Karloff, Gertrude Short, Mario Carillo, Fred Kelsey, Millie Davenport and F. F. Guenste. Jack Conway directed the subject, with Benjamin Reynolds at the camera. It was originally planned to produce " The Prisoner " in Europe with Harry Myers as the star and Edward Lanimle as the director. A production staff was actually dispatched to Vienna, but lack of proper equipment and the difficulty of securing players approximating American screen standards are stated by Universal to have led to the abandonment of the project. Edward Lammle was also taken sick while abroad and was under hospital treatment for several months. This is also stated to have been a major reason for the rejection of the plan to film the subject in foreign settings. Jos.Schenck Gets" Dulcy " for Constance Talmadge Joseph M. Schenck has purchased the picture rights to the play " Dulcy," and will use it as Constance Talmadge's next First National release. " Dulcy " is a comedy by George Kaufman and Marx Connelly. Lynn Fountainne scored a triumph in it on Broadway last season, and it is still said to be playing to capacity audiences on the road. When Mr. Schenck was abroad he purchased the rights to the play " Madame Pompadour," which is a big hit in Paris. John Emerson and Anita Loos also had a screen comedy ready for Miss Talmadge, but when Mr. Schenck finally completed arrangements for " Dulcy " he decided to make it Miss Talmadge's next, and thereby take advantage of its popularity on the road. Sidney Franklin will direct " Dulcy," and John Emerson and Anita Loos will adapt it. "Poor Mens Wives" Opens at New York Criterion " Poor Men's Wives " opened on Sunday, January 28th, at the Criterion theatre, New York, for an indefinite run. This production was made by Preferred Pictures and is to be released by the Al Lichtman Corporation. The musical program was an elaborate one, arranged by Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld, and the orchestra was conducted by Josiah Zuro. There was an interesting prologue, especially staged for " Poor Men's Wives " by Dr. Riesenfeld, called " The Dance of the Moths." This was announced as a " musical and tcrpsichorean allegory of the sreat lesson of life," emphasized by u Poor Men's Wives."