Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1260 Motion Picture News Michigan M.P.T.O. Hold Banquet Marcus Loew Says Salaries of Stars Are Decided by Public, Not Industry MORE than 450 members of the M. P. T. 0. of Michigan sat down at the second annual banquet of the organization held at the Hotel Statler, Detroit, Tuesday evening, February 27. While no stars were present, a large number of producers and exhibitors prominent in national organization work, sat at the speakers' table, which was in charge of W. S. McLaren of Jackson, president of the Michigan M. P. T. O. Clarence Buddington Kelland, well known author, whose novel, " Backbone," has just been made in film form, attributed much if not all of the agitation against pictures to " too many people who are under-brained and over-mouthed." " These people do not think the matter through clearly," said Mr. Kelland. " They believe the motion picture in ten years should reach the goal of perfection that other arts have been striving for 10,000 years to attain without success. The motion picture is as much a creative art as painting, yet we find no paintings by the great masters that have ever been acclaimed perfect in the strict sense of the word. The producer must, and I believe is striving constantly to better the product, but in the meantime there are only two things for the exhibitor and producer to keep in mind — give as much pleasure to the world as you can and make as much money as you can." Judge Alfred J. Murphy, counsel for the M. P. T. O., denounced in round terms the waste and extravagance now reflected, he said, in the production departments and criticized severely the policy of " paying half million dollar salaries to eight-year-old boys." Marcus Loew, holder of the new Jackie Coogan contract, sat at the Judge's elbow and after the first shock came to the defense that salaries are regulated by the public, not by the producer or the exhibitor. Other speakers were Arthur S. Friend, president of Distinctive Pictures; E. W. Hammons, of Educational Pictures; Sydney S. Cohen, of the M. P. T. O. of America; and R. F. Branch, president of the Detroit F. I. L. M. The chief entertainment feature of the. evening was a minstrel show, " A Trip to the Film Building," produced by Ralph Peckham and H. M. Richey, with a cast of H. A. Clever, interlocutor; Richard Lynch and Wallace Baker, end men; and Edward Higley, Jacob Sullivan, Edward Murphy, James Allan, News Is "All That An Exhibitor Can Ask" Editor, Motion Picture News. Dear Sir: Enclosed find check for three dollars covering, I think, a year's subscription to the MOTION PICTURE NEWS. I have always found this the best, and your saying, " Covers the Field," surely covers its qualities. Helpful, suggestful and newsy — all that an exhibitor can ask. It is with pleasure that I send in this subscription. With many thanks for past as well as future favors, I beg to remain, Very truly yours, H. W. JACK MARCUS, Managing Director, Garden Theatre, Rockingham, N. C. Frank Stuart, Herbert Fawser, J. Oliver Brooks, and R. Peckham as minstrel men. Dancing followed and closed the evening. Tax on Receipts Proposed in Pennsylvania What is regarded by the motion picture exhibitors of Pennsylvania as the most detrimental bit of proposed legislation thus far introduced in the present session of the legislature in Harrisburg, made its appearance in the lower house on February 27, when Assemblyman Samuel J. Perry, of Philadelphia, presented a bill that would impose a state tax of one per cent, upon the gross receipts of all places of public entertainment, specifically mentioning motion picture theatres. Just what action may be taken by the recently organized legislative committee of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Pennsylvania, to combat this proposed bill, has not been revealed at this writing, but it is regarded as certain among exhibitors, speaking as individuals, that the committee will adopt active measures to fight the bill. It is set forth that the tax is to be computed immediately after each performance, and on or before the fifteenth of each month a statement must be forwarded to the Auditor General of the state, under oath, on forms he shall supply, of the amounts of gross receipts taken in during the prior month. At the same time payment is to be forwarded to the State Treasurer. A penalty of ten per cent, additional of the total due is provided for those who do not make the proper returns. The Auditor General and State Treasurer are authorized to examine the books of all persons and associations and others in the amusement business to verify the accounts. The penalties for violation of the law or for making false reports or returns is $1,000 and six months imprisonment in the case of an individual offender. The bill will become effective September 1, 1924, in event of its adoption. Stanley Co. Files Answer to Federal Complaint The Stanley Company of America, the Stanley Booking Corporation, and Jules E. Mastbaum, in a statement filed in answer to the amended complaint of the Federal Trade Commission against Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, the Stanley interests and others, deny in wholesale fashion the commission's allegations of confederation with other interests " to hinder competition in the production, distribution or exhibition of motion pictures." The answer also denies any attempt to dominate or monopolize the film industry on the part of the Stanley interests, and likewise describes as unfounded in truth any program by the Stanley interests of acquiring or controlling motion picture houses or enforcing " block " bookings upon exhibitors under coercion. It was also declared in the answer filed that Jules Mastbaum is not a majority stockholder of the Stanley Company of America. Court Rules Knickerbocker Corporation May Be Sued AS announced previously in Motion Picture News, Harry Crandall and associates entered a plea of the non-existence of the Knickerbocker Corporation in answer to the suits for damages growing out of the Knickerbocker theatre catastrophe a year ago in Washington, D. C. The next step in the proceedings was taken on Thursday of last week, March 1st, when Mr. Crandall, as former president of the Knickerbocker Corporation, was called upon to appear in the Circuit Court to defend the declaration that the Corporation was lawfully dissolved in the Chancery Court of Delaware and is now in the hands of receivers. This plea had been previously entered by Crandall as "a friend of the court." Attorneys for the claimants secured a ruling from Judge Hoeling eliminating Crandall as "a friend of the court." The effect of the ruling is to give district courts jurisdiction as to civil suits here for the claimants, but in case of awards of judgments being laid against the company, assets would have to be reached through the Delaware courts. J. Lambert appeared as counsel for Mr. Crandall, while Charles A. Douglas spoke for the petitioners. First Meeting in New York of New Arbitration Board The first meeting of the new arbitration board in New York City formed under the provisions of the Uniform Contract was held on Wednesday afternoon of this week at 1520 Broadway. Trade press representatives were admitted to the opening session to observe the actual handling of cases involving controversies between exhibitors and exchanges. Bernard Edelhertz, in an introductory address, explained the purpose and functions of the new arbitration board and described in what ways the old scheme of arbitration heretofore in force differed from the plan of organization just inaugurated. Under the present plan the theatre owner and the exchange, upon signing the Uniform Contract, automatically signify their willingness to hand over to the board for hearing and disposal any controversy growing out of the terms of the contract. In signing the Certificate of Agreement both parties agree to abide by and carry out the decision of the board within seven days from date of such decision. A plan of procedure known as the " Rules of Procedure under the Uniform Contract for the Conduct of the Joint Arbitration Board " has been drafted. This describes in detail exactly what each side to a controversy must do in submitting and defending a case before the board. Each step in the hearing of a case is adequately described with the rights and privileges of the parties involved, as well as the members of the board comprehensively defined. Following are the members of the F. I. L. M. Club who have been appointed to the arbitration board: W. E. Raynor, Pathe; Louis Rosenbluh, Fox; Samuel Zierler, Commonwealth, and J. J. Unger, First National, as alternate. The exhibitor members appointed by the presdent of the T. O. C. C. are: Sol Raines, Joseph .Tame, and William Landau, president of the '1. O. C. C, who was elected by members of the committee as chairman of the board of arbitration.