Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1660 Industry Mourns Her Appearance in Marked Beginning THE death of Sarah Bernhardt in Paris Monday is an occasion of sorrow for the motion picture industry. It was her appearance in " Queen Elizabeth " nearly eleven years ago that marked the beginning of the feature picture and laid the foundation for the success of Famous Players, Adolph Zukor and the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation. At the time that " Queen Elizabeth " was produced, not only was the multiple reel picture unknown, except for a few hand-colored French-made subjects, but artists of talent or reputation refused to lend their presence to the silver sheet. Adolph Zukor, after many attempts, finally succeeded in inducing Madame Bernhardt to appear in the historical story, " Queen Elizabeth,'' by convincing her that her art would thus be preserved for future generations. The picture was produced, the Divine Sarah making a very creditable showing, in spite of the limited technical equipment of the day. Bernhardt, however, did not do any further screen work until 1917, when, under the auspices of the French Government, she starred in a war picture released in America under the title of "Mothers of France." She made the principal role, a French mother, a character not soon to be forgotten. All the dramatic art for which she was famous on the speaking stage was brought to the picture, in spite of the fact that owing to the amputation of one of her limbs, makingwalking difficult, she enacted nearly all of her scenes while seated in a chair. At the time of her death, Madame Bernhardt was planning a third film production. Actual shooting of scenes was never begun, however. The negatives of both " Queen Elizabeth " and " Mothers of France " are still in exist Late News Brevities from West Coast by Wire EDWIN BIBBY has been appointed studio manager for the Jackie Coogan Productions Company. Mr. Bibby was formerly casting director for Mack Sennett and studio manager for Charlie Chaplin. C. Gardner Sullivan, who is at present under contract with Joseph Schenck, has been loaned to the Jackie Coogan Productions for the purpose of preparing the screen version of Mary Roberts Rinehart's story, "Long Live the King." Jesse Lasky arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday. M. H. Hoffman is spending a few days with the Truart Production Company, which is working at the Goldwyn studios. While taking a scene at the Vitagraph studio William Duncan was shot in the hand when his horse suddenly jumped sideways. The wound is not a serious one. Tom Gray, song writer, former gagman for Buster Keaton and now supervising comedy units at Universal City, is writing songs and music and staging the program for the Wampas Frolic, which will be held on April 21st. Billie Dove has been selected to play opposite Tom Mix in " Tempered Steel," which will be directed by Jack Blystone for William Fox Sarah Bernhardt "Queen Elizabeth1 " of Feature Picture ence, but it is assumed that the latter, handled in America by World Film Corporation, is not available for new prints, inasmuch as it was filmed by the French government. New Corporations File for N Y. Business The past week brought the incorporation of the following motion picture companies, according to the papers filed with the secretary of state at Albany; Ogden Operating Corporation, $20,000; Emanuel Glick, E. J. Glick, Max Berger, New York. Alfred E. Aarons, Inc., $100,000; A. E. Aarons, L. E. Dresser, A. M. Wattenberg, New York. Howler, Incorporated, $20,000; F. H. Schnebbe, George and John Leffler, New York. Biltmore Society Orchestra, Inc., $5,000; Edward Sherman, M. H. Cousins, G. Lilenfeld, New York. Wollen & Oberstein, Inc.. $15,000; F. S. Wollen. H. Vogel, New York. S. Oberstein, Brooklyn. Boston Theatrical Specialties, Inc., $125,000: Peter Minakaki, A. P. Minakaki, Brooklyn. J. S. List, Brooklyn. Guild Theatre Co., Inc., $500; Leonard Wood, Jr., Herbert A. Huff, Harry A. Brown, New York. Gramercy Park Photo-Play Corporation, $50,000; Abraham Maselow, J. Stern, New York. Edward Massoni, Brooklvn. Scott Lecture Bureau, Inc., $10,000; S. E. Grey, V. E. Scott, Elmore Leffingwell, New York; H. B. Productions, Inc.. $10,000; G. DeWolf. C. DeWolf, Yonkers, D. Kalafa, New York. A ustralia 's Censorsh ip Ruling Rigid Millard Johnson, American representative of Australasian Films, Ltd., has forwarded information received from the Sydney office of the concern regarding the importation of once censored pictures that should be of interest to the industry. It reads as follows: " I have to inform you that the censorship will not accept applications for registration of any films which, having been once imported into the Commonwealth and refused registration, are reintroduced at a subsequent date. " Films refused registration are prohibited imports and as such liable to seizure under the Customs Act. " In the event of an application being made for the registration of a film of the above class on the score of its having been altered since its original importation, the onus will he placed on the importer of first proving that the film is not being imported in it* original state. " If it is proved to the satisfaction of the censorship that the film is altered, an application for it> registration will be accepted and the usual censorship procedure followed." Jack Alicoate in Ranks of Benedicts Jack Alicoate, treasurer, business manager and part owner of the Film Daily, has joined the ranks of the benedicts. He was married to Mrs. Gertrude Xeilan in New York City. Tuesday. The couple sailed for Paris on the steamship Paris. Wednesday. Motion Picture News Exhibitors File Answers in Music Suits ANSWERS have been filed in all complaints brought by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers against fifty-odd North Carolina motion picture theatre owners who have defied the "music trust" by refusing to pay the tribute levied by that organization for the use of copyrighted music. A portion of the suits have been entered in the Federal Court at Greensboro, the balance at Raleigh. Penn. Gross Receipts Tax Bill Deferred The bill before the Pennsylvania Legislature in Harrisburg proposing a tax of one per cent on the gross receipts of theatres and other places of amusement has been held up temporarily by the House Ways and Means Committee, pending determination by the fiscal officers of the state as to just what the state's financial requirements will be for the next two years. In event of the passage of the proposed manufacturers' tax, which, it is estimated, would yield $24,000,000 a year additional revenue, it may not be necessary7 to impose any other new forms of taxation and in this event the tax on theatre gross receipts may not be enacted. At a hearing on March 20 before the same committee the bill proposing a tax of 5 cents a square foot on all space used for theatrical and other kinds of billboard advertising was withdrawn by its sponsor. Representative Edmonds, of Philadelphia. The Baldi Bill, however, proposing a similar tax of three cents a square foot, is still before committee and may be reported favorably if the big manufacturers' tax measure is not enacted. Popular First National Branch Chief Dead W. E. Lusk, Branch Manager for First National located in Washington, D. C. died Tuesday morning. March 27th, in Washington. Mr. Lusk has long been one of the most popular men in the distribution branch of the motion picture business. Prior to locating in Washington he had charge of the First National branch in Cleveland. In earlier years he was connected with other motion picture companies, dating as far back as his association with the Mutual Film Corp. in 1915. He had been a newspaper and advertising man, at one time holding the post of advertising manager for the Cole Motor Company. St. Louis, Mo. . and at another that of Aviation Editor for the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat, for which publication he also managed the Automobile Department. Mr. Lusk had been in poor health for some weeks, his death being directly due to cancer. Goldwyn Transfers Arthur Lucas to Boston Office Goldwyn announces that Arthur Lucas, formerly District Manager covering the Atlanta and New Orleans offices, has been transferred in a similar capacity and will in the future supervise the Boston and the Buffalo offices. He will make his headquarters in Boston.