Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

April 7, 192s 1661 Commodore Blackton Returns to Vitagraph J STUART BLACKTON has been re• elected to his former office as VicePresident of Vitagraph, Inc. Blackton returned to America recently from London, where he has been engaged in production work. He will leave New York for the Coast within the next few weeks, and will very likely head one of the two new producing companies which Albert E. Smith, president of Vitagraph, is planning to organize. Mr. Smith left for Hollywood last week for this J. Stuart Blackton purpose. Commodore Blackton resumes the vicepresidency of Vitagraph after an absence of two years. His resumption of activities for that organization, Vitagraph officials believe, will prove unusually advantageous because of liis foreign contact and his knowledge of the domestic field. It is stated that he has brought back some promising story material for picturization. New Delaware Corporations Show Industry Boom A recent dispatch from Dover, Delaware, indicates a new boom in the corporate activities of amusement enterprises. The following concerns receiving Delaware charters during the first fifteen days of March are engaged in all phases of the motion picture industry from . production and manufacture of equipment to I the construction and operation of theatres, 1 etc. : The Rising Sun Production Company of 1 Wilmington, Del., capitalized at $1,800,000 ; ! Cavalier Motion Pictures Corporation of New York City, capitalization $1,000,000; Notes Amusement Corporation, capital stock fixed at , $700,000 ; The Stevens Pictures Corporation of New York City, capitalized at $650,000; The Super-Chemical Company of Wilmington, Delaware, capitalized at $500,000 ; The Photoplay Finance Corporation of New York City, $100,000 ; The Maryland Theatre of Wilming ! ton, Del., $50,000. Five Year Sunday Opening Fight Won in Ohio A five-year fight to exhibit films on Sunday was apparently won by exhibitors of Findlay, Ohio, when, after a long conference with Mayor Rodabaugh, on March 21, exhibitors announced that picture theatres would be opened for Sunday performances March 25 aiid thereafter. The city will adopt a hands-off policy in relationship with the announced policy of the mayor, but Avhen the administration changes this fight will undoubtedly be renewed on the part of exhibitors. Mayor Rodabaugh, supported strongly by the Findlay Ministerial Association, has been endeavoring to enforce to the limit a " blue law " relative to film performances on Sunday. At the conclusion of the conference he was ! quoted as saying if the Ministerial Association ! wished to further conduct their campaign I against Sunday film performances it would have to be a direct issue between them and the exhibitors. First National Closes for More Tourneur Productions IT is announced that First National has exercised its option on future Maurice Tourneur productions thereby assuring four or six pictures from this director next season. Negotiations were concluded a few days ago with M. C. Levee who controls the Tourneur product made at the United studios in Los Angeles. This news closely follows the completion of "The Isle of Dead Ships," secured by First National through a deal with Mr. Levee, which included an option on subsequent Tourneur pictures. As stated last week, First National is assured of at least sixty productions next season, including these made by its own individual units and the pictures supplied by affiliated organizations. Employees of Loew, Inc. , to Form Benefit Club Fostered by Marcus Loew, a plan is under way to form a club among the employees of Loew's, Inc., for the purpose of promoting a closer co-operative spirit among the various departments. With the complete formation of the plan, expected within the next week, benefits will be derived by the sick; all individual collections will be abolished and placed before the club for consideration; an arbitration committee will hear all complaints; and the employees will meet frequently in social gatherings. At a meeting planned for Saturday, the name of the club will be decided; officers appointed, and their duties outlined. In recent years the Loew interests have assumed huge proportions. M.P.T.O. Kansas to Adopt New Constitution Of major importance will be the adoption of a new constitution at the semi-annual convention of the M. P. T. O. Kansas at Wichita, the date of which has been changed to April 16 and 17. The present constitution of the Kansas organization dates back to the formation of the association about ten years ago. The new constitution will he similar to that of the national organization, according to C. E. Cook, business manager. By-laws also will be adopted, although they may vary slightly from those now in force. C. M. Smith, of Kansas City, Kan., chairman of the entertainment committee, is busy outlining a program. He will be assisted two weeks prior to the convention by Stanley Chambers and Howard Jamevson. of Wichita. New Orleans to Develop Suburban Houses Plans involving nearly a quarter of a million dollars in the extension and development of suburban motion picture theatre properties were announced by the Central Enterprises, Incorporated, composed of a group of prominent New Orleanians, who will give the neighborhoods at present without a modern photoplay theatre a chain of houses second to none in the South. " With the gradual growth of the city," says the announcement, " and the building of hitherto sparsely settled sections has come the community development of each neighborhood or district. Branch banks, cash-andcarry grocery store chains, modern drug stores, have all followed in the group evolutions. So new, modern photoplay theatres will keep pace with contemporary progress." The Central Enterprises are composed of men who have materially contributed to the advancement of New Orleans amusements. Its officers are E. V. Richards, president; N. I. Erlich, secretary, and M. H. Jacobs, treasurer and general manager. Uncle Sam Shakes Wicked Wallop When He Lands A tax lien was filed in the United States district court in Kansas City Wednesday against the Dubinsky Brothers, who operate the Tootle theatre in St. Joseph, Mo., the lien being for the collection of admission taxes at the theatre from March, 1920, to June, 1921. The tax $ 7,910.95 Penalty 7,651.53 Total $15,562.48 Toronto Exhibitors Lose Daylight Saving Fight The moving picture exhibitors of Toronto, Ontario, lost out in their battle against daylight saving, although they had the satisfaction of knowing that they made a red-hot political issue of the question before it was finally settled in a vote at the City Council meeting on March 22. Many women's organizations lined up with the theatre men in opposition to the adoption of daylight saving and theatres throughout the city were used for the signing of petitions and for the presentation of views in short talks and on slides. A petition containing 16,515 names was presented at the City Hall against changing the clock, while representatives of sport organizations came forward to support prolonged daytime. Daylight saving starts May 13 in Toronto and will be concluded for the season on September 9. Montreal, the largest city in the Dominion, on the other hand, has definitely decided to abolish summer time. Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario, as well as Toronto, are the three large cities of Eastern Canada which will have advanced clocks during the coming summer, principally because local sport organizations want the special time arrangements. Coast to Greet Tourists at Picture Fete Assurance that California is to have a greater number of tourists next summer than ever before is given in reports received by Frank B. Davison, director general of the American Historical Revue and Motion Picture Exposition. Acceptance of an invitation to the premiere by the President of the United States naturally focuses interest on the first week of the Monroe Doctrine Centennial, but indications point to a steady influx of tourists all through the five weeks of the big fair, from July 2 to August 4. The exposition, because of its diplomatic aspects in celebrating the century anniversary, is assuring co-operation from foreign countries and every state in the Union is taking an interest in providing exhibits for what is the most unique fair ever projected.