Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

2152 Motion Picture News Chicago Convention Plans Shaping M.P.T.O.A. Board of Directors Arrange Details for Event Set for May 21-26 A NUMBER of important features were associated with the pre-convention meeting of the National Board of Directors, and other officers of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America held in Hotel Sherman, Chicago, Friday, April 20. The convention committee fixed the dates of the 1923 convention of the national organization from May 21 to 26 inclusive, and the Motion Picture Palace of Progress dates from May 19 to May 26. The convention and exposition will be held in the Chicago Coliseum. This action was approved and the work of the convention committee endorsed and the entire list of national officers constituted a supplementary committee to assist in the work. President Sydney S. Cohen presented a report on the convention which showed a very constructive program with many distinguished men and women in official, professional, industrial and commercial life to take part in the sessions. This special report was unanimously endorsed. President Cohen's report on organization affairs was very comprehensive and detailed the outstanding work of the national organization for the year. He told of the organization of the theatre owners of New York State in conformity with a resolution adopted at the meeting of the national directors immediately following the Washington convention. He showed the progress made in that State in organization and the complete response of all independent theatre owners. The advance made by "Movie Chats" and the general and wide-spread use of this reel was commended on very favorably. He also made reports on the Music Tax situation, the Uniform Contract Conference held in New York, National legislative matters and the work done on the same, and the preparation of a budget for the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America for the fiscal year. A number of other important matters were discussed in detail in his report. Those present at the meeting were National President Sydney S. Cohen, New York; VicePresidents Joseph Mogler, St. Louis, Mo., and Joseph G. Rhode, Kenosha, Wis.; National Directors A. R. Pramer, Omaha, Nebr. ; W. D. Burford, Aurora, 111.; M. C. Comerford, Scranton, Pa.; W. A. Steffes, Minneapolis, Minn.; Claude Cady, Lansing, Mich.; E. M. Fay, Providence, R. I. ; W. A. True, Hartford, Conn. ; R. F. Woodhull, Dover, N. J. ; Executive Committee Members : Harry Davis, Pittsburgh, Pa. ; J. C. Retter, Detroit, Mich. ; Fred Seegert, Milwaukee, Wis., and T. L. Hays, Minneapolis, Minn.; M. J. O'Toole, chairman of the National Public Service Committee acted as secretary for the Board. J. J. Rubens, Chicago manager for the Motion Picture Palace of Progress, reported that very gratifying progress was being made in connection with the big exposition which made it certain that it would be the greatest presentation of moving picture elements in the history of the industry. Messrs. Davis, Woodhull and Comerford were constituted a committee to handle the Motion Picture Palace of Progress situation in New York. Review Board Secretary Passes Away W. D. McGuire, Jr., executive secretary of the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, died Tuesday night, April 17, at Derby, Conn., from illness following an operation for appendicitis. Mr. McGuire, who was a resident of Scarsdale, N. Y., had been connected with the National Board since its organization in 1909, as a committee of the People's Institute, first as review secretary, later succeeding John Collier as executive secretary. In this capacity Mr. McGuire devoted himself to the affairs of the Board, in which he had taken a leading part up to its present development. He was also vice-chairman of the National Committee for Better Films, affiliated with the National Board. Trainer Injured When Mad Elephant Charges A MADDENED elephant seriously injured his trainer and sent 300 motion picture extras flying at top speed in all directions during the filming of a circus parade scene for Maurice Tourneur's " The Brass Bottle " at the United Studios in Hollywood last Tuesday. " Charlie," the elephant, preceded by his trainer, " Curly Joe " Stecker, was heading the movie circus parade down the long " set " while men and women cheered him from either side. The gaudy procession was suddenly halted when the elephant cavorted and charged. Stecker, in his efforts to quiet the animal, was seized and lifted high in the air. So tightly was he held in the elephant's trunk that two ribs were fractured. The climax came when the screaming beast drew Stecker's head in its mouth. Carl Stecker, a brother of the trainer, probably saved a life by remaining on the scene and beating the animal with a heavy stick. Studio workmen and extras arrived with spears and the trainer was dropped to the ground suffering from concussion of the brain, in addition to the fractured ribs. N. V. A. Benefit on Coast Nets $15,000 The Coeoanut Grove supper dance and benefit performance for the N. V. A. held in the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, netted the organization $15,000. A three-ring circus was taged in which the following artists participated: Bert Lytell, Alice Lake, Houdini, Buster Keaton, Duncan Sisters, Larry Semon, and a score of other stars. The entire Grove, with Lyman's orchestra, had been turned over to the artists by A. Frank, general manager of the Ambassador Hotel Corporation, together with a police permit to run the party as late as they ciiose. Things started quietly enough, and it was not until after midnight when Buster Keaton and Larry Semon crawled around the floor as amateur sleuths looking for some money for the N. .V. A., while Alice Lake did a Hula Hula and Frisco danced with Katherine McDonald, that things began to really warm up. Ben Piazza, manager of the Los Angeles Hillstreet theatre, had arranged a vaudeville performance which included Fred Stone and his entire Company, Houdini in a sensational escape, the Six Brown Brothers, the Duncan Sisters, the Four Fords, the Cansinos, Miss Dorothy Jardon, Jan Rubini, Lew Brice, Max and Mortiz, Frisco, Dan Clemmons and Brvan Foy. Blue Law Problem Again Up in Wisconsin The Wisconsin M. P. T. O. is again embroiled in the "blue law" question, with the consideration of the Grahn bill. This bill, embodying the blue law idea except for an amendment legalizing sports and amusements on Sunday, was brought before the judiciary committee of the Wisconsin Assembly last week, and the vote showed 6 to 4 in its favor, with one absentee. In advocating the amendment, the Association wanted to make understanding of the bill complete and sure, not only to have Sunday entertainments legalized, but also to allow any one's attendance at these entertainments, the blue law idea making it criminal to operate a place of amusement on Sunday, and also a crime subject to fine to attend one. Theatre Owners Discuss Problems in Important Session Held at Rochester REPRESENTATIVES of the Western New York Motion Picture Theatre Owners, Rochester Motion Picture Exhibitors League, Northern New York Motion Picture Theatre Owners and the Greater New York Division of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America held an animated state meeting in the large assembly room of the Elks Building at Rochester, April 23. The meeting was presided over by Jules Greenstone, president of the Rochester Motion Picture Exhibitors League and addresses were delivered by National President Syd ney S. Cohen and M. J. O'Toole, Chairman of the National Public Service Committee. President Howard Smith of the Western New York Motion Picture Theatre Owners made an interesting report of organization activities in that section and extending into other divisions of the state. This report and others of a similar nature presented by other delegates, showed that there was a greater number of Theatre Owners now signed up in membership in the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, through these regional bodies, than at any time in the history of the National Organization. In his address President Cohen told of the many advances made by the National Organization during the present fiscal year, and the constructive plans laid out for the Chicago convention next month. He reported that the National Board of Directors at the meeting in Chicago on Friday, approved of the organization work carried on in New York State and endorsed all moves of the National officers in this connection. M. J. O'Toole reported the direct cooperation of the Post Office, Commerce, Labor, Agricultural and Interior Departments with the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America in the Motion Picture Palace of Progress to be conducted in the Coliseum in Chicago the week of the National Convention.