Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

September 8, 1923 1171 T. O. D. C. to Start Activities Soon T HE Theatre Owners Distributing Corporation, created for the purpose of supplying all theatres with motion pictures of merit under equitable contract arrangements, will begin an active participation in the field of distribution during October. According to the statement of W. A. True, president of the organization, it will operate from over 30 exchange centers, " not only on the basis of service and efficient handling, but will absolutely eliminate the evil whereby exhibitors are compelled to book their attractions under the ' sight unseen ' system, months in advance of showings in the theatres. " We know," says Mr. True, " that the exhibitors, who are in constant touch with the public, are very frequently unable to supply the public with what it wants under the present system of distribution. We know that film rentals, which have been climbing .ligher and higher are reaching the point where a further increase will prove a serious boomerang to the entire industry. We know that the present operation of the industry greatly hampers the independent producer of reputable pictures as well as the independent author, director and artist. To Make Definite Stand " Therefore, the exhibitors — the actual theatre owners of America — in forming the Theatre Owners' Distributing Corporation, intend to make a definite stand not only for themselves, but for the public, the independent producers and the economic good of the entire industry. " We believe that our success holds, for the future as well as the past, on the fundamental policy of healthy entertainment at small prices. We protest against the folly of $2 admissions and the attitude of many of the national distributors in following the policy of ' all the traffic will bear.' The exhibitors themselves know the attitude of the public and the exhibitors will, through this, their own distributing organization, make a determined effort to secure and present worthy attractions at reasonable prices. " It is entirely fitting that the theatre owners should do this. Witness the formation and the successful operation of a similar cooperative plan by the California fruit growers. Incidentally, the independent producers of California sent a committee to the National Convention of the M. P. T. 0. A. to plead for just such a channel of distribution as the one we have formed. " The Theatre Owners' Distributing Corporation has proceeded constructively and carefully building up toward the time when this step could be taken. We are now ready. Our sales organization will be second to none in the United States. Our distributing service will be fully manned and equipped. Our policy will offer to all producers an exhibitor owned and controlled distributing service under the same equitable business advantage that we, as theatre owners, expect for ourselves." Commenting upon M r. True's announcement. Sydney S. Cohen, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, said : " The need of a theatre owners distrib To Operate From Thirty Exchanges The new B. P. Schulberg studios n Los Angeles, which will be extensively remodeled and enlarged. uting corporation found expression in 1921 at our Minneapolis Convention. At that time a resolution was passed authoriizng the board of directors to investigate the situation relative to the formation of such a body. " At the Washington Convention in May, 1922, the committee on business relations submitted a unanimous report, which was likewise unanimously adopted by the convention, urging the board of directors and officers to continue its activities in the matter. The board of directors unanimously resolved that as the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America was purely a membership organization, a separate organization be created for the distribution of picture. History of Plan " Following this decision, the Theatre Owners' Distributing Corporation was formed in December, 1922. Both at Minneapolis and Washington, the M. P. T. 0. A. gave notice to the producers and the trade generally that relief was needed in distribution. These interests have seemingly given no heed to this public notice by the theatre owners and conditions have grown worse. The time for resolutions and conferences has passed. The Theatre Owners' Distributing Corporation will now take a hand. Its principles are sound. Its operation will be efficient and I am absolutely convinced that it will prove a boon to the theatre owners, the independent producers and the public. It is a logical development in the economic history of the motion picture industry." The officers of the new organization are W. A. True, president; Harry Davis, vice president; L. J. Dittmar, treasurer; W. D. Burford, secretary, and Sydney S. Cohen, chairman of the board of directors. Mr. Cohen has for four years been president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Mr. Davis, Mr. Burford and Mr. True are members of the National Board of Directors of the organization. Mr. Dittmar is president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Kentucky. Other representative theatre owners from every section of the country are behind the movement, including the presidents of many state organiza tions, notably: R. E. Woodhull, of New Jersey; Martin G. Smith, of Ohio; Fred Seegert, of Wisconsin; A. R. Pramer, of Nebraska; Eli W. Collins, of Arkansas; Joseph W. Walsh, of Connecticut; Frank G. Heller, of Indiana; Merle Dr.vis. of Montana; E. M. Fay, of Rhode Island; Howard Smith, of Western New York; David Adams, of New Hampshire; Charles Sears, of Missouri. Others include William Bender, National Treasurer of the M. P. T. 0. A., and Glenn Harper, Secretary, M. P. T. 0. of Southern California and Arizona. Other members of the National Board of Director., of the M. P. T. 0. A. interested are C. E. Whitehurst, C. A. Lick, G. G. Schmidt and also Joseph Mogler, first vice president of the M. P. T. 0. A.; L. M. Rubens, vice president, M. P. T. 0. of Illinois; Joseph Phillips, executive committee member of M. P. T. 0. A. from Texas; Thomas Arthur, from Iowa; Robert Codd, from Michigan; S. H. Borisky, from Tennessee; Ray Grombacker, from Washington; Samuel Perlin, Executive Committee Member at Large, from Northern California and Nevada; Fred Dolle, Executive Committee member from Kentucky; E. H. Bingham, from Indiana; W. W. Watts, from Illinois; W. C. Hunt, vice president, M. P. T. 0. of New Jersey; A. B. Momand, secretary, M. P. T, 0. of Oklahoma, and others. Three o'Clock in Morning Pleases at Preview " Three o'Clock in the Morning " is the title which has been given the first of the C. C. Burr productions starring Constance Binney for distribution by Associated Exhibitors. Executives of Associated had their first view this week of the finished picture and expressed extreme satisfaction with it. " Three o'Clock in the Morning " has in its cast Mary Carr, Richard Thorpe, Edmund Breese, and Edna May Oliver. The production is said to closely follow the lines of Mann Page's popular story, " Clipped Wings," from which it was adapted. Butterfield Circuit Ready for Fall Season The regular season of the Michigan Circuit of Theatres, controlled by W. S. Butterfieki, v. ill open its formal fall season on September 2nd and this year all classes of attractions will be handled, as Michigan has shown a tendency to desire the spoken drama. Road shows, vaudeville and tabloid musical shows, as well as high grade pictures, will be handled In the entire circuit of 23 theatres. H OW can you run a successful theatre without THE NEWS? M. & L. Grand Theatre, (Matthews & Lee), Vinita, Okla Smith Theatre, Barnesboro, Being Remodelled Mr. Smith, manager and owner of the Smith theatre. Barnesboro, Pa., purchased a plot of ground at the rear of the theatre and announces his intention of ereetine a modern stage. The building is well under way and is expected to be fished in the very near future.