Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1180 Motion Picture News Truart Advances New Sales Policy Will Call Upon Exhibitors to Make Own Propositions on Semon Series ONE of t lie biggest problems of the forthcoming season will be the solution of the question of rentals, according to Truart Film Corporation. " In advancing its policy of selling the series of Larry Semon comedy feature productions Truart is throwing aside every precedent ever established in the selling of motion pictures to the theatre. M. H. Hoffman, vice-president and general manager, and Alexander S. Aronsou, general manager of sales, under whose guidance this new sales policy will be placed in operation, have assured themselves by the basic principle under which the plan will be carried on, that the arrangement with the e hibitor will be an equitable one because the theatre-manager is the one who is going to off the basis of that arrangement," says the announcement. "Truart in advertising pages which will shortly appear in the trade journals will offer the series of four Larry Semon feature comedies to the exhibitors of the country, calling upon the exhibitors to make their own proposition on the series, one which they will consider equitable to themselves and equitable also to the producer. " Theatre owners are familiar with the common practice of charging higher prices for each succeeding picture of a star series. " Under the new sales plan of Truart the theatre will avoid this because the arrangement entered into will be such that release Xo. 4 will be rented at the same figure as release Xo. 1. Furthermore, the contracts thus entered into by exhibitors with the home office of Truart Film Corporation will be lived up to regardless of any distributing affiliations on the series, because the series will be sold to a distributor only subject to such contractual bookings. " Truart has not entered into this plan rn«-rely as an idea. It has committed itself by contractual obligation to the star for an extended period of time. It has further obligated itself in the purchase of well-known plays and i ovels. The properties which will be the basis for Semon productions have value. " ' The Girl in the Limousine ' is the first. This successful stage play not only held the stage in Xew York for one solid season but the play has been on tour in every part of the United States. Following this will be " The Wizard of Oz." After that there will be "Let's Go!" and -Yankee Doodle Dandy," two unusual stories uniquely adapted to the needs of this stellar comedian. " In exchange for this product Truart will ask an offer which the theatre belifves equitable to itself and to the producer; the opportunity only to get and give a square deal. " Truart will be represented in the independent producing field with eighteen eminent photoplays during the season 1923-24. There will be at least five producing units during the entire year, of which three will be star units. These are Elaine Hammerstein, Larry Semon and Richard Talmadge. A fourth is the Carlos Productions units, making all-star attractions." The first Elaine Hammerstein production, " Broadway Gold," directed by Edward Dillon from W. Carey Wonderly's story in Young's Magazine, will be released generally cn September 1. This will be followed by " The Drums of Jeopardy," now being directed by Edward Dillon. This second production will be released in November, 1923. Ii will be followed by a novel being adapted under the tentative title " Good Women and Bad," for release in February, 1924. The first Larry Semon feature comedy will be released in December, 1923. It will be an adaptation of the famous stage success, " The Girl in the Limousine." To follow this in March, 1924, will be "The Wizard of Oz." In September and November, 1924, will be released " Let's Go ! " and " Yankee Doodle Dandy." The first Richard Talmadge production, produced by Carlos Productions, under the working title " Fast Freight," will be released about October 1 to be followed in January, March and May, 1924, by further productions of this series. Pola Negri and Jack Holt in scenes from " The Cheat," a Paramount picture. Long Run Premieres for "Potash and Perlmutter" Long run premieres for " Potash and Perlmutter," Samuel Goldwyn's production for First Xational, have been arranged in a number of cities. It will be given a pre-release at the New York Strand September 19, and the engagement will probably be for three weeks. Balaban & Katz will play the picture at their big Chicago theatre September 24. Detroit, Kunsky's territory, has offered Mr. Goldwyn the option of playing in either the new Capitol, a 4,500-seat house, or going into the Adams theatre for an indefinite run. Sol Lesser, now in New York, has wired his colleagues on the Coast to hold an indefinite number of weeks at the new Criterion for t he film. Other indefinite runs are scheduled by the Imperial, San Francisco, the Stanley interests in Philadelphia and the Rivoli, Baltimore. Long runs abroad are planned in London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Warsaw. Chester Conklin Has Role in "Anna Christie" Chester Conklin. comedian of the screen, has been signed by Thomas H. Ince, for an unusual bit in Ince's screen adaptation of " Anna Christie." The role, while it offers comedy relief from some of the tensest emotional scenes of the drama, nevertheless is said to require some fine dramatic touches. Conklin has just completed his first dramaticcomedy role of his career in Eric Von Stroheim's " Greed." Carl Anderson Leases New Offices in N. Y. The Zora Realty Company has leased for a term of years the entire fourth floor of 723 Seventh Avenue to the Anderson Pictures Corporation. Contracts have been let to the Forsberg Company, general contractors, covering the mason work for partitions, wiring and decorations. It is expected the offices will bo ready for occupancy August 30th.