Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

26 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS "Legitimate" Hit Hard in Jackson, Miss. People in Nearby Towns Who Formerly Went to that City for Old Line Amusement Now Patronize Local Picture Houses "THE SILVER KING" FOR PICTURES "The Silver King" will be the first of the plays of Sir Henry Arthur Jones to be filmed by the Famous Players, with Guy Standing as the star. "The Silver King," undoubtedly one of the best known plays of the GUY STANDING past century, provides many unusual factors for pictorial reproduction. The Famous Players have made arrangements to produce the American scenes of "The Silver King" in the West, in the exact localities in which the thrilling situations of the play occur. Henry Arthur Jones, on his recent visit to America, made a tour of the Famous Players studio, and took a keen interest in the preparations for the production of his play. "The Silver King" was but a short time ago given a command performance before the King and Queen of England. SUES FOR BOOSTING "SLAVE" PICTURES In the New York County Clerk's office the complaint has been filed of Mrs. Inez Milholland Boissevain in an action for $1,000 for alleged professional services against the Sociological Research Film Corporation. Mrs. Boissevain, who is a lawyer, succeeded in having many prominent women indorse the motion picture play "The Inside of the White Slave Traffic," which was produced by the defendant company. The state began proceedings against the play and Mrs. Boissevain then asserted the motion picture drama tsught a moral lesson. She says her v.'ork in behalf of the play was .it the instigation of the defendant. Special to The Motion Picture News Jackson, Miss., July 29. IN Jackson, as everywhere else, the "legitimate" theatre is feeling the ef¥ect of the motion picture patronage. The Istrione, one of the handsomest picture houses in the South, has just been opened and has been doing a magnificent business from the start. With the coming of the fall, however, it will have to compete with the Century, which books regular attractions. It is rather interesting, therefore, to note that in the Jackson daily press Manager Sam Myers, of the Century, though boosting his attractions for the coming season, is quoted as saying that business had not been satisfactory for the past two seasons, and that he would not renew his lease when it expires next summer, and he evidently means it. It has been the experience all over the state that the regular theatre with the class of attractions that come south cannot compete profitably with the motion picture house. IT was not so very long ago that not only were the "legitimate" theatres the only attraction for the people of the city, but on nights of particularly important performances parties were formed in towns for scores of miles around to come to Jackson and witness the "show." But now many of the very towns that used to send their citizens here for their only amusement of the season have motion picture houses of their own and this loss of business, together with that taken away by the Jackson picture theatres, have given the managers of the legitimate houses a hard task. R. E. Pritch.^rd. Exhibitors Protest Against City Competition They Remind the Authorities that Large Fees Are Exacted from Them for License and Want Free Films in Playgrounds Suppressed Special to The Motion Picture News Pittsburgh, July 39. THE Pittsburgh Motion Picture Exhibitors League has asked for a special meeting of the Pittsburgh council to suspend the free motion picture exhibitions in the playgrounds of the city. President of Council John M. Goehring refused to call the special meeting for the league for the purpose of suspending the exhibition of the pictures, but referred the committee to W. F. Ashe, superintendent of the -Pittsburgh Playgrounds Association for some definite action. After a conference Mr. Ashe con sented to suspend these motion picture shows until after council had taken some action which cannot be until after the first meeting in August, council now being on a thirty-day vacation. The local motion picture men claim that the free exhibitions ruin their business and state that they have to pay large fees to the city treasurer for the license to do business in the city and that the free shows being given under the auspices of the city is not fair treatment to the men in the motion picture business of this section. G. L. McCoy, Jr. Break Ground for Theatre Despite Suit Philadelphia Building Bureau Grants are Going Ahead Regardless of Spec to The Motion Picture News Philadelphia, July 30. ALTHOUGH suit has been brought to restrain Kahn and Greenberg from building a picture theatre at 2209 and 2211 North Broad street, as noted in The Motion Pictuee News of last week, on the ground that it would prove offensive and impair the valuation of adjoining brownstone residences, a permit has been granted by the Bureau of Building Inspection. Harry Gill, Jr., was granted the permit as the contractor for the building and ground has been broken. The plans call for a one-story theatre building of brick and terra cotta, 31 feet 7 inches by 150 feet with a Permit to Kahn and Greenberg, Who Property Owners' Objections seating capacity of about 500. The estimated cost will be $18,000. An association is reported being formed by the Rev. Gerald P, Coghlan, rector of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, which is located at the corner of the cross street below, to fight the construction of the theatre. The membership of the association also includes representatives of two synagogues and property owners on North Broad street from Diamond street to York street. The fight will be along the lines of Adolph Mark's suit that the deed provides that the site shall not be used for any purpose calculated to become a nuisance.