Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

44 THE MICTION PICTURE NEWS ACCIDENTS BESET PARAGON COMPANY Stccial to The iloiiox Picture News Milwaukee, Wis., July 39. Members of the Paragon Film Compan}-. who have been making some productions in and around Wausau the past few weeks, have had a run of hard luck, which was brought to a fatal climax last Monday aftcnoon, when Edward Rosenthal, of Topeka, Kan., the secretarj and treasurer of the company, was killed in Texas, a small town near Wausau. A rock thrown b3^ a blast crushed his skull and instantly killed him. "Mr. Rosenthal was sixty-two years old and his death brought the work to a sudden halt. While the same companj^ was taking pictures of aquatic sports at Rothschild, the railing of the bridge from which thej' were working broke and several ot the company were thrown into the water and rescued with difficulty. The Men Behind Paramount Pictures William W. Hodkinson, James Steele, Raymond Pawley, William L. Sherry and Hiram Abrams Furnish the Motive Power "LITTLEST REBEL" PLAYS TO BIG BUSINESS Frank Tichenor, general manager of the Photoplay Productions Company, who has just .recently returned from Chicago, reports excellent exhibitor business in that city. "The Littlest Rebel" opened at the Studebaker Theatre on ^Monday evening and is running packed houses at fifty cents to $1.00 admission prices. Advance sales amounted to over $3,000. The Photoplay Productions Releasing Company, formerly the G. and G. Feature Film Company, which has Illinois rights in "The Littlest Rebel" has booked $7,000 worth of business in the state. Fifty bookings were made in Chicago alone. Rush reorders of heralds have been sent to New York, after the supply of 170,000 had been exhausted. PLAN OUTING FOR "REEL" FELLOWS Special to The Motiox Picture News Philadelphia, July 30. The "Reel" Fellows of Philadelphia will soon be organized on a permanent basis. ^^leanwhile a movement is on foot to take the film men to Atlantic City on August 16. If the plan goes through it will be one of the best ideas yet advanced for promotion of that good fellowship which the "Reel" Fellows want to make their goal. "SPARTACUS" WILL OPEN OHIO HOUSE The Jvanhoe Theatre, now nearing completion at Sandusky. Ohio, and expected to be ready about September 1.5, is said to be one of the finest exclusive picture theatres in America. Manager Blatz will open with George Kleine's eight-part spectacle, "Spartacus." THE men responsible for the success of the Paramount Pictures Corporation bring to the enterprise managed by them wide experience in the business world and records of achievement made in other branches of the film industry before entering their present field. William W. Hodkinson, president and general manager of the company, who began his motion picture experience some years ago, was for a time Plaj'ers Exchange for the purpose of handling the releases of the Famous Players Film Company's productions. His concern now controls the state rights to the pictures of the Paramount Corporation for New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, IMarj-land, the District of Columbia and Virginia. The vice-president of the Paramount Pictures Corporation, James Steele, entered the film industry in JAMES STEELE W. W. HODKINSON RAYMOND PAWLEY The Officers of Paramount Pictures Corporation associated with the General Film Company. Later severing his connection with the concern, he entered business for himself and furnished San Francisco exhibitors with programs. He was successful from the start and soon after established branches in several cities of the Pacific coast. To-day he maintains three exchanges at Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, which suppljnumerous theatres in eleven western states and the western part of Canada. The secretary and treasurer of the Paramount Company, Raj'mond Pawley, who is interested in one of the oldest and largest real estate businesses of Asbury Park, N. J., and has been identified with large financial operations conducted in that city, saw the possibilities of the film industry some time ago and decided to try out certain ideas he felt the conditions of the motion picture business warranted. He built the Lj'ric Theatre in Asbury Park, one of the first houses in the state to present exclusive programs at advanced prices. IT proved successful, and Mr. Pawley decided to enter the exchange field, as offering opportimities for carrying out further ideas suggesi-ed by his experience with the Lyric. He organized with his brother. W. E. Smith, of Newark, the Famous 1905. He was connected with the Pittsburgh Calcium Light and Film Company until 1910, when the General Film Company took over the branch of that concern in Cincinnati, continuing Mr. Steele with the company. MR. STEELE remained with the General Film until 1914, when he resigned to organize the Famous Pla3-ers Film Service, Inc., with offices in Pittsburgh and Chicago, which operates in the states of ^Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentuck^^ A^ est Virginia and Pennsylvania. Two other men whose well-directed efforts have helped to maintain the prestige of the Paramount Pictures Corporation are William L. Sherry, S director of the company, who is also the president and treasurer of the William L. Sherrj' Feature Film Company. Inc., and Hiram Abrams, president of the Famous Players Film Company of New England. After a thorough study of the film business, Mr. Sherry organized, a year and a half ago the company which bears his name and is now recognized as one of the leading exchanges in the country. Mr. Abrams entered the m.otion picture business six years ago, . and soon gained control of a string of theatres in a number of representative New England cities.