Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1916)

2532 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 13. No. 17. ALICE JOYCE, FORMER KALEM STAR, SOON BACK IN PICTURES Alice Joyce, who achieved wide popularity during her long engagement with the Kalem Company, will return to the screen, it is announced. She is negotiating through her business manager, Joseph W. Farnham, of the Amalgamated Photo Play ALICE JOYCE Service, with several producers, and will shortly make known which company she will become affiliated with. About a year ago Miss Joyce resigned from Kalem, and since then has been taking a rest at her country place in the Berkshires. WASHINGTON, D. C, ENTERS ACTORS' FUND CAMPAIGN The latest big community to enter the competition of cities in the mammoth Motion Picture Campaign for the Actors' Fund of America is Washington, D. C. An energetic committee has been organized in the National Capital to see that it does its share in raising the $500,000 for the endowment of the fund which the heads of the motion picture industry engaged to collect in fifteen wooks. The chairman of the board of city commissioners is the honorary chairman of the campaign's Washington committee and Alfred Ferguson is the active chairman. Other members of the committee are J. H. Walraven, J. L. Yates and Fred Haskins. Mr. Ferguson reports to Samuel Goldfish, chairman of the national executive committee of the campaign, that the proprietors of the Washington motion picture houses are all taking a lively interest in the movement. BARTLETT TO DIRECT MARIE EMPRESS FOR BALBOA Charles E. Bartlett, late Mutual Masterpicture director for the American Company at Santa Barbara, Cal., has been engaged by Balboa, where he is now busy in producing the first subject which features Marie Empress, entitled "The Chorus Girl." Mr. Bartlett will next make a Babylonian feature which will have many innovations. Bill for Relief in Making Photoplay Copyrights Amendment to Law Would Do Away with Practice of Submitting Two Copies of a Completed Reel to Comply with Provisions of Section 12 and Also Help Poster Situation Special to Motion Picture News. Washington, D. C, April 15. A BILL has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative W. R. Oglesby of Yonkers, N. Y., to amend the present copyright law so that in certain cases it will not be necessary to file with the application for copyright the two copies of the copyrighted work as is now required. Section 12, which is to be amended, provides "That after copyright has been secured by publication of the work with the notice of copyright as provided * * there shall be promptly deposited in the copyright office or in the mail addressed to the register of copyrights, Washington, District of Columbia, two complete copies of the best edition thereof then published * * *. No action or proceeding shall be maintained for infringement of copyright in any work until the provisions of this Act with respect to the deposit of copies and regisration of such wc rk shall have been complied with." The Oglesby bill adds the following proviso : Provided, however, that in the case of any work referred to in this section wherein copyright has been secured by publication of the work with notice of copyright, which by reason of its character, bulk, fragility, or because of dangerous ingredients cannot expediently be filed, the Register of Copyrights may determine that there shall be deposited, in lieu of two complete copies of such work, such identifying photographs or prints together with such writ ten or printed description of the work as he shall find sufficient to identify it; and provided further, that in the case of motion picture photoplays and motion pictures other than photoplays, whenever deposit has been made as required by the provisions of the Act of Congress approved August 24, 1912, and registration has been secured thereunder, such deposit and registration shall hereafter be held to be sufficient for all purposes, and shall exempt the copyright proprietor from the deposit of two complete copies of such photoplay or motion picture if it is later reproduced in copies for sale, and the provisions of the amendatory Act of August 24, 1912, are hereby made to apply to motion picture photoplays and motion pictures other than photoplays that have been reproduced in copies for sale or otherwise published. Under the provisions of Section 11 of the law it is necessary only to furnish one print taken from each scene or act where the work to be copyrighted consists of a motion picture photoplay. Notwithstanding this provision producers have apparently felt obliged to comply with the provisions of Section 12 and submit two copies of the complete reels. This has resulted in producing an awkward situation at the copyright office for not only are the reels bulky but they are dangerous and, as they fulfill no purpose, they are not desired. Another article, which by its nature, is bulky and equally undesirable, is the poster, and this also comes within the provisions of the amendment. Earle a. Dyer. Chain of Actors' Fund Committees Completed Active Interest Is Awakened from Coast to Contribute Ten Per Cent THE National Committee of the Motion Picture Campaign to raise $500,000 for the Actors' Fund of America has now completed a chain of committees from Coast to Coast, and announces that everywhere active interest has been awakened among film people. Already 1,200 exhibitors have promised to contribute ten per cent, or more of their receipts on May 15, which has been designated as National Motion Picture Tribute Day. Busy men of affairs in every walk of life are lending their aid. John Kunsky, who controls ten theatres, has formed a committee headed by Mayor Marx, of Detroit, as honorary chairman, while Mr. Kunsky has assumed the office of active chairman. In Washington, D. C, an energetic committee has been organized, with Alfred Ferguson as active head. The Omaha Screen Club will give a ball on May 11, donating a percentage of the receipts to the Actors' Fund. D. L. Nicholson heads a committee in New Orleans, which is at work to bring up the donations of the Gulf City to a good figure. In Buffalo, B. J. Brandon, of the Screen Club, has formed a committee for Western New York. The commitee is centering its activities on a ball to be given May Coast, 1,200 Exhibitors Already Promising to of Their Receipts on May 15 15, the proceeds of which will be donated ■ to the Fund. In New York City the other night Daniel Frohman, president of the Fund, delivered an address before the Screen Club, and over $2,000 in subscriptions was collected by members. Here are a few of the latest additions to the theatre list for National Tribute Day. They extend literally from Coast to Coast. F. H. Schanze, Schanze Theatre, Baltimore, Md.; F. M. Bond, Bond Theatre, Pontiac, III; Ario Bertotti, Columbia Theatre, Clinton, Ind. ; Jay E. Gould, Crystal Theatre, Glencoe, Minn. ; E. Newman, Grand Theatre, Helena, Ark.; Guy Mahoney, Palm Theatre, Missouri Valley, la. ; C. A. Orr, Princess Theatre, Grace, Idaho; I. W. Dakin, Gem Theatre, Hood River, Ore. The capacity of these houses ranges from 800 down to 200, and they represent cities and hamlets. A letter received from J. S. Smoot, manager of the Camden Theatre, Parkersburg, W. Va., was of the kind that gives cheer to the Motion Picture Campaign's Executive Committee: Mr. Smoot notified Mr. Goldfish that on Sunday, April 13, he will give a sacred concert in his theatre, the entire proceeds of which will be sent to Treasurer Blackton.