Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2036 M-O fr I ON PICTURE NEWS VgJ. 14. .Np. 13 Gojf Off on Extensive Trip for Possibilities of Its Service T^OR the purpose of making certain that * the sales representatives of the Vitagraph V-L-S-E thoroughly understand the possibilities for enlarged service and progress which are open to them, by reason of the absorption of the V-L-S-E by the Greater Vitagraph, A. W. GoflF, assistant general manager of the V-L-S-E, left last week for a tour of the offices of that organization as far west as the Pacific Coast. Mr. Goff's trip is primarily to outline the plans which are being devised by the V L-S-E, as the selling department of Greater Vitagraph, for added co-operation in behalf of the exhibitor. Incidentally, Mr. GofT will also outline the campaign of advertising, publicity and sales, helps which is to be employed to aid exhibitors in making the most of Greater Vitagraph's superserial, " The Scarlet Runner," which is to be released on October 2, backed by an unparalleled publicity campaign in all of the newspapers published in the principal cities of the country. Commenting upon the effect of the absorption of the V-L-S-E by the Greater Vitagraph, Mr. Goff said, before leaving: /-L-S-E— He Will Make Known to All Exchange Managers " I doubt if the sales manager of any other company that has ever undergone a change in ownership, such as we just have, has ever started out on a trip, as I shall take, so free from any concern regarding the line-up of his organization. " It is a remarkable commendatory upon the policy of building a permanent organization and advancing employes strictly from the ranks, and on the basis of merit, which General Manager Walter W. Irwin instituted with the inception of this organization, that the change in the directorate of the V-L-S-E has not made necessary a switch in any department or any office of our organization. " We remain absolutely intact, with the same men at the helm, and the same men on the firing line as were there before Vitagraph took over the V-L-S-E. " It seems to me that there is something mighty significant for the exhibitor in such loyalty, and such unshaken confidence as this indicates." Mr. Goff will visit Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and upon his return, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. CUPID, UN AWED BY SUMMER WEATHER, INVADES PHILADELPHIA SECOND TIME IN THE SEASON Again has Cupid invaded the ranks of Philadelphia filmdom. For the second time this summer has a young exchange manager become a Benedick. Herbert Given, the twenty-four year old manager of Triangle, was married on September 2 to Mae Cooke, who for three years has been chief telephone operator at the Stanley Booking Company's offices. The honeymoon was spent at Cape May as the guests of Carl Sulke, proprietor of the Cape May Casino. Mr. and Mrs. Given are now residing at 6242 Chestnut street. The popularity of the young couple was attested by the number of beautiful gifts. Mr. Stanley Mastbaum presented a handsome dining room set to the bride. The office force at the Stanley Company gave flat silver. From Triangle there came a coffee service, while a table cover was the choice of the young ladies of that office. ■ Herbert Given, who is said to be the youngest exchange manager in the country, has had a rapid rise in the moving picture profession. Starting as office boy with the Lubin Film Service in 1908, young Given rapidly rose to stock clerk, and later when the Lubin Company was absorbed in the General went with that firm as booker. From there he went to the Famous Players as assistant to W. E. Smith. When this exchange took on the Paramount program, Mr. Given was made exchange manager, which position he kept for some time. Recently he came to the Triangle as efficiency expert, and in a few weeks was appointed manager which post he now holds. COHEN APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER BY SELZNICK, WITH HEADQUARTERS IN PHILADELPHIA Ben S. Cohen of New York has been appointed general manager of the Clara Kimball Young Film Corporation, Lewis J. Selznick, president. Mr. Cohen's headquarters will be in Philadelphia, his territory including Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia and West Virginia. The exchange has acquired 1339 Vine street and is already IT was with regret that Washington, D. C, learned of the resignation of B. C. Cunningham, manager cf tiie offices of the Mutual Film Corporation there to assume the management of the Artcraft Pictures Corporation exchange in Philadelphia. Mr. Cunningham has been associated with the Mutual for more than four years serving in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. Mr. Cunningham has done much for the Standardizing on a high plane of the motion picture business and amusement. At three different times he has found it necessary to enlarge the Washington offices to installed, although the first picture will not be released until October 1. When it was definitely announced that Nazimova, Mary Garden and Kitty Gordon would also be seen under the Selznick banner much interest was manifested by Philadelphia exhibitors, eighteen of whom called the very first day of Mr. Cohen's tenancy to see about booking films. Jack FljTin, head booker of the World Film office, will be assistant to Mr. Cohen. Other assistants have not yet been appointed. PALMERTON IS ADVANCED TO CHARGE OF SHORT REEL DEPARTMENT Don Palmerton, chief shipping clerk in the shipping department of Paramounts San Francisco Exchange, has been promoted to supervision of the short reel booking department of the exchange, taking the place made vacant by Vernon Moore, who has been named the publicity director of the exchange. meet the demands of the exchange. The most recent being the present commodious quarters, which have been especially equipped at Mr. Cunninghams direction. " In leaving the Mutual," said Air. Cunningham, " I am rather proud and gratified that the business is at top notch, and that I have just given this company the finest exchange in Washington." In locating in Philadelphia, Mr. Cunningham will not altogether sever his connections with Washington, as the two cities will have close relations in the Mary Pickford pictures under the Artcraft banner. ZIERLER TO CELEBRATE ON THE 23D THE ANNIVERSARY OF HIS THIRD YEAR WITH UNIVERSAL Sam Zierler, manager of the Twent>third Street, New York, Exchange, is to have an anniversary. On September 18 he will have been with the Universal Film Manufacturing Company for three years. In September, 1913, he was hired by M. H. Hoffman, then manager of the Twentythird Street Exchange, as a booker. Soon he became chief booker, and later was promoted by Mr. Hoffman to be his assistant in the Twent>--third Street Exchange. Last year he was appointed manager of the exchange, in which he began his Universal work. This was not the first moving picture work, however, in which he was engaged, for he had already learned the rudiments of the business from such firms as the Mutual, Empire, Metropolitan, and Paramount exchanges, and with William Steiner. KOPPIN FILM COMPANY, LIGHTENSTEIN, PRESIDENT, WILL HANDLE UNITY FEATURES IN MICHIGAN George Lichtenstein, the head of the Koppin Film Company, a well-known distributing exchange of Detroit, Michigan, was in New York the past week and arranged with the Unit} Sales Corporation to handle its features and comedy releases for his territory. While in New York, Mr. Lichtenstein saw " The Marriage Bond " and " The Lotter> Man " and the first two of the " Tweedledum " comedies, all to be released on the Unity program, and immediately completed arrangements to distribute these features in the state of Michigan. While in New York, Mr. Lichtenstein will also book other big features for his company, and expects to take all the Unit>program releases. Washington, D. C, Regrets the Departure of B. C. Cunningham, Manager of Mutual in That City, Who Goes to Philadelphia for Artcraft