Motion Picture News (Apr-Jun 1919)

May 31, i 9 i 9 3593 Forms the John D. Tippett Productions B. P. Schulberg's Recent Resignation from United Artists Explained by Formation of New Corporation to Create International Film Exchange Heralded as Novel Departure THE explanation of B. P. Schulberg's resignation from the United Artists Corporation is found in the formation of John D. Tippett Productions, a corporation which will operate film distributing depots throughout the world, and the principal of which is John D. Tippett, Managing Director of the Trans-Atlantic Film Co., Ltd., of London, the European corollary of the Universal Film Mfg. Co. of America. Mr. Tippett is known throughout Europe as one of the most prominent film executives abroad and recognized in financial circles as well as a man of means. Added to his own resources, however, are said to be some of the strongest financial powers that have ever been interested in the film industry. He left America for England six years ago and inaugurated and conducted the European distribution of Universal Pictures. He founded the name of the Trans-Atlantic Film Co. for this purpose and has since made this trademark a potent factor in European film circles. Mr. Tippett is said to be the only American in the history of the motion picture industry to operate consistently throughout Europe through his own offices. Other American concerns are declared to have been following the practice of combining with European film houses for this purpose. London Headquarters The plan of John D. Tippett Productions is to operate distributing offices in all the principal cities of the world, with its chief office in London. Immediately upon his arrival in America, Mr. Tippett engaged B. P. Schulberg as manager of the enterprise in America, and the unlimited scope of the plan was so attractive to the latter, that it prompted him to resign as assistant general manager of the United Artists to assume this post. With this combination of international film experience and unlimited monetary resources, it is said that the Tippett forces contemplate the construction of a mammoth international film company which will be of service to the industry on both sides of the Atlantic, with an international exchange in all corners of the civilized world. Mr. Tippett believes that London is the natural capital of the commercial branch of the film industry7, and that in the future the English film mart will dominate the moving picture markets of the world. In selecting London as his chief base of operations, therefore, he is only consistent with his theory that the commercial future of the industry will be dictated from the British capital. It is said that the motivating reason for the creation of John D. Tippett Productions is his recognition of the new trend in film circles which is leading the motion picture toward the big special production individually exploited. It is in recognition of this fact that Mr. Tippett is forming this new company to conform with the more modern principle of film distributing. Issues a Statement In fine with this thought, in a statement which he left for the American trade press just before he sailed for London a few days ago, Mr. Tippett said : "For a long time it has been borne in upon us in Europe, as it must have been upon the trade in America, that the new era of special productions distributed on John D. Tippett, who has organized the John D. Tippett Productions an individual basis, with each picture considered as a unique and distinctive attraction, is fast approaching, if not indeed already in our midst. "Under these circumstances, any farseeing film executive would be induced to adjust his organization to adapt itself to the new system of specialized distribution. Therefore, in taking this radical step, I am doing what any far-sighted business man would do, with the dawn of a new distributing regime showing itself so clearly over the film horizon. "There is another very important factor in the situation which I believe is not being given sufficiently serious consideration byAmerican film men — that is, the necessity for recognizing London in the future as the center, from a commercial view-point, of the film activities of the world. Geographically and financially^ situated as it is, nothing that I can foresee can disturb the conclusion that London is the logical bourse of the film industry. " This statement mayT cause a controversy among film men in America, but I am prepared to meet such a contest of opinion with facts that are bey'ond dispute. London will undoubtedly dominate the film markets of the world in the future, because the European market, now that the war is over, will assume more and more importance to the American producer, and London is the natural key to the entire European film situation. " It will be part of our plan to acquire all foreign rights, outside of United States and Canada, to the most meritorious American subjects obtainable, and to introduce into America the most ambitious film offerings of Europe, thus maintaining the first effective international film exchange ever established, and the only one ever devoted to this single purpose. Extols Mr. Schulberg "I am deeply gratified to have been able to secure the services of B. P. Schulberg to manage our affairs in America. His personal integrity and long conspicuous standing in the film industry in the United States bespeak that high standard of business ethics with which we will manage our offices throughout the world, so that any transactions with us will be not only a profitable, but a pleasant process." Mr. Schulberg is now arranging for the inauguration of distributing offices in South America and the Orient, and the company began active operations immediately upon Mr. Tippett's return to London. It is declared to be a peculiar coincidence that just at the time that Mr. Tippett boldly predicts the coming supremacy of London as the film center of the world, one of the biggest producing and distributing concerns in America is arranging to form a British counterpart of itself for the purpose of producing pictures in Great Britain, and a great number of important film executives are hastening to the other side, if indeed they are not there already, to form affiliations for their companies with Enelish film agencies. Goldwyn Tests Normand's Popularity Goldwyn applied one of the most difficult tests of the popularity of a cinema star to Mabel Normand when they arranged to show her latest picture, "When Doctors Disagree," unannounced and unadvertised, at the Harlem Grand theatre, 119 East 125th Street, on May 9th. Late in the afternoon, the management of the Grand, a theatre with a seating capacity of 1,600 and which draws a metropolitan audience, agreed to show " When Doctors Disagree " without any previous announcement to their patrons. The result proved conclusively it is said that Mabel Normand's personality holds the affections of thousands, to whom her unique kind of funmaking brings cheer and relaxation after a busy day.