Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1919)

1056 Motion P i c t u re N e iv s Eugene Zukor Son of Adolph Zukor Is Taking Up Reins After a schooling in every branch of the motion picture industry, extending over a period of more than three years, Eugene Zukor, son of Adolph Zukor, president of Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, has been formally appointed as assistant to the president of the company. The younger Mr. Zukor will take up his duties immediately with headquarters at the Home Office of the corporation, 485 Fifth avenue, New York. With the exception of last year, when Mr. Eugene Zukor was in the Xavy, he has been engaged in the different departments of the Corporation since the Famous Pla\ ers Film Company first occupied the studio in West 56th street. At that time, having completed his schooling, he entered the Publicity Department and through this connection made a wide acquaintance, not only among artists, authors and directors engaged in producing the pictures, but also in outside fields among newspaper men, trade paper editors and national magazine editors. Subsequently he handled a division of the Home Office Sales Department under Al. Lichtman, general manager, and learned at first hand the intricacies of di.stribulion. He has been employed for the past year at the New York exchange under A. G. Whyte, district manager, and his work there has run the gamut of exchange activities, from shipping room to salesman. On Tour of Exchanges Now that Hiram Abrams has appointed all seventeen of the sales managers of United Artists Corporation, Ralph O. Proctor, assistant general manager of the "Big Four," has started on a tour that will cover .ill of the company's branch offices. GALA TIME HAD BY ALL AT SEATTLE com ENTION FROM all reports, "big doings" were the order of the day during the convention of the Northwest Film Trade Board, starting July 18. Stars were there galore, decked out in all their glory and the guests at many special entertainments.. Frank Keenan, whose releases are being handled by Pathe, came in for a big reception. Fay Tincher fired the opening gun, riding through the main streets on a pony, accompanied by the Chief of Police and a squad of mounted cops. She was entertained on various days by Alexander Pantages, Jack Lannon, J. T. Sheffield and W. W. Kofeldt. Miss Tincher, on leaving Seattle, is making a trip to many of the cities of the West coast. Atlanta Film Exchange Managers Banquet The Film Exchange Managers Association of Atlanta, Georgia, served a banquet at the Kimball House, Atlanta, Frida>-, July 19th, at which over sevenicen members were present. The honored guest of the banquet was Mr. Ben Simpson, special representative for Realart Pictures Corp., who is here preparing to open the new film office. Mr. Simpson made a very interesting talk regarding trade conditions over the United States, and stated that the Atlanta Film Exchange Alanagers' Association was the best one of its kind he had ever seen. Among the members present were John S. Ezell, president of the Atlanta Film Managers Association and manager of the E. & H. Film Co. ; Geo. R. Allison, manager Vitagraph Inc. ; R. M. Savini, manager Savini Films Inc. ; Joe Marcntette, manager Film Clearing House, Inc. ; Arthur Dickenson, manager Criterion Film Co. ; Chas. E. Kessnich, manager Metro Pictures Corp. ; Harry Bugie, manager Pathe Exchange Inc. ; Byron Bryan, Vitagraph Inc. ; W. J. Pratt, division manager Triangle Pictures Corp. ; Carl Bamford, special representative of S. A. Lynch Enterprises, and Louis L. Dent, division manager, S. A. Lynch Enterprises. Censor Cost Is Cut by Governor Sproul Pittsburgh, after all, is not to have its own branch office of the Pennsylvania State Board of Motion Picture censors, notwithstanding the Legislature passed a bill providing for its establishment and for the payment of the salaries of additional officials of the board to be placed in control of the branch. This was made evident when, on July IS, Governor Sproul, in approving the General Appropriation bill of the state, eliminated an item of $12,000 which would have paid the salaries of a chief inspector, two assistant inspectors and a stenographer, who were to have constituted the operating staiT of the proposed Pittsburgh branch. Popular sentiment, which is balking against the " high cost of censorship," is believed to have influenced the Governor's action. West Virginia Showmen to Meet Soon A convention of West Virginia Exhibitors will be held at Charleston, August 19th and 20th. It was originally planned to hold the meeting July 29th, but a postponement was made necessary by reason of the fact that John Siefert, president of the Miami Valley, Exhibitor's League, imder whose auspices the meeting will be held, intends to go to New York to attend a meeting of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry July 28th. The Miami Valley Exhibitor's League now has members in four states including Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. "House Divided" Winner for Any Size House Classifying it as a one hundred dollar a day production for even a 600seat house, William Bigall, manager of the Irving Theatre, Brooklyn, in a letter to Frank G. Hall, states "A House Divided" is a successful picture from every angle. Mr. Bigall adds he has never before commented on a production, and felt he was obliged to offer congratulations to Mr. Hall on this picture. Heavy Demand on Fulco Brand Accessories The E. E. Fulton Co. have installed additional machinery, including an automatic gear cutler. There is an increased demand, both foreign and domestic, for the Fulco Brand of M. P. accessories. This demand, together with new products which will be on the market shortly, has necessitated more machinery. Community Shows Draw Community motion picture shows are proving highly successful in Taunton, Mass. They were introduced last winter, and caught on among the pcojile immediately. Vaudeville Agency Now in New Offices The Amalgamated Vaudeville .\gency, of the B. S. Moss Theatrical I'.nterprises, has removed its offices to 1 10 West 42nd street, New York City. Seven Theatre Circuit The Venus Amusement Company, which has just been organized, with A. J. Olireshk as president and Nick Bikos vice-president, with headquarters in Gary, Indiana, now control the Cosmos, Lyric, Venus, Royal, and Gem theatres in Gary, Indiana; the Star Theatre in Whiting, and the only theatre located in .Hegewich. Allen Interests Invade the United States {Cdiiliiiitcd from page 1054) ience that might be imagined in the most modern public institution. In addition, there will be an innovation of the greatest importance. The owners decline to even give the slightest hint of this, for it is such a radical departure from anything that has been included in theatre construction that they intend for the actual opening of the houses to reveal the secret. The only clue given is that this feature exists at only one place in the world — and not in a theatre — and there it is associated with great wealth. Music will be one of the principal features of the two theatres, far surpassing anything that has been done in either city. Orchestras of fifty pieces, both under the direction of men of national fame, will be permanent. Two of the largest organs ever built are being made and in addition there will be soloists from all parts of the world. By the time these theatres are open the Aliens will have between fifty and sixty first run houses and will therefore be able to guarantee artists engagements for a full year without their appearing more than one week in the year at the same theatre. rians have been made for the opening of both theatres, probably at the same time, in the early spring. While the Allen interests declined to discuss the possiblity of further plans m the United States, there are reports current that their holdings in this country are likely to be extended. They are said to have tentative plans for other cities, but that they first intend to prove by the quality of their theatres in Detroit and Cleveland that they can make good on every promise. As a matter of fact any step forward by Jules and Jay J. Allen would be no great surprise to the film world, since they have earn ed a niche all of their own in the motion picture hall of fame. Only twelve years ago Barney Allen and his two sons started a motion picture theatre in Brantford, Ontario. Although then a city ot only about 15,000 it was the only place in the Dominion outside of Toronto and Montreal where motion pictures were regularly exhibited. While most men then regarded the " movie " as a passing fad the Aliens were among the future who got the real vision of the future. So immediately on the opening of their first theatre they adopted two business tenets, that have since become the slogans of every successful exhibitor— that they would show only the cleanest pictures obtainable — and that the patrons must go away from the theatre satisfied, no matter the trouble or expense. This house was followed by another and better one, and these grew into a small chain through Western Ontario. But though they had made a success the Aliens saw a better field toward the west and so they sold out their interests and made Calgary their headquarters. Within a short time they had created a string of theatres through the " prairie provinces," centering around the Allen theatre in Calgary, the first really modern motion picture house in Canada, iiut while their theatres were growing the exchange idea became dominant and a series ot exchanges through the Dominion followed, through which the Aliens handled Universal and other features. This end of the business became so important that they moved their headquarters to Toronto, and once there the pendelum began to swing towards the exhibition end. Barney Allen is the president of the Allen Enterprises, with Jay J. Allen as vice-president and Jule Allen secretary-treasurer Father and two sons make a remarkable combination lor they have been able to divide up the enormous work and at the same lime so to coordinate it that the machinery always works smoothly and to the ends desired. Announcement will be made later of the details of film plans for the coming year. After September first they will not be distribmors for Famous PlayersLa.sky product, but thcv have some unusual announcements lo make and with the unequalled number ol first run bookings they themselves can offer i„ their own hotses they expect to be able to obtain just about the pictures that they desire. "It's a Girl" George I. Tetrault, popular Troy exhiliitor and manager of the Empire and Grand theatres in that city, has been presented with a ten-pound bouncing iKiby girj.