Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1919)

August 20, I 9 I 9 1803 Exhibitors Asked Fight and Aid to A straight up-and-down argument, tended to lead exhibitors to write their Congressmen and Senators for revision of film taxes, is put forward in a letter addressed to exhibitors from the Motion Picture Exhibitors of America. The argument is advanced that pictures did their share and then some toward winning the war and still pays a number of taxes, while ice cream for instance, which could scarcely be credited with a similar amount of war aid, has the tax on it removed. It is pointed out that the Executive Committee is to raise $100,000 in 1919-20 to work for revision of film tax, capacity tax, admission tax, music tax, daj-light saving, Sunday opening and such questions, and all must do their share. 'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiii^ WIRE BRIEFS FROM THE COAST AN offer running into six figures was given and refused when " Confession," the next Henry Walthall subject, was shown before being edited, to George Davis of San Francisco and Jack Doheney of Missouri, by William Parsons and Isadore Bernstein of National Film Corporation. The picture as it stood was fourteen reels in length. When cut it will run five or six. The Los Angeles street car strike cut in heavily on theatre patronage. One-quarter drop in attendance was reported in the city and suburbs. Robert H. McLaughlin, author of " The House Without Children," an Argus Enterprises, Inc., picture, to be released through the Film Market, Inc. Theodore Hays of Twin Cities Visits East In his capacity as manager of the New Garrick and New Liberty theatres of St. Paul, leading down-town houses of the Hamm, Finkelstein and Ruben interests, Theodore Hajs paid New York City producers a visit last week. It was while manager of the Litt and Dingwall legitimate theatres in Minneapolis and St. Paul about sixteen years ago that Mr. Hays saw far enough ahead to realize that motion pictures would soon become the big vital factor in the amusement business. But his associates simply regarded the motion pictures as a fad like the roller skating or shimmie craze. They thought it would soon go into the discard. Then Mr. Hays secured some prints of split-reel subjects and opened a store show on Nicollet avenue as a sort of side issue. He can therefore be considered the pioneer motion picture exhibitor of that section. . At present he is a torturing thorn in the side of the music publishers' association and is leading an aggressive and successful fight against using copyrighted ro3'alty music in any of the twin cities' leading theatres. At a meeting attended by ninety per cent of the leading actors and directors of the Los Angeles film colony, it was voted to collect weekly sums from professionals, to be forwarded to the Actors' Equity Association offices in New York and Chicago. George Fawcett, William Courtney, Bert Lytell, Milton Sills and Frank Keenan were prominent in the sympathy movement for the strikers. Of several thousand dollars donated, Keenan contributed a thousand and will give fifty dollars weekly. The Al Jennings Photoplay Co. and Neal Hart Producing Company have merged with Capital Film Co. of which S. L. Barnhard is president. Additional units will be added to make two-reel Westerns. The Rothapfel Unit Program opened at the Symphony theatre, Los Angeles, to good business considering the strike. The press criticisms were favorable. A luncheon on Aug. 19 was the scene of announcement of the formation of the Catherine Curtis corporation, financed by New York capitalists, including George M. Taylor, Dorman T. Connett, Albert L. Judson, Reese Llewellyn, William D. Loucks, E. R. Oirtle, Malcolm McClellan, Robert N. Simpson, Arthur F. Spalding and George J. Whalen. The plan is to make " bigger than program " pictures for road show release. " The Miracle Man," George Loane Tucker's production, opens at the Kinema theatre, Los Angeles, Aug. 30. " Broken Blossoms " opens in San Francisco Aug. 25. Cleo Madison, formerly connected with the Universal, has been engaged to appear in the new serial, " The Radium Mystery," now being produced by the Pacific Producing Company, at Hollywood, Calif. r\ FFICERS and members of Affiliated Picture Interests, composed of producers, exchangemen, theatre managers, and people of the studios, were in charge of all public entertainments given in Los Angeles, August 9th to 12th, inclusive, for officers and men of the Pacific Fleet of 148 boats which arrived in Los Angeles Harbor after a trip through the Panama Canal. Douglas Fairbanks, aided by Fred Burns and one hundred cowboys and cow girls who are active in picture work took part in a rodeo of eighteen sensational western numbers. The expenses of this were assured by prominent people of the industry subscribing for boxes in the grandstand at $100 each, and practically every one of prominence in the West Coast film colony was present. The attendance was estimated at 60,000 with paid admissions by all except the men of the Navy who numbered about 8,000. Mayor M. P. Snyder of Los Angeles, gave the address of welcome and Secretary Daniels of the Navy gave the responding address. Charles Murray acted as master of ceremonies, Douglas Fairbanks, Will Rogers, J. C. Jessen, Monte Blue and Fred Burns were judges; Harry Leonhard of the California theatre was chairman of grounds' committee and was assisted by all exchange managers and salesmen. Secretary W. J. Reynolds of M. P. Producers' Association was general manager. On Monday and Tuesday evenings, dances were given to the sailors on the streets especially prepared for the occasion, on Film Row (Olive street between Sixth and Ninth streets) when five jazz bands furnished the music. This revived the carnival spirit of Los Angeles' people, and the event is spoken of as the most elaborate fete of its kind in the history of the city. During the stay of the Pacific Fleet in Los Angeles Harbor waters, managers of down-town theatres issued twenty thousand passes to their respective theatres to men of the Navy, through a booth conducted in Pershing Square. First Episode "Lurking Peril " Completed Burton King, director-general. Wistaria Productions, Inc., announces that the first episode of " The Lurking Peril," a new serial in which Anne Luther and George Larkin are costarred, has been completed. Douglas Fairbanks is to go to San Francisco to make his third United Artists productions and plans leaving early in October, The Gaiety Comedy Company has been organized to make onereel independent release subject. George Ovey and beauty chorus to be featured. iiiimiiNiiiiiiiiN i!i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiNiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiu^ niiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin Fleet Has Gay Entertainment Motion Picture Folk of Coast Colony Turn Out to Welcome Our Bluejackets Mary Miles Minter, the fair haired beauty who has enlisted under the Realart banner Films Asked for Ad Association Show President Harry Levey of the Screen Advertisers' Association, which is planning a great program to offer several thousand of the biggest men in the advertising field at the convention of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World at New Orleans, Setember 21-28, has asked other members of the association to forward to him films thej' wish shown during the five days of the assemblage. Corporations and motion picture producing companies who have made industrial and advertising films are eligible to have their pictures shown during this convention, according to Mr. Levey, who is determined to show representative advertisers of the country that the films compose an almost ideal medium for the exploitation of products, ideas and themes. Mr. Levey, as president of the association, has made complete arrangements for the showing of these films. Rail Strike Affected Distribution The managers of the moving picture theatres of western .Vermont found themselves up against it when the railroad strike last week affected that section. As a result, Rutland was selected as the large distributing point of New England and New York. This city served as the central point between Bellows Falls and St. Albans, The agency was in charge of S. Y. Merchant of the Paramount Picture Company. The exchange handled the Paramounts, Goldwj'ns, Select and World Film companies' products, as well as practically every large film agency in the East. The films were brought to Rutland from the different headquarters in the large cities by automobile truck every day. Managers of different theatres in the district went to Rutland to view ihe pictures and make their selections. Opening Larger House R. A. Kirby, one of the oldest exhibitors in the Middle West, sold his interests in the Gem, a house at Monroe city. Mo., to his partner. Mr. Kirby will open a larger house seating 500 and will play pictures, vaudeville, dramatic stock and musical comedy. Work is under way and opening will be Sept. 1st, with all new and modern equipment.