Motion Picture News (July-Aug 1921)

August 6 , i p ? / 745 MotionPictureDay Movement Progressing B'way Houses in Tie-up; F.I.L.M. Club Gives Support; National Campaign Launched THE movement to effect a nationwide observance of August 25th as " Motion Picture Day " is progressing very satisfactorily, according to advices from the New York headquarters of the Motion Picture Day Committee. The outstanding developments of the past week have been the successful tie-up with three of the biggest motion picture theatres on Broadway, the decision of the New York F. I. L. M. Club to support the movement, and the receipt of news from Boston that New England is preparing to participate actively in the plan. A list published in the July 30th issue of Motion Picture News gave the names of the producing and distributing companies actively supporting the Motion Picture Day movement. By an oversight, the names of the Selznick and Select organization were omitted from the list of endorsing companies. The name of Sam E. Morris, vice-president and general-manager of the Selznick Corporation, was likewise inadvertently omitted from the list of general-managers and sales-managers reported to have been in attendance at the meeting in Xew York City during the preceding week, when a uniform campaign plan for producers and distributors was agreed upon. Sam W. B. Cohn. well-known advertising and publicity man, has been appointed to the post of director of publicity for the National Committee by Edward M. Saunders, chairman of the Motion Picture Day Committee. Mr. Cohn has established his headquarters in the Metro Pictures office, located in the Loew Building, New York City. He has already inaugurated a nation-wide publicity campaign in promotion of " Motion Picture Dav.'' and re New York State's new board of Motion Picture Censorship. Left to right — Joseph Levenson, Mrs. Eli Hosmer, George H. Cobb. (Photo by Underwood and Underwood) ports that assurance of co-operation are being received from all sections. Among the first theatres to sign agreements to co-operate with the National Picture Day Committee, in the matter of establishing August 25th, 1921, as "Motion Picture Day " throughout the United States, were the Rivoli, Rialto and Criterion of New York City. The management of these theatres, together with hundreds of other exhibitors the nation over, have pledged themselves to cooperate with the National committee in making Motion Picture Day an unqualified success, declares a statement from Publicity Director Sam \Y. B. Cohn. The action of the Broadway exhibitors, in signing the agreements to turn over fifty per cent of their gross receipts on August 25th, Motion Picture Day — to the general fund being raised for protective and charitable purposes, was announced at a meeting of the National Committee held during the week at the Hotel Claridge, at which time Chairman Edward M. Saunders reported that every present indication pointed toward an unprecedented success for the big event. He outlined the work that was being accomplished by the State committees in lining up the exhibitors and exchanges declared that the Motion Picture Day plan was being universally adopted by the most progressive of the exhibitors. Representatives of the leading motion picture interests in attendance at the meeting made reports on the individual work being done by their respective offices in the matter of organizing their branches for the campaign. In every state, committees are being organized to take over the promotion of the big idea in their respective territories and in many localities these committees are already functioning. All committees are working independent of any other organization or association as Motion Picture Day is an event promoted for, and by the allied motion picture interests, and without ulterior motives or for selfish reasons. Among the distributing companies reported to have agreed to supply film to participating exhibitors free of charge for exhibition on Motion Picture Day, are the following concerns : Associated First National, Associated Producers, Educational Pictures, Famous Players Lasky, Fox Film, Goldwyn, Metro, Realart, Robertson-Cole and Selznick Pictures Corporations. The F. I. L. M. Club of New York, went on record last Tuesday night, July 26th, in support of Motion Picture Day — August 25th, 1921 — when Edward M. Saunders, Chairman of the committee promoting the event, appeared before the organization and addressed that body in the interest of the project. President I. E. Chadwick, of the club, immediately ap pointed a special committee to actively support and cooperate with the Motion Picture Day national committee. Chairman Edward M. Saunders of the National Committee in charge of the drive wired during the week from Boston that Massachusetts is lining up solid for the plan and that assurances have been given him that all New England will co-operate. M.P.T.O. Not a Party to "Motion Picture Day* A STATEMENT issued during the week from the national headquarters of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America sets forth the attitude of that organization towards the movement now under way to observe August 25th as " Motion Picture Day " throughout the country. According to this announcement, " all statements purporting to commit the organized exhibitors to the promotion of this scheme are wholly unauthorized," as far as the M. P. T. O. of A. is concerned. The salient paragraphs of the statement follows: " The first intimation we had of ' Motion Picture Day ' was from messages of inquiry coming to our headquarters from our leaders who questioned the so-called ' Motion Picture Day ' arranged by the tools of certain interests hostile to the independent exhibitors. " The trade paper announcements of ' Motion Picture Day ' state that a prospectus has been issued stating that the fund being collected from the public will be used for two purposes: to finance the necessary co-operative work for the protection of the industry and to contribute to worthy charities and humanitarian relief funds, thus avoiding, as far as possible, solicitations for such purposes in motion picture theatres. " What is to be the scope of this cooperative work? Who is to direct it? Who is to supervise the expenditure of these moneys, all of which are to be colelected entirely through the exhibitors? The prospectus is distinctly silent on these points. " If the producer and distributor wish to create a war chest fund, let them take any day they wish and place in the treasury of their association half of the film rentals which they collect for that day from the theatre owners of America. This would be their own money. Let them create their own fund and use it for their own purposes. We do not ask them to contribute to our treasury. " The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America are, of course, glad to cooperate in any honest and sincere movement for the benefit of the industry and to the advantage of the public. They are willing to do their full share and a little more, if need be. They have proven this in the past on many occasions. As the work in this case involves the use of their theatres, they feel they should have been consulted. They are intelligent men, quite capable of guiding themselves, and they very strongly resent this dictation coming from self-appointed saviors outside their own ranks. " Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America."