Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

844 Nine Incorporations in New York State NINE companies incorporated in the motion picture industry in New York state during the past week, the company having the largest capitalzation being the Elmwood of Penn Yan, capitalized at $50,000, and located at Penn Yan. The directors are H. C. Morse, W. M. Patterson and C. B. Briggs, all residents of Penn Yan. Other companies incorporating during the week were: E. R. Champion Dis tributing Company, $10,000; E. R. Champion, Elizabeth Huber, Joseph Forster, New York City; Variety Sales Corporation, $10,000, M. R. Weinberg, William Rakoff, New York; Reuben Weinberg, Brooklyn; Third Avenue Motion Picture Theatres Company Inc., and the Highclass Motion Picture Theatres Company, each capitalized at $20,000, and having as directors, G. W. and Ruth Anson and Harry Frankel, of New York City; Projection Rooms, Inc., $5,000, Dave and Marie Narcey, William Kamean, New York; Joseph M. Schenck Productions, $10,000, and Talmadge Producing Corporation, $10,000, with N. M. and Joseph M. Schenck and Bert Nayfack, New York City; Morstan, Inc., $500, H. C. O’Donnell, L. E. McMahon, M. V. Phelan, New York. Plea for Federal Investigation Meets Rebuff A petition for a Congressional investigation of the motion-picture industry submitted to a sub-committee of the Senate Judiciary Committee at Washington on Wednesday, January 25th, met with a decidedly cool reception at the hands of the sub-committee members present. The sponsors for the recommendation were Canon William S. Chase of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Senator Myers of Montana. Senators Shortridge of California and Ashurst of Arizona, members of the sub-committee, sharply criticized the proposed resolution asking for the Congressional investigation as contrary to the Constitutional right of free expression. Canon Chase, who frequently appears before Congressional committees in behalf of reform measures, made his customary biased attack on the motion-picture industry. Judging from the questions directed at Canon Chase by Senators Shortridge and Ashurst, they are very much opposed to any proposal that would seek to censor news matters in newspapers or pictures on the screen. The consensus of opinion was that the move for an investigation by Congress would progress no further. U . S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Operators A blow was dealt union picketing last week in a decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court dealing with a case in Kansas City. Chief Justice Taft announced the dismissal for want of jurisdiction of the application of the Kansas City Motion Picture Machine Operators’ Local No. 170, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and others to bring before the court an appeal from the Missouri Supreme Court. Bronx Exhibitors Install Officers for 1922 Distinguished by the presence of county officials and members of the bench, the tenth annual installation of officers and banquet of the Bronx Motion Picture Theatre Owners’ Association was held on Monday evening of this week, January 23rd, at Daubert’s Club Rooms, in the Bronx, New York City. This organization represents in its membership fortysix theatres of the Borough of the Bronx. Judge Harry Robetzek served as master of ceremonies at the installation and also acted as toastmaster at the banquet. Judge Robetzek introduced John J. Whitman as president; John C. Bolte as vice-president; Henry Cole, executive secretary ; Henry Zuckman, treasurer, and Mr. Wilson as sergeant-at-arms. The trustees are E. Ealter, M. Sussman and I. Rothman. This term marks the tenth year of Mr. Wittman’s incumbency in the presidency. The speakers included Judge Robetzek, District Attorney Edward Glennon, Judge William E. Morris, Surrogate George Schultz, County Clerk of the Bronx Robert L. Moran, Municipal Court Justice Peter A. Sheils, Assistant District Attorney William Quigley, Chief Electrical Inspector for the Bronx Frank Fitzpatrick, John Hyland, superintendent of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and Charles McLaughlin, attorney for the exhibitors’ organization. Censorship for pictures was made the object of vigorous criticism, Justices Robetzek and Schultz especially emphasizing the injustice of subjecting the motion picture to a restriction not imposed on the spoken drama. Judge Sheils warned especially against the “ locked door ” in picture theatres, and Attorney McLaughlin seconded the Judge’s remarks by stating that he would not, except under protest, defend the cause of any member in court charged with having “ locked doors ” during his performances. John Hyland, of the S. P. C. C., told of the improved relations between his organization and the Bronx exhibitors. He stated how in the last ten years cases brought against theatre owners for illegal admission of minors had dropped from about forty per year to sixteen, of which latter only eight had resulted in convictions during the year 1921, he declared. This improvement he credited entirely to the ready co-operation being received from the vast majority of theatre owners in supporting the spirit and letter of the law. Bill Introduced to Amend N. Y. Censorship Law A BILL was introduced last Monday night at Albany by Assemblyman W. W. Campbell, which, if it passes, will amend the New York state motion picture censorship law, by making mandatory, instead of permissive as at present, the issuance of a permit by the commission for pictures intended solely for educational, charitable and religious purposes. Motion Picture N e 5 Changes in Paramoun Sales & Studio Depts. WORD from Famous Players-LasI announces changes made in tl studio and sales departments 1 that organization. The former Reala Studio has been renamed the Wilshi Studio. Frank E. Garbutt, formerly mai ager of the Realart plant, has been mac special technical advisor to the Par mount production department and w be in charge of the company’s laboratoi work in Los Angeles and New Yor Victor H. Clarke, former manager of tl Long Island Studio, has been made ma ager of the Wilshire Studio. The position of general sales manag is abolished and hereafter there will 1 three general division sales managei H. G. Ballance will be general divisic sales manager of Division No. 1, whi< will include the Boston, Maine, Ne Haven, New York, Albany, Philadelphi Washington and Buffalo offices. George W. Weeks, formerly genei manager of Famous-Lasky Film Servic Ltd., of Canada, becomes general divisii sales manager of Division No. 2, whi will include the offices in the Dominii of Canada and the Detroit, Clevelar Pittsburgh, Chicago, Milwaukee, Cinci nati and Indianapolis exchanges. G. E. Akers, formerly assistant genei sales manager, is temporarily assigned general division sales manager of I vision No. 3, which will include the oi ces in Minneapolis, Des Moines, Omaf Kansas City, St. Louis, Salt Lake Cil Denver, San Francisco, Los Angel Seattle and Portland, Ore. H. E. Elder is temporarily assigned special representative in charge of t Indianapolis district, succeeding F. Creswell, who has been temporarily i signed to important general duties cc nected with the new plans or organis tion. Motion Pictures Salesmi Elect Officers At a meeting of the Motion Pic re Salesmen, Inc., held recently at the Re Astor in New York, the following ofLrs were elected : Albert Reinlieb, Metro, ] s ident; L. Lawrence Baren, Pioneer, ,1 vice-president; Mathias Kahn, Wa:;i second vice-president ; Richard Glee i Famous Players, recording secretary 1 C. Bullwinkel, Metro, financial secret y Louis Weinberg, Selznick, treasurer I Lawrence Baren, Pioneer, historian n< publicity; Joseph Lee, Famous Plan sergeant-at-arms. The trustees are e Roman, of Goldwyn and Jesse Levin 0 Famous Players. The board of directors consists of man Kram, of Arrow, Richard Gledhi ( Famous Players, Meyer Soloman, of !b nick, Ben Roman, of Goldwyn, and a Paraport, of Pioneer. Director Ernest Lubitsi On Way Home Ernest Lubitsch, director of “ D< p tion,” “ Passion,” “ Pharoah’s Wife ” a other leading European productions, rt has been in this country for the past ir t as a guest of the Hamilton Theatrical it poration, sailed for home Tuesday, J uary 17, on the George Washington.