Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1100 Motion Picture . N eu * * * ❖ * ❖ ❖ * * f * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Index to General and DEPARTMENTS Editorial, General News and Features 1099-1110 Exhibitors’ Service Bureau (contents on page 1111) 1111-1122 What Big Houses Say 1123 With the First Run Houses... ...1124-1127 News from the Chicago Field 1128 News of the Independents 1129-1133 News from the Correspondents 1134 News from the Producers 1135-1146 Studio Notes from the West Coast 1147 Information on All Releases 1148-49-50-52-54 Action Stills from the Week’s Releases 1151 Late Feature and Short Subject Reviews 1153 Plan Book Reviews 1155-56-57-58 New Theatre, Equipment and Construction 1159-1173 GENERAL NEWS AND FEATURES Wm. A. Johnston’s Editorial 1099 People and Pictures (an intimate chat on people and affairs of the industry) 1100-01 Famous Players Absorbs Allen Theatre Holdings 1103 The Press Book, Valueless? 1104 Will Hays and His Mission — a Reply to Newspaper Articles 1105 Admission and Rental Tax Figures for 1921 1105 M. P. T. O. Public Service Showings 1106 The Reader Has His Say 1107 Albany Ready for Convention 1108 In the Film Centers 1109-10 Departmental News STATE RIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Pyramid Makes Announcement 1129 “His Nibs” in Mid-West 1130 Progress on Selig Serial ' [ 1133 PRODUCER ANNOUNCEMENTS Fairbanks to Make Costume Feature 1135 New Goldwyn Group Released ’ 1136 New Associated Exhibitors Series 1138 Innovation in Selznick News 1138 Pathe-Roach Agreement ’ 1140 Statement on "Robinson Crusoe’ ] 1143 Current Paramount Releases ’’ 1144 PLAN BOOK REVIEWS “Boomerang Bill” (Cosmopolitan-Paramount) 1155 “Moran of the Lady Letty ” (Paramount) .. H55 “Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight?” (Equity) 1156 "Billy Jim” (R-C Pictures) U us6 “ What Love Will Do ” (Fox) 1x57 “Chasing the Moon” (Fox) ; ' ’ 1157 “The Golden Gallows” (Universal) 1158 “Any Wife” (Fox) . nj8 ACCESSORY DEPARTMENT Supplementing the General Theatre Illumination with Special Effects. 1159 Capitol Theatre, Detroit, New Entertainment Palace 1162 National Anti-Misframe League Forum 1168 Theatres in Big Cities Undergo Inspectior AS an aftermath to the recent Knickerbocker Theatre disaster in Washington, D C., city and state authorities in various parts of the Union are taking steps to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents in their jurisdictions. During the past week the theatres of New York City have been undergoing inspection, and in Kansas City the superintendent of buildings has been examining the city’s various theatrical structures and investigating seating arrangements and methods of handling crowds. A department head of one of the big distributing corporations declared reports from their exchanges had indicated a dropping off in business at the theatres from 20 to 30 per cent, last week. The following bill to amend the labor law in relation to the inspection of theatres in New York State has been introduced in the New York State Assembly by Mr. Louis A. Cuvillier, Assemblyman from New York City — introductory number 625 : “ Section 1. Section twenty-one of chapter fifty of the laws of nineteen hundred and twenty-one, entitled ‘ An act in relation to labor, constituting chapter thirty-one of the consolidated laws,’ is hereby amended by inserting therein a new subdivision, to follow subdivision three, to be subdivision three-a, to read as follows : “ 3-a. Shall provide for quarterly inspection of all theatres and places of public assemblage for amusement purposes as to all matters prescribed by this chapter or the industrial code.” Paragraph “ d ” of subdivision one of section twenty-eight of this chapter is recommended to be amended to read as follows : “ d. The construction, alteration, fireprotection and sanitation of buildings used Washington, D. C., February 9. — (Special). — It is suggested to the Ways and Means Committee by Congressman Fleer that the Admission Tax be doubled to provide $90,000,000. (Full details will be published next week.) or intended to be used as theatres or places of public assemblage for amusement purposes: (Remainder of section same as old law).” 3. Such chapter is also asked to be amended by inserting therein a new article, to follow article five, to be article five-a, to read as follows: “ 190. Inspection of Theatres; Certificate; Fee. After July first, nineteen hundred and twenty-two, no person, firm or corporation shall use any building as a theatre or place of public assemblage for amusement purposes unless such building shall first have been inspected by the industrial commission and a certificate issued declaring such building to be a proper place in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the rules of the industrial board. “ Upon the report of the inspector inspecting any such building the commission may issue a certificate as herein provided upon the payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars therefor; or if such report be favorable, may make an order providing for such changes or alterations in the construction of such theatre or other building used as a place of public assemblage for amusement purposes, as it may deem advisable not inconsistent with the building code of the city, town or village in which such building is situated, as will make such building comply with the requirements of this chapter and the rules of the industry i board, and upon the compliance with sue order, such certificate shall be issued; 0 the commission, if it deem such structur • unsafe for use as a theatre or place o • public assemblage for amusement pur • poses, may condemn such building. “ 191. Certificates to Be Renewet , Quarterly. The commission thereafte quarterly shall inspect each building use< as a theatre or as a place of public assem • blage for amusement purposes, and upoi the favorable report of the agent making , such inspection, may renew such certifi cate upon payment of ten dollars. “192. Plans for New Buildings or A1 terations ; Approval by Commission. Th industrial board shall on the recommenda tion of the industrial commission and ma; on its own motion, make rules for th' construction and alteration, safety, fir protection and sanitation of all building intended to be used as theatres or place of public assemblage for amusement pur poses. After July first, nineteen hundrei and twenty-two, no building shall be con structed in this state intended to be user as a theatre or other place of public asi semblage for amusement purposes, or n< existing structure so used shall be altered unless and until the plans and specifica tions therefor shall have first been ap proved by the industrial commission. “ 193. Violations ; Penalties. An; person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article, or an; rule of the industrial board, or order is sued by the industrial commission in rela tion thereto, shall be guilty of a misde meanor punishable if a corporation by ; fine of not less than five hundred dollar or more than five thousand dollars or im prisonment for a term not exceeding on< year, or by both. “ 4. This act shall take effect imme diately.” a~ ia.