Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1248 Motion Picture News TERRITORIAL SALES AND PURCHASES In the Independent Field STATE RIGHT AND EXPORT NEWS AND VIEWS Equity Makes Sales Record 47^4 Per Cent, of Territory Sold in 24 Hours on “ Wandering Boy ” Experiment with Titles via Wireless AN O V E L experiment was tried by Alexander Film Corporation when screening “ The Solitary Cyclist,” one of its Sherlock Holmes stories, in the production room recently. Instead of the screened titles the audience heard the exclamations of the players in the picture, not via a talking machine, but by a wireless telephone service dispatched by a speaker watching the picture from the stage side of the screened drama. Wireless transmitters were fixed to the back of each seat, and an apparatus was fastened over the head. The effect was startling and uncanny. According to the film men who witnessed the experiment, the idea is of commercial value. Seeling Productions to Film True Story Charles R. Seeling Productions have taken advantage of the college life romance of Ralph Qbenchain and have featured him in a story titled “ A Man in a Million ” which portrays this romance. Ralph Obenchain stepped into the limelight when he gave up a lucrative position as counsel for an insurance company in Chicago to go to Los Angeles to aid in the defense of his divorced wife who was held on a charge of murder. The story of the photoplay, according to Charles Seeling, the producing director and author of the play, does not depend in any sense upon the sensational murder case. The story is clean in every respect, according to Seeling, and contains nothing that would be objectionable in the highest class theatre. The role of Madalynne Obenchain as she appeared when a fair co-ed is taken by Ruby Ray. All the players in the cast, with the exception of Obenchain, have had wide experience in the films. Lynch Circuit Signs for Sacred Films Savini Films Incorporated, of Atlanta, distributors for the Sacred Films in the South, announced last week that they had closed a contract with the S. A. Lynch Enterprises for the exhibition of the entire output of the Bible Narratives. This deal involves approximately fifty theatres on the Lynch string, with the first run at Atlanta’s million-dollar theatre, the Howard. ALL records for the amount of territory sold in the shortest space of time, on any independent picture in the entire history of the industry goes to the credit of " Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight ” the Equity Special, produced by B. F. Zeidman. In less than twenty-four hours after the world premiere of “Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight” at the Criterion theatre, in New York City, 47J4 per cent of the entire territory of the United States was sold, sealed, and delivered. That this is an outstanding accomplishment will, it is believed, be admitted by all connected with selling in the independent field and it is an especial feat in view of the present business conditions. “ A coup of this magnitude,” states Equity, “ even in the palmy days would have been considered big, while today it is the biggest single campaign in the shortest time on record, and speaks in greater volume for th box office possibilities for the picture than anything that might be said in connection with it.” The territories sold so far and the buyers are as follows: New York State and northern New Jersey, purchased by Mr. Sam Zierler, Commonwealth Film Corporation, 729 Seventh Ave., New York; Eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, purchased by Ben Amsterdam of Philadelphia; New England States purchased by Mr. Sam Grand of the Federated Film Exchange of Boston; Indiana, Northern Illinois and the entire state of Wisconsin purchased by Mr. Joe Friedman of the Celebrated Players Film Co., of 810 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago; and the entire Dominion of Canada purchased by Mr. Charles Stephenson of the Stephenson Attractions Ltd. of 28 1/2 Adelaide St., E. Toronto, Canada. Deals are now pending for other territory that constitutes a full 100 per cent for the picture. “ On no picture the independent field has seen in the past short period,” said an Equity official, “ have so many shrewd buyers expressed such unlimited confidence as expressed for the success of ‘ Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight.’ After all is said and done, the selling of a state rights production takes care of itself, for given the real merchandise, the selling is entirely automatic. It depends on the goods you’ve got and if you’ve got the stuff that will get money for exhibiors, the rest is simple. Several hundred inquiries frbm exhibitors have reached the offices of Equity asking who will have the picture in various territories— an indicator of how the underground rumors on the box office value of the production have traveled far and wide. A special campaign to back up these various Independent Exchangemen i s planned for regional papers, so that before the campaign is over not one exhibitor in all the world but what will know that ‘ Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight ’ is on the way to help many a distressed exhibitor out of the hole v/ith some real receipts.” Reports of the opening at the Criterion theatre on Feb. 5th reached theatre owners in every part of the country and they are awaiting with enthusiasm the release date of this Equity special. Mayer’s “Travelaughs” for Independents It is announced this week that the Hy Mayer “Travelaughs” are to be offered to State Rights buyers. The C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation has just completed arrangements with the famous traveler-cartoonist whereby it will take over the “Travelaughs” immediately and offer them on the State Rights plan. The Hy Mayer “Travelaughs” have been recognized as one of the most unusual and highest-class single reel series ever made for the screen, being a series of picturized impressions of Europe as seen through the eyes of a noted cartoonist. Hayes, of Pacific Film, to Tour Exchanges JOHN J. HAYES, founder and executive head of the Pacific Film Co., of Culver City, Cal., said to be the pioneer in western state-rights distributing field, will make a “ get acquainted ” trip in April, his itinerary to embrace almost the entire U. S. “ I want to get acquainted with every exchange owner handling our pictures, and it seems to me that, as they cannot all come to California, I’ll have to visit each manager individually,” said Mr. Hayes in discussing his proposed trip. Sensational Aeroplane. Thrill in Serial Word has been received at the offices of The -Export & Import Film Co., world distributors of “The Jungle Goddess,” that Col. Selig, producer of this, his third, wild animal jungle serial, has successfully completed the shooting of one of the most daring stunts in the serial, a stunt which has up to this time “ stumped ” him. The scenario called for a fight in mid-air in a speeding airplane between the pilot and two leopards. Several attempts to stage this thrill for the camera met with failure. In one of the attempts one of the leopards, frightened by the deafening exhaust of the airplane motor, clawed and ripped the linen off the wings and fuselage of the plane. Two more attempts to accomplish the feat met with failure. Selig decided to try once more, and if unsuccessful to give up the idea of the mid-air struggle. The third time the two planes took to the air with the leopards invisibly strapped to the struts. Elinor Field and Truman Van Dyke, co-stars, then took their cues and the fight in the air was caught by the airplane circling above. Pacific Coast Studios to Be Enlarged The Pacific Film Co.’s studios at Culver City, Cal., are undergoing extensive repairs and structural changes, according to word received by Julius Singer, Pacifie s Eastern representative. It is the plan of John J. Hayes, manager of Pacific, to enlarge the stages and to make additions to the dressing-room section. A portrait gallery will *lso be added. Several carloads of newly-built studio furniture .and other “props” have just been received at the plant.