Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

14 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS NEW YORK FEATURE BUYERS GET TOGETHER TwentyOne Firms Form Feature Film Protective Association to Co-operate on Bad Accounts, Fight "Pirates" and "Dupers" and Endeavor to Get Manufacturers to Produce More High Class Features REPRESENTATIVES of twenty-one firms located in New York City, which purchase feature films and rent them to exhibitors, met recently in the offices of the Advance Feature Film Company at 683 Sixth avenue, and formed the Feature Film Protective Association, the first organization of its kind in the country. The members of the Feature Film Renters Association are combining their forces for the purpose of improving the moving picture business in various respects. "We plan to do several things," says Moe Streimer, the president. "We are going to get after bad accounts. But that is not our main purpose. We want more good features, real features. To induce the manufacturers to make them we intend to offer more money. Instead of buying mediocre features at ten or twelve cents a foot, we take the stand that we want good features and are willing to pay fifteen cents a foot or as high as twenty cents if they are worth the money. We will also plan ways and means of protection against unreliable film men, 'pirates' and 'dupers' especially. The attendance at the first meeting was most flattering. Nearly all the feature buying firms in New York City were represented and enrolled as members. At the next meeting it is expected that they will all come in." The following are the officers of the association : President, Moe Streimer, Theatre Film Company; vice-president, Murray Bier, Emby. Feature Film Company; secretary, William Weisfold, Advance Feature Film Company, and treasurer, Mr. Cohen, of the Feature Film Company. * * * HE firms enrolled in the Feature Film Protective Association are : Theatre Film Company, Inc. ; World Special Film Corporation ; Warners' Features, Inc. ; Advance Feature Film Company, Inc. ; Regal Feature Film Company, Eagle Feature Film Company, Sedeg Feature Film Company, Emby Feature Film Company, Ideal Feature Film Company, Richter Feature Films Company, North American Feature Film Company, Exclusive Feature Film Company, Eastern Feature Film Company, Unique Feature Film Company, Fidelity Feature Film Company, Special Feature Film Company, Feature Film Company, Royal Feature, Film Company, Vita Feature Film Company, Savoy Feature Film Company, and Weinberg's Feature Film Company. PATENTS SUIT CONTINUES Defense Piles Up Evidence Showing Improvement in Trade Conditions Since 1908 MUCH testimony along routine lines was piled up during the week by the defense in the Federal suit against the Motion Picture Patents Company as a trust under the Sherman anti-trust law. The majority of the witnesses were managers of General Film Company branch exchanges. They all testified as to the unsettled and chaotic conditions in the motion-picture business prior to 1908 and the vastly superior condition at the present time. Several of the number, who had owned exchanges which the General Film bought out, expressed themselves as pleased with the sales. One interesting development, but one which has no direct bearing on the case, is the announcement that Edward P. Grosvenor, special assistant to AttorneyGeneral McReynolds, the man who has been in charge of the prosecution, and Joseph P. Darling, special agent of the Department of Justice, a lawyer himself and the man who worked up the evidence, will resign from the Government service as soon as the Patents Company cases are ended. There is no dissatisfaction. Both men will go into private practice in New York. The move has no special significance as men are continually leaving the Government service when an opportunity to better themselves presents itself. It is expected that the hearings in New York will be wound up in a week or two. Then hearings will be held in the Middle West. These are expected to be concluded by the first of February. Then both sides will take their time in preparing briefs after which the case will be argued before the District Court of the United States for Eastern Pennsylvania. When the decision will be handed down is problematical. It may be the week after the briefs go in. It may not come through till next fall. Two witnesses were heard Monday morning. Albert J. Gilligham, of 60 Virginia avenue, Detroit, manager of the Detroit branch of the General Film Company, was the first witness. He was formerly associated as treasurer in the National Vaudette Film Company with Emanuel Mandelbaum, Philip Gleichman and Jacob Diener. The General Film Company bought the National Vaudette Film Company for $60,000. Ike Van Runkel, manager of the American, Wabash and City Hall branches of the General Film Company, in Chicago, came next. He was formerly treasurer of the American Film Service, which was sold to the General Film for $49,500. (Continued on page 44)