Motography (Jan-Jun 1915)

February 13, 1915. MOTOGRAPHY 255 Brevities of the Business In order that he may devote all his time to the writing of photoplays Harvey Gates, who has achieved a reputation in the film world as a publicity expert and photoplaywright of exceptional ability, has left the Lubin company at Phoenix, Arizona, of which Romaine Fielding is the director. It was two months ago that Harvey, as he is known to a host of friends in the game, severed his affiliations with the Universal company where he had been associate editor of the Universal Weekly and handled a great part of the trade paper publicity, to write photoplays for Fielding and do his personal publicity work. One of his tworeel plays, "West, Two Thousand Miles" is just being completed in Phoenix and another, "Dr. Gonzales, from Mexico," in three reels, is the next one scheduled for production. The publicity dope put out for Fielding by Harvey has attracted wide spread attention. Mr. Gates first broke in as a writer, and film reviewer on the Dramatic Mirror over two years ago. Here he remained for a year and during this time he started the writing of photoplays and found success almost immediately. Following, he became associated with the Universal and while his duties as editor and publicity man were arduous, he found time to turn out scenarios which sold. Among those which he has had produced are: "I Was Meant for You," Biograph, "Concentration," Biograph, "His Father's House," Biograph, "The Scar," Biograph, "The Elder Brother," tworeel Essanay featuring Francis X. Bushman, "When the World Was Silent," a three-reel Imp, "At the Banquet Table," a two-reel Imp, and "In the Hands of the Potter," Essanay. Most of his plays have been either dramas or melodramas, the class of stories in which he excels. For the present Mr. Gates will be located in Salt Lake where he has gone, with his wife and baby, to visit his parents from whom he has been separated several years. Edward B. Selden, one of the special representatives of the World Film Corporation, was seriously hurt in a taxi accident which occurred on Broadway and 29th street, New York, recently. Mr. Selden was on his way to the Pennsylvania station to catch a train and the taxi, owing to the carelessness on the part of the driver, ran against another machine. He was compelled to postpone his western trip for several days because of the accident. The American studios at Santa Barbara, Calif., have taken on an unusually busy atmosphere these days. President Hutchinson has been very active in the acquisition of new talent and stellar attractions. The filming of the Essanay photoplay, "Graustark," from the novel by George Barr McCutcheon, now is completed. Some of the scenes were taken in New York and Washington. Francis X. Bushman takes the leading part, that of the young American who wins a princess. Ed. J. Le Saint of the Selig Company is hard at work on "The Circular Staircase," from the story by Mary Roberts Reinhart which he put into scenario form himself. In this four-reeler Stella Razeto has the leading part. Joseph A. McKinney, general manager of the United Film Service (Warner's Features, Inc.), will retire at the end of the week from that organization to engage in other operations. Other operations will claim Mr. McKinney's attention after he has allowed himself a brief vacation in spite of immediate demands on his services coming from several sources. He states that he prefers, for the present, not to discuss his future plans. On Monday, January 25, the Vitagraph Company took the first motion pictures ever made in the interborough subway, New York City. Powerful arc lights were installed at the Grand Central Station, the camera was set up in the "crow's nest" and arranged to show the congestion at the rush hour when the crowds changed from the local to the express. This will be used in the reels of the "Greater City" for the Panama-Pacific Exposition. A picturization of another Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady story, "The Island of Regeneration," is the feature picture of the Vitagraph theater program this week. Film Market Quotations and Financial Gossip Supplied by R. D. Small of A. E. Butler & Co., Chicago. Bid Asked American Film Mfg. Co 140 Biograph Film Co 69 72 General Film Co. pre/ 49 53 Majestic Film Co 150 170 Mutual Film Corp. pre/. : 54 56 Mutual Film Corp. com 76 77$ New York Motion Picture Corp 73 75 Reliance Motion Picture Corp 35 42 Thanhouser Film Corp 63 70 Thanhouser Syndicate Co. pre/ 52J 60 Thanhouser Syndicate Co. com 60 70 Syndicate Film Corp 110 125 Universal Film Mfg. Co 155 World Film Corp 4| 5 Syndicate Film Corporation stock sold at 118 within the past week. A meeting, at which it will be decided whether this company will embark on a new venture, will be held some time this week. American Film Manufacturing Company stock is reported to have sold at ISO last week. This is a new high record and represents an advance of about 55 points within the last three months, as a considerable block of stock passed hands at 95 at that time. Complying with requests from many sources for definite information as to capitalization, etc., of certain companies, the following information is furnished: Biograph Film Company. Incorporated in New Jersey. Par $100. Capital $2,000,000, practically all outstanding. From 1911 to 1914 they paid at the rate of 1% monthly, but in 1914 they reduced it to l/z% monthly. In 1915 they paid 50% scrip dividend to run two years. This is convertible into cash or stock, according to the decision of the directors. General Film Company. Incorporated in Maine in 1910. Capital stock $1,000,000; outstanding, $795,000 7% preferred, $100,000 common. Common stock cannot be secured and bids of $2,500 have been made within the last year. Majestic Motion Picture Corporation — Incorporation California. Capital $1,00,000. Par $100. Mutual Film Corporation — Incorporated in Virginia. Capital authorized, $1,800,000 7% preferred, outstanding, $1,535,800. Common, $1,700,000 authorized, $1,582,500 outstanding. Preferred pays annually 7% and common 1% per month. ^ New York Motion Picture Corporation — -Incorporated in New York. Capital $1,000,000, all issued. Par $100. During 1914 they paid 2% monthly dividends, until July, when dividends were discontinued, but are expected to be resumed this month. Reliance Motion Picture Corporation — Incorporated in New York. Capital $200,000 7% preferred and $800,000 common. Par $100. Thanhouser Film Corporation — Incorporated in New York. Capital $400,000. Par $100. Thanhouser Syndicate Corporation — Incorporated in Virginia. Capital $75,000 preferred, $225,000 common. Syndicate Film Corporation — Capital $100,000 preferred and $200,000 common. This has already paid out about 88% in dividends on both classes of stock. Universal Film Manufacturing Company — -Incorporated in New York. Capital outstanding $883,000 common and $841,000 6% preferred. World Film Corporation— Capital $2,000,000. Par $5.00. Outstanding $1,500,000.