Motography (Jan-Jun 1917)

May 19, 1917. MOTOGRAPHY 1057 ACTORS FORM COMBINATION Harry Mc Crae Webster Directs "Fraternity Films" — Strives for Combination of Actors — "The Devil's Playground." First Release. Not to be outdone by the combinations of producers, state rights buyers and exhibitors which have followed each other in quick succession, a number of well-known actors have formed a combination to produce their own features and market them through state right buyers under the brand name Fraternity Films. The plan originated last December. Charles Abrams and Arthur Werner, of Abrams and Werner, worked out the details and the first picture which was started on January 1, has just been completed. It is a modern drama of Broadway Life in nine reels, entitled "The Devil's Playground," written by Dallas Tyler and Harry McRae Webster. Fraternity Films is a remarkable organization in many ways, and the fact that its large membership of artists worked together in perfect harmony, spending four months on the elaborate staging of a large special production which was completed without a hitch, has . caused a stir in the ranks of the film army. The idea of actors sharing in the profits of pictures which are financed and produced by themselves is in itself an innovation, but an added interest is being taken in "The Devil's Playground" because of the fact that four months were given to its making instead of the usual five or six weeks, and its completion is followed by the announcement that another picture will be started immediately. Among the names prominent in Fraternity Films, Inc., are Vera Michelena, William H. Tooker, Robert Cummings, Harry Spingler, George Trimble, Dallas Tyler and Abrams and Werner, who are looking out for the business interest of the organization. St. Louis Men Meet At the meeting on April 27, of the St. Louis Theater Managers' and Exhibitors' Association there were thirty-eight active members present. _ Mr. Pholman, reporting for the special committee having charge of the musicians' wage controversy, said that the decision had been postponed and there will be another meeting between the committees. A motion was carried instructing the special committee to investigate and find out whether the Musicians' Union can lawfully sustain a boycott where a mechanical instrument is played, and until the association decides otherwise, there will be no mechanical instrument used for fear of a walk-out. May Art Dramas Alma Hanlon, Marian Swayne, Naomi Childers and Jean Sothern are the picture players who will be featured in the Art Dramas' releases for May. The pictures come from the four studios : Apollo, Erbograph, U. S. Amusement, and Van Dyke. "The Auction of Virtue," the first release of the month, dated for May 3, marks Naomi Childers' debut on . the Art Dramas program. In support of Miss Childers are Leslie Austen, Wyndham Standing, Kirke Brown and Evelyn Dume. Second of the month's releases, scheduled for May 10, is "Little Miss Fortune," an Erbograph production featuring Marian Swayne. The story of "Little Miss Fortune" was written by Reverend Clarence J. Harris, and was directed by Joseph Levering. Next comes the Apollo picture, "The Mystic Hour." The fact that it is founded on a mystifying dream, in which a murder is committed, has aroused curiosity and interest in the minds of both exhibitors and laymen. The last of the month's releases is entitled "A Mute Appeal," starring Jean Sothern. Paralta Plan Aids Exhibitors Nat I. Brown, general manager of Paralta Plays, Incorporated, is finding his hands full in answering inquiries from exhibitors in reference to the Paralta Plan of distribution. The grievances of exhibitors are many and they are most thoroughly interested in any proposition that will relieve them of at least some of the burdens of which they complain. Their chief source of complaint is high rentals on feature films and instability in distribution management. They never know where they stand, they claim, either in reference to rentals or as to their contracts, which are usually short term agreements that can be cancelled on two or three weeks' notice. They claim that when they take on a certain line of productions and work up interest in them in a community, it is unfair and unbusinesslike to take these pictures away from them at short notice and turn them over to some competitor who may be willing to pay a few dollars more per day for the service. They have made a certain make of pictures known and feel that the only reason that a competitor can afford to pay more for them is that he has the advantage of the advertising which has been done in connection with the productions of this company. What this competitor is not called to expend to advertise pictures he can pay in higher service rentals. One angle of the Paralta plan prevents this situation from arising in connection with its releases. The exhibitor secures a Paralta exhibiting franchise. Under this agreement he owns the exhibition rights of the Paralta plays in a given district and they cannot be taken from him. He will absolutely control them and all the pictures can be made to earn in his territory will be income to him. U. S. Endorses Womanhood" The United States Government has officially indorsed "Womanhood, the Glory of the Nation." As is already widely known in the film world this feature was recently produced by Greater Vitagraph, and has proved to be one of the most unusual war pictures ever made. The Adjutant General of the United States army has written a letter to Vitagraph Company giving his complete indorsement of "Womanhood," and the feature is being used in many cities throughout the country as an aid to the enlistment of troops. Exhibitors running "Womanhood" can be certain, not only of drawing unusual houses because of the keen patriotism started up by the film, but can also be assured of the enthusiastic indorsement of the performance by the officials of his city and state, backed up by the United States Government itself. The Rotary Club of Chicago recently viewed the big feature and unanimously indorsed it. This is only one example of the clubs throughout the country Avho will boost the feature because of their belief in its inestimable value to the country.