Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

June 8, 1918 MOTOGRAPHY 1081 U. S. to Call Halt in Production, Rumor INVESTIGATION REPORTED TO BE UNDER WAY THAT the government may suspend the production of pictures for a year as a step in its campaign to eliminate non-essentials is a rumor which reached Motography this week from the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. The rumor was contained in an announcement that Universal had sent a check to the government for $45,600, representing its initial remittance for the footage tax. The $45,600 is the amount of tax due for the ten weeks ending December 12, and is the first footage tax, it is believed, to be remitted by any producer. Larger Returns Predicted The announcement emphasizes that this sum does not represent collections for the future, stating that production in the period covered was the smallest for a long time, and predicts a much larger return for the following ten weeks. But the present check will awaken the government to the importance of the industry as a revenue producer, the statement points out. Inquiry Now On? "It has been persistently rumored that government officials are prepared to admit that for its entertainment value the motion picture industry is very essential, but that an investigation now is under way to ascertain if the producing end of the business is of equal importance," the statement continues. "In questioning the immediate importance of the producing end government officials have been quoted as declaring that all production could be stopped for a period of at least a year without especial harm to the exhibiting end of the business. "They have called attention to the fact, Petrova Starts CountryWide Tour June 1 Famous Artist Will Visit Many Cities in Thrift Stamp Drive — Government to Co-operate MADAME OLGA PETROVA, who recently completed her fifth special starring vehicle, "Patience Sparhawk," by Gertrude Atherton, under the direction of Ralph Ince, is now winding up the affairs at her studio prior to her departure June 1 on a country-wide tour in behalf of the Thrift Stamp movement. Advance arrangements for Madame Petrova's trip were made by Herbert Lubin and Bert Ennis several weeks ago. Beulah Livingstone, personal representative of Madame Petrova, left New York Thursday for the purpose of conferring with Frank A. Yanderlip and William H. McAdoo at Washington regarding the co-operation which the United States government will give the star. Mr. Vanderlip is at the head of the National Saving Stamps Commission and it is believed that arrangements will be completed through the courtesy of Messrs. Vanderlip and McAdoo whereby complete assistance will be received from Washington. Many requests have been received at the Petrova studios from the heads of the various War Saving Stamps Commissions for Madame Petrova to work in conjunction with their efforts. D. S. Culver, state ■director of the Minneapolis War Saving Stamps Commission, wired Bert Ennis Saturday as follows: "Understand you start nation wide tour next Monday to promote war saving stamp purchases. Please register this as most urgent request that you be sent to Minnesota between now and May 30 for week in this state. Need you badly as we have drive scheduled first week June. Appreciate wire answer." While in Washington Miss Livingstone will endeavor to arrange for the use of a special train in order that no time may be lost in making the jumps from one territory to another. The itinerary to be covered will embrace Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Omaha, Butte, Laramie, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta and New York. The trip will be handled exactly as a traveling theatrical enterprise, with a complete staff of advance agents, twentyfour sheet billing, newspaper stories, etc. It is also planned to carry an expert news camera man, who will film all scenes of interest along the way, in addition to making a celluloid record of Petrova's complete tour. it is said, that the average feature plays to less than 20 per cent of its possibilities. Figures in their possession, they say, prove that the great majority of features are presented in less than 2,500 theatres. "While their figures may be correct, men best acquainted with the statistics of the industry declare the deductions of the government officials are wrong. They are basing their deductions on the gross number of motion picture theatres, whereas they should base them on the gross number of theatre districts. Fallacy of Reasoning Shown "It is admitted that there are approximately 14,100 motion picture theatres in the United States. But it is not a possibility, as the government officials would seek to show, that a picture could play every one of those houses. Too many of them are competing houses. "The possibilities of presentation of a feature in the United States is about 8,200 houses, all non-competing theatres. "These facts will be presented to the government along with a financial statement based upon the Universal payment, showing what the government will lose in actual cash should production be curtailed. All of the companies will have to release old pictures upon which there could be no negative tax and very little positive tax as the rehabilitating departments would simply tinker with the old prints until they were presentable." Efforts to obtain official information failed. Pearl White Called to Capital Pearl White, Pathe star, has been called to Washington by the war department to participate in a government plan, the nature of which has not yet been made public. Robert Thornby Joins Fox Robert Thornby has been added to William Fox's directorial forces and will work in the Western studios at Hollywood. Mr. Thornby has already taken active charge of a new vehicle starring Jewel Carmen, the story of which is based on Gouveneur Morris' dissection of metropolitan life and character, "You Can't Get Away With It." A Fox statement says that this production will be by far the most pretentious starring film Miss Carmen has had and will be one of the most expensive photodramas ever released as a Fox Special Feature. Scores of scenes will be taken in Arizona and on the Catalina Islands. Because of the' nature of the play, the indoor settings, it is said, will also be more costly and ornate than usual.