Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

June 29, 1918 MOTOGRAPHY 1211 Two interesting scenes from the new Artcraft feature, "Hit-the-Trail-Holliday," starring George M. Cohan. Affiliated About to Start Releasing Board of Directors Will Meet in New York This Month, When First Pictures Will Be Decided Upon RETURNING to New York from an organization trip in the middle west last week, Charles C. Pettijohn, general counsel of the Affiliated Distributors' Corporation, announced that the organization would start the distribution of pictures within the immediate future. "The co-operative booking movement has swept the country," said Mr. Pettijohn. "The Affiliated simply started the ball rolling along right lines. The exhibitors have pushed it to the front almost over night. "The first meeting of the national board of directors will be held in New York this month, at which time the selection of the first pictures for release will be made. "While the Affiliated was organized primarily for the benefit of the average theatre owner, in the belief that they constitute the main strength of the industry, a remarkable number of 'first run' houses have allied themselves with this movement. "In Buffalo, Detroit, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Denver, Los Angeles and other cities these houses are the foremost of their communities. Contrary to other exhibitor organizations, however, these larger exhibitors will enjoy no advantages not shared by every other exhibitor. "One of the reasons why the Affiliated has made such a universal appeal is the fact that none of the national directors have had to advance any money for promotion expenses, nor do they hold notes to be paid back out of exhibitors' funds. The exhibitor's money is at all times under his own control in his own territory. "Evidence of the confidence which such a plan engenders is the fact that of the seventy-five officers and directors thus far chosen by exhibitors for their local association, not one has declined to serve. "The Affiliated will never be used to injure any man's business. On the contrary, its sponsors are so bound that they at all times can act only as the agents of the exhibitors — never as their dictators. "These sponsors have asked nothing for themselves but an equitable share in the excess profits. They have spent their money to develop the idea of co-operative booking, believing that the exhibitors of the country would rally to an organization under the exclusive control of exhibitors. The results which have been obtained in so short a space of time prove that their confidence was well founded." Sydney S. Cohen, president of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of New York state, and of the Exhibitors' Booking Association of Greater New York, who, as chairman of the exhibitors' committee, was largely responsible for drafting the Affiliated plan, also returned to New York last week from an organization trip in eastern Pennsylvania. "If there ever was any doubt as to the soundness of the co-operative booking movement as developed by the Affiliated Distributors' Corporation," said Mr. Cohen, "it certainly must be dissipated by the success which the New York unit has achieved in handling two productions which is acquired for the purpose of testing the merit of the plan. "While we were in no sense organized to operate on the scale which we shall be in association with the Affiliated, the benefits accruing from this, plan of bringing the market direct to exhibitors have been so substantial that at the present time more than eighty per cent of the theatres of Greater New York have booked our first two pictures and we are arranging now to take over another production. We will be a bigger success when we can enjoy the co-operation of the other nineteen units. Artcraft Plays Strong Card In releasing the two Artcraft productions, "Say, Young Fellow" and "Hit-theTrail-Holliday," the week of June 16 the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation offers exhibitors the opportunity of presenting to their patrons foremost exponents of light comedy, Douglas Fairbanks and George M. Cohan, the same week in what will undoubtedly prove to be their greatest successes. The double offering, it is pointed out by Walter E. Greene, managing director of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation in charge of distribution, comes at a psychological moment when the American public, now becoming more and more engrossed in the morbid contemplation of the events transpiring on the battlefields of France, is most in need of the diversion of light entertainment. World Spikes Rumor "Inside the Lines," the screen version of the play of the same title with Lewis Stone, will be distributed by World Pictures and the release date set for the near future. This announcement is made to dissipate rumors to the contrary.