Moving Picture World (Oct 1917)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD -—rrrr^-r-. v, ^^re^.-g.g:.^^, T^rr-* :% gj gj .> .> ^ .>, ,;:. ,.-, . .y ... .> .: i Activities of War Committees OF THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY EZ^I How to Get Liberty Loan Picture Ten Companies to Handle Distribution of Great All Star Production — Pictures Fu nished Free. COMPLETE plans for the distribution of the all-star feature production, which has been made for the purpose of boosting the second Liberty Loan, have been perfected by the committee of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, appointed to co-operate with the Secretary of the Treasury in this important work. The production consists of five distinct episodes, each five hundred feet in length and of each of which there will be one hundred prints. Many national celebrities, including the President of the United States, appear in the picture, together with more than forty of the greatest artists of stage and screen. Every one of the stars who appear in this picture donated his or her services free of charge as a patriotic undertaking, and the companies at whose studio, the pictures were taken and in whose laboratories they were prepared for distribution have given their services without thought of compensation. Distribution of the finished product is placed in the hands of a committee of which Adolph Zukor is chairman. Tlic other members are Marcus Loew, J. E. Brulatour, W. W. Irwin and George K. Spoor. This committee has arranged for ten of the largest distributing companies, all of which are members of the National Association of the Motion Pictur-s Industry, to handle the actual distribution of the pictures through their various exchanges. In order to avoid any possibility of confusion each episode has been assigned exclusively to two of the ten companies, as follows : The first episode will be handled by Universal and Yitagraph, the second by Metro and Paramount, the third by Fox and Goldwyn, the fourth by Pathe and Triangle, and the fifth by World and Select. Each of these ten companies will have fifty prints of the particular episode which it has been designated to handle. Under this arrangement it will be necesary for any exhibitor who desires to run all five episodes to get into immediate contact with either concern in the respective livegroups which are handling the distribution. It is pointed out by the committee that there is no rder or sequence in these five episodes and that they have been numbered consecutively only for a matter of record and in order to facilitate their distribution and identity. The fifth can be shown first just as well as that which has been designated No. 1, and any exhibitor who finds it impossible to show all five reels can show any one of the five. Exhibitors are earnestly requested to facilitate the handling of these pictures t<> the greatest possible extent, and it is par icularly called to their attention that the pictures arc distributed to them absolutely without any cost to themselves, inasmuch as there is no rental charge and the express charges are borne by. the respective exchanges. In view of the fact that the campaign will close on October 2S it would be a very serious matter for any exhibitor unnecessarily to delay the forwarding of the print from his house to the next one in which it is to be shown, and the committee is very anxious to impress upon all exhibitors the great importance of handling the entire campaign with the greatest -peed possible. Inasmuch .t there is absolutely no cost to the exhibitor, either for rentals or express charges. the Committee takes upon itself the libertj of Urging that every exhibitor advertise this produ< tion i" tin gi eati I po ible i :tent, both for its patriotic value and because of the undoubted prestige which such an action will give his theatre. It has been pointed out that the production itself is one Of the greatest drawing cards that lias ever been issued for the screen and th.it th< artistic talent which it presents has no parallel in screen history. It is therefore in itself a tremendous attraction, and the patriotic impulse which prompted its advent upon the screen makes it unquestionably one of the most remarkable opportunities which has ever been afforded the exhibitor for increasing his local standing. The picture itself was produced under the supervision of the Treasury Department, and the sanction of that department has been obtained in connection with every episode depicted in the production with every detail of the handling of its distribution. Herbert C. Rawll directed the actual staging of the production. The campaign will open immediately and exhibitors are urged to get into touch with the exchanges of any one of the ten companies listed above which are handling the production. For any information which cannot be obtained from these exchanges apply to Al Lichtman. sales manager of Paramount Pictures Corporation, who is in direct charge of the distribution of the Second Liberty Loan picture, on behalf of the Liberty Loan Committee of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry. KALEM USES ANIMATED LIBERTY TRAILER. WHEN the Kalem Company saw the leading artists of the country were providing striking posters, urging subscriptions to the Government's second issue of Liberty Bonds, it determined to make an appeal through its films which would impress particularly the mass of humanity daily attending the picture theatres. Kalem had been early in the held with a trailer on its films, bidding the public "stand by the flag" and subscribe to the first Liberty Loan. This time it planned to outdo its former effort and the new film, shown simultaneously with the opening of the subscription campaign on October 1, will be run until the new Liberty Bonds are fully subscribed. Kalem's new trailer is a beautifully lighted and tinted scene of a gray-haired mother, bidding good-bye to her sons, a marine and a color sergeant. Imposed on the film is the text : "She Lends Her Sons. Lend Your Dollars for a Liberty Bond — and Victory !" In view of the care and energy expended on this short strip of film, whiJi was designed by Phil Lang and produced by Storm V. Boyd, it undoubtedly sets a new record in an industry which is replete with unique records. The mother is enacted by Helen Lindroth, noted in many Kalem and Famous Players productions ; the marine by Otto Kruger, the popular leading man in "Here Comes the Bride." now running on Broadway and the color sergeant by George Clarke, an actor now in the Plattsburg training camp Kalem has turned ov r to the Government an enlargement from the film to be used in general publicity. Liberty Bond Trailer Used