Moving Picture World (May 1919)

May 31, 1919 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1311 Founded by J. P. CHALMERS in 1907 FORM ORGANIZATION IN CINCINNATI Body to Work with Old League— Self ert's Speech Arouses Great Interest— To Combat Music Tax ANEW organization composed of Cincinnati exhibitors was formed at a meeting held May 15 at the Palace Hotel. The body is to be known as the Greater Cincinnati Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association, and will include in its membership all of the prominent exhibitors of Cincinnati, as well as those of Norwood, Ohio, a suburb, and the over-the-river cities of Covington, Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, and other smaller Kentucky towns. The new association will work in conjunction with the old exhibitors' league, which is affiliated with the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was largely attended and much enthusiasm was manifested. J. A. Streitelmeier acted as temporary chairman and appointed a committee on organization, which is to report at a meeting to be held at an early date, at which a permanent organization will be effected and officers elected. The committee consists of J. A. Ackerman, Henry Levy, Otto Luedeking, George Talbot, Dr. Otto Dieckmann, Thomas Reilly and Frank W. Huss. Seifert's Speech Arouses Interest. John Seifert, of Dayton, president of the Miami Valley Exhibitors' Association, aroused great interest by his splendid address on "One Hundred Per Cent. Organization," in which he called attention to the many benefits to be derived from a strong organization and co-operation among the exhibitors. He outlined the work of his own organization and gave many pointers which will be of much value in the work of forming the local association. H2 declared that much can be accomplished by united action for the uplift of the business, which would be impossible of accomplishment through individual effort, no matter how able. G. T. Kinzler, secretary of the Miami Valley Association, also addressed the meeting along the same lines and urged the advisability of the exhibitors getting together and sticking together in their efforts to better the trade in general. One of the subjects discussed at the meeting was the efforts being made by a number of the Eastern music publishing houses to enforce the ruling requiring the picture theatres to pay a tax on the music used during their performances. Plans were made to combat this ruling, and it is the general opinion of Cincinnati picture men that, by confining their incidental music to that published by houses which do not exact this royalty, the whole plan can be defeated. This effort would be useless, it is stated, without united action and this matter had a marked bearing in influencing the organization of this association at the present time. Dr. Garr Starts on Little Trip of Ten Years or So WHEN the "heathen in his blindness bows down to wood and stone," a Dallas, Texas, minister —cameraman — is going to be on hand to film him and reform him. Driving a flivver the Rev. A. G. Garr, Adventist minister, has set forth on a world's tour which will carry him to places where the gospel has never been preached and no camera has ever clicked. His chief luggage is a moving picture camera. "I am going to places in China, the Fiji Islands, the backwoods of Australia, and the jungles of darkest Africa," declares Dr. Garr. "I am going to preach the gospel and take moving pictures of the heathen worshipping their idols before conversion and then picture them when they have accepted Christianity." Dr. Garr expects to be gone for a matter of ten years or so. Harry Kline Appointed Big "U" Production Head CARL LAEAIAILE, president of the Universal company, announces the engagement of Harry Kline, formerly general manager of the Globe Theatre and general representative of Charles Dillingham, to be the production manager of Universal City, Cal. After spending several days at the home office of the Universal on Broadway, Mr. Kline left for the big U studios, Wednesday, May 14. Before leaving for the West coast, Mr. Kline stated that he believed the outlook for motion picture prosperity has never been better. Vermont Likes Sunday Shows. The success of the showing of motion pictures in Vermont on Sundays has been met with great favor. There has not been a complaint from any local community since the Sunday picture law went into effect. The exhibition of motion pictures previously had been prevented under an old "blue law" of the state which was placed on the statute books in 1878. Goldwyn Announces Its Middle Europe Contracts THE Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, which some weeks ago made the first announcement of post-bellum European expansion with the signing of the peace treaty at Paris, now announces that exhibitors in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Jugoslavia, Poland, and in fact all countries that were cut off from distribution, have definitely contracted for the showing of the entire output of Goldwyn Pictures up to September, 1919. Showings will start with the signing of the treaty. This means that every Goldwyn picture that has been made will now be sold in bulk to hundreds of European exhibitors. With regard to this spread in distribution, Arthur Ziehm, foreign sales manager of Goldwyn, has a statement to make. "Within the three years of their existence," says Mr. Ziehm, "Goldwyn Pictures have managed practically to cover the world. In all the countries of the globe, save Russia and the Balkan states, Goldwyn Pictures are shown in abundance." Mexican Border Towns See Boom After July 1 TOWNS along the Texas border, especially the smaller ones, expect a tremendous boom if the United States climbs on the water wagon July 1. Crowds of people seeking after hard liquor and other outdoor amusements are expected to visit the Rio Grande towns for daily trips across the international bridges. The Mexican state of Sonora, where prohibition has been effective for a year or more, prudently has voted wet in anticipation of the advent of delegations of parched throated pilgrims. The Government now issues cards whereby the border can be crossed without the use of a formal passport. The Mexican cities are preparing to give the thirsty visitors everything they have got from horse racing and cockfighting to cold beer and tequila. Many moving picture theatres will be opened at various Mexican border cities, most of which are planning to go into the pleasure resort business on a wholesale scale. Selznick Takes Big Insurance on O'Brien LEWIS J. SELZNICK announces that he has had Eugene O'Brien insured for $1,000,000, this being the first instance in which a producer has protected himself by placing "limit insurance" on a male star. H. B. Rosen, the agent in the transaction, said that the company is writing its limit on Eugene O'Brien's life, and that several have already issued policies for one hundred thousand dollars each, toward the aggregate total, which will reach one million dollars. O'Brien's first screen appearance was under the Select banner with Norma Talmadge, with whom he appeared in eight productions. His first Selnick picture will be entitled "The Perfect Lover."