Moving Picture World (May 1919)

May 31. 1919 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1315 FORM $3,000,000 COMPANY IN LONDON Famous Players-Lasky British Producers Name of Firm — Europe as a Background for Pictures FORMATIOX in London of a $3,000,000 corporation which will produce Paramount-Artcraft pictures against European backgrounds and build studio plants in the principal city of the Old World is announced by Famous Players-Lasky. The name of the new firm is the Famous PlayersLasky British Producers, Ltd. Construction of e.xtensive studios and production plants on a scale equaling those of the Hollywood and Los Angeles districts will be started immediately by the Famous Players-Lasky British Producers, Ltd. London is to be central headquarters for production, since most striking Old World color is available in Wales, Southern England and the Scottish lakes regions. To Star American and European Players Special pictures starring American and continental artists made in Europe will open a new epoch in the motion picture art according to the corporation's announcement by Emil E. Shauer, who has just returned to New York after four months abroad. He said : "The possibilities opened by peace for international competition and co-operation by American industry and in particular the motion picture industry are boundless. The foresight of Adolph Zukor, president of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation of New York, and Jesse L. Lasky, first vice-president, makes it possible for us to take full advantage of these opportunities. "The far places of the Alps, the devastated battle-zone areas, and the castles and cathedrals which are features of a thousand classic stories will be the scenes of our first pictures. British Financiers Back of Project. "British financiers who have joined this American enterprise include Major Davies, M. P., well-known coal and land-owner, Alajor Norman Holden, Alexander Nisbet, W. J. Burdon Evans, Albert Hurst, the woolen manufacturer, A. W. Kerley, Thomas Wrigley, banker, J. H. Kippax, who controls Manchester cotton manufacturies, J. G. Thompson and George, Isaac, and Abraham Collins. J. G. Graham identified for some time with the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, will be managing director of the British organization. "Agents of the corporation headed by Albert A. Kaufman, formerly eastern production manager, and who as a Signal Corps captain directed the Government's motion picture work overseas for two years during the war, will leave immediately for Europe. Actors and actresses, famous throughout the United States, will leave soon after to take part in films on historic spots which are now familiar to both tens of thousands of American soldiers and to the world at large. England, France, Spain, Italy and other continental countries will be invaded by the American producers — and the works of the greatest writers of these countries will be picturized on the actual scenes described. League of Nation's Theme of First Film. "The League of Nations will be the theme of one of our initial films. We intend to open a new field in the mo tion picture world, giving American 'movie' lovers film-pictures from European scenes they are familiar with. "The world-wide affiliations of the Famous Players-Lasky Producers, Ltd., will enable it to keep in touch with the desires of audiences in every part of the globe. Special bureaus for this purpose will be established." Before starting her screen career, the young leading woman was one of the most sought after models. She posed for Christie, Fisher and Gibson and practically every prominent artist in New York. She was with Elsie Janis in "The Lady of the Slipper," and also appeared in "The Man Who Came Back." Eileen Percy Is Engaged to Appear with Hayakawa EILEEN PERCY has been engaged by the Haworth Pictures Corporation to appear opposite Sessue Hayakawa in "The Gray Horizon," which Robertson-Cole will release through Exhibitors Mutual following the Japanese's latest production, "His Debt." Screen "Red Lantern" in Atlanta. The new Metro special, "The Red Lantern," starring Alia Nazimova, received an auspicious advance presentation at the Grand Theatre, Atlanta, Sunday afternoon. May 11, before a large audience of Southern exhibitors and other prominent figures in local film circks. Manager Charles A. Kessnich, of the Southern Metro office, supplied a splendid orchestra for the private showing, and the production was enthusiastically received. It is stated the attraction will be presented publicly in .\tlanta at a legitimate theatre at advanced admission prices. EXPORT FIGURES CLIMBING STEADILY Shipments to Foreign Lands of Exposed and Unexposed Fihn Total Over 30,000,000 Feet a Month EXPORTS of motion picture films now total more than thirty million feet a month, according to figures compiled by the bureau of fo.reign and domestic commerce, of the Department of Commerce, while the value of our exports is more than a million dollars. According to the department's report for March, our shipments of unexposed films during the month totaled 19,730,229 linear feet, valued at $412,323, of which France took nearly ten million feet and Motion England slightly more than nine million. We also exported 11,522,371 feet of exposed film, valued at $717,638, nearly one and one-half million feet going to England, while more than a million feet each were imported by France and Canada. The following table, prepared by the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, shows how our exports, of both unexposed and exposed films, were divided among the various nations Countries. Denmark 10,000 France 9,846,613 Greece Norway 49,000 Spain ,. 50,000 Sweden England 9,044.125 Scotland 31,567 Bermuda British Honduras Canada 224,171 Costa Rica Guatamala Mexico 24,150 Newfoundland and Labrador.. Trinidad and Tobago Cuba : Haiti Dominican Republic Argentina 267,982 Brazil 137,621 Chile . Colombia Ecuador Peru Uruguay Venezuela China British India Straits Settlements Dutch East Indies Hongkong 10,000 Japan 35,000 Australia New Zealand Philippine Islands British South Africa Picture Films Not Exposed. Lin Ft. Dollars. Motion Picture Films Exposed. 450 194,445 ' '2,806 1,500 1 86,93 i 1.500 7,632 847 6,050 8,662 300 1,126 Lin. Ft. 798,718 1,084,261 25,800 620,000 458,383 417,630 1,471,510 39,452 37,750 40,000 1,000,878 10,000 8,500 155,739 295,000 30,000 271,311 100 29,447 926,619 468,731 319,497 49,296 5,604 82,074 9,200 8,719 131,478 335,311 158,020 266,125 100,229 659,399 797,825 74,519 333,585 800 Dollars 58,085 61,745 3,700 55,078 31,294 26,900 150,817 1,775 390 250 72,697 500 3,075 9,576 10,233 3,000 11,882 5 800 36,990 24,806 13,811 3,846 277 4,244 393 1,344 7,109 9,915 9,557 20,090 3,891 23,820 42,311 4,249 9,158 25