Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1912)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 35 Another great IMP triumph. On the Thursday preceding ST. PATRICK'S DAY the IMP will release a 2,000 foot feature as a regular Thursday IMP. Look for the grand and glorious Irish lassie SHAMUS O'BRIEN. REMEMBER. THE RELEASE DATE THE FOURTEENTH OF MARCH. Remember it is a regular Thursday IMP 2,000 feet in length. Wire your Exchange right now for early bookings. Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 20, 1912. Mr. Alfred H. Saunders, Editor Moving Picture News, 30 West Thirteenth Street, New York. Dear Sir : — Enclosed please find article written by myself. As a moving picture exhibitor I contribute this article in the interest of brother exhibitors. I hope you will find space for it. Thanking you in advance. Respectfully yours, S. C. DURYEE. Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 20, 1912. Editor of the Moving Picture News : Owing to the rapid changes in the moving picture business, especially the manufacture and film exchanges, I wish through your columns to call the attention of the exhibitors to existing conditions. A short time ago the film exchanges organized themselves into what is now termed The Trust or Patents Co., it also occurred that a number of independent manufacturers began producing film during the infancy of this gigantic business enterprise. The trust manufacturers discovered that the exhibitor was making a little money, they decided to charge at the rate of two dollars per week for the privilege of the film exchanges handling their output of films ; when the purpose was made known to the exchanges, they (the exchanges) suggested to the Trust or Patents Co., that instead of them paying the two dollars per week that they license the exhibitor two dollars per week for the privilege of showing the trust's picture, and that is exactly what it has been doing ever since, the exhibitor paying two dollars per week to the gigantic trust for the privilege of exhibiting pictures. In addition to charging two dollars per week license the exchanges also charge an exorbitant price for the rent of their films. The trust made arrangements with a gentleman whereby all of the film exchanges that were handling license films, were all but one, taken over by what is called the General Film Co., and they are now trying to force this company into the General Film Co. All of these film exchanges were secured in this way : if possible thej bought the film exchanges out without paying any money consideration and gave a large amount of stock in the General Film Co. This stock is being paid for from the net earnings of the General Film Co., and it will only be a short time until all of the previous film exchanges will have been paid for in full out of the earnings of the General Film Exchanges. Other previous owners of film exchanges received enough to place them in a financial position whereby they need not worry about the future. Now that the Film Trust Manufacturers have absorbed all of the film exchanges but one, and will soon have them all paid for out of the net profits of the business, the question naturally arises, Who has paid these thousands and thouands of dollars to the trust? Will they be satisfied by owning the film exchanges or will they proceed to force the best theaters throughout the country to sell to them the same as they did the film exchanges? Will the exhibitor continue to be imposed upon by this trust or will they ask the Attorney General of the United States to look into the matter? The Independent film exchanges have get together. The Cincinnati Buckeye Film Exchange, the Buckeye Film Exchange of Columbus and the Central Film Service Exchange of Indianapolis, the Lake Shore Film Exchange of Cleveland, and several other Film exchanges have combined for the purpose of dictating and arranging the price whereby the ^lotion Picture exhibitors have to take what they can get. For instance, if you are paying thirty-five dollars for a film service of the Buckeye Film Exchange, of Columbus, and are not satisfied with the service they are furnishing j'ou and you desire to make a change and go to the Central Film Service Exchange, of Indianapolis, we are charged exactly what we were paying and they will not give you a twentyfive or thirty dollar service if you find your business will not suffice j-our pa^'ing thirty-five dollars, which you have been paying. You cannot go to another film company and secure a film service at a lower price, consequently the independent film companies have formed a little trust of their own. I do not know whether the Independent Sales Co., Mr. Brulator, is aware of this or not; it seems that there is only one way whereby the exhibitor can get relief and that is through organization, and every one of them join the Exhibitors' League, to evoke the aid of the anti-trust law, or see that anti-trust laws are passed for the protection of the public. The exhibitors are carrying the burden of everything and everybody and very few to-day are making money where the manufacturer and film exchanges are paying big dividends and basking in the sunshine of a glorious prosperity. S. DUR'V'EE. Youngstown, Ohio. — Ground will be broken for the erection of a new theater for a company headed by T. K. Albaugh and others. Lynbrook, L. I. — Thomas F. O'Connor of this village is arranging to erect a new theater here. Will cost $125,000. Will accommodate 1,000 people. Greenville, Mich. — Bert Silver will erect a new theater at Crystal, IMich. Brooklyn, N. Y. — Arch. R. Thomas Short is preparing plans for a new show house to be erected by the Clarke Co. at Saratoga avenue. Halsey and !Macon streets. C. W'. ]Morganstern. John Preach and Samuel Lev3' have leased the Gordon & Koppel field and will establish a summer circus and vaudeville hippodrome. Seating capacity 12.000. Brooklyn, N. Y. — Thomas A. Clark will erect his new theater in the Bushwick section at Halsej and ^lacon streets, Saratoga avenue and Broadwaj and will cost $450,000. Waverly, la. — A new opera house is to be erected here during the coming summer. New York, N. Y. — Edward B. Corey has had plans prepared for a new playhouse to be erected at 138-46 W. 48th street. Fairbury, 111. — F. L. Kerns has sold the Majestic Theater or moving picture show to A. R. ]Moss and Harry Evans, who will take possession. Colorado City, Col.— G. W. ^^IcClelland has sold the Photoplay Theater to John E. Carpenter, of Lawrence, Kan. Carlinsville, 111. — The ^lessrs. Dale}' will erect a new hippodrome theater here to have a seating capacity of 1,S00. y-.-m^ COMING! "THE LOAN SHARK" A TREMENDOUSLY SENSATIONAL IMP. ~