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THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY 7 *
CAB LE GRAM
Paris, France, July 21, 1920.
You Can't Book PicturesBy Machinery
MR. EVERY EXHIBITOR :— EVERYWHERE IN AMERICA :—
Universal has watched with growing interest the formation of Booking Agencies in various parts of the country. Knowing well from past performances the evils of collective bookings, we desire to sound a note of warning to our friends, the exhibitors, and caution them not to rush headlong into one of these organizations without first considering all the facts in the case.
The fundamental principle of booking through a central agency is wrong — dead wrong. The moment an exhibitor ties up with such an agency he sounds his own deathknell. From that moment his progress ceases, healthy competition becomes a thing of the past and the small theatre owner becomes but a pawn in the hands of a blind, floundering machine.
The individual exhibitor himself is the best man to decide what pictures are to go on his screen. He knows the likes and dislikes of his audience, and he alone is the logicsJ man to select the program for his theatre. Promises made by the Booking Agencies sound good on paper, but they all end the same way — IN SMOKE!
Every time the exhibitors of America have been engaged in a fight for recognition, UNIVERSAL has been with them body and soul. We have lent our financial as well as our moral support. NOW, when we see our friends standing on the brink of a dangerous precipice, we FEEL IT OUR DUTY TO WARN THEM TO PAUSE AND CONSIDER WELL WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
Other industries are at this moment making every effort to ELIMINATE THE MIDDLEMAN. Why then should the motion picture industry do the opposite and deliberately CREATE A MIDDLEMAN? The ring-leaders in forming these Booking Agencies are not thinking of the exhibitors; they are thinking of THEIMSELVES and FAT SALARIES and PERCENTAGES.
In other words, they arc creating JOBS AT YOUR EXPENSE
Can you afford to share your profits with a middleman? We think you cannot!
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, UNIVERSAL WILL NOT DEAL WITH ANY BOOKING AGENCY. THE ONLY WAY WE WILL SELL OUR PRODUCT IS DIRECTLY TO THE MAN WHO OWNS THE THEATRE. THIS IS OUR FINAL AND UNALTERABLE STAND.
You Can't Book Pictures By Machinery !
(Signed) CARL LAEMMLE,
President, Universal Film Mfg. Company.