Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

1216 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD March 2, 1918 r Chicago News Letter By JAS. S. McQUADE /» ~ "'Tniiiui 1 1 New Plan of Film Distribution Proposed Chicago Exhibitors Attend Meeting to Hear Plan Explained by Messrs. Pettijohn, Sherrill and Rapf, and Vote Unanimously in Its Favor. CC. PETTIJOHN, of the Independent Producers'-Exhibitors' Affiliated organization of the United States • and Canada, arrived in the city Tuesday, February 12. On the same day Harry Rapf, of the High Class Film Corporation, New York, and W. L. Sherrill, president of the Frohman Amusement Corporation, New York, came in. Mr. .Sherrill is president of the Independent ProducersExhibitors, Inc., of which he, Mr. Rapf and five other independent producers are members. The purpose of their coming was to interest Chicago and Illinois exhibitors in the plan of distributing the product of these seven independent producers direct to the exhibitor without any exchange overhead expense. Mr. Pettijohn invited Joseph Hopp, president of Chicago Local, M. P. E. L. of A., and Louis H. Frank, treasurer of Chicago Local, M. P. T. O. Association, to meet him in conference in his quarters, in the Morrison Hotel, Tuesday afternoon. Both these gentlemen accepted the invitation, and during the conference it was arranged that a joint meeting of exhibitors belonging to both organizations should meet at Fraternity Hall Wednesday afternoon. The meeting opened at 1.30 p. m., with about fifty exhibitors present. Mr. Pettijohn was unanimously called to the chair, and he explained fully the purpose of the meeting and the plan of leasing films direct from the manufacturer to the exhibitor. Mr. Sherrill followed and gave further details of the plan. He was succeeded by Mr. Rapf, who also dwelt on the benefits of the plan and of the saving it meant to exhibitors. Chairman Pettijohn then called on a number of exhibitors for an expression of their opinions, among them being William Buford, of Aurora; Maurice Rubens, of Joliet; William E. Heaney, Jacob Cooper, Harry Corbett, Max Hyman, Harry C. Miller, general manager of Harry C. Moir's theaters; J. Zilligen, Charles Stewart, Louis H. Frank and Joseph Hopp, all of Chicago. The consensus of opinion was in favor of the plan, and a vote was taken unanimously indorsing it. A committee of seven was then appointed by Chairman Pettijohn to work out the plan for the Illinois zone, of which Chicago is the center. On this committee are: Dee Robinson, Peoria; William Buford, Aurora; Jacob Cooper, William E. Heaney, Henry Corbett, Louis H. Frank and Joseph Hopp, of Chicago. This committee was instructed to meet Friday, February 15, in Chicago. It was noticeable that a spirit of harmony prevailed throughout the entire meeting, the members of both exhibitors' organizations being in perfect accord on the proposed plan. During a brief conversation Mr. Pettijohn informed me that North Carolina had closed Tuesday, February 12, and Ohio on Monday, February 11. He also stated that he had received a wire from Herbert Brenon, to the effect that New Jersey had been closed on Tuesday, February 12, and that previous to the Chicago meeting about fifty per cent, of the quota of days required for the entire country, according to the plan submitted, had been signed. Mr. Pettijohn left Wednesday night for Detroit, where he spent Thursday discussing the plan with Michigan exhibitors. Mr. Rapf was in Indianapolis the same day arranging with Indiana exhibitors. Mr. Sherrill returned direct to New York on Thursday. Thomas J. Hamlin, secretary and general manager of the Associated Theaters, Inc., came on from Minneapolis to attend the meeting in Fraternity Hall. In the issue of February 16, page 977, an article on this subject appears, which will further enlighten the reader on the plan proposed; also an article on page 486, in the issue of January 26. "The Wild Goose Chase" Extraordinary Preparations for Its Production Being Made by William N. Selig. One day last week, the working forces of Selig's Chicago plant were increased by the arrival of a picturesque trio, accompanied by three of the finest dog trains, of five huskies each, that have ever been seen in the city. Captain Baldwin Anderson, of Gimli, Manitoba; his son-in-law, G. W. Arneson, and a neighbor, John Isefeld, are the men of the party — great, brawny, bronzed fellows, whose herculean proportions make the typical Chicago man appear puny and effeminate. William N. Selig is now engaged in the production of "The Wild Goose Chase," a tale of the far North by Edwin Balmer, which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post about three years ago. Some of the scenes are laid in Greenland, where dogs and sleds, and their drivers are very important factors in transportation. For some time Colonel Selig has been searching for a man with the requisite qualifications and the dogs. He failed until he was aided by United States Consul General Ryder, of Winnipeg, who put him in touch with Captain Anderson. The captain was engaged at once and immediately set about the gathering of fifteen of the best huskies that ever broke trail in the northern snows. He is well known in the northland as a fearless pioneer. Last winter he journeyed from Winnipeg to St. Paul with a dog train, taking part in the winter carnival there, and was entertained at the home of Louis Hill, president of the Great Northern Railroad, and chief of the carnival association. The captain and his companions will be seen driving the three husky teams in the northern scenes, and, as these views are in and around Greenland, they will be obliged to discard the regulation Indian buckskin coats and "musher" garb for the attire worn by the Esquimo in their ice-bound home. But polar bears also figure in the story and so Colonel Selig has already on hand seven huge monsters of that type, trainers included. A schooner, 137 feet in length, has been specially built to meet another of the requirements of the production. Chicago Film Brevities. Joe Brandt, general manager of Universal, arrived in the city Sunday, February 10, after a trip through the middle states, during which he covered all the Universal exchanges in that territory. Mr. Brandt stated that every exhibitor he met in his rounds claimed that Monday closing was really beneficial so far as business was concerned, as a larger volume was shown in six days than had been previously shown in seven. "Exhibitors are very optimistic," said Mr. Brandt, "as they expect business to become normal just as soon as the weather becomes warmer." Mr. Brandt left for New York February 12 after a conference with I. L. Lesserman, general sales manager of the Chicago Universal exchange. * * * Edwin Silverman, well known as the head of Butterfly pictures in the Universal offices here, will henceforth be associated with Select pictures. * * * Charles Miller, formerly salesman with the Bluebird exchange, is now connected with the Goldwyn exchange in the same capacity. Mr. Miller is one of the best known salesmen in the city, and was one of Ike Van Ronkel's ablest salesmen when he had charge of the General Film Company's branch at 529 Wabash avenue. * * * George Periolat. the popular character actor of the American Film Company, left this city last week en route to the Santa Barbara studios. * * * Margarita Fischer has just finished her fourth comedy drama for the American Film Company. It is entitled "Ann's Finish."