Moving Picture World (Dec 1919)

842 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 13, 1919 FILM MEN FIGHT PROPOSED ORDINANCE Minneapolis Exhibitors Take Up Cudgels Against Scheme to Increase All Theatre License Fees M3VING picture men of Minneapolis are preparing for a strenuous fight against the ordinance offered by C. H. Rudisil, socialist alderman, proposing radical increases in license fees for all motion picture houses and other theatres when that matter comes before the city council committee on legislation, December 10. At a meeting of the committee, November 26, when the proposed measure was offered, Alderman Josiah Chase, chairman, upon the protest of more than forty representatives of theatrical interests of the city that they had received no warning of the impending action, postponed action for two weeks to give them opportunity to prepare data for their case. A committee, headed by Theodore L. Hays, president of the Twin City Scenic Company, is now at work preparing a substitute measure for the one offered by the socialist alderman. It will offer a substantial increase over the present schedule of license fees. The other members of the committee are: Robert Scott, Metropolitan Theatre, representing the “legitimate” interests; George Raymond, Orpheum, vaudeville; William Koenig, Gaiety, burlesque, and A1 Steffes, of the Theatrical Protective League. Heavily Taxed Now. The ordinance now in force provides the following license fees: theatres having a seating capacity of 350 or less, $75; between 350 and 600, $100, and all others, $150. The ordinance now under consideration carries this schedule: seating capacity of 1,000 or less, 25 cents a seat annually; between 1,000 and 2,500, 50 cents a seat, and all others, 75 cents a seat. The net increases vary from $12.50 a year for the theatre of 350 seats to $1,725 for theatres containing 2,500 seats, or from 162/3 to more than 1,000 per cent. “The motion picture houses and all Clifford P. Butler. Recently appointed general superintendent of new Metro studios In Hollywood. other theatres are bearing virtually all the taxes they can stand now,” said Mr. Hays. “We are now required to pay the following government tax: houses with less than 500 seats, $150; between 500 and 800 seats, $150, and over 800 seats, $200. This does not include the 10 per cent of the box office receipts that goes to the Federal government. Receipts Not All Profits. “We are charging more admission than ever before, but our films cost us from 50 to 250 per cent more than they did a few years ago. Sharp increases have been made by wages, advertising, heat and all the various kinds of supplies necessary. “License fees based on seating capacity are unfair for two reasons. First, the theatres in the outlying district usually do not schedule matinee showings. Consequently, a seat to this kind of house does not have the same value as it does to the downtown theatre. Then, the seating capacity may depend on the kind of show it is putting on. If it is vaudeville, perhaps every seat can be used, while as a motion picture theatre many of the seats because of balconies or other obstructions, are of no value. “The public seems to believe all the box office receipts in a motion picture house are profit. The expenses are heavy. In addition, the exhibitor is called on to run a great deal of film free for government, state and civic work. We are just recovering from the hard times of last year occasioned by the influenza and should not have any unjust burdens to bear.” Motion picture and other theatrical interests of St. Paul volunteered last week to pay a 100 per cent increase in license fees there in 1920. The old fee was $50 a theatre. It is estimated this will increase the revenue of the city about $2,500. Raymond Cavanaugh Makes Change After two years in the position of advertising manager for Universal’s industrial department, Raymond Cavanaugh has resigned and will go into business for himself. Whether or not it will be in the industrial line remains to be seen, but it is certain that “Cavvy” (as he is popularly addressed) will be connected with moving pictures. He brought his abilities as an advertising expert into the film game when he connected with Universal’s general publicity department several years ago. He finally ventured out for himself in association with Burton Rice, conducting an advertising agency for the production and illustration of commercial publicity. Universal’s industrial department, under Harry Levey, had meanwhile developed into a proposition that required “Cavvy’s” talents and to Universal he returned, remaining until his recent resignation. Began Work on “The Woman Game.” Newspaper clippings and letters from William P. S. Earle, Selznick director, announce the arrival in Miami, Fla., of Elaine Hammerstein and members of her company, ready to begin work on the first scenes of Miss Hammerstein’s third Selznick picture, “The Woman Game,” written specially for Miss Hammerstein by Frank Dozey and Leighton Osmun. The cast includes Jere Austin, Florence Billings, Louis Broughton, Ida Dowling, Phillips Tead, Charles Eldridge, Wray Plum, Lawrence Johnson, Betty Plum and Hugh Wynn. Press Book on Grossman Film Ready. Harry Grossman reports the completion of an elaborate and effective press book on “$1,000,000 Reward.” Exchangemen who have viewed the book declare it to be an invaluable aid to exhibitors in the exploitation of this production of Arthur B. Reeve’s and John W. Grey’s story. One, three, six and twenty-four sheet posters are illustrated in the book. Cuts of various sizes for each episode are shown in attractive variety, as well as a number of attractive feature mats for special publicity. Announcement slides, banners and photo-gelatine lobby display cards are illustrated. Physiologist Added to Screen Staff. Charles F. Herm, of the department of physiology, American Museum of Natural History, and an expert in cinema-microscopy, has been added to the staff of the New Screen Magazine, “The Reel of Knowledge,” distributed by the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Mr. Herm has made several interesting pictures for the New Screen Magazine. One of these shows how life begins in an egg. What happens after the Edward Bowes. Managing director of the Capitol Theatre. mm m i uHirmiuiiitir umt egg is placed in an incubator is faithfully recorded, up to the instant when the chick picks its way through the shell and utters its first “peep.” Parisians Visit Louise Glaum. Monsieur and Madame Hanus, of Paris, representatives of the French Government to America for all the textile mills of France, visited Louise Glaum at the Ince studio during their recent brief stay in Los Angeles.