Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1922)

January 7, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 55 Public Resents High Salaries and Big Expenditures, Says Charles Christie in Talk to Western Advertisers Body (P I "AHE motion picture public resents the tremendous expenditures in motion pictures in the way of salaries and production costs which we know are highly exaggerated,” said Charles Christie, the comedy producer, before the members of the Western Motion Picture Advertisers at their last meeting in Hollywood. “Even if a fortune is actually spent on a certain scene or a star does receive a liundred dollars a minute, I do not think it is good business to make capital of this fact,” said Mr. Christie. “This talk about great amounts spent by motion picture people has to a great degree been responsible for a feeling on the part of the public toward the motion pictures that ■does not work out favorably at the box office.” The producer urged publicity men to ■eliminate from their copy all references to large sums of money spent in this business and suggested they concentrate their effort on ideas that will create and establish sales points for the product they are boosting and for the industry in general. He also attacked the prologue idea which lie said proved detrimental to the importance of the motion picture as a medum of entertainment. Another speaker was Ed Schallert, dramatic and motion picture editor of the Los Angeles Times, who gave a heartto-heart talk on what the editor wants -from the publicity man. Mr. Schallert made several valuable suggestions which -met with the hearty approval of the members. Wen Milligan, advertising manager of the Moving Picture World and “Rubberneck” Giebler, west coast manager of that publication, were other guests of the evening. Mr. Milligan gave a very helpful address which threw new light upon the importance of the trade paper in the motion picture business. Other speakers among the members were Roy Miller, chairman of the evening, Harry Brand, who gave some startling facts concerning the recent San ^Francisco tragedy which strengthened the •.stand of the defense in the minds of the members; Harry Wilson, who just returned from New York and Larry Weingarten, who also just arrived from a tour of the country. A. McArthur, former advertising manager of the Moving Picture World and now publicity director *for Mack Sennett, was introduced as the newest member of the “Wampas.” Nathan Robbins Opens New Watertown Theatre The Olympic Theatre in Watertown, 1SJ. Y., was opened under the manage ment of Nathan Robbins on Christmas Day, and capacity audiences witnessed the shows on the opening day as well as Monday, when the city officials were present at the first evening performance as guests of Mr. Robbins. On this occasion, Dr. J. Victor Wilson, who is general presentation director for all the Robbins’ houses, addressed the audience and introduced the Mayor of the city, Robert E. Cahill, who made a speech welcoming Mr. Robbins and his associates to Watertown. The policy of the Olympic Theatre will be the presentation of the latest and best pictures in conjunction with a program of music rendered by the Olympic Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Patrick Conway and instrumental and vocal soloists who will appear in stage presentations under the direction of Dr. Wilson. The feature picture at the opening was “The Little Minister” with Betty Compson as the star. Harold Lloyd in “Never Weaken,” scenic and educational studies and Pathe News pictures completed the film end of the entertainment. The last half of the week the picture changes were Thomas Meighan in “A Prince There Was” and Ham Hamilton in “Robinson Crusoe, Ltd.” Sol Manheimer is general manager for Mr. Robbins’ Watertown theatres, the Olympic, Palace and Antique. Missouri Health Board Lifts Ban on All Travelers With the lifting of the Missouri State Board of Health’s drastic order requiring all travelers to show vaccination certificates motion picture men of the state feel that danger of a general quarantine to prevent the spread of smallpox has passed. The order was to have gone into effect on December 22, but was recalled on December 21. Smallpox has been prevalent in Kansas City, ' Jackson County, Jefferson City, Calloway County, Fulton and other sections of the state outside St. Louis. For a time it was feared it might be necessary to prevent all public gatherings to checkmate the disease, but during the past week the number of new cases have decreased greatly and apparently all need of drastic regulatory measures has passed. During the week Dr. H. F. Owen, city officer for Fulton, lifted the ban prohibiting children under 16 years of age from attending motion picture shows in that city because of the prevalence of smallpox of a very virulent type. The order had been in effect for several days. Due to the efficiency of the St. Louis Health Department, not a case of smallpox has developed in that city during the past two months. This was a remarkable record in view of the fact that other sections of the state were in the throes of a real epidemic which caused many deaths. During the past three years there has not been a death from smallpox in St. Louis. The city claims the distinction of being the best protected metropolitan district in the country so far as smallpox and other contagious diseases are concerned. The motion picture men of St. Louis are proud that they have always loaned their screens to further the educational campaigns of the St. Louis Health Department. There is real wisdom in this as healthy people are the ones who attend the movies. Washington Hearing ( Continued from page 34) “We will point out specifically some of the methods that could be adopted by the Eastman Company to stifle and eliminate competition. Controlling the supply the Eastman Company could : “Either refuse to sell raw film to one or more of the independent laboratories; or “Continue to supply the independent laboratories with film at the present prices, and, at the same time, offer to manufacture printed film at a price considerably under the present market rate ; or “Increase the price of raw film to the independent laboratories and at die Sc time offer to the consumers printed film at the present market price ; or “By failing to make prompt deliveries to independent laboratories, by harassing the said laboratories in any one of a dozen different ways, cause the service rendered by such independent laboratories to fall below the present standard, with the result that patrons would take their business elsewhere.” Patrick A. Powers, of Powers Film Products, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., stated that he had been forced to close down his plant and resort to an importing business on account of the inroads made into his business by the foreign film. He said that he was able to buy at 90 cents a hundred feet film that would cost him over $2 to make in the United States. He wanted the 20 per cent, duty in order to be able to re-engage in the manufacture of film stock. Sigfried F. Hartman, of the Universal Film Company, denied that his company was proposing to enter foreign countries for the purpose of producing. He pointed out that his company has $6,000,000 invested here in plant and equipment, now being utilized at pretty near full capacity. “We are not afraid of foreign competition,” he said. “We do not want any tariff on the finished negatives simply because we do not care to face the retaliatory action we feel sure will be taken by foreign countries.”