Moving Picture World (Mar-Apr 1923)

Page scan 000208 from Moving Picture World

Record Details:

Title:
Moving Picture World
Date:
Mar-Apr 1923
Publisher:
New York, Chalmers Publishing Company
Volume:
Moving Picture World (Mar-Apr 1923)
Leaf #:
000208
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System and Early Cinema
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
The Museum of Modern Art Library, New York
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
Moving Picture World, founded in 1907 by J.P. Chalmers, was one of the motion picture industry's first trade papers. Published on a weekly basis in New York City, Moving Picture World informed exhibitors about films available for rental and editorialized on behalf of the growing industry (improving the quality of movies through higher filmmaking standards, not government censorship, was a frequent topic). The paper reached its height in the mid-to-late-1910s--a fact reflected in the circulation figures and the huge amount of advertising that filled every issue during the period. In the 1920s, Moving Picture World lost ground to other competing weekly trade papers -- including Variety, Exhibitor's Herald, and Motion Picture News. In 1927, Moving Picture World ceased publication when it was acquired by Martin Quigley's Exhibitor's Herald. Across the 20 year run of Moving Picture World, readers can watch the transition from short film programs to feature films and witness the transition from the dominance of Edison's Trust to the rise of the "Independent" film companies that ultimately became the Hollywood studios. Silent film historians have utilized and cited Moving Picture World more frequently than any other trade paper, and the publication still has many insights left to offer. -- Eric Hoyt, 2012/2013
Date Added:
May 30, 2024
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182 MOVING PICTURE WORLD March 10, 1923 Quantity of Helps Quality Productions Clear Up Exchange Market That there is a general tendency among independent and State rights exchangemen to stabilize their interests is generally accepted as a fact among the well informed. The 1921-22 season — the worst the industry has known — proved a Godsend in so far as exchanges were concerned, for the situation developed virtually into a test for the survival of the fittest. With this test came a new class of independent exchangemen. The irresponsible, get-rich-quick, soldier-offortune, shoe-string and junk-dealing “exchangemen” found the going too fast. There was no demand for the product. Inability to get new product, lack of ready cash and loss of local and national prestige with exhibitor and national distributor, respectively, resulted in the virtual elimination of this army of hangers-on. In the place of this army came a group of practical men — men who combined straightforward business methods with keen showmanship. The combination has been a blessing. It has helped clear the market of undesirables. It has increased exhibitor patronage — and what is more, it has won for the energetic independent that recognition for which he had been combating for years. Despite the tightening grip circuit magnates were getting on the theatre situation, with the advent of the current season came increased bookings and at figures that assured the exchangeman a reasonable profit on his investment. The franchise proposition with which independents had been experimenting developed into a fact— a fact that contributed in an extremely large measure to the meteoric progress of the independent market, for A1 Lichtman Corporation, Arrow Film Corporation, Warner Brothers, Charles C. Burr and others formed an alliance with leading exchanges that has brought glory to the field. The franchise method has proved successful — but it has been successful only for those exchanges that have been receiving a steady flow of quality product. Other exchanges, that probably would have developed with the general development of the field, were forced out mainly because of financial obligations they incurred during the disastrous seasons of 1921 and 1922. They started the current season and bade fair to succeed, but their revenue from good pictures was dissipated by debts acquired in previous seasons. This developed a peculiar situation, for, although with splendid product on hand, these exchanges were without funds to properly merchandise it and had the alternative either of again running into a rut or selling out. A majority of them took the latter course. . The value of good independent productions with box office possibilities was quickly appreciated by theatfie-controlling interests, who lost no time in allying themselves with national distributors of such product. We find these interests in virtually every territory. In New York there are the First National and Fabian interests, in New England. Nathan Gordon, Jake Lourie. Columbia Amusement Corporation ; in the South, S. A. Lynch ; in the Middle W est, Balaban & Katz A. H Blank, Rubin & Finkelstein, Skouras Brothers, Ascher Brothers; on the Coast the Lesser.-Gore-Ramish Theatres interests, and down the line. . . . , . While there are many who will insist that the invasion of this faction has not aided independents financially, the fact remains that they have furnished a medium through which independent productions have been given proper public and exhibitor recognition — and artistic prestige. , c < Appended is, for the first time published, a correct list of bona hde State rights exchanges ; Philadelphia, Pa. Masterpiece Film Attractions, Inc., Ben Amsterdam. 1329 Vine street, independent Film Corporation, Lou Burman. 1337 Vine street. Koval Pictures. Inc.. David Segal, 1337 Vine street. Metro Pictures Exchange, Bob Lynch. 1327 Vine Jtreetbe Luxe Film Company. Tony Luchese-Osear Neufeld, 1318 Vine street. Twentieth Century Film Company, Gene Marcus, 256 North 13th street. Capitol Film Exchange, 1314 Vine street. United States Releasing Company, 1314 Vine street. Graphic Film Exchange, 1220 Vine street. Imperial Pictures Corporation, Jno. F. Gill, 1302 Vine street. Albany, N. Y. Bond Photoplay Corporation. Mr. Cohen. 676 Broadway. Merit Film Corporation. M. M. Wheeler, 680 Broadway. Buffalo, N. Y. Bond Photoplay Corp., Sydney SamsonF. M. Zimmerman 265 Franklin st. Associated First Nationay Pictures Corp.. E. J. Hayes. o05 Pearl street. First Graphic Exchange, Inc., J. Berkowitz, 2o7 Franklin street. Merit Film Corporation, N. I. Filkins, 265 Franklin street. W-B Film Exchange, C. K. Levee, 505 Pearl street. New York City Alexander Film Corporation, William Alexander, 727 Seventh avenue. Ambassador Pictures Corporation, Philip Shiller. 729 Seventh avenue. Apollo Exchange, Inc., Ben Schwartz, 1600 Broadway. Arrow Film Corporation. H. H. Thomas, 729 Seventh avenue. Associated First National Pictures Corp., Si Fabian, 729 Seventh avenue. Associated First National Pictures of New York, R. H. Clark, 729 Seventh av. Ay won Film Exchange, Melvin Hirsh, 729 Seventh avenue. Capital Film Corporation, Herman Gluckman, 729 Seventh avenue. Certified Pictures Exchange. Murray Tannen, 729 Seventh avenue. Climax Film Exchange, Felix Goldfarb. 729 Seventh avenue. ARROW FILM CORPORATION HUSTLERS W. Ray Johnston; W. E. Shallenberger, President, and J. Charles Davis. Commonwealth Pictures Corporation, Sam Zierler, 729 Seventh avenue. Elk Photo-Plays Inc., B. H. Mills, 729 Seventh avenue. Graphic Film Corporation. Ivan Abramson. 729 Seventh avenue. Jans Film Exchange. Morris Broskie, 729 Seventh avenue. Jawitz Pictures Corporation. Charles Jawitz. 729 Seventh avenue. Kerman Films, Inc.. Herbert and Moe Kerman. 729 Seventh avenue. Merit Film Corporation. F. .J. Willis. 130 West 46th street. Producers Feature Service. Inc.. H. A. Samwick, 729 Seventh avenue. Renown Pictures. Inc., Jack Bellman, 729 Seventh avenue. Rialto Productions. Inc., S. R. Recce. 729 Seventh avenue. Second National Pictures Exchange, Murray Beier. 729 Seventh avenue. Smart Films, Inc., E. Marks Behrman. 723 Seventh avenue. S-P Exchange, Sam Pinkenfield, 729 Seventh avenue. W-B Film Exchange, Charles S. Goetz, 1600 Broadway. Chicago Celebrated Film Players Corporation, Joe Friedman. 810 South Wabash ave. Commonwealth Pictures Exchange, 746 South Wabash avenue. Reelcraft Film Exchange, Morris Heilman. 810 South Wabash avenue. Griever Productions, Si Griever, South Wabash avenue. Exclusive Film Service. 730 South Wabash avenue. First National Pictures Corporation of Illinois. R. C. Seery, 831 So. Wabash. Illinois and Indiana Film Exchange, 804 South Wabash avenue. Superior Screen Service, 25 East Seventh street. Progress Pictures Corporation, Frank Zambreno, 810 South Wabash avenue. Boston, Mass. American Feature Film Corporation. Harry Ascher, 37 Piedmont street. Boston Photoplay Company. 50 Broadway. Cosmopolitan Film Corporation. Piedmont street. Moscow Films Co., Sam Moscow, Piedmont street. Pioneer I ilm Exchange, Harry Segal. Piedmont street. Motion Picture Distributers Corporation. G. M. Ficke. Piedmont street. Eastern Film Corporation, Herman Rifkin, Piedmont street. Franklin Film Corporation, William Shapiro. Broadway. Independent Film Corporation, Joe McConnville, Piedmont street. Federated Film Exchange. Sam Grand. Piedmont street. Lightning Photoplay Corporation, Si Bunce, Piedmont street. Cincinnati Standard Film Service. Film Building. Skirboll Brothers. Seventh and .Main streets. I. ancle Film Distributing Corporation, Film Building. Fine Arts Exchange. Film Building. Progress Pictures Corporation. Film Building. Cleveland, O. Standard Film Service, A1 Lichtman Exchange. Harry Charnas. Film Building. Skirboll Brothers Gold Seal Exchange. Joe Skirboll. Film Building. Progress Pictures Corporation. J. S. Jossey, I ilm Building. Dallas, Texas Independent Film Service, 1717V£ Commerce street. Mid-States Distributing Company. 1801*-£ Commerce street. R. D. Lewis Film Company. 1812 Commerce street. Specialty’ Film Corporation. W. G. I'nderwood. 112 South Hudson street. Southern States Film Company. 1900 Commerce street. Southwestern Film Corporation. 1911 Commerce street. True Film Company, William Thompson, 1911^ Commerce street. ( Continued on page 186)