The Moving picture world (May 1920-June 1920)

922 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 15, 1920 Snappy News Secured from Sundry Sources m»HiiiiM«»ii«Mmii™i»«iwimioiimHMiiimiirnMiiiiinimiiiimiirpiiim»mirtmimiiiiiMiiiimniiiim^^ Luna-Lite Company Joins Miss Dolly Spurr in Contest Against Marion Blue Law DAMAGES in the sum of $25 were assessed by a jury of six men in city court at Marion, Ind., las t week, against the Mutual Theatre Company, a corporation operating the Lyric, Indiana and Royal-Grand theatres, for violating the city ordinance prohibiting the operation of theatres on Sundays. The city, in its affidavit against the company, asked for damages in the sum of $300, but the minimum amount permitted under the ordinance was assessed by the jury. The suit was filed as a result of the action of the company, of which Miss Dolly Spurr is the head, in operating the Lyric Theatre on Sunday, April IL The case has been appealed to the Grant county circuit court. Pleas of not guilty to the same charge were entered in the same city by William Connors and Forrest Malott, of the Marion Theatre Company, which operates the Luna-Lite Theatre. Damages in the sum of $300 is asked of each of the defendants. No time has been set for the hearing of these two cases. The opening of the Luna-Lite Theatre marked the first attempt of the Marion Theatre Company to participate in the Sunday opening fight which has been in progress in Marion for several years. A picturization of Richard Harding Davis' "Soldiers of Fortune" was shown, together with a reel of popular comedy. Both the Indiana and the Luna-Lite the ' atres were opened on Sunday, April 25, playing to capacity crowds at each performance. No arrests were made but it is expected that additional charges will be filed against the corporations and also against the exhibitors. Financier Says China Is a Big Field for Pioneer Producers THAT new millions await the film producer who will exploit is the opinion of Judge Peter Hing, financial magnate of the Celestial Republic. "Capital galore awaits the first producer to come to our country," said Mr. Hing while inspecting the Famous PlayersLasky studio at Hollywood. "Our people have confidence in our native stories arid scenery. It is an absolutely untouched field. Our people will back to the limit the first producer to establish a worthwhile studio in China." While at the Lasky plant Judge Hing saw China "as she is done" in an American studio. Ethel Clayton and company were taking Shanghai street for "All In a Night," her latest picture for Paramount Artcraft. Senate Approves Minting of New Roosevelt 2-Cent Coin WITH the passage on May 3 by the United States Senate of the bill introduced in January by Senator McLean, of Connecticut, authorizing the minting of a 2-cent piece, the first really important step has been taken in providing a coin with which the public can pay war taxes of various sorts. Ever since the enactment of the first war reyenue bill there has been a steady and increasing dmand for a coin between the penny and the nickel. The war revenue law now in force requires the minting of millions of pennies a year; pennies are needed for the taxes on soft drinks and ice cream, admissions and various other sales taxes. Because of the increased taxes on tobacco products, the prices of cigars, cigarettes, etc., have been increased in odd amounts. In addition, increasing costs have necessitated higher prices for newspapers and street car fares. The measure just adopted by the Senate authorizes the director of the mint to have coined a 2-cent piece, composed of copper, tin and zinc in the same proportions as the 1-cent piece but of such size as to be readily distinguished from a penny. On the obverse will appear the medallion of Theodore Roosevelt, whose memory the coin is designed to honor. Exhibitors Get Electric Light Conceasion. The Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce of New York City has entered into an arrangement with one of the largest electric light manufacturers whereby members of the organization will be alowed 31 per cent discount on all purchases of lamps. Some of the members have been getting a slight discount heretofore, but nothing in comparison with the figure obtained for the entire membership. The light company declared it easily could afford to make the reduction in view of its saving in selling overhead. The Chamber also is considering the possibility of purchasing its coal direct from the mines. The present consumption of members is between ten and fifteen thousand tons annually. A committee has been appointed for the purpose of securing exact figures. Fire Destroys Cohans' Rialto. George Cohan's Rialto Theatre, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning. May 4. The loss will reach $150,000 to $250,000. The Rialto was a first run house, seating 800. I Massachusetts Legislators 1 Suggest Three Eliminations I in Approving Censor Bill I (By wire to Moving Picture World.) I Boston, Mass., May 5. I The bill providing for the state cenI sorship was reported on favorably I by the ways and means committee of I the House of Representatives on May I 5. Four out of the eleven members | I of the committee voted against the i I bill. Two members. Representative % I Fitzgerald, of Boston, and Mitchell, | I of Springfield, formally dissented | I from the committee's action. | I The bill provides that all films be 1 I fore being exhibited in the state must | I be censored and approved by a cen | I sor board in the Department of Pub i I lie Safety. | I The recommendation was made that i I three provisions be eliminated. They 1 I are the provisions that films for edu 1 I cational, charitable or religious per | I formances shall be censored without | I charge, an increase from $1 to $2 in 1 I the fee be charged for licensing films | i up to 1,000 feet, and an increase from 1 i $2 to $4 for films in excess of 1,000 1 1 feet. I Despite Revolutions, Berlin Is Dull, Says A. J. Danziger POPULAR belief to the contrary, the life of an American cameraman now in Germany is not the "shooting" of one revolution after another, but a ceaseless search for the interesting among ordinarily dull surroundings. So writes A. J. Danziger from Berlin to A. G. Greenland, until recently with Moving Picture World. Mr. Danziger must have been in a pessimistic frame of mind at the time he penned the letter, as he mentions his inability to get many close-ups of the military shooting a few people and executing a few more during the recent ten-day revolution. Perhaps the most interesting item in his letter concerns the manufacture by a man named Scheidemantel of "margerine," a substitute for butter, made out of horse bones and bones left on the family dinner table, which are collected and brought in wagons to the factory. Scheidemantel has just had a film made showing the process. He has made a fortune and is now one of the most popular makers of "ersatz" foods, says Mr. Danziger, who is going to send a print of the film to New York City. Mr. Danziger finds German dramatic photoplays "as punky as ever." French Embargo Is Only on Raw Stock, Says N. A. M. P. L THE French decree against the importation of motion picture films from America will not be "a restriction against laughter and enjoyment" as some of the Parisians thought. The National Association of the Motion Picture Industry has been informed by its Washington representative, Jack S. Connolly, that the department of commerce has received a cablegram from its Paris office to the effect that the ban is only against the raw stock. There was some doubt about just what the order did mean as it specified "sensi* tized cinema film," and the department of commerce, at the request of the National Association, asked for further information. The order will in no way afiPect the exportation of American made pictures. Protests Against Intermissions. Editor Moving Picture World: Just a note to tell you that the average patron does not agree with Stanley Shaw on the intermission subject. Have you ever been in a picture theatre when the film accidentally breaks? What is the result? The older folks give little exclamations of disgust such as "Oh heck, that happens every time I come to this theatre I" and the youngsters yell, clap and kick until the trouble is remedied. The ten minute waits would be a good excuse for the numerous cigarette smokers to walk all over the other people. Don't let 'em start it. W. W. P. Punxsutawney, Pa., April 29, 1920. No Action on Picture Bills. Up until May 3 Governor Alfred E. Smith had taken no action on any of the thirtyday motion picture bills reposing in his hands and on which he can take some action up until midnight of May 24. There has been no definite word from the governor as yet concerning any hearing on bills of interest to the motion picture industry and of which three, including the Cotill» measure, are in his hands.