The Moving picture world (October 1920)

1270 MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 30. 1920 Metro Receives Numerous Letters from Exhibitors Praising Keaton Comedies Enthusiastic Testimonials from Rowland and Clark Circuit, Sid Grauman, and Other Prominent Showmen Who Are Well Pleased with "Buster's" First Release Sues Sennett for $22,000 and Percentage of Comedy Profits A memory of the unfortunate venture to make the Triangle Film Company -a supreme producer in the motion picture field came to light in New York City, when papers were filed in an action brought in the Supreme Court by Charles O. Bauman against Mack Sennett, to recover $122,579 for an alleged breach of contract. Bauman alleges that he entered into a contract with Sennett on July 2, 1917, whereby for his aid in arranging for Sennett, the abrogation of a contract with the Triangle Film Company to accept a more lucrative offer with the Paramount Picture Corporation, he was hired by Sennett as his eastern representative for three years, at a weekly salary of $500 and 5 per cent, of the net profits realized on comedies to be produced by Sennett for the Paramount corporation. Bauman charges that in conformity with this agreement he acted as Sennett's representative from September 1, 1917, until November 8, 1919, when he alleges he was discharged without cause. He alleges in his complaint that as a result of this breach of contract there is due him from Sennett $22,000 for salary and $100,000 as his share of the profits earned by Sennett's productions. "Unseen Forces" Will Have Some Unusual Exploitation "Unseen Forces," the Sidney A. Franklin Production delivered by Mayflower last week to First National for distribution, will be promoted by an unusual exploitation campaign. Owing to the fact that this feature deals with life after death it opens a field rich in promotional possibilities. In addition to the usual publicity and exploitation accorded every first National attraction by the first National staff, a direct-to-exhibitor mail campaign is being planned by Mayflower in addition to a concentrated drive in the most important territories by Mayflower exploitation men, under the direction of John W. McKay, the corporation's general manager. The mail campaign to exhibitors will embrace a series of novelty postcards bearing catchlines calculated to stimulate interest in the picture. The first of these will be a postal shaped like a ouija board telling exhibitors that "Unseen Forces" advise them to arrange an early play date. Following this card at three day intervals will be others, each unique in design and conveying a dollar message from the spirit world. "The Road of Ambition" Now N earing C ompletion Nearing completion is the National Picture Theatres production, "The Road of Ambition," starring Conway Tearle, under the direction of William P. S. Earle. Exterior scenes were recently taken at the Nassau Country Club, Long Island, with the entire company, which includes Gladdin James, Florence Dixon and Florence Billings. The background for "The Road of Ambition" are shots full of color and picturesque views of the club veranda, the grounds and adjacent beautiful estates. In the National production, which marks the second appearance of Mr. Tearle as a National star, he plays the role of a foreman in a huge steel mill who is anxious to perfect an invention for making use of the scale on steel ingots. "The Road of Ambition" was written by Elaine Sterne and picturized for the screen by Lewis Allen Browne. BUSTER KEATON in 'One Week' is the best two-reel Comedy I have had the pleasure of showing to the public in the past ten years." This statement was made by J. D. Hutchinson, manager of the Stoneham Theatre, Stoneham, Mass., in a letter to W. Hill, manager of Metro's Boston exchange. The letter is said to be only one of the many unsolicited testimonials to Buster Keaton that have come in from exhibitors. The Keaton comedies are produced by Joseph M. Schenck and distributed by Metro Pictures Corporation. According to Metro officials their success has been of meteoric, considering their short time on the market. As a further instance T. M. Hervey, manager of the Unique Theatre, El Paso, Tex., says: "We wish to congratulate you on the Buster Keaton Comedies, and if the future ones are as good as 'One Week' you have the best comedies ever made, considering the fact that 'One Week' contained absolutely new situations and ideas, besides being a laugh producer. These two points alone in our opinion, form the combina WITH Georges Carpentier, Europe's champion heavyweight pugilist, who knocked out Battling Levinsky in Jersey City, now the most-talked-of figure in the world of sport, bookings of "The Wonder Man," the Robertson-Cole special in which Carpentier is the central character, continue one hundred per cent, solid, it' is said. As the public is now demanding to see the man who disposed of the American fighter in four rounds even more insistantly than it did before the battle, exhibitors are given an opportunity which is remarkable. Here is ready for their especial use a feature which shows Carpentier as a matinee idol, holding the centre of the screen in a thrilling drama of international intrigue and society life, laid in Washington. The possibilities of the film as an attraction may be seen in a typical wire which has been received by the company. Howard Smith, manager of the Palace Theatre. Buffalo, telegraphed to the Robertson-Cole home office, New York City, as follows : "'Wonder Man' opened for one biggest days this theatre ever has seen. Six performances capacity business to each performance. Had to take off comedy to accommodate crowds. Applause throughout picture tremendous. You should be congratulated on such wonderful production." The entire sporting world is talking of the clever Frenchman, of how he knocked out Levinsky. The logical result of all this talk will be an increased interest in Carpentier, and a desire to see a motion picture starring him. Carpentier is under a contract which will not allow his meeting Jack Dempsey, world's champion, before the first of January of the coming year, and until that time, at least, the choicest piece of gossip in the world of sport will be the chances of the Frenchman against the American. tion necessary to get the biggest success and box office results. 'One Week' was a feature in itself, and was billed as such, and proved to be the biggest drawing card of the show." So great was the success of the Keaton comedy, at Grauman's Theatre in Los Angeles that it led Mr. Grauman to close a contract with Manager Rosenberg for the presentation during the coming year of all the Buster Keaton comedies. Another example of the success of the Keaton comedies is a letter from James B. Clark of the Rowland and Clark chain of theatres in Pennsylvania. Mr. Clark said : "We have just screened the first two Buster Keaton comedies. They are the best two comedies we have reviewed for the past year and I believe that in Buster Keaton you have the coming screen comedian. We have shown oTir confidence in the future of these comedies by buying them for every one of the Rowland and Clark theatres." The Buster Keaton comedies are written and directed by Buster Keaton and Eddie Cline. The exhibitor's only problem is to see that the women are informed correctly regarding Carpentier. "Interest the women. The men will come of themselves" is the slogan of the exploitation and advertising campaign which has been issued. The worth of the picture and the value of the publicity which Carpentier has and will have in coming months makes the film an extremely attractive financial investmenti, it is declared. Two Toledo Theatres Closed; Alterations for Five Others In a sweeping order issued by T. P. Kearns, chief of the Ohio State Department of Workshops and Factories, two theatres in Toledo were ordered to close immediately and five others were given ninety days in which to make alterations. The theatres ordered closed are both downtown in Toledo. They are the Priscilla, 330 Summit street, and the Colonial, 443 Summit street, both owned by John Kumler and managed by J. A. Horwitz. They were ordered to remain closed until alterations required by the state building code are made. All the theatres affected are motion picture houses and all were rebuilt or remodeled since 1911. The complaint against most of them was insufficient ventilation, inadequate number of exits and existence of fire hazards. The state declares that the two theatres closed will have to provide fire exits in the rear and sides before they can open. It is claimed that since the theatres were built and inspected, other buildings have gone up, thus practically blocking egress. The other theatres affected are the Dragon, Lyric, Strand, Rosa and Empress, houses with 300 to 900 seats. Some must take out seats, others must provide wider entrances and wider aisles. Robertson-Cole Says "The Wonder Man " With Carpentier, Appeals to Everybody