The Moving picture world (January 1921-February 1921)

192 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 8, 1921 Exhibitors of Eastern Canada Eager for Anglo-Canadian Picture Plays Productions Because of Low Rentals ONE of the reasons British-made pictures have found rapid favor among exhibitors of cities in Eastern Canada is, it is reported, that the Anglo-Canadian Picture Plays, Ltd., of Montreal, Toronto and St. John has offered the English releases to the theatres at very low rental rates. Exhibitors who have been presenting the latest English film features admit that rental charges have been comparatively low, but it is also a fact that a number of theatres have done good business with several, at least, of the English productions. Made a Cleein-Up One exhibitor of Ottawa is reported to have made a "clean-up" with a week's presentation of "Alf's Button," the Hepburn seven-reel comedy based on the unusual experience of a British Tommy. The Anglo-Canadian Picture Plays, Ltd., has also been assisting the exhibitors with a type of personal exploitation. For instance, two British Mastercraft Produc tions were presented in Ottawa during Christmas week, "Snow in the Desert" and "A Gentleman Rider." As an aid to the exhibitors in putting over these pictures, a representative of the Anglo-Canadian sent printed notices to a selected list of Ottawa people in which attention was drawn to the two engagements. It was pointed out that two well-known English players, Stewart Rome and Violet Hopson, were being introduced in both of these pictures. The concluding paragraph of the card was as follows : "Please do not regard this as mere advertising matter, but as an appeal for your co-operation in making things British better known to Canadians through the medium of the motion picture screen." In Montreal, a considerable number of exhibitors are changing programs three and four times each week and quite a few of the pictures for these short runs are releases of the Anglo-Canadian. The resulting situation gives opportunity for rather wide booking of English films. Two Keaton Films Are Shown on Same Program Without parallel in the annals of motion pictures, says Metro, is the phenomenal rise of Buster Keaton. In many parts of the country, exhibitors have seen fit to make Keaton the whole show for a week. The owner of the Broadway Theatre, Springfield, Mass., was the first to see the advantages in playing a Keaton feature along with a Keaton comic two-reeler. The success attained through a tremendous box office showing attracted the attention of other exhibitors, who also have seen fit to adopt the same method. At Loew's Stillman in New York, and again in Cleveland, "The Saphcad" and "The Scarecrow" were teamed to furnish the entertainment for the week. Opposition Is Raised to Loew Consolidation Opposition has been . raised in certain quarters in the Dominion against the proposal for a merger of Loew theatres in Eastern Canada. The amalgamation of Loews theatre companies operating five different houses in Ontario and Quebec has been undertaken and it has been proposed to organize one large company with a capitalization of $20,000,000. It is pointed out, however, that this would mean a capitalization of $4,000,000 for each of the theatres and various questions have been raised regarding the real object and the need for any change. In connection with this development, an investment company of Toronto has asked shareholders of the Loew theatres in Ottawa and Windsor fo. their proxies for use at a meeting whicli was called to discuss plans and arrange details. These pictures are being taken at the instance of Charles E. Brickley, the Harvard fullback of a few years ago; Carl Flanders, All-American, Yale Centre of '07; Bob Fisher, head coach at Harvard; Captain Lanagan, of the Harvard '09 baseball team and ex-Senator W. W. Clarke, of Massachusetts, a former Harvard athlete, all of whom are directors of the Ziegfeld Cinema Corporation. The shots will be supervised by a competent authority and will be immediately rushed to Xew York for a special showing at Delmonico's before a group of excollege stars, sport writers, gridiron experts, coaches and players who will be the guests of W. K. Ziegfeld. The pictures will afford them an opportunity to study the football of the West, and the comparison will be enhanced by also showing pictures of last year's game between Harvard and the University of California. REN A PARKER She was the star in the musical comedy "Betty, Be Good," and is now playing in the Fox serial "Fantomas" Film Exchanges Plan to Have Suitable Building W innipeg, Manitoba, will fall into line with the leading cities of Canada in establishing adequate headquarters for local branches of moving picture exchange companies. Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver already had fine structures for the accommodation of film exchanges. The Winnipeg exchanges are proceeding with the construction of a building that will meet all requirements. It is planned that each film exchange company using the new building will be required to pay an anual civic fee of $25 and the city is to make regular inspections of the structure. The building will be erected to conform with the statute which stipulates certain features, such as ventilated vaults, receptacles for film waste, fireproof doors and other details. W. K. Ziegfeld Will Film the Ohio-California Game Arrangements have been completed by which the Ziegfeld Cinema Corporation will send an expert cameraman to the West Coast to secure a series of pictures of the football game between Ohio State University and the University of California at the Fete of the Roses on Xew Year's Day. "THIS COFFEE COULD BE VERY MUCH SWEETER THIS MORNING" Scene from "If hat Could Be Sweeter," a Truth Production which is being released by the Harry Levey Service Corporation