The Moving picture world (April 1921)

480 MOVING PICTURE WORLD April 2, 1921 Exhibitors Foresee a Higher Admission Era for Productions That Are Worth While BELIEF in the policy of higher admission prices for worth-while attractions is spreading and is being practiced by exhibitors who have hitherto been skeptical of its practical success, says Associated First National. Striking proof that this is the case is furnished by the situation in Omaha, Nebraska, noted as one of the lowest admission price towns in the country (of its size) and as a rigidly standard priced town. The Strand Theatre, Omaha, leads the town in admission prices, with a constant scale of 30, 40 and 50 cents. The seating capacity is 1,008. "Man, Woman, Marriage" is booked for the Strand on April 10, and Manager Harry Watts proposes to increase his scale to a uniform charge of 30 cents at all matinees, and 40, 50 and 75 cents for the evening performances. In Akron, Ohio, C. A. Barbian, of the Waldorf Theatre, has announced a "Grand Picture Season," consisting of the "Big Five" of Associated First National. For each of these pictures — "Passion," "The Kid," "Man, Woman, Marriage," "The Oath" and "Sowing the Wind" — admission will be "moderately increased," according to Mr. Barbian's half page announcement in all the Akron newspapers. Managers William Ostenberg, Jr., of the Orpheum Theatre in the little city of Scotts' Bluff, Neb., and Harry Dubuque of the Imperial, in Alliance, Neb., have determined, it is announced, to charge $1 straight for all seats at the showing of "Man, Woman, Marriage," "Passion" and other leading pictures. Manager Watts, of the Strand in Omaha, believes that it will not be long before the policy of advancing prices for productions that are worth it, will be universally accepted. "Within two years I believe there will be, in every town above 75,000 population, a motion picture theatre that will put on two shows a day, with a large orchestra, and atmospheric presentation which may include a singer and a regular staff of four or five expert stage characters. These people could plan and prepare prologue acts for every picture, and when an extraordinary presentation demands a larger cast in the prologue, they could be the leads, while the numbers could be picked up on the local market," he said. "This two-a-day house will be high-priced. It will show only the best pictures, and it will cater to the higher class patronage. The coming of this type house can be expected at any time now, as the day of 'A movie is a movie' is past. And even in these high-priced houses I am convinced that the admission will be increased when the super class of productions warrant it." Big Novelty Promised for Director's Ball April 2 Sidney Olcott as chairman of a committee to devise ways and means for injecting novelties and surprises into the annual frolic of the Motion Picture Directors' Association's third supper-dance, to be held at the Hotel Astor, on Saturday April 2, in company with George L. Sargent and J. Searie Dawley, hit upon a clever idea. It is predicted that the event will top the evening and break all records for speed in taking, developing and projecting of film. While Orlando's twenty-five piece orchestra is supplying music for the dancing, motion picture cameras will be grindi g at top speed. Sufficient film will be dedicated to include all those present who venture within camera range. Special messengers will dispatch the film to the Craftsman laboratory, where it will be made ready for projection, brought back to the Astor and in the Gold Room, the silver sheet will display the party at its height, showing the leading producers, directors, players and participants of varied walks of life, in and out of the industry, on the screen. Many of those in private life never have faced a motion picture camera. The entire handling of the "rush film" will involve only a few hours. Wheeler Productions Latest New Company The Wheeler Productions, Inc., is the latest addition to the motion picture industry. Spacious offices have been opened in the New York Theatre Building at 1520 Broadway and plans are being rushed for a mammoth special production to be given to the trade as the initial Wheeler offering. It is probable that this spectacle will be "shot" on the West Coast and will not be ready for distribution until early fall. Wheeler Productions is probably the only organization of its kind to be composed entirely of ex-college men familiar with the film game. Clifford Slater Wheeler, whose name has been affiliated with successful Paramount productions, is president. Arthur Donald Bates is vice-president; Charles Shloss, secertary, and Walter E. Hammond, one-time Princeton football star, is treasurer and general manager. Deal Hangs Fire The proposed consolidation of the interests of the Lynch Enterprises in Tampa, Fla., with those of the Strand and Victory theatres continues to be the chief topic of conversation in local moving picture circles. At the date of this writing the deal has not been consummated, no papers having been signed. The consolidation, if it takes place at all, will likely be put through about April 1. "Passion Flower" for Early April Release "The Passion Flower," a Joseph M. Schenck production starring Norma Talmadge, will be released through First National early in April. Cutting and titling of the picture has been resumed following the decision of the New York Supreme Court in favor of Schenck who was made defendant in a suit brought by John Garrett Underhill to restrain Schenck from using the main title or the English words Walsh with Circuit? Report has it that George Walsh, the athletic star, is to start a big feature to be directed by his brother, Raoul A. Walsh, and released by First National. He is said to have left New York for the West Coast to start the picture. First National declined to comment on the report. George Walsh was a Fox star until his contract expired recently. used in the stage production, in the screen version. Underhill based his claim to restrain the picturization of the play with English words used in the title and sub-titles, on the fact that he had translated it from the Spanish. In rendering its decision the court gave the first recorded legal analysis of "yvhat is a motion picture?" declaring that "its chief characteristic is that it is a performance practically without language," and goes on to state that the few words used are not necessarily taken from the spoken drama. How Harry Watts Draws Late Afternoon Crowds Manager Harry Watts, of the Strand Theatre, Omaha, Neb., has started a campaign to get the late afternoon crowds to attend his matinees. The Strand matinees, with matinee prices, formerly closed at 5 o'clock, and the evening shows, with the 30, 40 and 50 cent admission, began at that time. Manager Watts found there were many people getting off from work at 5 and 6 o'clock that would like to attend matinees at once, before dining downtown. Accordingly he has postponed his matinees to 6:15 o'clock, with the admission price 25 cents to any part of the house. He announced the change in newspaper advertisements and distributed 10,000 blotters about the office buildings, telling the downtown public about his plan. The change has been very successful, he reports, filling his house at those empty hours between 2 and 7 o'clock. Vogel Off for Europe; Greenland Joins Him William M. Vogel, foreign rights distributor for the First National Charlie Chaplin comedies, the Hodkinson productions and Chester scenics and comedies, sailed on March 22 for Europe. London is his first objective. He also has appointments in Paris, Brussels, Antwerp and will also visit Berlin in behalf of his interests in the Atlantic Cinema Corporation, of which he is a director. Denmark and Czecho-slovakia will probably be included in his itinerary, as perhaps Italy and the Balkans. During his absence abroad, the sales activities in his New York headquarters will be in charge of Albert K. Greenland, who resigned from the Rothacker Film Mfg. Co. to assume his new duties with the Vogel organization on the first of the current month. To Prevent Flooding American Markets Anti-dumping legislation and the amendment of the tariff law by the addition of a provision that ad valorem duties shall be based upon the value in American currency at the port of entry of invoice values in foreign money will be the first things to be taken up by Congress when the extra session convenes on April 11. Designed, of course, to cover general merchandise, this legislation will prevent the flooding of the United States with foreign films. President Harding has given his approval to these measures, and Representative Fordney, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, has announced that he will have them ready for introduction as soon as the new Congress is organized on a working basis.