The Moving picture world (April 1921)

716 MOVING PICTURE WORLD April 16, 1921 "First National Week" to Be Inaugurated During Month of May in Five Territories FOLLOWING the success of "First National Week" in the Seattle territory, „ when 190 theatres in Seattle, Portland, Tacoma and other cities and towns of Washington, Oregon and Idaho played a special season of First National attractions, six other territories have announced the inauguration of a "First National Week." Extensive preparations are being made to make the seven-day period in each territory a big booking coup. Already the Los Angeles territory, including Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico, has negotiated a successful "First National Week." During the week of March 2, "First National Week" was the watchword in the Milwaukee territory. The results of the campaign are expected to exceed all estimates made in advance of probable business. The first week in May will be made memorable by the exploitation of a "First National Week" simultaneously in four territories— St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha (including Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska) and eastern Canada, of which Toronto is the distributing point. Detroit will follow the week of May 8. SEVEN years ago, on April 11, 1914, when the photo-play was still considered a subordinate — no, inferior — form of entertainment, the Mitchel H. Mark Realty Company dedicated the Strand Theatre of New York to the artistic presentation of better motion pictures combined with subsidiary programs of great musical works befitting operatic institutions, thereby establishing the independence of the cinema in the amusement world and materially assisting in raising it to a high plane of theatrical achievements. The efforts of that company were largely responsible for the advancement of an art which before that time was considered a sort of cheap novelty. Not only was that the singular miscon Already it has been determined that "The Passion Flower," Norma Talmadge's next release through First National, will play the Strand, Omaha, during that week, with the Rialto running Charles Ray's "The Old Swimmin' Hole," based upon James Whitcomb Riley's celebrated poem of American boyhood. Other equally interesting bookings will be made during the next two weeks. The St. Louis office of Associated First N'ational Pictures, in anticipation of exceptional business during the week of May 1, has equipped itself with a special line of one-sheets, banners and cards, which will be furnished every exhibitor who is keen to "make a week of it" with First National attractions. The Toronto office has flooded its territory with advance notice of the gala occasion. Michigan exhibitors will commemorate the fourth anniversary of the opening of service by the First National Exhibitors Circuit in that territory by participating in a First National week of bookings during the seven days beginning May 8. ception, but the general indifference toward the motion picture's progression discouraged whatever attempts were made to constantly better the quality of its presentation. But Moe Mark, president of the MarkStrand Theatres, and the late Mitchel H. Mark, both showmen with initiative, had great faith in the silent drama. They saw its vast possibilities as an art in itself, and being ardent lovers of music, founded and promoted a new and eighth art with the aid of an ancient one. After they had blazed the trail, others hastily followed their footsteps. The Mark Strand Theatre of New York is at present managed and directed by Joseph L. Plunkett, whose ability justifies his great responsibility. ture industry is aiding. The following is the telegram sent by the nation's chief executive to Judge Morgan J. O'Brien, chairman of the committee: "I wish you the fullest measure of success not only in the great benefit performance at the Metropolitan Opera House on April 3, but in every worthy effort to make a becoming contribution on the part of our people to relieve distress among the women and children in Ireland. The people of America never will be deaf to the call for relief in behalf of suffering humanity, and the knowledge of distress in Ireland makes quick and deep appeal to the more fortunate of our own land where so many of our citizens trace kinship to the Emerald Isle." Roosevelt Is Sold The Roosevelt Theatre at 145th street and Seventh avenue, New York City, has been sold by the builders and operators to a syndicate in which Leo Brecher, connected with the management of the Plaza Theatre, the Odeon Theatre and Annex on 145th street, and the Orpheum Theatre in Yonkers, is prominently identified. The theatre was recently completed and accommodates about 1,600 people, all on one floor level. The sale also includes the adjacent property, being a total of ten lots at the southeast corner of 145th street and Seventh avenue. Messrs. Goetz & Jacoby and S. A. Messrs. Kendall & Herzog the purchasing syndicate, and Aaron A. Corn was the broker. Law to Manage Branch George F. Law one of the pioneers in Canadian film circles, has been appointed manager of the Winnipeg branch of the Canadian Universal Film Company, it is announced by Herman Stern, Universale division sales manager for Canada. Big Thefts of Film in Milwaukee Disclosures of thefts of thousands of dollars' worth of films in Milwaukee, said to be valued at between *25,000 and $30,000, from local film companies, were made this week with the arrest of a young man who was questioned and temporarily released by the police. Thirteen film companies are reported to be heavy losers. All are occupants of the Toy Building at 174 Second street. The Universal company is said to have lost between $5,000 and $6,000 worth of films in the last few weeks. Other heavy losers are said to be the Midwest Distributing Company, Ludwig Company, First National, Pathe, Robertson-Cole, Vitagraph, V-LS-E, Super-Attractions Film Company, Educational, Wisconsin Film Corporation, Walter A. Baier Film Company and Reelcraft. More arrests are expected. Sold Seventeen German Pictures Here and Returns with Thirty-five American MILTON D. HEILBRONER, of Bavaria, Germany, who has been in this country since November 19, 1920, is returning to the Continent this week, having sold seventeen German motion pictures and bought thirty-five for exhibition on the other side. He represented the Munich Photoplay Company, Inc., of Munich, Bavaria, in the transactions. While praising "Way Down East," "The Four Horsemen" and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" — calling the titling in the last named the best he had ever seen — Mr. Heilbroner criticized American pictures as generally lacking variety of theme and plot, as rating real acting ability below beauty and clothes and as insisting on happy endings. On the other hand, he termed night lighting effects in American pictures "marvelous." Censorship he termed "ridiculous," saying that it had failed in Germany, where first tried, and would ruin the American export trade. His concern has seven studios, five in Munich and two in Berlin. Among the directors are Robert Reinert, Uve Jens Krafft, Karl Boese, Peter Ostermayr and Franz Osten. The firm owns or controls 143 picture theatres in Germany. Its programs are worked in co-operation with Ufa and Decla Bioscope. Its annual program is thirty-six each of features, comedies and cartoons, twelve educationals and six "medicals." Mr. Heilbroner was born in New York City and was graduated from New York University in 1895. He has been a resident of Germany for eighteen years. He declined to state what companies have bought his pictures. Harding Approves Work for Relief of Ireland President Harding has publicly approved the work of the American Committee for Relief in Ireland, which the motion pic April 11 Is Anniversary of Dedication of Strand Theatre to Moving Pictures