The Moving picture world (October 1921)

896 MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 22, 1921 Record Bookings on Universal Product Reported at New York Sales Conference ONE of the most important Universal sales conference of the year was held last week in New York City when Universal salesmen from the New York and adjacent territories assembled to discuss policies and fall plans with various Universal executives. The conference followed a beef steak dinner at which Charles Rosenzweig, newly appointed sales manager of the Big "U" Exchange, was master of ceremonies. E. H. Goldstein, general manager of Universal, and H. M. Berman, general manager of exchanges, officiated at the conference and quizzed the salesmen at great length concerning the needs of the exhibitor and the ways and means of supplying the maximum number of exhibitors with the best possible service. A remarkable increase in the popularity of Universal pictures and Universal stars was reported by the various .salesmen. From various parts of New York City, from New Jersey, from Upper New York State and from Southern New England, came the word that exhibitors are hailing the 1921-1922 output of Universal Special Attractions as being almost 100 per cent, better than last year's product, itself a vast improvement over preceding years. A highly instructive sales talk by Mr. Goldstein was a feature of the conference. His subject was "Intelligence in Salesmanship." He particularly impressed upon the salesmen, many of them newcomers to Universal, the necessity for an intelligent co-operation with the exhibitors in their territory and the emphasis placed upon good will and efficient service to the exhibitor by the Universal organization. Warren A. Miller, Joseph L. Hegeman, Robert L. Noah, New York City; B. R. B. PhotoPlay Corporation, $15,000, Charles Berkowitz, Harris Rubin, Samuel BergoflFen, Brooklyn. F. B. G. Holding Co., $30,000, Charles and Samuel Fisher, Max Bernstein, Brooklyn ; Sheepshead Amusement Corporation, $1,200, the same incorporators as in the above; Westminster Film Corporation, $100,000, R. B. Olsen, E. Campbell, New York; C. M. Pulver, Brooklyn ; Campbell-Hall Corporation, $500, Argyll Campbell, L. J. Hall, George P. Breckenridge, New York. First National Meeting to Be Held in Chicago The national "Get-Together" of Associated First National franchise holders will be held, according to final decision, in Chicago, at the Drake Hotel in Michigan avenue, beginning Hiram Abrams Congratulated as United Artists Gets Nazimova HIRAM ABRAMS, president of the United Artists Corporation, is in almost hourly receipt of letters and telegrams congratulating him and the corporation in getting the signature of Mme. Alia Nazimova, through Charles Stark Goes to Thomas Cusack Company Charles F. Stark has just accepted an important office in the sales department of the Thomas Cusack Company. This new connection of the man who for ten years was commercial manager for the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company and later, when that dissolved, sales manager for the Spoor Thompson Laboratory Machine Company, places him where he will be of valuable service to producers, distributors and exhibitors. To the many who are familiar with his personality and past success, the announcement of his appointment to the Cusack sales force, where his wide experience with advertising coupled with his knowledge of the problems of the film industry will play an active part, will be sure to awaken confidence in his new endeavor. Upon accepting ^fr. Stark's resignation. George K. Spoor mingled his regrets with his congratulations when he said: "Mr. Stark severs his connection with this company to accept a position in the advertising field and we feel that we must compliment our successor to his services (the Cusack Company) upon its good judgment in making this choice, and at the same time express our regrets at his departure from our organization." Three $100,000 Firms Are Formed During Week With the exception of three comjianies incorporating at $100,000, the capitalization of motion picture companies filing papers in the Secretary of State's office, Albany, this week, was for comparatively small amounts. The companies with the amount of capitalization and the directors for the first year are : Second National Pictures' Corporation, $10,000, Joseph Nemerov, Daniel V. Earner, Bernard Levey, Brooklyn ; Federation Producers Service, $100,000, Thomas H. Glaze, Harry Kirschbaum, Samuel Schein, New York; Science Foundation, Inc., $100,000, her business manager, Charles Bryant, to a contract which gives the United Artists the opportunity to release all future Nazimova productions. , These congratulatory messages are coming from all sources in the film industry. Producers are hearty in their letters, while exhibitors from all parts of the country are more than enthusiastic in their praise of this forward step on the part of the United Artists, and are inquiring as to what Mme. Nazimova's next production will be, when work will begin, and the approximate release date. Nor are the congratulations all one-sided, and word comes from Mme. Nazimova's managing stafT that she also is being told she is fortunate in being able to have her productions handled by such an organization as the United Artists Corporation. That Mme. Nazimova herself is not without a full sense of appreciation of the value of her new arrangement with the United Arti.sts is shown in the following telegram sent by her from Los Angeles to Mr. Abrams: "Happy to hear the good news, and please know that I shall do everything in my power to .justify the United Artists' expectation of me. To you and all my new comrades my sincerest greetings." Monday, October 24 and continuing for four days. The primary cause for the week's postponement in the time of the "get-together was the cabled news from England that the delegation of British exhibitors which was being formed to come to America and study the Associated First National franchise plan at close range, would sail from Southampton on the Aquitania October 15. By fixing the date of the meeting for October 24 instead of October 17, the British contingent will be enabled to be present, meet the delegates of the franchise holders in person, and obtain first-hand testimony concerning the practical workings of the franchise which would be practically impossible under any other conditions, without a great expenditure of time and money in traveling. Baynes and Screen News Ask Dismissal of Suit Answer to the suit brought in the New York Supreme Court by Fred C. Quimby, Inc.. against the Associated Screen News, Inc., and George McLeod Baynes, its president, has been filed in the New York County Clerk's office. In its answer the Screen News and Baynes make a general denial of all the allegations of the Quimby concern, except that Baynes admits that in London, England, he sold to the Western Import Company for $40,000 the rights for the exhibition of the motion pictures of the Dempsey-Carpentier fight in certain foreign territories, and with this admission asks that the suit of the Quimby concern be dismissed. Vignola Honored on His Leaving Coast for N. Y. Robert G. Vignola, director of special productions for Cosmopolitan, was tendered a series of parties by the Los Angeles Movie Colon}', prior to his departure last Saturday for New York, as a testimonial of the esteem with which he is held by his co-workers in Hollywood. Pauline Frederick, who was at one time under Mr. Vignola's direction, gave an oldfashioned western barbecue and rodeo at her home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, in honor of "Bob." More than 150 were present, among whom were famous motion picture stars, including Marion Davies, Julian Eltinge, Sessue Hayakawa, Director Colin Campbell, Thomas Holding, and many cowboy friends, who were once directed by Mr. Vignola. Other film celebrities to entertain Mr. Vignola during his brief stay on the coast were Ethel Clayton, Kathleen Williams, May .A.llison, George Melford and Alice Hollister. The occasion for these entertainments of Mr. Vignola was his return to Los Angeles, after an absence of more than a year and a half. Prior to his affiliation with Cosmopolitan, Mr. Vignola directed his productions on the west coast, but since aligning himself with Cosmopolitan more than a year and a half ago, he has been almost constantly in New York. His return to Los Angeles was due to the necessity of taking west coast exteriors for his next production, starring Marion Davies, the working title of which is "Beauty's Worth," and which in all probability will be changed before it is released. The Wanda Hawley troupe has left for Laguna Beach hoping for some very hot weather as their schedule calls for a long sequence of water scenes. The hard-hearted weather man, however, threatens rain and all other kinds of disagreeable climatic conditions. This story, in which Miss Hawley is supported by T. Roy Barnes, will be a February release for Realart. E. A. Warren has been added to the cast of Gouverneur Morris' "Yellow Men and Gold" which Irvin V. Willat is directing with Richard Dix and Rosemary Theby in the leading role. The company is now at Catalina Island after spending a week at San Pedro. Two ships have been chartered to make the sea scenes.