The Moving picture world (May 1922)

38 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 6, 1922 High Spots in the Week s News COHEN MUST GO" is the slogan of a I'apidly growing army of exhibitors that is out to prevent the present head of the M. P. T. O. A. from receiving the third term he seeks. The Motion Picture Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce is I)ractically solid against him, especially now that he has feared to appear before that body and substantiate charges against Senator James J. Walker, which were printed in New York newspapers. Walker was there and in a three-hour speech proved his innocence of any guilt. These statements essentially charged commercialism against the counsel for the exhibitors, and said he had been "lying down on the job." Senator Walker read a letter from Cohen retracting the statements. "But he doesn't repudiate the charges in the statement," Walker commented. Then, while tears [streamed down his cheeks. Walker 'hade the exhibitors farewell. "I wUl no longer live in an atmosphere of intrigue, hypocrisy and deception," he said. The hall was in an uproar. "Don't let him go," came from hundreds of throats. When "Billy" Brandt moved to nominate him for the exhibitor presidency. Walker shouted: "Nothing doing! Nothing doing." The cries that he be a candidate were repeated and insistent. Brandt declared he would nominate him at Washington anyway, but Walker replied: "Boys, I'm grateful to you all — and I know you all mean well; God bless you for that. But, boys, I've got a bigger job to do. I've got to clear my name. Cohen and his henchmen have not heard the end of this and by all the living Gods above I swear that these charges made against me are nothing but dirty, rotten and contemptible lies." Cohen has officially announced his candidacy for re-election. * * * Pictures representing an actual cost of $2,000,000, four huge producing corporations and the works of eleven authors have been transfered by Benjamin B. Hampton and his associate, Hcwlings Mumper, to J. E. Bowen, president of the Cosmosart Pictures Corporation. The distributing companies figuring in the deal are Hodkinson, Pathe and Goldwyn. The screen properties include Federal Photoplays of California, Benjamin B. Hampton Pictures Company, Great Authors Pictures, Inc., and Grey Pictures, Inc., a minority interest in Rex Beach Pictures, Inc., and a few minor interests held by Hampton B\ SUMNER SMITH and Mumper. These have been known as Federal Productions and a new corporation capitalized at $2,500,000 will be organized by Bowen to continue the production activities of this brand. * * * Friction has developed in the First Baptist Church, Nashua, N. H., because the deacons vetoed the minister's invitation to Virginia Pearson, screen actress, to address the congregation from the pulpit on a Sunday evening. She was to have told how the screen can aid in making known tlie finer things of life. The church was crowded and the congregation waiting as the hour for Miss Pearson's appearance came and passed. Finally, the minister announced she could not speak. Miss Pearson is Sheldon Lewis' wife. They have been married eleven years. * * * William Desmond, the motion picture star, is recovering in Los Angeles. The first report that he was fatally injured proved false. * * * Just before Marshall Neilan sailed Maryland Exhibitors Elect Officers The officers for the Exhibitors' League of Mai"V'land for the ensuing year were elected at a meeting held in the headquarters of that organization on the third floor of the Blue Mouse Theatre Building, on Tuesday, April 18. Those elected are Frank A. Durkee, president; J. Louis Rome, vice-president; William E. Stumpf, sergeant-at-arms. The board of directors will include Frank A. Durkee, Frank Hornig, Eugene B. McCurdy, Louis Schlichter, Ben Cluster, Charles E. Hicks, Charles E. Nolte, A. M. Selignian and L. Garman. Those members chosen to attend the National Convention at Washington, D. C, include Charles E. Whitehurst, chairman; Eugene B. MeCurdy, J. Louis Rome, Frank Hornig, Louis Schlichter, A. M. Seligman, C. Osborne, Thomas D. Goldberg and Harry Reddish. Phillip Miller of Annapolis, Md., was named a member of the grievance committee. for Europe last week he signed a contract to produce in conjunction with Goldwyn. Papers were served on him in a $100,000 suit brought by Associated Producers charging him witli owing money for stock of the company and witli not producing the number of pictures agreed to in his contract. The government of India, writes our Calcutta correspondent, is effectively killing producing and exhibiting by taxation. Now it is proposed to raise tlie import duty on raw stock, as well as on positive prints and negatives, from the existing high rate of 20 per cent, to .'JO per a-nt. Until the beginning of 1921 the ad valorem duty was 7>i per cent. Classified under the head of "luxuries," films were made to bear the import duty of an additional 12'/. per cent., and a year is not over when the government proposes to increase this to 30 per cent. * « * Ole M. Nelson, Grand Junction, Col., showman, has been acquitted of the charge of violating the antiSunday statute. Similar complaints against local exliibitors probably will be withdrawn. Jacksonville, III., voters have decided to continue enforcement of the local Blue Laws. It stood 2,779 to 1,898. * • * Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith, sole owners and stockholders of United Artists, have formed the Allied Corporation for the rel-jase of independent productions other than their own. It will begin to operate immediately. * * * The site and ruins of the ill-fated Knickerbocker Theatre, Washington, D. C, are to be sold this week at public auction, as Harry M. Crandall will not re-build. Theatrical business has fallen ofl' in that locality and there were some people sentimentally opposed to another theatre on the site. R. W. Geare, the architect, who was indicted with four others, has moved to quash the indictment. The others have pleaded "not guilty." Producers have named an operating committee for the drive through the screens, co-operated in by exhibitors, to aid the Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor in New York City, whieli will open Saturday night with a midniglil show at whicli various stars will be nominated for the popularity contest.