The Moving picture world (May 1922)

46 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 6, 1922 Films Worth $2,000,000, Literary Works of Eleven Authors and Four Producing Companies Transferred Goldwyn kinaon. and the last two by Hod ONE of the largest financial transactions of 1922 was consummated this week when motion pictures representing an actual cost of $2,000,000, four large producing corporations and the literary works of eleven prominent authors, were transferred by Benjamin B. Hampton and his associate, Hewlings Mumper, to J. E. Bowen, president of the Cosmosart Pictures Corporation. Three distributing companies figure in the deal: W. W. Hodkinson, Pathe Exchange, Inc., and the Goldwyn Distributing Corporation, all of which have been handling the Hampton output. The screen properties changing hands include the Federal Photoplays of California, Benjamin B. Hampton Pictures Company, Great Authors' Pictures, Inc., Zane Grey Pictures, Inc., a minority interest in the Rex Beach Pictures, Inc., and a few minor interests held by Hampton and Mumper. These have been commonly known as Federal Productions, and a new corporation with a $2,500,000 capitalization is to be organized by J. E. Bowen to continue the production activities of this brand. Associated with J. E. Bowen in the purchase are Frank E. Spicer, vice-president of Cosmosart; W. G. Logan, business manager and treasurer ; W. J. Reed, secretary ; James Warwick, T. C. Hughes and Ernest Palmer, all three directors of Cosmosart. The production changing hands include "The Westerners." "The Sagebrusher," "The Dwelling Place of Light," "The This Theatre Serves Tea to Patrons Women patrons of Gordon's Scollay Square Olympia Theatre, Boston, have hailed with enthusiasm an innovation that is likely to be copied by other theatre owners throughout Greater Boston as its success becomes more and more apparent. Recently it was noticed that many of the women patrons made it a point to get a light lunch following the afternoon performance, and it was noted, too, that the theatre rest rooms were being used by such patrons as meeting places and conversational rendezvous. A decision then was reached to serve dainty tea luncheons each afternoon between 5 and 7 o'clock, and during the past week these have met with such favor among the women patrons that it has been decided to make them a regular feature. Spenders," "A Certain Rich Man," "Heart's Haven," "The Gray Dawn," "Desert Gold," "The U. P. Trail," "Riders of the Dawn," "Man of the Forest," "The Mysterious Rider," "When Romance Rides," "Golden Dreams," "The Money Changers," "Where Was a King in Egypt" and "The Killer." "When Romance Rides" has just been released by Goldwyn. "Golden Dreams," "Heart's Haven" and "The Gray Dawn" are yet to be distributed, the first by Federal productions will be made henceforth at the Cosmosart studios on Temple street, Los Angeles, a recently completed plant on twenty-one acres of land. Bowen announced that he would follow out the production of pictures from the novels of prominent authors, having taken over the Hampton interests, rights and options to the works of Zane Grey, Stewart Edward White, William Allen White, Harry Leon Wilson, Clara Louise Burnham, Upton Sinclair, George W. Cable, Norma Lorimer, G. W. Ogden, James B. Connolly and Eugene P. Lyle, Jr. The output, it is announced, will total twelve productions annually. "Big Four" Forms Distributing Company for Marketing of Independent Releases M AKV PICKFORD, Charhe Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith, sole owners and stockholders of United Artists Corporation, come forward on their third anniversary as business partners with an announcement they consider as important to the industry as that historical statement three years ago that carried the news of the formation of the "Big Four." This time they have formed a new company for the release of independent productions other than their own, in order that the theatres, with the return of normal business, may be assured of a continuance of "open market" conditions and to assure other independent producers of the same freedom in production and directness in distribution that the "Big Four" themselves have obtained. The new releasing organization is to be known as "Allied Corporation." Its stockholders and organizers are Miss Pickford, Chaplin, Fairbanks and Griffith. The board of directors is identical with the board of United Artists Corporation : Hiram Abrams, president; Mrs. Charlotte Pickford, Dennis F. O'Brien, Albert H. T. Banzhaf and Nathan Burkan. Allied Corporation will begin its operations immediately. A number of prominent producers are now in negotiation for the release of productions already completed and in the making. The actual physical plan of distribution will be announced in a few days, it is said, but assurance is given that the new company will be releasing within a few weeks. erations and has got off to a flying start. C. Eiseman, former sales manager of the Famous Players-Lasky office in Washington, D. C, has been appointed to and is now in active charge of the American Releasing Corporation's branch distributing office in Detroit. .Alex Weissman has joined the American Releasing Corporation as manager of their branch distributing office in Albany, N. Y. Colorado Showman Wins Sunday Opening Fight Ole M. Nelson, manager of the Majestic Theatre, Grand Junction, Col., one of Harry T. Nolan's theatres, was acquitted in the county court in that city on April 5, when Judge N. C. Miller directed the jury to bring in a verdict for the defendant on the charge of having violated the anti-Sunday section of the state statutes. The complaint against Bell & Benton, owners of the Lyceum, similar in charge and nature to the complaint against Mr. Nelson, will not be called for trial, for no doubt the court would arrive at the same conclusion as in the Nelson case, as the complaints read the same. It is reported that the anti-screen leaders propose to gather more evidence file new complaints and keep up the fight. American Opens Its 28th Office American Releasing Corporation has opened its twenty-eighth branch distributing office, New Haven, Conn., forming the newest link in their chain. Israel Levine, who for several years has been a branch manager for Selznick Pictures, has been entrusted with the destinies of the new office and has already begun op Enter Pleas of Not Guilty Pleas of not guilty have been entered in the criminal court by four of the five men indicted on a joint charge of manslaughter in connection with the Knickerbocker Theatre disaster in Washington, D. C, on January 8. The men who entered the pleas are John Howard Ford, Rirhard O. Fletcher, Donald M. Wallace and Julian R. Downman. Reginald W. CJeare, architect of the theatre, who was indicted with the other four, has filed a motion to quash the indictment in his case advancing four reasons for this action.