The Moving picture world (May 1922)

64 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 6, 1922 In the Independent^Field Live News from the State Rights Market ANNOUNCEMENT has been made by J. T. Sbeffleld, manager of Greater Features, Inc., and of Lannon-Sbeffleld exchanges, both o( Seattle, that Harry Sigmond has resigned as manager of the Blue Mouse Theatre, Portland, Ore., to reenter the selling end of the business, and has joined Greater Features, Inc. Mr. Sigmond win have charge of the company's activities in Oregon and southwestern Washington. Mr. Sigmond's first contract with the motion picture business was as lawyer when he organized the Northwest Film Board of Trade and acted as its counsel until August, 1920, when he accepted a position as assistant manager of Vitagraph Exchange in Seattle. In June, 1921, he was chosen manager of the Seattle Exchange of Associated Producers and held that position until November, when he was appointed manager of the new Blue Mouse Theatre in Portland, then just opening as a first run house. Mr. Sigmond is known by every exhibitor in the four northwest states, and his reentry into the distribution field will be like a home coming. Mr. Sigmond Is now living in Portland at 1189 E. Burnside street. Educational offices In Seattle made a city record for short subjects by their bookings for Educational week, April 16 to 23. Every bouse in Seattle, with but two exceptions, ran Educational subjects. Good records were made throughout the entire northwest. J. A. Gage is manager of the Seattle office. About March first Arrow Film Corporation announced the purchase of fifteen two-reel Sherlock Holmes films for distribution throughout the Northwest. Now comes the confiicting word that these films are to be distributed through Educational offices. Arrow, however, claims Northwest rights, at the same time not denying that Educational may have secured the balance of the territory for the series. Mrs. Nell Clark Keller has arrived in Seattle in advance of "Ten Nights in a Bar Room," which opens at the Blue Mouw April 22. She is making three to five minutes talkB before audiences this week, inconnection with a trailer of "Ten Nights." Mrs. Clark will remain for the opening, at which time she will be joined by Baby Ivy Ward. Mrs. Keller has many friends in Seattle, where she formerly lived and attended school. This Is her first visit to the city in six years. She is the mother in the picture while little Miss Ward Is the child. Ernest Williams has resigned from Grand & Warner, Buffalo, N. Y., to accept a position with Niagara Pictures Corporation. J. A. Schucbert, Jr., has resigned from Niagara. It is rumored he will start an exchange of his own. The Buffalo, N. Y., Pioneer Exchange Is now located on the third floor of the Warner Building, 257 Franklin street, where Manager Bob Murphy will be glad to greet old friends. It is rumored Sam Suckno has purchased the exchange. The newly organized Progress Picture Company, of which Joe Fox Is manager, is now located on the second floor of the new building at Nineteenth and Wyandotte streets, Kansas City. The new quarters boast a projection room and facilities affording the quick handling of film. The company, besides distributing the Arrow pictures formerly distributed by the Phonelx Film Companyq has the distribution In that territory of "His Nibs" and "Shadows of Conscience." M. A. Kahn, manager of the Crescent-Federated Exchange, Kansas City, left last week for a trip around the key towne In Southern Kansas. David Segel of the Royal of Philadelphia announced this week "Determination" will be given its first up state engagement at the Arcadia, Reading, for a week's engagement beglnlng May 1, and will also play at the Lorenz, Bethlehem, Pa., and the Strand, Easton, Pa. In Philadelphia nine theatre in the outlying districts, each a flrst run house, will play "Determination" day and date. Allen Glenn has been added to Royal force in the capacity of exploitation man. The Motion Picture Equipment Corporation of Philadelphia reports the following installations : two Power's 6E machines, curtain controls and full booth equipment. W. Q. Keen, manager. Is very optimistic regarding future business. Dr. W. E. Shallenberger, president of Arrow Film Corporation, was in Chicago and Toledo. Ohio. last week, being met in the latter city by the writer. Dr. Shallenberger went Into a conference with "Dor" Horater of the Alhambra and Panthenon theatres, Toledo and it would be surprising to hear that would not be surprising to bear that "Doc" is put at the head of a syndicate that will handle "Ten Nights In a Barroom" In Ohio. Frank Zambrini, the llve-wire exchan^eman of Chicago. Is doing a land office business with his blpger pictures. Frank had the honor of having three of his pictures In Loop houses this week. Not bad, eh ? Lester Scott, Jr.. sales representative for C. Burr's Affiliated Distributors. Inc.. handling the all-star Bfl. F. Zeldman-Bernie Fineman Edwin Carew production. "I Am the Law." Is contributing his share towards making the railroads pay. Lester was in Kansas City. St. Louis and Chicago this week.' This Is Federated-Standard Week In northern Ohio, for the Standard-Federated Exchange of Cleveland this week conducted Its Sales Drive there. Reports early this week are encouraging. Nat Lefkowltz of the Standard Film Service, Cleveland has moved his headquarters from the Film Building to the Broadway Film Building. Joe Brandt, president of the Star Serial Sales Corporation, handling the Eddie Polo serial, "Cap'n Kidd." and head also of C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation, spent the week visiting Chicago, Cincinnati and Omaha. He will be away from New York for several weeks. David Horsley has purchased a First William G. Smith of Fidelity PicNational sub-franchise for the Hawaiian tures. Inc., has been appointed personal Islands. Dave la one of the old timers representative for H. C. Witwer, author in this business. of "The Leather Pushers." Oscar Neufleld and Tony Luchesse of the De Luve Exchange Philadelphia, announce the big special "Yankee Doodle, Jr.," which It seems must follow the marvelous success attained by their "Ten Nights In a Barroom." Also "Prosecution," in seven reels, will be another big production which is going to find its way in all the flrst run houses in Phllly. M. A. Fink, president of Peacock Productions, Inc., of Oklahoma City and Dallas, visited New York during the past week as did also M. Richards of Kansas City. The bankruptcy proceedings against the Pioneer firm in New York, according to statements issued this week, will not affect the Buffalo or Detroit exchanges. The Philadelphia and Boston exchanges also are not Interested in the proceedings. Will Page, one of the best known publicity men in show business, has opened his own office In New York. Will has publicized a number of big attractions and before entering the film business was publicity manager for the Morris Gest enterprises. He put over "Experience," the big play that "made" Comstock, Elliott & Gest, and also handled successfully the spectacles produced In this country In later years by Mr. Gest personally. Louis Baum, sales manager for Equity Pictures Corporation, leaves early next month for Europe. He will tour continental Europe and England. He is making the trip in the Interests of Equity. Jack Edwards will In all probability soon hit the road to exploit the Houdlnl picture, "Man From Beyond," which will be road showed. Elmo Lincoln, star of Weiss Brothers' serial, "Adventures of Tarzan," returned to New York this week. It is expected that he will go to England next month to make personal appearances there. Merrltt Crawford's live publicity bureau Is having a busy time these days. This enterprising publicist has a number of live accounts, among them being Will Nigh's independent production firm and the Tilford Studies, Inc.. of New York. They also have a long list of stars on their list The newly formed Independent Producers' Association of Atlanta, Ga., is said to have been organized by interests now included in the S. A. Lynch enterprises. It will specialize in Independent productions for independent exhibitors. R. W. Baremore Is again shining forth as publicity manager, for this week this hustler sent out bis first copy on Betty Blythe. Betty couldn't have made a better selection. Harry Warner, of Warner Brothers, will. In all probability, be one of the speakers at the third annual convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America in Washington, May 8 to 12. Wires from J. Charles Davis, 2d, the Arrow exploitation and publicity manager, from Chicago, Indicate that "Ten Nights In a Barroom" Is going big in the Windy City. The purchase of the negative held by Concord Film Company on "Ten Nights In a Barroom," by C. R. Seelye, did not come as a surprise. The sale was closed this week, Hopp Hadley, Edward M. Behrman, William Devery and Irving M. Behrman acting for Concord. The ad copy used by Warners last week In exploiting "Your Best Friend" indeed started some talk. The ad gave the exhibitor something to think about and don't be surprised If some of the other p. a.'s take Eddie Bonns' tip and push out similar copy. It's what the exhibitors want. Sam Grand, of the New England Federated exchange, is expecting to clean up in that territory with "His Nibs." starring Chic Sale. Leon Rubenstein has opened an exploitation bureau in Boston that Is getting results for the exchanges, judglag from reports that have reached this department. Joe DI Lorenzo, who Is State righting the "Big" Boy Williams Westerns, Is meeting with great success on the road selling the picture territorial rights. Note to the Exchange Exploitation, .\dvertislng and Publicity men. Let the column know what you are doing. Send us your name, anyway, and keep the column in touch. The writer found Pittsburgh State rights exchangemen contented, but saw little money there. Exchangemen there agree that the exhibitors are counting every penny, but they add that they have no complaint to make for considering everything business Is not so bad. Joe Well, who In addition to being a live exploitation and publicity man is also sales manager for Export & Import Films. Inc., returned to New York from a successful sales tour of the country. "Ten Nights In a Barroom" equalled "Over the Hill" and " 'Way Down East" records at the Granby theatre In Norfolk, Va. Robert Downing, who made famous the stage role of Joe Morgan, appeared In person. His pre*ence helped pack them In. The opposition was "Orphans of the Storm" at $1 top. Independent exchanges that bare bought rights to Weiss Brothers' "The Expose of Sawing a Lady In Half," are mopping up and already reports on flrst bookings poured Into this department. FirstSixChaptersofVap nKidd" Ready Notwithstanding the inclement weather, delays caused by illness and the usual mechanical troubles incidental to the production of an elaborate and spectacular chapter-play, "Cap'n Kidd," Eddie Polo's first independently-produced serial _ is rounding into form, and according to a conservative estimate made by Joe Brandt this week, should be completed and be available for release throughout the country within the next six weeks. Thus far six chapters of the serial have been completed, though fully fifty thousand feet of film have already been "shot" under the direction of J. P. MacGowan and Burton King. This does not necessarily mean that only six episodes of the serial have been made since production was first started on "Qip'n Kidd." The additional footage — and close to twenty thousand feet of film is available, will be used in the remaining chapters just as soon as a number of special scenes now being photographed are "shot." In the Florida Everglades, for instance, where Polo and his com pany of players were working two weeks ago, more than twenty-five thousand feet of exteriors were pho« tographed. A goodly portion of thii film was used throughout many of the scenes in the six chapters now completed. In order to facilitate production matters, a number of special scenes which are to be used exclusively in episodes eight, ten, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen were photographed, and will upon completion of the chapters in question, be assembled and placed in their continuity.