The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 20, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 251 News Bits Picked at the Convention WASHINGTON. — Pathe, Inc., will distribute Screen Snapshots, now being State righted by C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation. This is the series of one reelers that Harry and Jack Cohn and Joe Brandt have been successfully producing and distributing. The Sherlock Holmes series of two-reelers, made by StoU in England, for a time threatened to bring about a serious fight between Alexander Fihii Corporation and Educational, but it was learned here that the differences have been settled to the satisfaction of all concerned and that Educational will handle the series. Many of the big exhibitors here are of the opinion that the only way to encourage business is to go after it and for that reason most of them are planning special attractions over the summer months. 'Tis said that the Chicago exhibitors have guaranteed Will Rogers $5,000 a week for personal appearances. Kitty Gordon, too, has been engaged. Both will do a special act. Representatives of the D. W. Griffith organization here made it known that that producer will return to England shortly and make two productions there. He will be financially backed by the British faction and assumes no risk whatsoever. Three cities — Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago are seeking the 1923 convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. The Chicago delegation seemed to have made the most impressive showing. Marcus Loew, who attended the convention, stated that he is through building theatres. Despite the depression, Loew stated that his houses are doing fairly well. According to a persistent and undenicd rumor Senator James J. Walker, erstwhile counsel of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, has been offered the presidency of the new national organization being formed by all branches of show business. His position in show business, if he accepts this job, would be similar to that which Hays holds in the picture industry. safeguard the theatre-going public against shows of an objectionable character, just as a newspaper editor would prevent publication of matter in his paper which would be out of hariTiony with the tastes of the community. We would further make it certain that wholesome and high grade pictures would be shown, as we would not only insist upon the absence of objectionable features, but we would demand the presence of such high grade elements as would give the picture a place in the very first division as far as practicable. "Of course, it is impossible to guarantee entirely first class pictures all of the time, but we believe that through such co-operation a much better kind of picture would result and that the American public would be advantaged to that extent. "Our second purpose is to take care of the theatre owner in every possible way. He would no longer be a victim of pictures handed to him by producing elements or distributors with the imperious demand that he pay and play or do without a film. Through the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, he would be able to take a part in the production of pictures by this co-operating phase of our agreements, and in that way know in advance what he was liable to receive, and about what value the same would be to him from a box office point of view. This would clear up a great many difficulties now confronting the theatre owner and the creating discord and other unprofitable conditions within the industry. District Leaders "In all lines of endeavor there are certain people involved who, because of natural adaptability and for other reasons, take a more conspicuous part than others. This is the case in the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Organization is to some people a very natural condition. They like it, desire to take an important part in its affairs and are willing to freely give the time and the talent necessary to make it a success in the different sections. "In this connection, I am not referring definitely to your national or state officers. I am taking into consideration the active, energetic, self-effacing theatre owner down the lines, the element upon which this organization has been built. "Our business is of comparative recent grovvth and development. We have naturally within the ranks of our theatre owners a great many people who up to their accession into this business have been engaged in other lines of trade or endeavor, and therefore are not fully cognizant all of the time of the different phases and possibilities of the motion picture theatre. This is not their fault, as they are indeed wonderful people who have-made majestic advances and are entitled to every possible ciedit. "It is the purpose of your national officers, however, to stabilize this business for the good of all. Where any theatre owner or group of theatre owners are in any need of advice or assistance in any way, we feel that that help should come to them, and it is for the purpose of providing the means to thus aid them that I am now discussing that phase of the situation. Lack Direct Contact "Through your national organization, the state bodies and the district or zone units, you have been able to accomplish a great deal and, no doubt, operating along these lines will do much more in the future. But there is still a lack of direct contact in localities which we feel should be supplied by this convention. "I, therefore, suggest the advisability of permitting your national officers, co-operating with the state and other bodies, to name district leaders or what might be called key leaders in different sections, whose duty it will be to take into account local conditions, pay special attention to anything that might come up affecting the welfare of the theatre owner and then transmit it to other theatre owners in that district in as concise and practical a way as possible. In this way, local legislative matters. local regulations of all characters, local daylight saving rules, carnival interferences and a multitude of other conditions which are peculiarly local in character, can receive expert attention and all theatre owners in these affected localities brought into vigorous action in affecting the necessary changes. What They Could Do "Such district leaders would take into account all phases of public service work of our organization. They would study up that situation with respect to its local application and then, accepting from the national and state bodies such advices as they might have, apply the same to the localities in question with such modifications and readjustments as the situations there might demand. "In this wa\-, we would be able to comprehend more completely the needs of each locality and make our general programs more effective. It must be plain to all that the national line of contact is of necessity very general in character. The same may be said of state programs. Xo two localities in the United States have precisely the same elements, and any program, however well presented and adapted in a general sense, must be made to fit into local conditions in order to be effective. "I therefore strongly urge the necessity of this district co-operation. It will bring about a better feeling all through the United States. The key exhibitor or district leader will be in a position at all times to suggest to your national and state officers, lines of conduct whicli will he beneficial to his locality and will in all probability fit, with necessary changes, into the interests of other localities. "Since our last convention we have developed and extended our public service work in many ways. Our aim is, and always has been, to make the motion picture theatre the community center of a most pronounced character and to carry this into practical effect, we have established close associations with the officialdom of nation, state and community. In this relation, the closest of associations have been effected with the leaders in our national government, beginning with the President of the United States and extending through each division as far as practicable and comprehending in that relation as much of the real work as our theatres have been able to handle. Some of this, of course, needs to be systematized in order that the maximum results may be obtained, but we have made very gratifying advances along these lines and have been able to achieve inarked progress in each division. "I earnestly urge every theatre owner in the Ihu'ted States to make this work a distinct part of his daily program. In that relation, I mean to have such a close affiliation with the community in which he or she resides that everything appertaining to the people there shall receive such proper expression upon the screen (if the theatre as to most fully conserve the community needs. An Example "In many instances, we have preserved the inauguration of this service with photographs. We have at national headquarters one taken at the Baker Theatre in Dover, N. J., conducted by President Woodhull of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of that state. Mr. Woodhull invited the co-operation of the school