The Moving picture world (July 1924-August 1924)

July 26, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 257 NationWide Chain of Live Wires Handle Warner Product from Coast to Coast TO the powerful and efficient system of distribution under which the Warner Brothers' organization has been operating for the past three or four years is due a not inconsiderable portion of the phenomenal success that has crowned the efforts of the four Warner brothers. With studios among the largest and among the best equipped in the country, directors of tried ability and renown, story material that has proven its appeal and popularity under such masters as Belasco and other famous playwrights and authors, stars whose names and past performances mean inflated box office receipts and a producing unit of picked experts, the Warner Brothers felt, and rightly so, that their product deserved distribution of the highest calibre procurable. Instead of handing the Warner product over to distributors throughout the country and then letting them do the rest, Warner Brothers have given unceasing thought and the most careful consideration possible to those organizations chosen to handle the distributing end of their business, and then opened the resources of the home office to them. In other words, each and every one of the offices that is distributing Warner product is not a nindependent sales office, but is a potent, highly efficient distributing center and specializes in Warner service in that particular territory, giving exhibitors product backed up by the integrity of the Warner Brothers organization. As a further proof of the close relationship between the Warner home office and its distributing exchanges, came the announcement about a month ago, following the yearly sales and policy convention held at the Coast studios, that a committee of exchange managers had been appointed, seven in number, who would assemble four times a year in executive session with the heads of the Warner organization, to decide on all matters of Warner policy — production, sales, distribution or any other angles that would arise. Of the forty offices that are now handling the distribution of the Warner Brothers Classics of the Screen throughout the country, the following committee was chosen : Bobby North of the Apollo Exchange, New York City; Morgan Walsh of George Oppenheimer, Inc., San Francisco; Charles Skouras of the St. Louis Film Exchange, St. Louis; J. F. Cubberley of the F. & R. Film Company, Minneapolis; W. D. Shapiro of the Franklin Film Company, Boston; Eddie Silverman of Film. Classics, Chicago, and a seventh member to be selected by the other members of the committee. One feature of the Warner distribution system is the schedule of production by year — and the selection of distributors at the beginning of each season, to handle the product for the ensuing yearly period. It is interesting to note that for the season 1922-23, during which time Warner Brothers produced the "7" pictures, the lineup of distributors proved so successful that when it came to choosing men for the 192324 season that saw the remarkable achievement of the "18" Classics of the Screen, very few changes were necessary. And even more astounding is the strength and efficiency of the distributing nucleus that has primed its guns for the coming season that, from all indications at the present time, will see the "20" Warner Classics of the Screen sweep the country with even greater success than heretofore. The line-up of central distributing offices for the 1924-25 season reads as follows : Oscar S. Oldknow, president of the Franklin Film Company of Boston, Mass.: Phil Kauffman, general manager of the Regal Films, Ltd., of Canada; Edwin Silverman, manager of the Film Classics of Illinois, Chicago, 111.; H. L. Charnes, president of the Film Classics Company of Cleveland, O. ; W. G. Underwood, president of the Specialty Film Company of Dallas, Texas; Bobby North, president of the Apollo Exchange of New York City; A. L. Kahn, president of the Film Classics of Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo. ; Carl Reese, manager of the Premier Pictures Exchanges, Inc., of Des Moines, la. ; E. G. Tunstall, president of the Tunstall Film Exchange, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis.; J. F. Cubberley, general manager of the F. & R. Film Company, Minneapolis, Minn.; L. M. Ash, general manager of the Creole Enterprises, New Orleans, La.; L. Berman, president of the Independent Film Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa.; Harry Hynes, manager of the St. Louis Film Exchange, Inc., St. Louis, Mo.; Morgan A. Walsh, manager of George A. Oppenheimer, Inc., San Francisco, Cal. ; L. K. Brin, president of Film Classics, Inc., Seattle, Wash.; L. T. Fidler, manager of Kwality Pictures, Denver, Colo., and Col. A. C. Bromhead, director-general of Gaumont Company, Ltd., of England. Nearly every one of the above offices has under its control several sub-branches, so that no opportunity, no town, however small or insignificant, is overlooked or neglected. Change Fox Title Fox Film Corporation announces that the latest star series attraction with Shirley Mason, recently completed at the West Coast studios under the title of "The Phantom Jury," will be released early next season as "The Great Diamond Mystery." Denison Clift directed this production. The story is by Shannon Fife and the scenario was written by Thomas Dixon, Jr. The other principals in "The Great Diamond Mystery" are Jackie Saunders, Harry Van Meter, John Cossar, Philo McCullough, Hector V. Sarno, "Buster" Collier, Jr., and Engenia Gilbert. Top row (left to right) — L. K. Brin, president, Film Classics, Inc., Seattle; Harry Charness, president, Film Classics Co., Cleveland; Phil Kaufman, general manager, Regal Films, Ltd., Toronto; Morgan A. Walsh, manager of San Francisco office; A. L. Kahn, president, Film Classics, Kansas City; J. F. Cubberly, general manager, F. & R. Film Company, Minneapolis; Oscar S. Oldknow, Southern States Film Co., Atlanta. Bottom row — E. Silverman, manager, Film Classics of Illinois, Chicago; L. B'erman, president, Independent Film Corp., Philadelphia; William D. Shapiro, president, Franklin Film Co., Boston; George A. Oppenheimer, manager, Los Angeles office; W. G. Underwood, president, Specialty Film Co., Dallas; E. G. Tunstall, president, Tunstall Film Exchange, Milwaukee; L. T. Fidler, manager, Quality Pictures, Denver.