The Moving picture world (January 1925-February 1925)

February 14, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 653 Qreat Wisconsin Theatre Combine Begins with a Membership of Fifty Decision Due Soon Unless some unexpected legal snags are encountered, negotiations between Cecil B. DeMille and Producers Distributing Corporation should soon result in a definite agreement. The contracts have been drawn up and the lawyers now are going over them, it has been learned, though both Producers and Mr. DeMille decline to discuss the matter. It is believed that De Mille would direct a series of specials and supervise other productions in which Leatrice Joy and Rod La Rocque will be featured, for these two stars have personal contracts with De Mille. Another rumor, apparently with foundation, is that De Mille will take over the Thos. H. Ince studios at Culver City. AsIc for Injunction to Keep Lillian Qish with Duell Co. Charles H. Duell, Inc., has brought injunction proceedings to prevent Lillian Gish from acting with any motion picture company except the plaintiff. Louis Levy, counsel for Miss Gish, declared that this was "the latest move of a design to force Miss Gish to continue under an indefinite contract." The summons and complaint, asking an injunction, declare Miss Gish was under contract to Inspiration Pictures. Inc., when Charles H. Duell, Inc., was formed. Her contract was transferred to the latter corporation by Mr. Duell and Walter Camp, Jr., officers of Inspiration Pictures, Inc. Under her contracts Miss Gish's salary begins at $1,250 a week and increases with her length of service to $2,500 a week, with a percentage of the gross receipts of her pictures. "Romola" is now being shown. Her previous picture "grossed" $1,500,000. Miss Gish is bound under options to make twentyfour pictures during the period ending January 31, 1930. "Miss Gish started with a fairly sound contract." said Mr. Levy, "with Inspiration Pictures, a highly responsible corporation. Her work was done faithfully and well. Yet after two years Mr. Duell constantly whittled down her rights. She suddenly finds herself yoked to Mr. Duell's personal company. So the Inspiration Pictures, Inc., is entirely relieved from obligation." No statement was forthcoming from Mr. Duell. One of Its Primary Objects Understood to Be Combined Booking of Pictures — Silliman Is President, Wiesner Manager EXCLUSIVE FEATURES MOVES Exclusive Features, of which J. M. Goldstein is president and Jack Weinberg treasurer, has moved to Its new quarters on the tenth floor of 729 Seventh avenue, New York City. THE greatest theatre combine in t ness in Wisconsin has been reve issued by J. H. Silliman of Mil ruary 16 the Badger Theatres Corpora bership of fifty exhibitors throughout t Although the statement vaguely giv means "of obtaining a better understan members, so that their screen entertain the theatregoing public," it is generall objects is the combined booking of pic With the exception of listing officers of the organization, which includes Mr. Silliman as president, the statement fails to reveal the identity of its members. However, it is reported that approximately half of the theatres interested are from Milwaukee and the remainder distributed throughout Wisconsin. According to reports, none of the first-run downtown Milwaukee houses is a member. Just who composes the new organization is expected to be revealed on February 5 when a mass meeting is to be held at the Maryland Hotel in Milwaukee for the purpose of completing further details. Mr. Silliman's formal statement comes as a climax to countless rumors that have been afloat for w^eeks and which had their inception when papers of incorporation were filed at Madison, listing Fred Seegert of the Regent, E. W. Van Norman of the Parkway and George Fischer of the Milwaukee as incorporators. Mr. Seegert, besides conducting the Regent, is president of the M. P. T. O. of Wisconsin. It was at first believed that the combine was limited to these three theatres, but this belief was soon dispelled when it became known that organization work was being carried on throughout the state. Apparently the organization is not limited to any one section of Wisconsin, since reports have it that the membership roles include cities in the most northern and southern portions ali:<e. It had been reported that Uihlein's Alhambra and Garden theatres, the two houses that present the greatest opposition to Saxe's chain, were among the Milwaukee theatres in the combination, but these reports proved unfounded when O. J. Wooden, director of those show houses, emphatically denied that he is in any way connected with the movement. With Saxe controlling twenty-three theatres in the state, the talk among disinterested exhibitors and film men has been that the new corporation was intended to be used as a weapon to compete against the Saxe chain. Discussing this phase of the matter, a leader in the new movement, who refused to allow his name to be used, had this to say : "We did not organize for the purpose of fighting anyone. It should be distinctly un he history of the motion picture busialed through a formal statement just waukee, which declares that on Febtion will begin to function with a memhe state. es the purpose of the organization as a ding of the needs and desires of its ment might be made more attractive to y understood that one of its primary tures. derstood that we do not aim to put any exhibitor or exchange out of business. We have merely joined together to protect our own interests and do not anticipate trouble with anyone on the outside." Because of reports that some of the exchanges have been suspicious of the new movement and have even threatened to boycott members, and because of the other reports that have been circulated from time to time, it is known that officers of the corporation put in considerable time in framing a statement which would put over the idea that it does not aim to battle any other organization. The statement, headed "Badger Theatres Corporation Launched," follows in full as given out by Mr. Silliman: "Some six months ago, several motion picture theatre owners of Wisconsin met and discussed the advisability of forming a corporation for the purpose of operating their theatres on a co-operative basis and thereby obtaining a better understanding of the needs and desires of its members, so that their screen entertainment might be made more attractive to the theatre-going public. "After an extensive study, the Badger Theatres Corporation was formed with a nucleus of fifty theatres to commence operation on February 16 of this year. . .. "The officers are : J. H. Silliman, president; George Fischer, first vice-president; E. Rice, second vice-president ; E. W. Van Norman, secretary ; Fred C. Seegert, treasurer, and Max Wiesner, general manager. ."The operation of the corporation is in the hands of eleven directors with the general manager in charge. The corporation has engaged quarters at Eleventh and Wells streets. "The officers and directors of this corporation, as well as each member, believe it is one of the greatest constructive strides ever taken in the history of the business and that the methods pursued will tend to eliminate a great deal of waste and useless expense in the exhibitive end of the business, along the same lines that the producers have been endeavoring to eliminate waste in their end." Wiesner, general manager, is one of the most widely known men in the film business (Continued on page 655)