The Moving picture world (May 1926-June 1926)

CONTRACT CONF E K E N C E CALLED With the Uniform Contract definitely accepted and in full force and effect, tlier; will he a conference next week to see what all the shooting is about I MOVING PICTURE WORLD OUR OWN WEATHER REPORT Now that Old Man Heat is back with us, those nev cooling systems in the Publix Rialto and the Mark Strand in New York City look inviting 1 VOL. 80 NEW YORK, MAY 22, 1926 NO. 4 Ownership of Theatres Aids Public— F. P. L. So Says in New Bill Filed With Federal Trade Body (Special Dispatch to Movinc PicruitE World) Washington. D. C, May 11. In a bill of exceptions filed with the Federal Trade Commission by Famous Players-l«isky, the company states that the ownership of theatres and producers and distributors was widely prevalent before the formation of Famous PlayersLas k y. The Trade Commission has under consideration a complaint charging' Famous Players-Lasky with unfair methods of competition. The case is now five years old. It was reopened last month and the bill of exceptions is presented by attorneys of the corporation, who claim the evidence contained therein had been erroneously excluded from the record by the trial examiner. The bill states that the Integration of production, distribution and exhibition of pictures is economical, lawful and beneficial to the public in that the quality of the pictures lias improved since the centering of these vital branches of the industry has been accomplished. "The efficiency of the large companies which have integrated the three functions has been a great factor in giving to the public higher class pictures and programs of better" (entertainment and educational value than it enjoyed in the early days of the industry, prior to the development of such organizations." the bill relates. Metro Goldwyn Mayer. First National. Universal and Fox are other companies mentioned in the hill who have combined the three functions to tin benefit of the industry and the public. "Famous Players-Lasky Cor(Cpntinitctl on page 2) Buys Chain Henry Slegie Iiiin taken over (he circuit of theatres operated hy A. s. Heck in New lurk City. 'Ii*ii hoiiNCN lire included in the transfer, mid to involve over 11 million dollar* wortn of property. The hi.UNCM lire the Superior. Chandler, Royal, < helsen. OkiIcii. the Rita ■■> Brooklyn nml four other*. SieKle formerly operated several in Brooklyn anil QneenM. Strike Ended (.Special Cable tn Moving Picture World) London, May 12. The .strike is over. A compromise. has been reached. Details are not now available. The whole film. industry heaves 11 great sigh of relief. IO.vOhnngea have been crippled. Theatres have been handicapped, in some InKtniicx*H scrioUNly, hut have carried on at the request Of till' government. British production has hardly faltered. Contract Meeting Called May 17 by Will Hays Exhibitors' Refusal to Arbitrate Added Clauses Leads to Special Conference Trackless Train Off To Amaze Europeans Met ro-doldwyn -Mayer's Trackless Trait) was lifted aboard the S.S. .Minnewaska this week, bound for Europe. Undaunted by news of the general strike in England, il will arrive in London on May 16 and begin a comprehensive tour of the entire Continent from the English capital. Renee Adoree participated in the farewell ceremonies which took place before the Astor Theatre in New York. Miss Adoree spoke from the observation platform to an enormous crowd. while confetti and streamers were thrown from the marquee. A band celebrated the train's arrival and departure at this point, and accompanied the transport on its last tour of Broadway before preceding to the steamship offices. A halt was made in front of the City Hall, where "Jimmy" Walker inspected it and was introduced to Miss Adoree. The Mayor said of the train: "This is the greatest advertising stunt I have ever seen. I hope it will be as -successful in Europe as it has been in this country." On Saturday morning the train was lifted aboard the Minnewaska before a vast crowd which included Miss Adoree, a delegation of M.-G.-M. officials, headed by Major Edward Bowes, and including William R. Ferguson, exploitation manager in charge of the special's maneuvers both here and abroad, representatives of Mayor Walker. White Star Line officials, executives of the U. S. Tire Company. Standard Oil. Indiana Motor Truck Company, and from the I'ostal Telegraph Company. Numerous press representatives were also present. "Debunk ths Inluslry!" Lasky Tells A. M. P. A. The time has come to debunk the motion picture industry, in the opinion of Jesse L. Lasky, vice president in charge of production of Paramount, who voiced his convictions in an address last week at the luncheon of the A. M. P. A. at the Hof-brau Haus, New York. "Do not feed pip to the newspapers and magazines about our stars," he said. "It does not make them any greater artists if you tell the public that they like pink lemonade for breakfast, or that they have to have their limousines scented with incense. What the public is Interested in today is not the star, not the director, but the amount of real entertainment given on the screen." Eschmann on Trip E. A. Eschmann of United Artists is in Cincinnati on a special mission. Balaban & Katz Open New Oriental Theatre (.Special Dispatch to Moving Picture World) Chicago, May 10. The big event of the past week in Chicago circles was the opening of the Oriental Theatre of the Balaban and Katz circuit. More than three thousand attended the opening including representatives of the trade and friends of the Balaban and Katz organization. Paul Ash and his musicians were on the bill. Elowers from (he trade packed the lobby and stage. Business has been at capacity since the opening. Levy is Manager Jules Levy has been appointed manager of the New York Exchange of First National Pictures, Inc., filling a vacancy made by the resignation of S. The climax in the contract situation in the motion picture industry is reached by the calling of a special meeting of the Advisory Committee on the contract on May 17 by Will H. Hays. The announcement of this meeting, according to Business Manager Joseph M. Seider, came directly after Attorney Gabriel Hess had reported to the head of the M. P. P. D. A., the outcome of the convention of the Northwest theatre owners in lining up with four other states. Western Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Arkansas and Wisconsin, in refusing to arbitrate all clauses added to the contract without the sanction of the theatre owners' organization. At the same time Business Manager Seider makes known that the Fox Film Corporation is adding 13 clauses to the Standard Exhibition Contract. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which took the initial step in the clause-adding, national headquarters says, has withdrawn Clause Four which provides that the distributor shall have the right to substitute another story with the same star and director. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer also is amending its first addition providing for the right for the distributor to pre-release or roadshow any of the photoplays sold to the exhibitor by adding after the word "photoplay" the phrase "not to exceed four in. the aggregate." In step with these developments is the first attempt by a producer to justify his reason for adding clauses. This move has just been made by E. W. Hammons of Educational Film Exchange. Next in the chronological order of new developments in the contract situation i is a notice from Fred J. Herrington, secretary of the Western Pennsylvania unit, that the Hoard of Directors of that organization has gone on record a si protesting against all clause additions to the Standard Exhibition Contract. The Western Pennsylvania directorate, however, is waiting to hear from national headquarters before it makes any drastic move regarding the Arbitration Board. In this respect, Business Manager Seider sounds a warning to exhibitors in the country to erase all addition clauses or refuse to arbitrate them.