Moving Picture World (Nov - Dec 1918)

November 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD general, high tribute for the co-operation given the Government. Mr. McAdoo expressed his pleasure at the opportunity of publicly acknowledging his sincere appreciation of all the motion picture industry has done to help win the war. That his remarks in this connection were fully appreciated by the thousands of spectators was evidenced by the storm of applause which followed. After a typical Fairbanks speech, in which Doug had the crowd giving college yells under his leadership for the President, Mr. McAdoo and other Government officials, he proceeded to extract additional subscriptions. Mr. McAdoo then instructed the crowd in a "yell" for Doug, which was given with a will. "Douglas Fairbanks, Douglas Fairbanks, Douglas Fairbanks, Fighter! Fighter! Fighter! yelled the crowd, in perfect unison, as Doug stood on his hands by way of appreciation. Fairbanks made the aeroplane trip to New York from Washington in order to match Barney Baruch's subscription for a million dollars. Doug got his million from Pliny Fisk, of Harvey Fisk & Sons, in five minutes after arriving and then set out to double it on Thursday. At the sub-treasury steps downtown he raised over three million dollars, among the large subscribers being B. C. Borden for $1,000,000; Bankers Trust Company for $250,000; Kidder Peabody & Co., $250,000; Guaranty Trust Company, $250,000, and E. B. Sweezay, $250,000. Other large subscriptions were received and then Doug started his "parade," up Broadway headed by the police band. This was probably the first "one man parade" New York ever witnessed, for Doug was the whole parade. On his way uptown, the player made many stops to receive big subscriptions. At Washington Arch he turned up Fifth avenue and continued his merry way up the broad street, breaking up all traffic and making the thousands who lined the streets dig in their jeans for subscriptions. At 6 o'clock he quit in front of the Harriman Bank, at Forty-fourth street and Fifth avenue, where he finished the day with a number of additional subscriptions of large denominations. On Friday morning he started back for the Belmont Aviation field to fly back to Washington with six million dollars. In Douglas Fairbanks' party in New York and Washington were John Fairbanks and Ted Reed, of the Fairbanks Company, and Pete Smith, of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Zukor Day Yields Over Half Million for Loan WITH total subscriptions of $318,700, contributed through the organization of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, Adolph Zukor Day, Tuesday, October 15, at the Liberty Theatre of the Stage Women's War Relief at the Public Library, raised the day's receipts at the booth to the highest figures yet attained in the Fourth Liberty Loan drive. The figures, given out by Ray Cox, secretary of the Stage Women's War Relief, total $548,450 for the day, and not only did this set a record in the point of the amount subscribed, but also in the number of subscribers, for no less than forty-five individual subscriptions were listed for the $229,750, which represented the amount received over and above the Famous Players-Lasky contribution. This wonderful .showing was due in no small measure to the efforts of William S. .Hart, Elsie Ferguson and James Montgomery Flagg, who were present and added their appeals to those of Miss Cox and her assistants and the other speakers of the day. In addition to the amount credited to Zukor Day the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation subscribed $100,000 to the loan, to be credited to the various exchange centers of the organization throughout the country, making the total pledged by the corporation $150,000; also $3,550 was subscribed by the employes of the Fort Lee studio, to be credited to Fort Lee, N. J., and $5,750 pledged by the employes of the home office and the Fifty-sixth street studio since Zukor Day to the credit of the organization, making a grand total of $428,000. Of this amount $100,000 was subscribed by Charles O. Baumann, who happened to be in the Famous PlayersLasky office Tuesday and expressed his desire to have his subscription listed to the credit of Zukor Day. Individual subscriptions were as follows: Adolph Zukor, $25,000; lesse L Lasky, $20,000; Arthur S. Friend, $20,000; J. E. Brulatour, $25,000; Emile E. Shauer, $15,000; Daniel Frohman, $10,000; Blanche Lasky, $12,000; Hiram Abrams, $10,000; J. C. Graham, $2,000; Ethel Clayton, $1,000; Elek J. Ludvigh, $1,000; Walter E. Greene, $1,000; Charles O. Baumann, $100,000; Apeda studios, $2,050; employes of home office and New York branch, $14,000; employes of Fiftysixth street studio, $7,400; employes of Fort Lee studio, $3,550; Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, $150,000. William Farnum Hangs Up $33,000,000 in Bond Sale THIRTY-THREE millions of dollars in Liberty Bonds ! That was the way William Farnum did his bit for Uncle Sam during the Fourth Liberty Loan campaign, and when the big drive reached its close it was generaly conceded that his record ranked among the highest of the most successful of Liberty Loan salesmen. During the two weeks of his campaigning in New York City, Mr. Farnum made ten appearances. In one night at Carnegie Hall, where he appeared with former President William Howard Taft, he sold $32,000,000 worth of bonds. It is estimated that he spoke in all before 60,000 persons, and it has been figured out that during the time when he was actually selling bonds he disposed of them at a rate of more than $1,500,000 an hour. The William Fox star did not spare himself in his efforts to put the Fourth Liberty Loan over the top. No subscription was too small for him to go out for, no price was too large for him to attempt to reach. In the daytime he was at the William Fox Studio in Cliffside, N. J., working on his newest picture; at night he was exhorting audiences in the various theatres of the city to buy bonds to their utmost, and to keep them. Wherever he went he was greeted with an enthusiasm that testified to his great personal popularity, and he always was quick to crystallize this enthusiasm into practical patriotic help. What was undoubtedly Mr. Farnum s greatest bond 1 1 iumph indeed, it ih-w high water mai k Eot all handed bond effort -l Thurs il.i\ night, < (ctober 17. at Ca fie Hall. I .! 1. 1 1 1 j_i the stage after Eormei P Taft had delivered a i the loan, the screen -.tar. amid the wildest enthusiasm, carried the big audience into such a state of patriotii i that subscriptions in the millii i shouted from various part of the ; and clerks were kept busy keeping count of the loan pledges that poured in, Mr. Farnum began his plea with a recitation of "My Prophecy," which is an adaptation of Marc Antony's oi over the body of Caesar. Then, with the audience at the height of its enthusiasm, he launched into an auction of war relics contributed by heroes of the French and American armies who have lately returned from the trenches. He sold a gas mask that had been taken from a German prisoner for a $25,000 subscription. Then he sent a thrill through the crowd by offering a decoration of the Legion of Honor, with eleven citations — the highest number ever given in French history. This was placed on sale by a veteran of the famous French Foreign Legion. Amid a roar of applause bids poured in swiftly until the total mounted to $500,000. Then the police department made a bid of $550,000. This was immediately increased to $880,000, and the decoration was finally sold for an even million dollars to the Crescent Athletic Club. But what caused the greatest excitement and netted the large single subscription of the evening was an American battle flag tattered and torn after service in France. The police department opened the bidding by offering $500,000. Bids quickly leaped in hundreds of thousands of dollars, until finally the flag was bid in for $3,250,000 by the National Bank of Commerce. Subscriptions rapidly mounted until they reached $32,000,000. North Carolina Manager Puts Houses Behind Loan HT. DRAKE, manager of the Strand and LaFayette theatres in * Fayetteville, N. C, has gained the approval and praise of several patriotic societies in his town for the manner in which he has opened his theatre to every call of war service. During the time his houses were closed in the Fourth Liberty Loan drive by the scourge of influenza he decorated the lobbies of both theatres and erected booths for the sale of bonds. Manager Drake is rightfully proud ot the indorsement he has received from H L Cook, chairman of the Fourth Loan Committee; John A. Oates, chairman of the Council of Defense, and from k. 11. Dye, Government appeal agent, who praise his patriotism in letters of enthusiastic approval. It may be readily imagined that the spirit of local pride and patriotic impulse that has impelled Manager Drake to open his hou "Four-Minute Men," to book patriotic films, aid in the various Liberty I drives and in every way put his property and his opportunities at the disposal oi the Government will not alone leave him with a fine and healthy conscience, but in possession of public appreciation that will long endure.