The Billboard 1911-06-24: Vol 23 Iss 25 (1911-06-24)

The Billboard JUNE 24, 1911, Motion Picture News “tf on NEW PATENTS LAW PROVISIONS. | eee | The new copyright law in the United States Is especially effective in protecting absolutely the rights of the manufacturers of exclusive feature films, for which state rights are sold where | such films are leased and not sold outright. The | new law is equally effective in protecting the rights of licensees of such manufacturers In | the case of film of foreign manufacture wiicl Is sold in Europe, with the restriction that it shall not : t and if such film is copyrighted i person at tempting 1 t is vio lating Section 32 of the Act of March 4, 1969 which provides that all articles prohibited im portation by the Copyright Act which are brought into the United States from any foreign country shall be seized and forfeited by like pro ceedings as those provided by the law for the seizure and condemnation of property imported into the United States in violation of the Cus toms Revenue Law. Such articles when forfeited shall be d-stroyed in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury, or the court, as the case may be, shall direct. Section No, 33 provides that the Secretary of the Treasury and the Postmaster-General are em powered and required to make and enforce such joint rules and regulations as shall prevent the importation into the United States of articles prohibited by this act. Section No. 25 provides a penalty of one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for each subsequent infringing performance. Section No. 27 provides that the proceedings for injunction, damage and profits, and those for seizure of infringing copies may be united in one action Section 28 provides that any person who wil fully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this act, or who shall knowingly and wilfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprison ment for not exceeding one year or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand of the « dollars, or both, in the discretion ) the Divine Comedy, or Dante's Vision Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, as well if the Temptations of a Great City. and not sold and are fully protected new law. NEW DAYLIGHT PICTURE INVENTION, One of the most remarkable revolutions ever prospect for any business is the one promised for the moving picture business if the claims of the Jight Motien Picture Co. of Monessen, Pa., are carried into practice, and from all re ports this company really has established its claim—viz To show pictures in a brilliantly lighted theatre or The company has an advertisement number of The Bill board. and has already entered into corres pondence with a large number of the leading moving pieture theatres of the United States The Light Motion Picture Co. are sole owners in outdoors. in this of the invention of Thomas McWatters, a native of Scotland, consisting of a solid plate-glass film and rear projection. The picture machine is placed back of the film, about 20 feet from the film The first theatre to show the system is the Casine, at 3014 Penn Avenue. Pittsburg Pa. where the Light Co. have demonstrated their ability to furnish the goods. While this theatre was opened largely for demonstrating purposes, it has proved a payer from the start for the company. ‘The writer recently visited this theatre and was surprised at the difference in the pictures Every detail was brought out as clear as life The greatest efforts of the operator in the darkened theatre would never be able to compete with the exhibition by light —natural or artificial. In fact. the better the light, the finer the pictures, by this process. | If this svstem comes into vogue it will be nec essary for the actor and actress to be slightly more careful with make-up for the MeWatters System certainly ows up all details. LAEMMLE OTF FrOR EUROPE. for the goog of the picture industry. CONVENTION FOR EXHIBITORS. At a regular meeting of the Detroit Moving Picture Exhibitors’ Association, held on June 1, 1911, it was decided to call a three-day convenation to be held July 11, 12 and 13. 1911. The dates were definitely set, upom reeeipta ef many letters from exhibitors through the state ef Michigan, expressing their willingmess New Vork, June 17 (Special to The Billboar) —Carl Laemmile is off for the continent +> globe trot unt‘l autumn Mr. Laemmle ix pre®ident of the Independent Moving Pict <« Co. of Amer| ica, owner of the Music Tlouse of Laemmle and the Laemmle Film Exchauges In addition he is at the head of tne Sales Co. and can be said to have the largest moving picture interests of any man in America. Mr. Laemmle will com bine business with pleasure and will visit nearly all the principal cities of the old world hefore he returns He was accompanied by his estimable wife and two children and their nurse A large crowd friends and business asso ciliates were at the dock Tuesday to bid him a safe and pleasant trip. The studio and office forces sent the party a floral tribute and a basket of fruit in appreciation of the esteem in which M laemmile is held. Last Wednesday Mr. Las le took a formal leave of his stock compar office force and assistants in the musical department at the Imp Studio on 56th Street, at w time there was a banquet and goed cheer The occasion was il in mo tion pictures and t genial presider has a wrint of which he j vy proud During his is y ur Mr. Laemmle w busi ess interests on the ¢ spend much time at Berlir of the Imp Company During has left trusted lieutenants to business in the person of ‘Do eneral superintendent: Julius orr ent and business manager, and Eddie Roskam. superin tendent of the plant Mr. Laemmle will b in constant touch with affairs by letter and cable and will return chock full of new ideas a is point to meeting large gathering and a expected, The purpose of the state organization is for the future welfare of the moving picture exhibitors of the state of Michigan. All manufacturers who have appliances that are essential to the moving picture exhibitors are kindly asked to correspond with our sec retary, who will see that space is set aside for their exhibit. The secretary’s address is F. H. Baumgartner, 940 Forest Avenue, East, Detroit, Mich. successful KINEMACOLOR EXHIBITS FIRST VARICOLORED PICTURES. New York, June 17 (Special to The Billboard). —Under the personal supervision of Mr. J. J. Murdock, head of the Kinemacolor Company, the first of the company’s films finished in natural colors was exhibited in their exhibition room in New York on Tuésday, June 13. The exhibition Was arranged especially for a number of theatrical men and The Billboard. Several reels were run off, showing Coronation Maneuvers in England, while others displayed flowers of different kinds in their own natural color. In the flower films the zenith of photographic perfection seem to have been reached. Every little shadow of coloring in all the degrees of in tensity as are found in the natural flower, is shown in perfect reproduction of the reality. Some twenty different flowers were shown in full bloom, each species beautifully and artistically arranged in a colored vase, which was turned upon its support as the picture was taken. The perfection of the photography outdid, if sucb were possible, the beauty of the subjects. Not a shade in the coloring was missed, and each little shadow was distinctly outlined and struck the eye just as the real object would sends its colors to the retina. Some of the Coronation films were shown, In these the King, the Queen and the Prince of Wales, together with a great retinue of soldiery, all in colored costumes, were made to appear as the real people Althongh these taken on a dark and gloomy day the perfectly done, or rather gotten, whole picture entirely beautiful everlapping of colors as in the ordinary color>d film. for each colored object appears with th same effect as the different shades of black and white appear in the ordinary black and white film. The Coronation has given ample opportun ity bringing out the different colors and the coloring amd the There is no is for pictures were | A REFLECTION THAT REFLECTED. The saying, ‘“‘Everything ts fair in Wwar,’’ seems to have recently taken on an addi tion, namely: ‘‘Everything fair in business.’’ It is well known in film circles that the con tract for the pictures recently taken of the 21st Annual Reunion of the Confederate Veterans and Sons at Little Rock, Ark., were bid for by a number of manufacturers. However, as has been announced, the films were taken by the. Indus trial Moving Picture Company of Chicago, and the finished product has been pronounced one of the best pictures ever taken. No thanks for this however, to one manufacturer, who stooped to hire some thug to use an unfair and unbusiness like means to spoil the pictures in the taking It sounds almost impossible that any one with the least sense of justice should use the means employed by the perpetrators of the underhanded love and scheme which was attempted at Little Rock during the taking of the pictures there of thé Reunion. That any one should stoop so Jow to give vent to their feelings of jealousy is a diseTace to the enterprise that shoould be looked into by all upright manufacturers. However, the Industrial Moving Picture Company's repre sentative showed a judgment at the critical mo meit that must have put to shame the Iinstigat ors of this low plot. While the camera man of the Industrial people was taking the pictures of the free acts, he noticed that some one was endeavoring to spoil that series by casting reflections of Nght by means of a mirror into his camera. His first impulse was to have him stopned, but on second thought he knew that it wonld canse a riot. He then turned the camera on the culprit, with the result that the moving picture tells the tale bet ter than words can describ It shows the man at his dastardly work, making every effort pos sible to make the pictures a failure. The sec tion of the film they endeavored to spoil is con sidered by many to contain some of the best photography. Col. Wm. Lightfoot Visscher, a well-knewn writer and newspaper man, and a veteran of the | wer. depicted on the film. will be one of the | chief lecturers with this moving picture. Col James Hutton. also a veteran who saw actual service, is promoting the film and looking after the publicity f it ( Hiutton’s interest in the film is wi than a mere commercial in | terest. He hs cer 1 country pride in it costumes and decorations are highly colored. The | grounds around Ruckingham Palace and the pal ace itself, things which do not possess much va riance in color, are reproduced with such vividness as to make one marvel that there was so much color in them. Some of the flower pictures have been taken in a novel way They have been placed before the camera as buds about to open, and steam anplied until they are brought to full bloom. While this is going on, and it lasts for some twenty-four hours, the camera is operated very slowly by a machine which causes it to photograph the object at frequent intervals, and is so timed that when the film of pictures is run through a screen thirty twenty the ite if projecting machine, will show the seconds’ time. shown unfolding of changing ce Too much ean not be said in praise of this new form of film, and as for the subjects them selves in these new films: the fact that the King and Queen, as well as the Emperor of Germany the picture on the flower blooming in abont All these pictures, some are of the colored tyne. and the bud is distinctly shown in lors. are and other notables. are seen at close range throughout the whole coronation ceremony, marks them, without any further explanation, as first class, and the fact that several conies are kent by the English Government as the official records, places them in a class by themselves. LATEST FIGHT PICTURES. The long exnected pictures of the LangfordMcVea prize fight. which took place April 1, 1911, at the Paris Hippodrome, Paris. France have arrived in America and state rights are now being disposed of. The American company that is promoting the pictures has secured one of the biggest novelties in fight pictures that has ever been shown in this country. In the boxes were ladies in evening dress and thronghont the honse were well dressed men and women in the bulk of the andience. including such American people as W. K. Vanderbilt, and Reginald Vanderbilt. Baron James re Roths child. the Duke of Roxburghe and many others The fight was one of the most interesting and exciting ones ever fought and in addition was also a very clean exhibition. Both Langford and MeVea have challenged Johnson for the world’s championship, and it is still a doubt which of the two men is better qualified to meet the present champion MeVea is much the heavier but the pictures show that Langford forced the fight during the entire twenty rounds The pictures themselves are very fine and were taken by the Warwick Co. of London and Paris and as the eamera was situated withis a very short distance from the stage, the men show up very large and every move is clearly re the br produced in represented rights for two reels pictures. Mr. F ther 10 of 2000 feet comprising 4.000 feet The American Co S. Egar are selling state best rounds, comprising or the complete battle, of four reels. The facts that many Iadies witnessed this bout skould be proof that the contest was not a brutal ex hibition. but a clean, scientifie battle Arrangements are being made to show the nictures in one of the best theatres in New York and after that they will make «a tour ef the country. SOLAX CO. START OUT ANOTHER COMPANY. About the middle of June the Solax Ce. will send another company toe Fort Meyer for the purpose of taking military pictures. Fort Meyer is near Waskington, D . and sen many advantages for getting realstic military scenes. After a number of releases of this type the new company will begim with maval pictures be be om bund for the occasion. All indications for which arrangements are pew being made. hi s efforts. TEMPTATIONS OF A GREAT CITY. In a three-reel production by the Great North ern Co. of Copenhagen, entitled The Tempta tions of a Great City, the American r'ghts for which have been secured by P. P. Craft, of the Buffalo Bill-Pawnee Bill Film Co.. a very terful and delightfully unusual film, has brought to this side. The story is purely dramatic, laying no claims to any ; but possesses top-notch merit. not accomplish ing the developments of its situations by hack neyed shooting, poisoning, fire and water, but by the intrinsic merit of the principal charac ters. a usurer and walter in one, a profligate and easily tempted son, his mother and the we mas beeu melo other field iter's | daughter. Only occasionally does any other character enter into the action, then these oc easional ones are of a very subordinate and unimportant nature, snch as a lackey. ' The dramatic possibilities of the film are plentiful. The contrast between wealth and poverty, social rank and peasantry, motherly love and the overpowering influence of wayward temptation furnishing elements that have er richened the story so that one cannot help bat feel that a masterpiece has been accom plished by the Danish manufacturers. N able is the fact that European eccentricities mannerisms not reveal themselves film. One would not think that the n school of actors had produced a film so thoror ly American the Temptations of a Great Citv really is It has always been a recognized fact that the Great Northern Film Co. has been paramount in photography and richness of tail, but in this instance they have outsripped themselves, one spectator who beheld the ad vance view of this three-reel subject claiming that rivaled any production that any manu facturer put out in his palmiest days, — The story is very commendable, although as before said, melodramatic, being a description of the life of a mother-loved son who is over come by the temptation of wine. woman and song and reduced to poverty. Learning that borrowing is an eafy way to obtain moner, he sinks deeper and deeper into debt to a usurer, whom he had met as a waiter. a character which is plaved with the greatest of ability by ite in terpreter He sinks so deeply into complications that the only avenue of escape to a sane life is the marriage of the waiter’s daughter, wherein comes the struggle of a patrician mother against the marriage of her son to a plebeian’s dangbter Just as matters complicate moet gruesomely the sitration is selved and the two are married the mother relenting. ; do as de it The situations thronghont the piece are very stirring The staging and photography are sn periative and several atace effects that enter into the play are exceedingly jugenious The interest is kept keenly alive This is truly one of the best filme that is being offered the public at present by any of the manufacturers Mr. Oraft is to be congratulated for seeuring the American rights BUYS ANOTHER THEATRE. Mr. Edwin Beeserer, of Ansti,. Texas. for tthe past two years business manager for the Wishert & Marshall Oo., has acquired the inter est of Mr. Will Wishert, and the firm hereafter will be knewn as the Besserer & Marehall Co The new owners have purchased the Prin cess Theatre, and with thie addition to the Texas, the Yale and the Casino will make four motion picture and vaudeville houses under their control MR. GREENBAUM TO RETURN TO AMERICA SHORTLY. New York, June & (Special to The Rill ).-It was learned at the offiees of the Lox Meving Picture Co. this morning that Mr. Jules Greeabsum, presidest ef the Vitascope Oo and | his son, Mr. George Greenbaum, would be at | their offices in 15th Street, on July 1. Mr. | George Greenbaum is returning from Germany j} after a short visit there. The Vitascope Oo., which is one of the strongest Buropean firma, |} has been inactive for some time in America and Mr. Jules Greenbaum’s tri here is ex , A the business The Vitascope Co. will probably be | pected to create some new move } on this side of the water. holds several patents which exploited in the near fature It is not known whether Mr, Jules Greenbaum will remain io America for any length of time or not, but it ts understood that he will stay leng enough to put the business on a firm foundation if not permanently. BALTIMORE'S ARTISTIC PICTURE THEATRE. The date for the formal opening of the Pic ture Garden, the new theatre being constructed on the south side of Lexington Street, near Charles, Baltimore, Md., has been set for June a4 A large staff of workmen is now busily engags! in rushing the work to completion. During the last week the massive mirror screen, upon which the placed in position. pictures will be shown, was On the interior workmen are completing the ceiling, which will be open lattice work, over which will be worked artificial vines and leaves. The handsome front, lobby and procenium arch are also nearing completian. The elaborate ventilation and cooling system provid ing for an audience of 400 have been Installed. When finished the Picture Garden, it is said, will be the handsomest picture parlor south of New York, and one of the most elaborate theatres of the kind in the country. ASSOCIATED M. P. PAT. CO. MEMBERS ON EXTENSIVE TRIPS. | Motion } ican rights were acquired last | } delphia | leases. New York, June 17 (Special to The Bill board).—On Friday, June 16, Thomas A. Bed ding and C. L. Cobb, members of the Associated Picture Patents Co. left New York on business trips Mr. Cobb will go first to Phila where he addresses a large body of mo tion picture men and from there proceeds westward to the Pacific coast He expects to be gone some two months and while gone to add a number of factories to facture pictures for the Associated Co Mr. Bedding leaves to visit the studios and factories already signed up with a view to get ting them in perfect shape for the coming reHe expects to be out of town for sevweeks. the list which is to manu | eral ACQUIRES AMERICAN RIGHTS. W. 8S. Milliken, president of the United Film Co., announces that he is now sole agent for the Cinephone in the United States. The Amer week. Mr. Mil liken intends to manufacture them here and put them out through the United exchanges. Ther have thirty machines at the present time, count ing those working and in preparation. This firm will put out releases of the Eagle Film, the Victory and educational exhibits as well. CORONATION IN FILMS. London, June 12.—Unless present plans mis earry, New York will see colored moving pic tures of King George's coronation exactly ene week after the event. Two days later Chicagoans and residents of other cities east of the Mississippi river will be reviewing the parade of European potentates from theatre seats All arrangements were completed today. ESSANAY THREE A WEEK. Beginning the week of June 26, the Essanay Co, will issue three reels per week in compl! ance with the demand of the exhibitors for more Fesanay subjects The release dates for the third reel will be Fridaw and the first one to be isened will An Old Man's Folly, a drama, for Friday, June 30. de FILM NOTES. Much false information has been disseminated amongst exhibitors throughout the country regarding the Nestor Co.'s Mutt and Jeff pictures, which are advertised and spoken of as “talking pictures." The exhibitors had gained the idea that a phonograph and special projecting machine were necessary to display the pictures, which idea is false The talking part of the films is arranged at the factory and the films can be run on anv ordinary machine, The Champion Film Co. will release a special film on Jnne 28. entitled Boy Scouts to the Rescue The company has secured the services ef the Ardmore Troupe of Boy Scouts for thi« special pieture A new motion picture house June 24 at 2521 Jacob Street. or U. P emper and will will be opened Wheellng, W. Va.. be known as the } | Home Theatre A motion picture house will by L. B. Craig im the Odd Kethesda, O LYCEUM COMPANY CLOSES. mon he Feilows' ohened Hall at New York, June 17 (Special to The Pillboard) The season at Phidlips’ Lycenm Theatre in Brooklyn, closes next Saturday night For the last week Tempest and Sunshine will be pre dnced. Doring the time the house is dark which will extend over a period of about seven weeks, the house will be thoroughly overhauled and renovated. With the company during the season te a clone are: Jamen Moore, Frank Rase, Henry Keen, Sam B. Wilson, B®. A. Turner. Charles Herbert, Fred Farnmest, Otto Nagle end Harry Machenald; Misses Bmma de Castre, Phyllis Gilmore and Alice Meredith. coming _Orawfera and Mentrose, formerly ef MeDonald Crawferd and Momtrone, are deing a sinter act ever the Keith and Procter Time.