The Billboard 1914-02-21: Vol 26 Iss 8 (1914-02-21)

The Billboard FEBRUARY 21, 1914. LAEMMLE Re-Elected President Of Universal Film Manufacturing Co. —Wn. Oldknow Chosen V.P. and C. V. Beecham Sec. Treas. New York, Feb. 14.—In their annual meeting, held last week at the offices of the Universal Film Mfg. Co., the stockholders of the Consolidated Film and Supply Co. re-elected Carl Laemmle for the position of president, Other officers elected were: Williams Oldknow, vice-president and general manager, and C. V. Beecham, secretary and treasurer. The following directors were named: Carl Laemmle, WilHam Oldknow, R. H. Cochrane, P. D. Cochrane, Herman Fichtenberg, William J. Maloney and Cc. V. Beecham. A vote of thanks was extended to William Oldknow, general manager, for the good showing the company bas made during the year, BALKAN WARS ON THE SCREEN. Chicago, Feb. 15.—Colonel Jobn D. Loris ts presenting moving pictures of the Balkan Wars this week at the Globe Theater. This wonderful production was taken under the direction of Frederick Villers, assisted by 22 camera men. It is a stirring picture of war, starting with the Mobilization of troops, marching to the front, their fights, deprivations, victories and defeats. Details of many battles on land and sea are shown, including the siege and fall of Adrianople, the Greek ships at Salonica and the bombardment of Port Lago. This is followed by the second Balkan War with Bulgaria against her former allies, The opening show today was crowded to the Goors by enthusiastic citizens from the Balkan Btates, who cheered their troops on as theugh they were there to hear and gain inspiration from the applause. VANASCOPE CO, ELECTS NEW OFFICERS. The Vanescope Co., manufacturers of the new machine which will perfectly present the three dimensions to be known as the Vanascope, held its election of officers for the ensuing year, last month, and decided upon the following: Jamenr White, President; Elmer J, Case, Vice-President; Frank Pilsbery, Treasurer; J. E. Harper, Secretary. Thelr new and final model machine will ge0on be ready for the market, one already standing complete in the Chicago factory, and auother one being already erected in the exhibition room of the New York office in the Candler Building. The Vanascope is expected to do considerable revolutionizing in the projecting muachine field, as it aims to save raw stock hy making 400 feet of film do the work of 1.000. They are already laying their lines extensively in the educationa) field. AFTER EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM FOR OHIO. New York, Feb. 14.—Messrs, McMahon and Jackson, of Cincinnati, with Nelson F. F. Evans, of the American Feature Film Co. of Toledo, are in town negotiating for the Exclusive program for Ohio. They have been in daily meetings with J. R. Miles, H. H. Raver, Ingvald Oes and Herbert Blache, and it is expected that the arrangement will be consummated to go into effect immediately. . ESSANAY CHANGES. A change of faces took place at the Essanay Studio last week when Smiling Billy Maeon, Williem Balley, Charles Stine, Clara Dale end Frederick Church departed from the Chicago Stock Company. A BIG HISTORIC FEATURE, Chicago, Feb. 14—J. B. Olinger of Milwankee and W. T. Hickey of Chicago are partners in a new Chicago firm, which will be known as the Napoleon Feature Film Company. They will make their first release next week, when mabe big elght-reel feature. The Rise and Fall \ Napoleon. will be placed on the market. ma he big feature is a film d'art and, if we may judge from the “stills,” the film is just as big and spectacular ag Its promoters cialm it is. If genuine merit and perfect photography counts for anything, the feature should prove @ very profitable winner for both the Srate rights man and the producer. The four reels in the first part deal with the rise of Napoleon, and the iast four with bis gradual downfall. The battle scenes are the special features, and they ere well worth the special attention that fis being given them. Mr. Hickey will personaily supervise the distribution of the film from the Chicago offices, and Mr, Fred Linick will act as special local representative. Special paper of elaborate design bax been provided tn al! sizes, from one to sixtcen sheets, Javing special *tresx on the historical, edocational and spectacular value of the productions. eatin ee BEF STICKS HIS. OAR IN ee The laugh of week before iast was the following choice bit of misinformation that some joker worked off on a ‘‘green’’ newsgatherer: CONTROLLING KLEINE’S SPECIAL, Negotiations are on for the sale of the entire George Kleine feature picture product to Herman Garfield and Doc Brehm, who are reported having interested some big capital in the scheme to control the selling rights of all of Klelne’s specials. If the deal is consummated, Kleine will turn over the Quo Vadis, Last Days of Pompell and Antony and Cleopatra features, with an option on any other big movie he may place on the market. Of late Kleine bag recalled a raft of his road exhibits and is sald to have lost much money in some Instances and made a lot in others. Kleine cleaned up on Quo Vadis, and with the profits bullt the new Kleine picture house on Forty-second and Forty-third streets, between Eighth ahd Seventh avenues, which is said to have cost $400,000, and will seat 1,200. With the picture concerns grabbing uptown Broadway theaters for display of thelr makes, Kleine will think twice before he loses sight of the new house within a stone’s throw of Broadway. Doc Brehm advises me that it is a canard. ‘“‘l am no piker,” says Doc. ‘‘When I break into the game nothing short of a controlling interest in General Film, the Universal and the Mutual will suffice to enlist my attention.’ eeee The publication that carried the gem above quoted is the latest to go after easy money in the shape of M. P. business. eeee And it will get some business. eeee It would seem that about alj that is needed is a line of talk and a low rate per line. Given that, nine out of ten manufacturers can be separated from perfectly good money with astonishing ease and facility. eeee Some of the advertising managers who are doling out mannfacturers’ appropriations exercise about as much acumen and display as much knowledge of media as a setting hea, se ee There are two, possibly three, exceptions. e*eee The Universal's is the most notable of these. A real, systematic end intelligent effort to get a line on the respective merits and intriasic worth of media is being made in that office. sees A very high percentage of the money spent in most of the others is burned up. e*eee After ascertaining that a new servant girl could not cook, make up a bed, sweep or dust, and had never waited on a table, the exasperated mistress exclaimed, petulantly: ‘‘Well, Lena, what can you do?” “Eh, caan milk a reindeer,” replied Lena, stolidly. Rut Lena was not thrown on a cold, heartless world. Her mistress’ husband was a Olm moeefacturer, and be needed an advertising manager. Sv be took Lena off of lus wife's banda, eee Oh, Advertising! the sins that are committed in thy name! eeee And it isn’t inconsequential papers alone that are reaping the harvest. All sorts of souvenirs and programs are coming in for the fat pickings. e*eee I beard of a program deal last week that was a peach. It wasn’t an M. P. hold-up. but it was tWluminating just the same. A certain benevolent soclety gave a bazaar. They let the program privilege to a professional program publ vber, who agreed to de all of the soliciting, printing, engraving and collectiog, and! give the society fifteen per cent of tie gross reeipts Many business men. who were members of the -oclery (but ignorant of the usture of the contract with the program publisher), took space, tiioking they were virtually contributing to the society. When they ascertained that only fftven cents ont of esch dollar that they gave up had reached the treasurer, there were mufteringe—nvt loud, but deep. Investigetion revealed the fact that insresd of privting and Aistribnting the 5,076 programs he bad promised. the publisher bad printed 500, which cost bim, all tuid, Just §28, The society's tressury was enriched just $54. The publisher (2) cleaned up $448, aud got it all from members of the society of thelr friends. eeee As I sald before, no motion picture manufacturers were caught on this particular deal. I can prove it. 1 have one of the programs. “eee How they escaped is a mystery. But they did, end I am preserving my copy as « rare curio. *nf ee Easy come—easy 0. eee Mr. Neff’s book, “Paradise Found,” is ont. eee Aba! sere I have a copy of it, and, if Mr. Neff refures to be good, 1 will fall upon that book, tooth and nail. “eee He has delivered himself into my hands. 1 am master of the situation. A FEW JOTTINGS BY THE EDITOR. Among the several callers 1 had last week was Charley 8. Goetz, of the World's Special Film Co, Accompanying him was Doc Brehm, Charley started to unload bis system of film gossip, and within the short period of half an hour he gave me enough pews to fill a page. As space is limited, however, on Monday, } will only recite some of the most important matters he told me, First In importance is Cuarley's corroboration of “Doc’’ Brebm's sudden rise In the film world. Doc, so ‘tis said, is to buy out George Kleine. If you doubt this, good reader, drop a post card to Sime. Chas. 8. Goetz has pot taken charge of the Cleveland office of the World's Special Film Co., a8 announced in the last issue of The Billooard. He is the district manager for the World's Special Film Co., in which capacity he visited Cleveland last week while making a tour of the State. Mr. Stockton is in charge of the Cleveland office. Mr. Goetz was in Cinciunati Friday, the 13th, accompanying Doc Brehm, who bas been placed in charge of the Cincinnati office of the W. 8. F. Co. Doe, it will be remembered, was one of the first, if not the very Gret man, to introduce feature films to Cincinnatians. He brought Satan to the Lyric Theater, not in person, but in a picture, and also showed the Mysteries of New York and Paris bere. He was also identified with New York Gociety Life and Underworld. J. C. Mack bas been appointed to manage the Indianapolis office for the Worki’s Special Film Co, Ben Goetz, general manager of the Crysta) Film Co., is now producing comedies. The fret three releases will be: Brudder Syivest, Fighting Is No Rusiness, and Cope Is a Business. Ben has only been In the Glm business one year, and ie pow writing all bis own scenarios and pro ducing pictures bimself. He will be married on March 12, and if the statement made by his brother, Charley, is true, bis foarth film will be entitled: “It's Delightful to Be Married." Dec Brehm says: “Next year about this time Ben will be probably writing a scenario, eptitled, “Somebody's Coming to My House."’ I had a letter this week from my friend, Harry E. Vestal, one of the members of the Ohio State Board of Censors. Harry isn't censoring just now, as the board is awalting the outcome of the legality test which is being make by the courts. Until the matter is decided be will remain in Ada, O., to manage bis beautiful picture theater, and Incidentally shine in society. Harry was the best dressed man at the Ohlo convention, recently held is Cincinnati, The Better Late Taan Never Wipe, as usual, trails along with a belated story of the Ohio convention. Why even Pop Saunders, the map who apotheosized sequitude, was greased lightbing compared to the tin can sheet. Ob, well, goats are not noted for their speed so much as thelr smell. Did you see the Screen Club ball program? Wen Milligan sent me a copy last week. It is the last word in fine printing, and magnificent binding. The engravings are beautiful, the type pages are artistically arranged, and the cover is of green leather. It ts just the sort of book to add class to a millionalre’s library table. I don't wonder that the autographed copy sold for $2,000. An ordinary copy is worth nearly that much. Joe Farnum deserves the credit for this work of art, and we are here to add our share of praise to the “big fellow’ for bis excellent good taste. BOUCHEY RESIGNS FROM GENERAL. New York, Feb. 13.—Homer A. Roucher, who hae been general manager of the General Film Company for the last year, has sent in hie resicnation, to take effect immediately. Mr. Rouchey was one of the few offictals to remain with the General Film Company ofter J. J. Kennedy came tn as president. He wae urged very strongly to remain with the Genera) Film Company, bot bad been prevailed upon by George K. Speor to accept « pesition with the Exsanay Company, Just what thin position is fs not known at thie writing. Mle will take op bis new doties with the Essanay Company in Chicago next week, *. “T., B.,”" ITALA SALES MANAGER. New York, Feb. 14.—Thomas Redding, who hae been In the motion picture game since Ite infancy and who has been connected with all branches of it, toth here and abroad, has been appointed, by Tarry Raver, as sales manager of the Itala Film Company of America, As Mr. Redding bas always been a great admirer of the Itala brand of pictures, it gives him considerable pleasure to announce hia connection with this-concern, Tle has of late been conrected with several of the motion pleture trade journals, and his many friends join in heat wishes,