Variety (January 1909)

VARIETY 13 INDEPENDENTS PROMISE TO SUPPLY 25 REELS WEEKLY Chicago Renters Say They Can Place That Amount of Film on American Market. 400 Exhibitors Declare Won't Sign Agreement. In a circular letter to exhibitors this week the Chicago, Globe and Royal Film Exchangee declare that they can place 25 reels of independent film on the market weekly, the product of foreign and domes- tic manufacturers, as well as "a large film factory in Chicago." Chicago, Jan. 30. More than 400 exhibitors attended a meeting at the Sherman House Tuesday and listened to the statements of several out-of-town manufacturers, who urged them to stand out against the film com- bination by refusing to sign the agree* ment. The manufacturers took the position that the agreement offered by the Patents Co. was unreasonable, and declared that exhibitors could get along without the Patents Co. They promised that any ex- hibitor would be offered ample legal pro- tection in any litigation which might be set on foot by the combination. Three law firms have been engaged to canvas* the situation thoroughly and to handle whatever fights are started by the merger. W. N. Rubel, representing the Chicago Film Exchange, Royal Film Exchange and Globe Film Exchange declared that ten renters stood ready to supply independent exhibitors, and assured the meeting that American and foreign manufacturers on the independent side of the fence are able to put seven reels weekly on the market. American makers, it is said, will now <»nter the market. Up until this time they have had no outlet for their prod- uct, but with the new conditions this is changed and they will immediately begin producing. Among those who addressed the meet- ing were Dr. Richard Ray, of Kansas City, Mo.; vice-president New York Exhibitors' Protective Association; representative of the Great Northern Film Co.; representa- tive of the International Film Manufac- turing Co., Philadelphia; representative of the Wolverine Supply Co., Detroit. Practically all the exhibitors present at the meeting declared they would not sign the Trust's agreement. They effected an organization and elected these officers to lead their fight: Richard Friedlander, president; Samuel Canter, secretary, and D. L. Swartz, treasurer. The law firms retained bv the inde- pendent manufacturers include Mayer, Mayer & Austrian (Levy Mayer, senior member); Munday, Evarts, Adcock &, Clarke, patent lawyers, and Howe «fc Fardham. Philadelphia, Jan. 27. The exhibitors of moving pictures in this city are organizing to fight the "Trust." There are 160 out of the 185 exhibitors in this city who, through the Mutual Protective Association of Moving Picture Exhibitors, which held a meeting here last Sunday, pledged themselves to stand by the other independents in this country. William H. Hamilton is the organizer in Pennsylvania to bind the exhibitors to- gether. It is said that those who are in- terested in the m6vement here have pledges of ample support from New York, Pittsburg, Chicago and other large cities that will aid them in conducting the fight. The local exhibitors declare that the latest move of the Trust in compelling them to sign an agreement which doubles the rental price and the charging of $2 weekly royalty for the patents in the machines used and the stringent condi- tions in regard to the licensing of ex- hibitors, means that a moving picture place in which many thousands of dollars are invested may be put out of business on short notice, and it is this that has caused the determination to fight. The list of 160 exhibitors who declared against the Trust have elected the follow- ing officers: James H. Decatur, president; A. H. Woehleke, Jr., vice-president; J. F. McMahon, treasurer; P. J. Brushkey, sec- retary, and G. J. Naylor, chairman of the Executive Committee. Chicago, Jan. 30. A representative of the International Film Manufacturing Co., of Philadelphia, was in Chicago this week and on Tuesday addressed a meeting of some 400 Chicago and out-of-town exhibitors, uring them to support the independent movement in their own interests. The meeting was held in the Sherman House. HARSTN & CO. IN BANKRUPTCY. A petition in bankruptcy was filed against Harstn & Co., the moving picture renters in 14th Street, New York, on Wednesday by Ralph Sloane to the amount of $2,770, on an assigned claim of Milton J. F. Gordon. It is alleged the corporation is insolv- ent, and has made preferential payments. Judge Holt in the U. S. Circuit Court appointed Alfred R. Conklin receiver, with a bond of $5,000. The assets are esti- mated nt $10,000, with liabilities consid- erably more. Hnrstn & Co. was incorporated Feb. 8, 1907, with a capital stock of $5,000. It has been rated as slow pay in the trade for some time. MORE INJUNCTIONS ASKED FOR. Yesterday (Friday) in the Supreme Court argument was to have been heard on a motion for an injunction against the police interfering with or the Mayor re- voking the licenses, of picture places at 1314 First Avenue and 4223 Third Avenue, New York. Habeas corpus proceedings came up be fore Justice Maddox yesterday in the ar- rest of Jack G. Leo, who was taken in custody for exhibiting pictures at 8ft!) Uroadway, Brooklyn, without having ob- tained a license. xia EXCHANGES LICENSED. The Motion Picture Patents Co. an- nounced this week a list of the film ex- changes which have signed the agreement and are licensed to handle its film. One hundred and eleven names (including branches appear. Carl Laemmle is not included, although he has signed the agreement. He had seven branches in the old association. A comparison with the list of mem- bers published Dec. 16 by the defunct Film Service Association shows that twenty-seven exchanges have been dropped (also including branches dropped by main offices which have been accepted by the Patents Co.). Ten new exchanges appear among the Patents Co. licensees. Old Association members not included among M. P. P. Co. licensees: Central Film and Supply Co., Sagi- naw, Mich. Chicago Film Exchange (main office and branches). Eugene Cline, Chicago (Minneapolis . branch). O. T. Crawford (Houston branch). Luther Day Service, Muncie, Ind. Empire Film Co., New York. Globe Film Service, Chicago and Den- ver (main office and branch). Harston & Co., New York and Bos- ton (main office and branch). Improved Film Supply Co., New York. Indianapolis Calcium Light Co., In- dianapolis. Lake Shore Film & Supply Co. (Cleve- land-Detroit branch). Oklahoma Film Exchange, Oklahoma City. Royal Film Service, Chicago. Southern Talking Machine Co., Dallas. W. H. Swanson, Chicago (Kansas City branch). Toledo Film Exchange, Toledo, O. Wheelan-Loper Film Co., Dallas (Fort Worth branch). It appears from the above that only twelve exchanges have actually been wiped out. The list of licensees not included in the former F. S. A. are: Actograph Co. (Troy branch). Almo Film Exchange, Dallas and San Antonio. American Film Exchange, Pittsburg. J. C. Hite Co., Chicago. Kleine Optical Co. (main office and branches at Birmingham, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Des Moines, In- dianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and St. Louis). Kent Film Service, Toledo. Morton Film Exchange, Portland, Ore. Pacific Coast Film Co., San Francisco. Southern Film Exchange, Cincinnati. Turner & Dahnken, San Francisco. Wonderland Film Exchange, Pitts- burg. $20,000 FOR PICTURE HOUSE. Williamsport, Pa., Jan. 30. D. E. Gorman and Frank Keyte, of this place, have taken title to a site on Fourth Street and announce that they will spend $20,000 in building a moving picture the- atre upon it. They plan a theatre of 600 seating capacity, to be completed early in April. Straight pictures will be given, without vaudeville. Mr. Gorman is pro- prietor of the Lyric a local picture house seating 300. GAUMONT DUE TO-DAY. ^ Mr. Gaumdnt, head of the foreign film manufacturing firm, is due to arrive in New York to-day. There have been ru- mors afloat this week that Gaumont is not satisfied with the royalty agreement entered into between his American selling agent, the Kleine Optical Co., and the Patents Ob., and that he comes over to fight out his objection with the combina- tion officials. LEWIS OFF FOR EUROPE. Chicago, Jan. 30. Harry Lewis, father of Max Lewis, of the Chicago Film Exchange and president of the Melies American concern, has left for Europe. He said before leaving that while on the other side he would buy film in large quantities, and he will also at- tend the convention of picture manufac- turers to be held in Paris early in Febru- ary. WHAT WILL MULLDff DO? The Mullin Film Service, which has headquarters in Watertown, N. Y., is said to have been warned away from Syracuse, where it proposed to establish itself. This is the first known instance in which the Patents Co. has exercised its announced purpose of regulating the trade as to the establishing of branches. PICTURES AS EVIDENCE. During the trial of a damage suit in the Supreme Court, Brooklyn, this week, the attorneys for the defendants (Coney Island and Brooklyn R. R. Co.) introduced moving pictures showing 12-year-old Stephen McGroty, alleged to have been permanently disabled to the extent of $50,000 by one of the company's cars, playing about, running races, boxing and 'wrestling. The boy took part in the games for the camera under the belief they were to be exhibited in public. The trial had not been concluded on Wednesday. On Wednesday the jury returned a ver- dict of $8,500 in favor of the youth. NEWARK'S "BIJOU DREAM." Newark, Jan. 28. On Feb. 6, Blaney's Theatre will re- open as a picture house under the man- agement of F. F. Proctor, giving an all- picture show without vaudeville. The theatre seats 2,200. It will be re- named "The Bijou Dream.' »» U. S. FILM EXCHANGE CORRECTS. Chicago, Jan. 28. The United States Film Exchange of Chicago denies that it has formed any affiliation with the independent film move- ment, and asks that the statement which indicated they were out of the Patents Co. combination in a Chicago dispatch last week be denied. The exchange ap- pears in the oftTcial list of Patents Co. licensees. Lyman II. Howe will show his views of the Sicily earthquake at the New York Hippodrome Sunday night. EXHIBITORS NEEDN'T SIGN. Chicago, Jan. 28. The Motion Picture Patents Co. to- night sent out notices to renters en- rolled under their banner that the signa- tures of exhibit ors would not be required to agreements, binding 1 hem to certain rest rictions.