Variety (January 1913)

VARIETY N. Y. PICTURE MEN FORM NEW FILM OR GANIZATION Carl Laemmle Elected President. Spurred by Censorship Clause Tacked on Capacity Ordinance, Vetoed by Mayor Oaynor Tuesday. Laemmle Tells Why No Picture Censorship Is Required The censorship clause tacked on hy Alderman Dowling to the bill re- cently introduced by Alderman Ralph Folks, permitting the New York City moving picture houses to seat 600 pa- trons instead of 299 limit fixed by the current ordinance, which measure Mayor Gaynor vetoed Tuesday, has aroused the moving picture exhibitors of the metropolis more than any- moving picture legislation in years. The agitation among Manhattan film makers and exhibitors, and among the film makers of the coun- try as well as among producers and purveyors of foreign pictures, crys- tallized this week in the organization of a new moving picture men's league, for the sole purpose of consid- ering, and where deemed expedient, opposing any proposed future ordi- nances designed to embarrass the moving picture business of Manhat- tan and the United States generally. Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal and World's Best Film Co., was selected chief executive of the new organization. His election was unanimous at a general meeting held last week in the theatre of the Uni- versal company in the Mecca Build- ing. He suggested at the hearing be- fore the Mayor that it was as imprac- ticable to censor moving pictures by a municipal board composed of mem- bers of the Board of Education—the proposal of the Dowling censorship clause—as it would be to have such a board pass upon what should be printed or pictured in newspapers or decide what acted plays should be presented before audiences in a regu- lar theatre. He further pointed out to the Mayor and the aldermen that unless the censorship board that might be appointed under the pro- posed measure possessed a majority of members of cultivated artistic and dramatic perception, new moving picture plays turned out by any of the big dramatists of the regular theatres, fast being attracted to the field, as well as many of the standard dramas now enlightening and delighting pa- trons of the movies, might be forbid- den. "Rip Van Winkle," for instance, because "Rip" was a drunkard; "Ro- meo and Juliet." because it contained a suicide, and "Hamlet," because it was in spots sanguinary. Speaking of the new organization, which is to lie incorporated under the title of the New York Moving Pic- ture Men's Club, and the causes that inspired it, Mr. Laemmle said to a Variety representative: "I am opposed to state or municipal censorship, and, of course. to any pro- posed national legislation directed af films. The present outcry for censor- ship is confined to a ridiculously small percentage of the community— an indistinguishable if distinguished minority. The few men and women whose names figure in the agitation are moved by the very best motives, but they are proposing an infringe- ment of the rights given each of us under the constitution—personal lib- erty. "Censorship of films would be super- fluous. The conditions it aims to govern arc covered under section 1140 of the Penal Code. The amend- ment proposed that a censorship board be made up of members of the Board of Education. Absurd. No two people like precisely the same things in the same degree. No two newspaper critics of our regular plays in regular theatres ever agree on pre- cisely the same points. Often the critics are north and south poles. Some members of the proposed Board of Education censors might not like any form of melodrama; oth- ers may not care for low comedy, still others might not care for the classics. Where would the moving picture men be at in such cases? "I know most of the men respon- sible for the manufacture and circu- lation of moving picture films. I know none who would wittingly is- sue a vicious film. Depraved film men infrequently appear, but the law, the public and the exhibitors soon dispose of them. "There is no need of censorship for movies in this country. The law and the police are always happily with us. »i The new organization will work in co-operation with the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America. Application for membership in the New York Moving Picture Men's Club may be addressed to Mr. Laemmle at the Universal offices, New York. Membership involves neither initia- tion fee, dues nor other expense. LI BIN CUTTING DOWN. Philadelphia, Jan. 2. While Sigmund Lubin ostensibly left for Europe on pleasure and business, it is said here among the picture peo- ple that the principal object of his trip across rhe water just at this time was to give his subordinates an opportunity to cut down expenses by releasing sev- eral old employes of the Lubin con- cern. These had been with Lubin for sev- eral years. Most were intimately ac- quainted whom Mr. Lubin could not find the courage to dismiss in person. "BRONCHO BILLY" A RIOT. "Broncho Billy" in the person of George M. Anderson came to New York last week. He started almost as great a riot on the streets and in the restaurants as Mr. Anderson does in the moving pictures he is the leading figure of. There are three famous picture actors, known to all who watch the sheets. Mr. Anderson is one. Also interested in the Essanay Co. since its organization. Mr. Anderson, upon go- ing to the Coast (in charge of the firm's western properties) resumed his ypcation as an actor. Soon he was famous as "Broncho Billy," the fellow who always rescued the girl or stop- ped the villyun in the many western pictures Mr. Anderson wrote and played in himself. In Rector's, where Mr. Anderson sat for a few moments with a Variety representative, he immediately became the target for half the eyes in the res- taurant. Men and women seemed to recognize his features immediately. Several made it a point to pass close to Mr. Anderson on their way out of the place, nudging each other and smil- ing as though they had discovered something. Asked about this film-made popular- ity, Mr. Anderson said he had grown accustomed to it. Often, he remarked, when walking on the streets and see- ing a group of children, he takes to the other side of the woods to avoid them gathering about him. Mr. Anderson is on a brief vacation from his acting work in the east for the first time in four years, giving atten- tion to the business of the "S. & A." concern. After sperding two weeks in Chicago, Mr. Anderson will return to Niles, California. It is from this point he directs the Essanay people and pic- tures in the west. PLAZA IN PICTURES. Chicago, Jan. 2. The Plaza is to have a straight pic- ture policy hereafter, the vaudeville shows failing to draw 'em in. During the summer the house did very well with the* pictures. The management will book in a tabloid show occasional- ly for a "showing. n BONA VITA IN PICTURES. Jack Bonavita, the animal trainer, is going into moving pictures. Harold Shaw, formerly director of the Edi- son Company, has resigned to accept a similar position with the World's Feature Film Co. at a bigger salary and he will direct a series of wild animal pictures in which Bonavita will play an important part. The W. F. F. Co. is now on its way to Tampa, where the animals will work before the camera. Two sharpshooters have also been engaged. FIKLIHXG WITH PATHE CO. Romainc Fielding, for many seasons with dramatic companies, is with the American Pathe Company in Cali- fornia. POP IN OLD POLFS. Bridgeport. Conn., Jan. 2. The old Poli house, which formerly played "two a day" vaudeville, has been rechristened the Plaza and on Monday next will start a "pop" policy with four acts booked in by James Clancy, New York. PANAMA PICTURES SHOWN. The Kinemacolor motion pictures of the Panama Canal work were shown for the first time Monday evening at Carnegie Lyceum before a big audi- ence. The reels are in seven sections running about an hour and a hah. A whole evening's entertainment is pieced out by the introduction of other color reproductions of scenes and op- erations at the front in the Balkan war. With the probability of the big inter- ocean waterway being opened within eight months, and the celebration of that occasion already in preparation, there is an immense news value to the newest photo display of the colossal engineering feat. The Kinemacolor Co. has made a splendid series. The scenes in their actual colors are more vivid than any description could indicate. The enter- prise of the concern might aptly be said to have written the headlines of a big historical event. The color reproduction is infinitely more impressive than could have been made in mere black and white. Who- ever directed the camera's lens reached for big, broad effects. One view shows a horde of workmen handling the big red steel plates that were dropped into place in the vast locks. The vivid splashes of color are fairly startling. In another portion of the film a wide stretch of operations gives the most interesting colorful view. Some of these sweeping glimpses of activities are sensational, while a con- stant succession of the smaller opera- tions are extremely interesting. The feature of the film is the blow- ing up of a big hill with Trojan pow- der. This scene is capitally worked up, by showing the laborers cutting and ramming the powder, so that ex- pectation is aroused for the hair- raising explosion. The edge was somewhat taken off the sensation by another explosion poorly reproduced in the early part of the film. It is likely that there will be some changes in the exhibition. A good deal of time is occupied by showing detailed and uninteresting portions of the work. For example, few people will be aroused to deep interest by the sight of gangs of men mixing con- crete. There were yards and yards of f.lrn devoted to this purpose, while a most interesting machine, called a cut- ter suction dredge, which fairly tore the earth apart, was shown but for a brief moment. A momentary view was given of what the lecturer called the cableway control station, a masterpiece of tricky photography. The series opens with an extremely beautiful marine picture of "Sunrise on the Atlantic" and closes with another called "Sunset on the Pacific." The Balkan pictures were thorough- ly interesting. They showed the movements of the Allies at the front, and although there was no actual en- gagement of arms the reels were alive with picturesque detail. Both subjects are fine examples of the new art. They will do much for the whole field of motion photography. Certainly they demonstrate that the Kinemacolor Co. can do big things in a big way.