Variety (February 1914)

VARIETY 23 MISSOURI TAKES TRUST STEPS AGAINST M UTUAL niM CONCERN Attorney-General Files Proceedings Against Seven ''Mutual" Companies. Over 500 Picture Exhibitors in State Complain Against Combination and Control of Trade. Court Appoints Commissioner To Take Testimony. Kansas City, Feb. 4. Alleging that seven big moving pic- ture film companies are operating a trust in Missouri through the Mutual Film Corporation, Attorney General Barker filed proceedings Monday in Jefferson City under the anti-trust laws against all of them. The Supreme Court appointed H. P. Lay, of Warsaw, Ben- ton County, commissioner to take testi- mony. The companies named in the suit are: Film Exchange Corporation, American Film Manufacturing Co., Thanhauser Film Corporation, Majestic Film Co., Carlton Motion Picture Laboratories, New York Motion Picture Co. and the Mutual Film Corporation. The Missouri agent of the company at Kansas City was Alexander De- Somers. The company changed its Missouri headquailers to St. Louis, Aug. 26, 1913, with Fred. A. Keller, of St. Louis, as its Missouri agent, vice DeSomers. Attorney General Barker says that he has letters from more than 500 owners of motion picture shows in this state complaining about the combination of the film companies, which also control the apparatus and machinery incident to the operation of motion pictures. HILL'S MOVIE CO. FORMED. With Gus Hill, thinking is almost al- ways doing. Less than a month ago he was considering the advisability of going into the manufacture of moving pictures. Since then he has organized a $100,000 corporation for the putting out of feature reels. Active in the company will be Max Spiegel and Will- iam Johnson, the latter acting as pro- ducing director. The first picture will be "Around the World in 80 Days," in five reels, to be fdlowed by "The Life of Napoleon," 01 similar length. ''YIDDISH" FEATURE FILMS. Ellis Glickman, the well-known "Yiddish" actor, running five picture houses in Chicago, has been spending the past week in New York, looking over the field, with a view to forming a company for the making of feature reels in which Glickman will pose ji leading roles. TYPEWRITING FOR MUTUAL. Phil Mindil's typewriter clicked off a number of items this week pertain- ing to the doings of "Our Mutual Girl" and Mutual movies. Among them were one saying Norma Phillips (Mutual girl, whose picture is on Variety's front page this week) had been injured while horseback riding before the camera in Central Park, but not seriously hurt. Another said William V. Hart trans- ferred from the New York Mutual Exchange to the management of the Springfield, Mass., branch. Still an- other that new films of the Mexico troubles were continually arriving and one which had a dash of fiction telling how District Attorney Whitman had been cameraed with the Mutual Girl Besides which Hopp Ha^ley swears the Mutual was the only picture concern to send a camera man with Colonel Roosevelt on his South American trip. MICHELENA STARRED. Beatriz Michelena has been engaged by the California Motion Picture Cor- poration and will be starred by that concern in their feature productions. "FATIMA" AS A SERIAL The New York theatre has been run- ning for a few weeks a feature film called "Fatima," giving it as a serial, using a different reel for each half of its split week pop vaudeville policy. The current week ends the series, when "The Fall of Constantinople," another Gaumont, will follow it. NEW CORPORATIONS. , „ . Georgetown, Del., Feb. 4. Toe following charters of Incorporation have been granted at the State Department. Dover. Del., within the paat few days: The Stanley Co., Philadelphia, capital IQ.OOO. to construct, maintain and operate places of amuflement. Incorporators, P. R. Hansel Philadelphia, George H. B. Martin. S. C. Sey- mour, Camden. N. J. Chestnut Street Opera House Co.. Wilming- ton, Del.. caplUl $10,000, to furnish amuse- ments of all kinds. Incorporators. W. M. Pyle. George O. Stelgler, Lawrence W. B. McCarthey, all of Wilmington. Allegheny Theatre Co.. capiUl $10,000. In- corporators. W. M. Pyle, L. W. B. Mc- Carthey, George G. Stelgler. all of Wilming- ton. Blair VIvontoscope Co.. Wilmington, Del., capital $.300,000, to manufacture, purchase and deal In and dispose of all kinds of devices for talking pictures, etc. Incorporators. A. G. WalBh. James I. Boyce, Richard S. Rodney, all of Wilmington. Wilmington Brandywine Co.. Wilmington Del., capital $100,000, to conduct amusement places of All kinds, vaudeville entertain- mentB, etc. Incorporators, Benjamin J Schwartz. David L. Topkis, Hnnnah R. Top- kl8. all of Wilmington. The S. and S. Film Co.. Wilmington. Del. capital $1.0<10.000. Inrorporators. B. M Orawl. George W. Dlllmnn. F. D. Buck, ali of Wilmington. Perfection Motion PIrturc Screen Co., Phila- delphia, capital $l>fS.O0O. Incorporators, F. H Hansel. Philadelphia; Grorge H. B. Martin S. C. Seymour, both of Camden. N'. J. Regent Theatre Co.. Philadelphia, capital $2,000. TncorporatofB. G. H. B. Martin and S. C. Seymour, of Camden, N. .T., and F. R Hansall, of Philadelphia .1. H. D. Amusement Co., Philadelphia, cap- ital $2,000. Incorporators. F. R. Hansall Philadelphia : G. H. B. Martin and S. C. Sey- mour. Camdon. N. .T. Talking Plrture Film Co. of America, cap- ital $2..'•00.000. to maiuifa.-ture. buy. sell and deal In and with films and other productions and srones and dramas. Inrorporators, R. j Forhan. F. B. Knowlton, D. A. Cashin, all of .N'ew York. Tri-Stato Feature Co.. Phlladelnhla. capital $10,000. Incorporators, .lohn O. Sheatz. Wal- ter R. Bennins, Saniuol o. Simper, all of Phil- adelphia. Liberty Motion Picture Co.. Wllmlnijton Del., capital f'JrtO.OOO. Incorporators. 8 S Adams. H. M. Kennedy, M. IT. F. Hawkins, ali of WilmlnKton, Dol. Rtolka Amusement Co.. Philadelphia, capital stock $.",0«K). Incorporators. F. F{ Hansall Philadelphia: G. 11. B. Martin. S. C. Sey- mour, Camden. N. .T . If you don't advertinr In VAIIIKTV. don't advertise at all. MOROSCO MAT TRY IT. Oliver Morosco may turn his atten tion to the making of pictures this summer. He has a raft of play mate- rial, tried and untried, which he could advantageously turn into movie fea- tures. Morosco some months ago scoffed the idea of dipping into filmdom, but times have changed. EDNA BAKER RETIRES. Springfield, Mass., Feb. 4. Edna Baker has retired from the Broadway stock for several weeks, tem- porarily being replaced by Rose Botti, while "The Yankee Consul" and "The Man Who Owns Broadway" are being put on. $10,000 ON SIGNS. It is said the Vitagraph Co. has spent 110,000 on the electric signs that will illuminate the front and sides of the Vitagraph theatre (formerly Cri- terion) when it opens with the Vi. pro- gram of film. This spread eagle style of advertis- ing the name of Vitagraph is believed to have been the principal reason for the leasing of the Criterion at a rental (for a picture policy) of 160,000 yearly. The Vita Co. will probably charge up considerable of this amount to pub- licity, on the theory that Times Square attracts millions of transients each year, and that none in it can escape noticing the electrically displayed "Vitagraph" on the theatre. BALL A FINANCIAL SUCCESS. The Screen Club received a large push forward in its desire for-a new clubhouse, from the proceeds of its second annual ball, held at the Grand Central Palace last Saturday night. The affair had been extensively billed all over -the city, with the names of the picture stars to be present prominently printed. The admission was $2 per couple, and the bill- boarding, also price, apparently drew in hundreds of admirers of the screen players. The entire picture world was represented to a greater or less ex- tent, with the "oppositions" mixing ffeely, almost fraternizing in some cases, as the :lock swung around toward another daybreak. At Grand March time it was esti- mated there were between 4,000 and 5,000 in the big hall. Around $30,000 was realized from the souvenir program, in the advertising and sales, the retail price being set at 50 cents. All the boxes, seating 10 persons, sold at $50 each, were occupied. FIRST IN LEGIT. Contrary to the practice commonly observed by picture producers, the policy of the Anglo-American Film Corporation devises that its foreign and domestic products shall first be exploited in the legitimate theatres of the principal cities before generally releasing to the houses in the lesser cities. ■■■Bsa GORRESJK>NDENCE Uakw Otlierwiie itted, tht f»IIcwiiig wporti m for tht cwTtrt wtk. 1 JOHN J. OXOMOR (WYNN) la Oharse CHICAGO TABIETT*8 CHICAGO OFFICES MAJESTIC THEATRE BUILDING PALACD MUSIC HALL (Harry Singer. DQgr.; agents. OrpI>«um).—This house had a row to hoe this week with all the big oppo- sition, and without a headllner of what might be called national if not International im- portance as a drawing card. To be sure. Theodore Roberta is known and liked and his vehicle has the merit of comedy as well as melodrama, and the Monday afternoon audi- ence was such as to fill the house from top to l>ottom. even if Harry Lauder was Just around the corner and two other vaudeville stars of great renown were playing Monday matinees. The bill was longer than usual, and was connlderably varied. It did not start off well. Two danring numbers were on in 1 and 2 spots and Charlotte Parry was on third with her novelty protean act which was badly placed for big surceRs. Dlssett & Scott opened the show. They danced In the eccentric style and did enough nimble footing and eccentric gyra- tions to start almoRt any audience outside of a lot of wooden Indians, but for some rfa- son or other, dance as they would, they could not get much applause. They drosn noatly and have some novel ntunts and should have gone much better than they did. Comlni? rl^ht on after this was the team of .Ilm Toncy and Ann Norman. This. too. Is what miKht he called a danring act althoueh It is varied with talk. Tonev la ns tall as n fronk In a circus and as thin as a sfllloto. Tie worked hard and Miss Norman was rleht with him at all times, but they too were not the hit they deserved. Then rnnie Miss Parry with her protean .-,ketrh. "Info the I.,lKht." This yoiine woman shows remarkable ability In charnrter work, and' the ant Is nov< I. It seemed to be a bit over the h'^ads of the people, however, and did not strike real Are until the final scene nrter tlie velvet drnp went up. dlpf^Ioslnj? the whole affair was hut a dream The the applause w.is genuine .nrnl long. The first fire of the aft<rnonn was struck by the Farher Olrls. Thev are riiW.-i- gonns. and favorites, and It was llttl.- wonder that they ranie on to apr>Inii-r' .-ind had »f) bow a dozen times when thev wrrr thmni'h The Klrls have some pond fouks and thev Invf- Improved fholr af't (^-nnsideraMy. alfhnuirh some of their nlfl stuff w»nt onlte as wi-Il as ttio new. They wore some prettv powns and de- served the M" lilt they made. Menrlftfc Do Serrls and her (•omT)anv of models wer" In next ripot These reprodiietlons of art. anel<nt anrl modern, were well posed and they were well liked. Several were encored and the final group got a number of curtains. Windsor McCay, who Is blessed with a great Imagina- tion, was on next. He started tamely but .ended better. Theodore Roberts, next In his familiar sketch. "The Sheriff of Shasta," had things all his own way. He has burlesqued tht) sketch a little and It gets more laughs than It did when here on former occasions. Maud Lambert and Ernest Ball, next to clon- ing, sang and played and did not find It hard to please. They sang of love and the moon and things and were warmly received. The KItaro Four. Jap equilibrists, closed. They had some new foot Juggling feats which got them much applause. As a whole the bill was pleasInK without being Hcnsatlonal and ap- peared as thouKh It might hold up for the week. Ri'ctl. MA.IKSTir (Lyman P. Clover, mgr. ; ngent. Orpheum).--Through the presenee of (lertrnde Hoffmann and her M(5-nilnute vaudevlIN- revue holding down the «ecoiid section of the Ma- jestle progruni. the bill Is shortened, rarrylnK seven acts In all, counting the Hoffmann pro- duet Ion as one The Merkle Sisters were picked to open. coiiiImk on n bit early. The KelJl Duo of ttecordlonl.^tB who work before the "one" drop harmonized In second s-iol with good resullH. making way for Prank Mil ton nnd the DelxtiiK Risters In their cf»medy rural skit. Milton's charact'Tiz.Ttlon although It bit exajiu'eiated Is a nif'y piece of work, hut the Delving Sisters Kcem to have nr-lved at the pf-rlod of retroRn svion, with the nsiinl effect to the playlet on the whole. The turn lackH the life and snop that formerly marked It a Ktiiple comedy prop to any bill. F.inlly • nun'latlon In which l)oth the Rlrls particl- pofed l)rf)ke the liitercst In the th'-me which I.; ln»)se en')UKh in Itself, The exprctetl flnsh of c()-;fiimcH was not there, but sIkhiIiI be. .\ fiL'htenIng up all around could Ik- comfortahlv "iiKKeHfed, for aside from Miltons Individual efforts, this first cl.-iss comedy number is ko- Irig back. Somefhlnc s!mil:ir ctjuld hr said of MIddleton and SiMllmeyer's ".\n O'cin Woo Ing." prnctlcallv a hr.uid m w otTcrltiLr for this cnpabir- couple. (")riL'iniII\- If w.-is s''<i\vn In "one" to frir l>cff< r- |i-'iilts and unlc -- al icrcd In stnir'ntr to ;"•! 'ihiiikkI.'iIc tJie .ortarn'c merit of the hill I h"u''l lie )■ rk<'(| hick to the stn.'ill'F' MM' I itilintcr There Is too nnic|i talk .itil too I'ltle Miiion to occupy tli«» eiriire sfii"' .I'd t cv»'; iKilly lands In an un- interesting i(r*dl( anient from wblcb It Is rather