Variety (February 1914)

Vol. XXXIII. No. 12. NEW YORK CITY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1914. PRICE 10 CENTS REVIVAL OF OLD PICTURES HOPED T O HELP FILM MAKERS General Film Co. Planning to Bring Back Former Successes to Make Up Attractive Current Pro- grams for Exhibitors. Ultimate Desire May Be Amalgamation of the Three Big Companies. The moving-picture industry is in a very chaotic state at the present time. The insiders know this and, if they arc frank, will freely admit it. In the scramble to get under cover the manufacturers, or producers, are resorting to features to sustain inter- est in their output, but these have now become so plentiful that they have ceased to arouse any excitement. Even when an exceptional feature is pro- duced the exhibitors are loath to com- pete for it, as there have been so many ordinary ones put upon the market the picture theatre patrons have placed all in the same category. While the manufacturers are fight- ing for supremacy and the exhibitors have been compelled to offer pro- grams made up principally of features, the public is benefiting by the condi- tions, being enabled to see the "big stuff" at nominal prices. The General Film Co. has under consideration a plan to relieve the situ- ation and has called its manufacturers into conclave for this purpose. It proposes to abolish entirely "re- lease dates," which have developed into the "Trust" manufacturers' principal handicap, it having eventuated into ex- actly the opposite effect than the one designed. The General Film at pres- ent returns all films after eight months, by agreement with the manufacturers, which prevents the reels from being ever used again. The present plan is to re-issue all films popular in the past five years and establish a service made up of properly balanced programs about equally divided between new re- leases and suqgo^sful old ones. By this the G. F. would be enabled to furnish a service attractive to the small exhibitor and relieve the pres- ent condition. The old subjects could be reprinted at a cost approximating four cents per foot and incidentally give the manufacturer a breathing spell until the film business settles down to a definite basis. At the present time the manufacturer doesn't know what the future demand will be—whether three and four reelers will prevail or the single reel. It is argued that such features as Pathe's "Passion Play" (now 12 years old), is annually re- vived with success and there is no good reason why other successful single and multiple reels should not also be re- vived. It has been figured that on account of the wide publicity given release dates, an average of not more than one-fifth of all the General Film re- leases are seen at a given house, as about thirty days from the first run of a release a picture is regarded as "old." This is the main argument ad- vanced for the proposed abolition of "release dates." In addition it has been said that in reviving successful old reels they will have no opposition as the newer competitors have nothing on their shelves to compete with the revival plan. The General Film is about six years ahead of its competi- tors. The ultimate point to be arrived at may be the amalgamation into one big exchange of the General, Mutual and Universal. Meanwhile the General Film has still another plan of campaign in prospect, in the possible hope of relegating the Mutual and University to the back- ground in the matter of competing for service throughout the country. The General is endeavoring to forniu- late a scheme for a double set of serv- ice, i. 0.. Class A and Clas<: B. The former is to be made up of the finest of their output, features and so forth, to (Continued on page \^.) The OFFICIAL NEWS of the WHITE RATS ACTORS' UNION and ASSOCIATED ACTRESSES OF AMERICA, as formerly printed excluslyely in 9uixm appear* on Page Ib^and 17 of this issue. it ZIEGV' AND BILLIE BURKE, YES? So many rumors have been afloat linking the name of Florenz Ziegfeld with prominent artists that they have oome to be regarded as part of the day's work. The latest star to be mentioned in connection with a possible matrimonial alliance with "Ziegy" is Billie Burke, now appearing at the Lyceum in "The Land of Promise," and this time the report is backed by the allegations that the former husband of Anna Held has confided his intentions to intimate friends. But whether the looked-for event oc- curs or not, it is certain that Ziegfeld has been seen often in Miss Burke's company of late. Almost daily they lunch together, at three have tea, dine at six, and after the show he accom- panies her home. PRESIDENT LIKES SHOWS. Washington, Feb. 18. Friday night was becoming the regu- lar occasion for President Wilson to seek diversion at a vaudeville show un- til he discovered the public was aware of the fact. Now the President (a regular vaudeville patron) chooses any night convenient. There has been no occupant of the White House who is as much devoted to the drama as the present oxccutivr. •CRAP GAME" GOING AGAIN. The shooting of craps with the best shooter sotnctiiiics getting the money has once iiiorr hccom(" the tiling arouTul Broaflway and 42n(l street. "The boys" have held off with the dice since last summer to give the losers a chance to save some more wealth. ROAD SHOWS ON LOEW TIME. Commencing next week the Loew Circuit will try playing road shows over its time, making up a complete bill for each house, and moving it in- tact into the New York and out of town houses. The programs will be clipped down, according to the number of turns each house uses, but will start ofT with eight acts in most cases. The move is an experiment, which will be continued if successful. LEAN AND HOLBROOK REPORT. Kansas City, Feb. 18. Vaudeville soon will have Cecil Lean and Florence Holbrook together again, according to what Lean told a friend here last week. He played the Orpheum last week with Clco May- field. According to Lean's friend the Lean- Holbrook combination is arranging l)Ookings. WILLIAM HARRIS IS ILL. William Harris is seriously ill, de- spile all reports to the contrary, lie \\as conniied to th( (icrnian Ilosjjital for some time and lias now been rc- Tiuivcd to his home at l^ayside. Long Island. Nfr. Harris is suffi rni>^' fmtn a malig- nant form of cczptiia anrl his aflvaiiccd ai^c has actcil .it^ainst his clianrcs for an iinmrdiatc recovery. GOING ON VACATION. Around the end <>f the month Adoljjh /iikor, Marine I.'mw and Joe .Srhenck will leave for a trij) across the contini lit They expect to be away frf)m New N'ork for about two months.