Variety (June 1914)

20 VARIETY The Cosmos Feature Film Corporation has gotten out a film date book for exhibitors. The Atlas Theatre Co. has secured a ttate charter. The officers are J. J. Hamilton, presi- dent ; H. L. McElvoy, vice-president lU ob- ject Is to operate picture theatres. About 30 theatres In the Manhattan boroughs and the Jerseys showing U films can now b« entered gratis upon presentation of a coupon isHued In a New York evening dally news- paper. Street & Smith, publishers, are Illustrating a version of "The Three Musketeers." run- ning In one of their magazines with cuta made from tho C. V. Henkel film version of the novel. John McDonald, formerly of the Henkel 4 McDonald Arm. Is now director of the film lab- oratory of the Evans Manufacturing Co., in the Bronx. Charles Huber (Frontier) Is around again. He was Injured by a fall from a horse during a scene In 'Won by Wire." Walter GUvaa (Frontier) Is a benedict. As the liner Matsonla. arriving In San Fran- cisco from Honolulu, was slowly steaming down the bay to her dock, Marie Walcamp. a picture actress, created considerable excite- ment by plunging from the side of the steamer Into the bay. After she was rescued by the boat's crew. It was learned that the escapaTle was the climax of a series of sea scenarios which a M. P. company bad been enacting all the way from Honolulu. Frank M. Chapman has accepted a posi- tion with the Playgoers Feature Film Co. The Seventy-Seventh Street Amusement Co.. .New York City, movie exhibitors, has assigned for the benefit of creditors to William Henkel, Jr. The company was incorporated In 1913. In the John W. Rumsay Play Co.'s suit against Harry H. Fratee In which the former sued for $1,000 alleged to be due for non- production of a piece In the Rumsay list, Judge Dwyer. last week, ruled In favor of the plaintiff. Frazee being directed by the Court to pay $1,000. M. W. Lawrence has succeeded W. H. Bomb as New Orleans representative of the Syndi- cate Film Corporation. Albert C. Froome, who drove the auto off the cliff In the Hippodrome show, has signed to create thrills In the Thanhouser films. It's doubtful whether Maclyn ^rbuckle will be back In stage harness next season, as the big actor has signed a S2 weeks' contract with the Famous Players' Film Co. Frank L. Dean, director for the Broadway Picture Producing Co., la sending out Invita- tions for a review of his "Trail of the Lone- some Pine" feature. LUBIN'S BIG BLAZE. Philadelphia, June 17. An explosion of several hundred pic- ture films in the storage vault of the Lubin manufacturing plant, Twentieth street and Indiana avenue, Saturday morning resulted in the destruction of the vault, probable fatal injury to a boy and damage to 16 small dwellings nearby. An official of the film com- pany placed the company's loss at $500,000. Many of the films destroyed cannot be duplicated. The police and the spectators at the blaze credit Harry Myers, one of the Lubin film actors, with being a hero. Myers risked his life in an effort to save that of Ray Eidio, ten years old,, who was playing in front of his home when the explosion occurred and his clothing was ignited by a blazing reel. In a moment the boy was enveloped in flames. Myers saw his danger, smoth- ered the flames with his own coat, car- ried the boy through one of the blaz- ing houses and to a drug store, where an ambulance was summoned. The boy is lingering between life and death. Myers was burned about the hands and arms. Rescue work was carried on by the film actors, who carried fainting young women from the plant and also car- ried out a small fortune in costumes and properties. The explosion is believed to have been caused by spontaneous combus- tion. The entire front of the storage vault, which faces on Garnet street, was blown out and almost simultane- ously the flames leaped through the hole and spread to the row of houses across the street. At the time of the explosion about a hundred girls were at work in the printing and film de- veloping rooms, separated from the vault by a fire wall. Although the wall saved them from the dangers of the explosion and flames they were made hysterical by fear. Many fainted and had to be carried from the building by actors and employes. Ira M. Lowery, general manager of the company, said: "Some of the films which were destroyed had never been released. Others cannot be reproduced or duplicated. Our loss on films will be at least 1500,000 and on the vault about 15,000. The only explanation I can give for the explosion and fire is that the sun coming through a window so heated one of the tin cylinders hold- ing a film that it exploded, setting the others off." None of the films was covered by insurance. EVENING SUN WINNERS. Elaine Sterne of 3810 Broadway (Manhattan) was returned the $1,000 winner in the photoplay-writing con- test conducted by the Evening Sun. Her scenario was a five-reel drama of modern society, entitled "The Sins of the Mother." The second prize, $500, went to Harold Gilmore Calhoun of the Bronx, who submitted a dramatic five-reeler, "The Man Who Couldn't Beat God." The third prize, $100, was awarded to William Addison Lathrop of Brooklyn, who turned in a four- reeled "memories" play, entitled "Mother's Roses." There were 3,477 other scenarios read by the judges. RAVER FALLS IN. Every one is congratulating Harry Raver for fluking into a percentage of "Cabiria" through a contract he held with the Itala calling for a bit of all the Italian film coming over. The "Cabiria" feature wasn't intended orig- inally for the general Itala service. The Itala service contracts, however, give their holders rights for their re- spective tcr itories on all Itala im- portations. Any number of suits by Itala state rights contract holders are threatened unless the contract holders get what Raver got or hopes to get through his Itala agreement. Kleine fluked in on "Quo Vadis" with the Cines people under a similar blan- ket agreement he had, but Kleine re- fused to avail himself of the technical advantage the contract gave him and voluntarily paid over to the Cines folk all the money they would have been in a position to demand had the agree- ment specially provided for special payments for spec al productions. LUBIN PROMISES SENSATION. Philadelphia, June 17. Intimations that a prominent filqi producing Company is abotit to break relations with the General Film Co., and that the news of the break will be a sensation in the film world, were given in this city today by Herbert Lubin, president and general manager of the Allied Features, Inc. Mr. Lu- bin arrived in town last night and through John B. Clymer, press agent for the Allied concern, summoned the newspaper men to the Bellevue-Strat- ford where he is stopping. He told the reporters to be prepared for a great surprise which he would spring here in about a week. "The Pathe people have broken away ffom the General, as you know," he said, by way of introduction, "and many strange things are happening in the moving picture business, but the deal which I have practically completed will be the greatest surprise in years." Mr. Lubin said his immediate busi- ness in Philadelphia was to arrange for the opening of an exchange through which the Allied concern will distribute its features. This exchange is to be one of a chain to be established throughout the United States and Canada. HICKET OUT OF KIN. A report extant for some time that William H. Hickcy is no longer con- nected with the Kinemacolor Co. of America was confirmed this week. It is said Mr. Hickey is at Lowville, N. Y., making that point his head- quarters to look after several theatres in the State. Kinemacolor's president is still A. P. Barnard, and the company is using its Whitestone, L. I., plant to turn out pictures. LIKE CHILD PICTURE IDEA. Cleveland, June 17. The page advertisement which the Child Players' Co. had in last week's VxRiBTr attracted considerable atten- tion among local picture exhibitors. Opinion here is that "Kids of the Movies" and other reels with these young actors will be a success. "Kid pictures" always go well in this city, and it is believed the producers of this new series will make a hit all through this section of the country. Homer Barton has replaced Charles Dingle as leading man of the Lyceum stock, Duluth. Mina. STOCK STAR FILMED. The Famous Players release June 20 "The Scales of Justice" in which Paul McAllister plays the leading role. RELEASED NEXT WEEK(Jine 22 It Jne 29. Ik.) MAMOTAOTUBBBS INDICATBD BT. ABBBBTlAnOMB, TlCi VltAcr«»h y Blogimpli B XAlom B Labia L Pathes ..•. Ptb* Bellg 8 Bdlaon B Kleine Bl Mellea Mel ▲mbroele BXCLU8ITB O. N. B. F...... ON Ramo R Solas Sol Bclectlo Bel F. R. A F Lewis PennantB..L P Ot. Northern.... O N Dragon D lUla It O. N. X. X..ONXX Blaehe Features..Bl Luna L« UNIYBBSAL Imp I Oern <lem Blsoa Bltl Chrystal G Nestor N Powers P ■elalr Belr Rss Rx Froatler , Frat Victor TIa Gold Seal OB Jokar J Universal Ike U 1 Stsrllag star MUTUAL Oaumont O Amerloan A Keystone Key Rsllaaoe Bel Majestlo MaJ Thanhooser V Kay-Bos .KB Brancbo B» Dsmlno Dom Mutaal B Princess Pr Baalo Ko Beanty i.. B^ Ap«llo Apo Rsyal R Llan Lii Bepwortb F NOTB—The aabjeot Is la one reel of abont !,••• fast nnlsas stbsrwtas natsC JUNE 22-MONDAY. MUTUAL—The Painted Lady's Child, 2- reel dr, A; Keystone title not announced; Our Mutual Olrl. No. 23, Rel. OB.NBRAL F—The Song of Sunny Italy, dr. B; The Show Girl's Glove. 2-reel dr, K; Max. the Magician, com. and Historic St Cloud, (travel) split reel. Pthe; Me An' Bill. 2- reel dr, S ; The Basket Habit, com. E ; Hearst- Sellg News Pictorial. No. 33. S. UNIVERSAL—The Silent Witness, 2-reel dr, Vic; Papa's Darling, com, I; The Flirt, com, Ster. JUNE 23—TUESDAY. MUTUAL—For Her Child, 2-reel dr, T; The Burden, dr. Maj; The Tale of the Tailor com. Be. GENERAL F—A Foolish Agreement, dr E; The Countess, dr. S-A ; A Midnight Guest. 2- reel dr. Kl; Glacier National Park, and The Marmot, split-reel (educ), Pthe; The Servant Question Out West, and Doc Yak and the Limited Train, split-reel com. S; The Passing of Diana. 2-reel dr, V; Nice Nursey, and Brown's Big Butler, split-reel com, L; A Good Time Spoiled, com, Mel; The Conduc- tor's Courtship, com-dr. K. UNIVERSAL—Lucille Love, The Girl of Mystery. No. 11, 2-reel dr, Q S; In Wrong, com, C: Universal Ike, Jr; In a Case on the Doctor, com. U I. JUNE 24—WEDNESDAY. MUTUAL—Desert Thieves. 2-reel dr, Br; Blue Knot, King of Polo. dr. A; Izzy's Night Out, dr, Rel. GENERAL F—The Mysterious Package. com, and On the Ice (A Demonstration of Fancy Skating at Wengem, Switzerland, (scenic), split-reel, E; Through the Flames, 2-reel dr. V^; The Epidemic, mel-com. S-A; Pathe Weekly, .No. 42. Pthe; The "Bear" Facts, com, V : Somebody's Sister, dr, S; The CTreater Treasure, 2-reel dr, L; Mother, di*. Mai. UNIVERSAL—The Den of Thieves, dr, N; Willy Walrus Detective, com, J ; Dead Man's Tales. 3-reel dr. Eclr; Universal Animated Weekly. No. 120. U. JUNE 2S-THURSDAY. MUTUAL—Frontier Mother, 2-reel dr. Dom; Keystone title not announced, Mutual Weekly. No. 78. M. GENERAL F—The Ragamuffin, dr; B; Sophie Finds a Hero, w-com. S-A ; The Can- didate for Mayor. 2-reel dr. L; A Peculiar Inheritance, com. Mel; Happy-Go-Lucky, com- dr, V: Hearst-Selig News Pictorial. No. 34. S ; A Shadow on the Wall. 2-reel dr, Mel. UNIVERSAL—The Skull. 2-reel dr, I; The Woman In Black, dr, Rx ; Snookee's FUrUtlon, com, Ster. JUNE 26—FRIDAY. MUTUAL—The Voice at the 'Phone. 2-reel dr, K B; Professor Snalth, com. P ; The Idiot, dr, MaJ. GENERAL F—The Man in the Street, 3-reel dr, E; The Chasm. 2-reel dr, S-A ; An Elope- ment In Rome, com. and Labor Demonstration In Hyde Park. London (top) split-reel. K; The Captain's Chair, dr, S; The old Maid's Baby, com. V; A Practical Demonstration, dr. L. UNIVERSAL—Sophie of the Films. No. 4, com. N; The Love Victorious. 2-reel dr. P; The Slavery's Romance, dr, Vic. JUNE 27—SATURDAY. MUTUAL—The Broken Barrier. 2-reel dr, Rel; Keystone title not announced, A Hasty Exit, com, R. GENERAL F—Dolly Plays Detective (10th page In the Active Life of "Dolly of the Dallies") dr. E; Broncho Billy's Jealousy, w-dr, S-A ; Who's Boss, and His Sudden Re- covery, split-reel com. L; His Wife and His work. 2-reel dr. V; The Gypsy Gambler, dr, K ; A Spanish Omelet, and Ribbons and Box- ing Gloves, split-reel com, B; The Right to Happiness, dr, S; Gypsy Child. 2-reel dr. Mel. U.VIVERSAL—Love and Electricity, com, J ; The Old Gambler, 2-reel w-dr, BlOl.