Variety (October 1914)

Vol. XXXVI. No. 6. NEW YORK CITY, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1914. PRICE 10 CENTS $750,000 PICTURE STOCK SALE BY UNIVE RSAL F ILM FACTION The Pat Powers-Jos Engel-Wm. H. Swanson Interests Dispose of Less Than Half-Interest in U at Enormous Profit. Buyers Unknown. Sale Disposes of Much Litigation. Horsley Stock, That Controls, Still in Court. The sale for $750,000 occurred Mon- day of the minority stock holdings in the Universal Film Corporation, held by Pat Powers, Jos. Engel and William H. Swanson. The amount paid gave a line on the enormous premium the stock brought. Pat Powers received something less than $200,000 for his shares, which represented a compara- tively small investment a few years ago. Messrs. Engel and Swanson divided the remainder of the large amount be- tween them, they having put into the Universal about three years ago not over $5,000 each. The sale also disposed of the pending litigation brought by Pat Powers, et al, against the Carl Laemmle faction, but it leaves the U stock holdings of David Horsley still in court. The Horsley stock will give the control of the U concern, now run by the Laemmle people. The Universal is one of the three large service concerns in the picture business. It distributes the output of several companies, and is said to have made terrific profits in recent times, in spite of itself and its direction. No information is obtainable as to the identity of the purchasers of the stock. Not even the men selling knew whom they were transferring their hold- ings to, according to report. The sur- mise is that Laemmle people "dug up" someone to advance the money, in or- der that their position might be strengthened in the control of the com- pany, and if the purchase were made for their benefit, the Horsley stock be- comes a minor factor. The combination of Messrs. Powers, Engel and Swanson was a pretty swift business trio for the Laemmle crowd to find opposed to it. Each of the three was partly responsible for the sudden growth of the Universal. When the split occurred it was real war in the U offices for a time. The opponents indulged in the pastime of throwing seals and other instruments of author- ity out of the office windows, as pos- session quickly veered often from one to the other. The law suits followed, and it was lately rumored Mr. Powers and his associates might shortly find themselves again operating the U. LOEWS BERLIN OFFER. An offer of 25 weeks at $1,000 weekly was reported this week to have been made to Irving Berlin by Joseph M. Schenck, the Loew Circuit general booking manager, for the famous little composer to take a trip over the Loew time. Mr. Berlin had returned no answer up to Wednesday. MUSICIANS' ELECTION. Eugene A. Johnson was elected president of the New York local, 310, of the American Federation of Musi- cians Thursday night by a majority of 88 votes. His nearest opponent was the present president, Edward A. Por- ter. Anthony Abarno was re-elected vice- president. LEFRECE OFF TO WAR. Special Cable to Variety.) London, Oct. 8. Walte. Defrece has enlisted in the Sportsmen's corps. A SENSATION "When You'rt • Lai* Way From Home." MORE ORPHEUMS OUT. More open time in Canada was de- clared by the Orpheum Circuit this week when it wiped Calgary and Re- gina (two days each) off its sheet, pend- ing the ending of the war. The only Canadian Orpheum now playing is at Winnipeg. This may be shut in another week or so if business does not improve. The present jump on the Orpheum route is from Winnipeg to Seattle. CHURCH BUYS M. P. SERVICE. Dr. Christian F. Reisner, pastor of the Grace M. E. Church, New York, has signed agreements with the Box Office Attraction Co. to take the re- leases of that company for exhibition before the members of his congrega- tion. FRISCO BARS OUTSIDERS. San Francisco, Oct. 7. Mayor Rolph has declined to approve the resolution of the Board of Super- visors granting outside amusement con- cessions for 1915, and objected to the issuance of privileges to any enterprise that would be in opposition to San Francisco's tax-supported exposition. GHOST DIDNT WALK. Salt Lake City, Oct. 9. Lillian Campbell and Charles Mackay, playing leads with the Utah Stock Co., left the cast suddenly Mon- day night while playing "The Ghost Breaker," closing because the prover- bial ghost hadn't rambled in their pres- ence for the past three weeks. SHARING YIELDS BONUS. (Special Cable to Varibtt.) London, Oct. 8. Playing on the 50-50 sharing plan, the artists on the bill at the Empire, Edinburg, last week received 50 per cent, over their regular salaries. (Special Cable to Vartbtt.) London, Dec. 8. Daly's reopens Oct. 24 with "The Country Girl" at reduced prices. Joe Brooks Moves Office. The headquarters of Joe Brooks, who recently disconnected his busi- ness relations with Klaw & Erlanger, is now in Sandy Dingwall's office. CUTS PRICE TO $1. Cleveland, Oct. 7. Eugene Walter, producer of "The Better Way," at the opera house this week, gives the war as his reason for cutting prices to one dollar. "Conditions in this country at the present time are not as good as they should be," says Mr. Walter. "The Better Way,' when produced at Wash- ington, did not draw well. I cut out a cafe number employing 19 people. Now I am making the show pay. One dollar attractions will do better than two dollar shows, I believe." The Colonial took advantage of the situation and proclaimed the Colonial as "Now Cleveland's only $2 theatre." CUTTING DOWN "BOWS." The Palace, New York, theatre posted a sign behind stage this week that reads: NOTICE Performers only allowed to take two bows. If you have anything else to offer, go right on with it. CHANGE NAZIMOVA TITLE. Leibler & Co. have changed the title of the play in which Madam Nazimova is to star. The present title is "That Sort." October 26 is the date set for its New York premiere. DRUM PIECE OCT. 29. I. Hope will present Adele Blood in "Milady's Boudoir" at the Garrick Thursday, Oct. 29. The story of the piece deals entirely with the theatre. REVISING "MISS TABASCO." Cincinnati, Oct. 8. Eva Tanguay, scheduled to show at the Grand next week with "Miss Ta- basco," engaged Gene Luneska and Arthur Forest, and will add others be- fore opening this week at Lexington. Peruchi Leases Lyric. New Orleans, Oct. 9. C. D. Peruchi. manager of the Peruchi-Gvpzenc Stock Co., has leased the Lyric and will install a company there commencing Oct. 18.