Variety (July 1915)

MOVING PICTURES 15 NEW YORK HOUSES ADVANCE ADMISSI ONS FO R DAILY FILM Savoy and Garrick Do Away With "10-Cent Pictures." Walter Rosenberg Says Impossible to Make Money* Scale Now 15-20 at Both Houses. Savoy Shows First Eastland Calamity Views. The Savoy and Garrick theatres, both in the 34th street and Broadway neighborhood, sent out a notice this week their prices of admission here- after will be 15 and 20 cents, with the 10-cent seat entirely eliminated. Both houses are operated by Walter Rosenberg, who gave as a reason for the advance in prices the increased cost of a selected program of daily release subjects, changed every day. This, said Mr. Rosenberg, costs.„ the Savoy and Garrick $500 weekly each, too expensive a show, in conjunction with the overhead charges, to play at the former prices obtaining, 10-15. The Herald Square theatre, also the Bijou, Daly's and Weber's, closely ad- jacent in the same territory, have re- cently passed out of existence for picture exhibiting. While the Herald Square was a competitor the Savoy charged 10 cents, as did the Square. That was before the Garrick was secured by Rosenberg for pictures. When the manager was asked if the clearance of the picture field in his vicinity had aught to do with the higher price box office price, he • re- plied it did not. "We find we can not maintain our- selves at the 10-15 scale, and I believe the end of the 10-cent picture house is here. Service for a good show is too expensive to return a profit in an ordinary sized theatre. As far as the store show or smaller picture place is concerned, I do not see how it has a living chance, if putting up anything like a desirable program, to play at the 10-cent scale. And, of course, un- less you give the film fans nowadays a class A program of the daily release sort, you can not retain a profitable patronage." The first picture print of the East- land calamity at Chicago last Satur- day morning was shown at the Savoy Monday noon. It was a Hearst-Selig "Special" and had been brought on by a messenger after Rosenberg had com- municated with the Chicago picture makers by phone. The cost of the special for the run is said to have been $200, with the Savoy paying the expenses of the messenger's trip to New York, amounting to about $45. The film ran 500 feet. It was ex- pected to become a part of the regular If.-S. Weekly, later in the week. Syracuse, July 28. Using as an excuse the picture the- atre owners of Syracuse were going to establish a minimum rate of a dime, proprietors of shows in smaller towns around here, Oswego, Watertown, Ful- ton and other places have announced they may also boost the rates. The out-of-town men claim that the Syracuse owners are going to raise the price because the film owners have raised the price on them. Syracuse men are mystified as to how the report started. There are about 50 film houses here asking five cents and three or four higher priced ones. None of the managers of the five-cent houses know anything about a con- templated raise. ROSIE DOLLY ON FILM. Los Angeles, July 28. The Jean Schwartz', which includes Rosie Dolly (Mrs. Schwartz), did not leave here last week as they expected. A couple of business propositions con- fronting them brought about the change in plans. Miss Dolly, it is understood, has agreed to play in a feature film, re- ceiving $600 weekly for her camera work. Mr. Schwartz will likely turn out the music for an Oliver Morosco production that will be first locally produced. "PURIST" CALLED MANIAC. San Francisco, July 28. Robert C. Barton, secretary of the Morals Efficiency Committee of Los Angeles, succeeded in earning the dis- like of California's picture colonies in an address to the International Purity Congress in session here last week when he said: "Investigation shows that it is almost impossible to be in pictures and keep virtuous." Perhaps the "purist" was seeking notoriety when he made the state- ment, but no matter his object, Char- lotte Walker took it upon herself to take exception to Barton's remarks. In her reply Miss Walker said: "No one but a raving maniac would make such a remark deliberately, knowing it untrue, and thereby bringing shame and humiliation upon the thousands of noble women who earn their living in the picture profession." At this same convention which took special delight in condemning most everything the human race does, a woman (she was a bachelor lady) said nickelodeons did much to keep chil- dren away from school and exercised a bad influence over the youngsters. FEATURING 'TATTY" ARBUCKLE. The Keystone is now featuring Ros- coe (Fatty) Arbuckle in two-part com- edy pictures, and the first of the new Arbuckle releases reached New York this week. Arbuckle is not only featured in name, but his picture also adorns the one and two-sheet posters. The pic- ture is the first of the new Keystones since the Charles Chaplin reissues. VITA STILL CUTTING DOWN. Further indication the Vitagraph is going to retrench to a greater extent is evident in "notice" having been, given to some of its oldest directors and players. The Vita on the salary thing alone will cut expenses from $1,500 to $2,000 a week. In reducing the forces the Vita is also "retrench- ing" in other departments. It's known the Vita has quite a number of features stored in the vaults that are expected to last out the win- ter with the regularly employed stocks keeping up the supply regularly called for. Those slated to go Within the next fortnight are George Ridgewell, di- rector; Harry Northrup (considered one of the best "heavy men" in pic- tures and long with the Vita); Nich- olas Duneaw, Gladden James and Mu- riel Ostriche. As these people have picture reputa- tions, they will not likely be "at lib- erty" very long. PROMOTING NEW CONCERN. News of a new picture corporation in which some of the big show pro- ducers and theatrical managers will be stockholders came to ligh: this week and within the next few .veeks some important announcements are expected to be made. The proposed corporation is said to have lined up prospective stars and film subjects in addition to having established men of wealth attending to the financial end and that only the finishing touches are needed to make the corporation a real- ity. A big New York agency is behind the promotion. Eastern and western offices will be maintained and the feature companies that will produce art to be placed in the field by late fall. The first pictures to be made will be turned out on the Coast, although next summer will find the new corporation in full possession of commodious eastern studios. The matter of incorporating has been kept a profound secret lest a slip or two might nip the whole proposition in the bud. Matters, 'tis said, have progressed so far now that there isn't any likeli- hood of the corporation blowing up at the start. GIRLS COMPLAIN. The inability of several young women to obtain picture employment through their refusal to accept attentions from the men doing the engaging for the film concerns, and the insults offered tc another miss of attractive propor- tions when applying for an engage- ment, promise to result in the girls concerned taking the matter to Vice Crusader Anthony Comstock for his personal investigation. If the girls swear out affidavits bear- ing up the distressing experiences told to friends there will be some spicy official doings. COMEDY SERIAL. Serials do not appear to be on the wane. An independent company was formed this week to make a series of 20 episodes of comedy and they will be taken in eastern territory. PICTURE OFFER FOR PLAYS. A picture-play production under way is being engineered by Arthur Hopkins, acting as the intermediary between Cohan & Harris, A. H. Woods, Sel- wyn & Co. and the Paramount, the latter feature film service company representing mainly the Famous Play- ers and Lasky. It is said Mr. Hopkins is striving to have the parties reach an understand- ing whereby the Paramount will be able to announce the plays of the three firms, as future Paramount feature film releases. To obtain this result it is re- ported Mr. Hopkins had suggested the respective speaking stage play con- cerns incorporate as a joint company, for the picture purposes, they then put- ting o.ut their play-pictures under their own brand, with the Paramount ready, it is said, to guarantee such a com- pany that no less than $35,000 shall be its share of the proceeds upon any and all of the three firms' pieces pic- ture-turned. The Paramount will make the usual cash advance as well as the films being delivered, that amount to be included in the guarantee. The Famous Players and Lasky are willing, according to report, to allow the new companies use of their stu- dios for making the play-pictures. Neither of the three firms has yet leleased any of their plays for the screen, although they have been much in demand. HODKINSON'S FAITH. W. W. Hodkinson, president of the Paramount, who has been on a trip taking in the principal cities of the Pacific Coast, returned to New York Sunday and immediately set to work to do things on a larger scale than ever attempted before by a feature pro- gram. Mr. Hodkinson is enthusiastic over the outlook for the picture business, especially the rapid advancement made by his own concern, the Paramount. After his inspection throughout the country Mr. Hodkinson is of the opin- ion the higher admission and the larger feature are the most profitable for the exhibitor. Although believing in this he says the nickelodeon will in all prob- ability have a place in the picture field. Co-operation between the exhibitor and the manufacturer is most neces- sary, says Mr. Hodkinson. Just now the business is overcrowded with man- ufacturers and theaters, he added, but a general cleaning out or survival of the fittest will take place and then the picture industry will be on a sound basis. BIG WAR FEATURE. The American Correspondent Film Co. is ready to release its big war feature "The Smashing of the Armies of Czar," the first of the war news films to be released by this concern, M. B. Clausscn, president of the A. C. F., has an organization with cor- respondents all over the world and a well equipped plant in Stamford, Conn. The war pictures will be shipped to this country as soon as taken and put into exhibition form at the Stam- ford plant.