Variety (August 1916)

MOVING PICTURE* ■23 POSSIBLE PRESS STUNT. San Francisco, Aug. 2. A trio of Lot Angeles motion picture actors while visiting here recently in- dulged in what they termed a joke, which is very liable to materialize into trouble, if the local British Consul and his staff can bring it about They registered at the St. Francis as a trio of well-known London gentle- men, two of which are titled nobility. The other impersonated is said to have been a well-known London clergyman. So well did the actors carry oft their characters that the trio received the foreign Consuls at the St. Francis, where the imposters were accorded every courtesy possible. When at length people grew sus- picious of the three, the imposters (who, as the time went by began to grow alarmed for fear of exposure and serious trouble resulting from the im- personations) confessed that they were not titled English nobility and dropped out of the limelight. Since then the English Consul has been trying to find out what can be done. The Imposters' names could not be learned, but they did admit that that they were Los Angeles film actors. RUNNING FOR 8WEBNBY. It was rumored about Cleveland, O., that the local manager of a New York film exchange, his booker, cashier and two salesmen were operating a theatre and using the film concern's products without making any record of the busi- ness on the books or giving any finan- cial reimbursement for the use of the film. It was said that the sales man- ager of the concern visited Cleveland and obtained confessions from all of the employees excepting the manager that this practice had been going on for some time, but the manager denied any knowledge of it. The whole crew were cleaned out and a new manager will be put in charge of the exchange. The bonding company which supplied the bonds for the employees is making good the amount of loss sustained by the film concern. TO COMBINE FOR SERVICE. Georgetown, Del., Aug. 2. An effort is being made to consoli- date all the motion picture houses in this county under the head of one company so that better service can be rendered the patrons. Better films, it is argued, can be obtained at a cheap- er rate, and by so doing the attendance at the theatres would be better as higher class pictures could be produced. MISS STEWART HAS TYPHOID. Anita Stewart is at her home in Bay- shore, L. I., suffering from a very severe case of typhoid fever. Miss Stewart is seriously ill and at the Vita- graph plant this week it was stated that they were very much alarmed at her condition, but were trying to keep the fact from becoming generally known. The work on the production of "The Girl Phillipa," a tremendous story of the present European conflict, has been indefinitely postponed pending Miss Stewart's recovery. PANTAGES IN FILMS. San Francisco, Aug. 2. Alexander Pantages has jumped into the film game, so local gossip has it. A report states Mr. Pantages has pur- chased the exclusive rights for the ex- hibition of the film, "Civilization," in eleven states, the names of which are given. The vaudeville magnate, according to the story, will not use the film in any of his circuit houses, but will book it independently throughout each state. J. J. Cluxton, Pantages 'Frisco repre- sentative, has been called to Seattle, where, the supposition, J. J. will at- tend to engaging the people and stag- ing the prolog part of the film. MURPHY WANTS HIS "BIT." An action has been instituted in the Supreme Court by Joseph J. Murphy against Ike Schlank, general manager and a director of the Unicorn Film Co., for an accounting. Murphy alleges he had an agreement with Schlank, where- by, he was to receive 10 per cent, of all monies that were invested in the Uni- corn company through his efforts. He claims that he interested capital to the extent of $300,000 and that Schlank re- fused to give him his commission. Harvey C. Price, attorney for Mur- phy, obtained in Part 3, Special Term, an order for an examination of Schlank before trial to determine the amount by him. The examination will take place Monday. PRESS AGENT ACCUSED. Los Angeles, Aug 2. Frederick Palmer, press representa- tive for a local film firm, is under arrest charged with being an accomplice of a San Francisco girl in the mulcting of a Northern man of $4,000. Palmer denies the charge. He is married, but admits he lived in an adjoining bungalow to the girl at Del Monte. HELEN WARE WITH SELIG. Helen Ware has signed with the Selig Polyscope Co. to appear in the leading role of "The Garden of Allah," which will be a ten-reel special pro- duction to be handled on a state right basis. The engagement was made through C. C. Wilkenning, Inc. EXHIBITORS WANT INFO. There is to be a general move on the part of some of the larger exhib- itors Jhroujghout the country to insist that the manufacturers of big feature pictures give private showing for the press two or three weeks in advance of the release dates of the pictures. The exhibitors at the Chicago conven- tion stated that the advance line that they get on the future releases in the papers of the trade are usually so close to the release date that they do not have sufficient leeway in the matter of time to pick their bookings. FRANCE HAS NEW CENSOR LAW. By a new law in France all films must in future be passed by a board of censors before being exhibited. A card will be issued for each film passed, which must be shown to the local au- thorities prior to the film being used. The Mayor of any French city still has the privilege of forbidding the exhibi- tion of a picture within his territory, even when passed by the federal cen- sors, but he cannot permit a film to be shown which has not previously re- ceived the sanction of that body. NEW STUDIO NEAR FRISCO. San Francisco, Aug. 2. Another film company has announced its intentions of locating close to 'Frisco. The first was the Hobart Bos- worth company, which selected San Mateo (just below 'Frisco) as a studio site. Now the Rainbow Film Co. has decided to erect a studio at Corte Madera, Marin County, which is but a few miles back of the sea shore on the other side of the bay. Walter McGinn will be the managing director of the new studio. GERMANIA THEATER OPENS. Chicago, Aug. 2. The Germania, seating about 1,400, at Clark and North avenue, the city's newest picture theatre, opened Saturday to big business despite the extreme heat. The house is one of the prettiest in Chicago. DANCERS SIGN FOR PICTURES. The dancing team of White and Cav- anaugh have heen signed for pictures by the Reserve Film Corp., through the Chamberlain Brown Agency. SELIG GETS ZOO MAN. Chicago, Aug. 2. Cy De Vry, who has devoted 28 years to building up the Lincoln Park Zo:> here, decided last week to quit. De Vry had been offered $7,800 a year by William N. Selig to take charge of the Seliz Zoo on the coast. Cy has been petting $3,600 a year from the Lincoln Park job. Monday night the zoo com- mittee of the park offered to pay Cy $4,000 a year if he would stick. Cy had said he would stay here for $5,650, but the commissioners wouldn't raise the ante that high. GRACE DARLING Who is appearing as "Beatrice Fairfax" ta the new aerial produced by the International Film Service, Inc. Lichtig Goes to Cleveland. Al Lichtig is going back to Cleve- land this week, where he will assume the management of the new Tanncn- baum theatre there. HODKINSON PLANNING. Former President Hodkinson of Paramount, who was succeeded at the last election by Hiram Abrams, is re- ported to be planning the organization of a new releasing corporation, in con- nection with several important produc- ers at present associated with one or more other exchanges. No verification was to be had this week, Variety's in- formant stating the matter was in al- together an embryotic condition just now. W. W. Hodkinson and Raymond Pawley have an office in the Candler Building and are understood to have been in consultation with several im- portant film producers of late. Hod- kinson's control of the West Coast Paramount exchanges cannot be affect- ed by any outside film interests in which he may embark, for the reason that Paramount some time ago se- cured 51% of all their exchanges with the exception of Kansas City and Salt Lake City, which are under 25-year contracts. PROTESTING NEW TAX. The new income tax which slipped through Congress and is now pending before the Senate, if passed, will im- pose a tax of one-half of one per cent, upon the gross receipts of all theatres, including motion picture theatres, is the subject of considerable protest. This tax would be in addition to the present war revenue tax. Telegrams have been sent from every State Local of the M. P. £. L. in the country pro- testing against the enactment of the bill without a public hearing. Practically every manufacturer has added his pro- test, one making the claim many houses are running at a loss tnd it would be unfair to add further loss by taxing gross receipts. It is expected the chair- man of the Senate sub-committee will grant the hearing. RUMOR ABOUT BIOGRAPH. Dame Rumor this week connected Biograph with being in several new propositions, one story having it Bio would start producing anew on a greater scale yet attempted, while an- other had it Bio would dispose of its franchise in the General Film and go out of business altogether. This story is probably due to the fact Bio has been releasing reissues for the past few months. George Kleine has the Bio studio under lease at present. Odd Film in Production. Announcement is made that "Prince Silverwings," by Edith Ogden Harri- son (Mrs. Carter H. Harrison, wife of the former mayor of Chicago), is to be made into a six-part screen story and will be ready for exhibition around Christmas. The work will be done by Mrs. Harrison, L. Frank Baum, of "The Wizard of Oz" fame, and Hugo Felix, who composed "Pom Pom." It will be a musical fairy spectacle. In connection with the picture an operetta founded on the "Prince Silverwings" story will also be given. The operetta will be given an elaborate production and the same music will be used at both theatres.