Variety (November 1917)

MOVING PICTURES 49 THE 15c MATTER. The 15c. tax was still agitating the industry last week, but the situation presented a more harmonious front then since the application of the tax by the manufacturer upon the ex- hibitor. This had in a great measure been brought about by the clean cut victory won by the distributors in the first legal fight ou this issue. The Judge decided the whole matter was a plain business quarrel, and that the manufacturers had the right to charge whatever they pleased for their goods, and that the exhibitors could purchase from whom they chose. The distributing organizations won a victory in Cleveland Nov. 23 when the Common Pleas Court at a hearing wherein the exhibitors endeavored to have a temporary injunction granted denied the injunction. This all referred to the case caused through the refusal of exhibitors there to pay the 15c. tax per reel daily which the exchanges are collecting on films. The exhibitors sought a restraining order to keep 11 distributing exchanges from canceling contracts because of exhibitors declining to pay the "15c. tax/' and also restraining the com- panies from collecting the amount on contracts where exhibitors had agreed to pay it. The 11 companies % are Goldwyn, Pathe, Artcraft, Paramount, Vitagraph, World, Fox, Universal, International, Metro and Select. PATHE PROMOTIONS. Pathe has rewarded two men long in its service. When C. S. Seeyle severed connections as Pathe's general ex- change manager, Pathe, in abolishing the office title upon Seeyle's departure, made two promotions. F. C. Quimby, formerly in the West, was made sales manager and will be located in New York. A. S. Abeles, attached to the New York exchange of Pathe, was ap- pointed special representative and will be on the road most of the time. Mr. Quimby has gone to the Coast to bring his family back to New York for permanent residence. PHOTOGRAPHS SEIZED. New Bedford, Mass., Nov. 28. - Walter Birdsall, a local picture photographer, has been obliged by the police to give up some photographs recently taken. Birdsall was found taking photographs at the pumping station, in the area which is guarded by the police. He declared that Chief Taft had given him permission to take pictures around the city and meant no wrong. He was using an ordinary camera. CAMERA GRINDER INTERNED. According to a report in New York, Carl von Hoffman, formerly a pho- tographer for the Universal's weekly service, has been interned at Fort Leav- enworth, Kan., as an alien enemy. The report says von Hoffman en- listed in the photographic division of the United States Army, but overlooked the formality of stating he had been a German flier. When this was discov- ered he was taken into charge. CHAPLIN PRICE NOW $100. No deal has yet been consummated for the reelasing of the new Chaplin pictures in New York, now being made by the First National Exhibitors' Cir- cuit. The heads of the important circuits, including Keith. Proctor, Loew, Fox, Moss., etc., a fortnight ago, got to- gether and refused to pay more than they had been paying, i. e., $50 a day. It was understood by them that this was agreed to by the First National's New York sales manager, Mr. Tobias. Late last week the circuit heads were notified that their proposition would not be accepted and that the First National would insist on $100-a-day rental. As a result of this deadlock Tobias resigned last Saturday night. ADVERTISERS SERENE. The lusty row in the Motion Pic-* ture Advertisers' Association started over the resolution against taking space in pro-German publications has subsided. None of the resignations beenme effective and everybody "got together" again at a beefsteak dinner last week. The menus proved a general joke there being a decoration picturing two individuals shaking hands, one having a tomahawk behind his back and the other hiding a knife. Bennett in Howard's Comedy. Richard Bennett is negotiating to star in George Bronson Howard's satirical comedy, "The Red Light of Mafs." No definite date has as yet been decided upon for the production. REINE DAVIES' COMPLAINT. Reine Davies has started action against the Backer Film Corp., asking an injunction against the showing of "The Sin Woman," in which she ap- peared as a feature with Irene Fen- wick. Miss Davies alleges that her con- tract called for "co-starring," but that when the film was exhibited Miss Fen- wick was featured in the titles and on the advertising. "Song of Songs" Arranged For. Artcraft has acquired the picture rights to Edward Sheldon's play, "The Song of Songs," which was produced some three years ago by A. H. Woods at the Eltinge theatre with an all-star cast. Elsie Ferguson will have the star part in the screen version. Backer Co. Completing Studio. George Backer and Ivan Abramson have not joined forces. The George Backer Producing Corp. will start making more pictures as soon as their studio on West 38th street is completed. Mabel Normand in. Legitimate Comedy Georpe Loanc Tucker is directing Mabel Normand in a legitimate com- edy, with Tom Moore as leading man and T. Herbert Frank as heavy. Others in the cast are Armand Cortcz and Jos. Smiley. SERIAL REISSUED AS FEATURE. "The Million Dollar Mystery," the first big successful serial, is to be re- issued shortly as a six-reel feature. Lloyd Lonergan, who created the pic- ture, is now engaged in cutting it down from its original 46 reels. There are said to be any number of exciting "stunts" in it. THE CARDINAL" IN 8 REELS. Cardinal Mercier, one of the com- manding figures of the war, has been made the central personage of a feature provisionally called "The Car- dinal," directed by George Archain- baud under the supervision of William A. Brady. The feature, not precisely a war picture ^since it contains no battle scenes), is in eight reels. The domi- nating role is embodied by Montagu Love. His principal support is Jeanne Eagels. Artist on Ohio's Censoring Board. Cincinnati, Nov. 28. The State Industrial Commission has appointed Maurice S. Hague, a Colum- bus artist, as a member of the State Board of Motion Picture Censor's, suc- ceeding W. R. Wilson- Hague will serve three years. He is the first artist to get on the board. Most of the other members have been newspaper men and women. Mrs. Maude Murray Miller and Charles G. Williams are the other present members. "BELOVED TRAITOR" NEXT. Frank Packard has been added to the list of writers who have furnished the literary material for Goldwyn pic- tures. His novel, "The Beloved Traitor," goes into immediate production with Mae Marsh as the star. SANGER A JORDAN'S BUY. A studio has been taken into the Sanger & Jordan firm. It's located around New York somewhere and will be added to their picture department that Gerald Bacon has the sole direc- tion rights to. Sanger & Jordan have been produc- 1 ing pictures. Hereafter they intend doing everything connected with the making of them. MRS. SIDNEY DREW Starring In Metro pictures. OLGA GREY With the Triangle playing forces. JULIAN ELTINGE I THE FAMOUS IMPERSONATOR To the screen what he waa to the stage NOTES. .George McKay and Johnny Cantwell in their respective turns were on the Columbia's, New York, program last Sunday. It is the first time they have played on the same bill since dis- solving their vaudeville partnership, McKay and Cantwell. Rufua Le Maire has started suit against Henry Lewis asking judg- ment for $100 as "salary" due. Le Maire alleges he was to receive $20 weekly from Lewis for services ren- dered in obtaining a contract with the Winter Garden show for him. William Elliott may make a trip abroad in a few weeks to secure Jose Collins for the production in this coun- try of "The Maid of the Mountains." The piece has been running in Lon- don for some time and Elliott has the American rights. The first program booking for the Alhambra, New York, by I. R. Sam- uels, will be the week of Dec. 10. The Alhambra gives Mr. Samuels two of the Keith uptown houses. His other booking there is the Royal, Bronx. On the Western and Middle East trails the "Matinee for women only" appears to be working overtime. The latest is "The Marriage Question," with "no men admitted" at certain performances. Max Halperin is treasurer of the Follies, Bronx (formerly Bronx thea- tre), which Ben Kahn recently took over and which was Keith's Bronx. Ned Alvord remains as manager. John W. Considine has been in New York about a month. He will leave in a week or so, returning west. The- atricals are not connected with Mr. Considine's visit to Broadway. The Lyric, Atlanta, closed up the E. F. Albee Transport Girls' Smoke Fund donation last week by forwarding to Harry Daniels in the United Booking Offices, $874./0 as its contribution. The Greenroom Club will have a "Baseball Night" Dec. 9. Many notable baseballers will be there and John C. Peebles will take care they are prop- erly Greenroomly looked after. "A Regular Business Man," origin- ally played by Douglas Fairbanks in vaudeville, is to open on the Loew Circuit with Tom Waters heading the cast. It was placed by Mark Levy. Hugh Ward has purchased the rights for Australia for "What Next?" from Oliver Morosco. Mr. Ward saw the piece on the Coast before coming East. The Savoy, Fall River, Mass., has passed to the possession of the Mohi- cian Theatre Co., lately organized by William Durfee of Providence. The Grand and Orpheum, Fort Madison, la., have been placed on the "unfair list" of the American Federa- tion of Musicians. The Al H. Woods offices have ar- ranged for a road tour of "On With the Dance." following its withdrawal from the Republic this week. The golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Orange was observed in the pink room of the Kurland Casino Wednesday evening. Fred Mardo has established offices in the Putnam Building, where he will hereafter hook his New England houses. Jack Merritt, with the l'.u>,ton "Oh P.oy" is now with the Casino, \e\v York, «>f that title. The Catholic Actors' Guild of Amer- ica will hold its yearly benefit Dec. 2. Bi ■ •1