Variety (January 1918)

MOVING PICTURES sc *■■* OOBB B.^1 UNIVERSAL CIH SHUTS UP. TRIANGLE WEST WEEK'S CLOSING Policy of Retrenchment Throws 1,500 U.^iplc out of Work on Coast. Triangle Reorganizing ^bmedy Plant at Culver City. Los Angeles, Jan. 23. The Universal laid off so many peo- ple last Saturday a report spread Uni- versal City was to close for good. General Manager McRae issued a statement saying the plant would not stop entirely. The Rupert Julian com- pany and serial players are the only ones retained there. The same day the T.iangle at Cul- ver City let out half a hundred people, among them two or three directors of comedy. The Triangle is reported un- dertaking a reorganization of its com- edy department. "U" City normally employs some 2,100 players, directors, extras, etc. It is said some 1,500 Universal employees were thrown out of work by the un- expected move. Eastern producers are being flooded with wires from stars, directors and players now "at liberty." The closing of Universal City is the latest move in a general retrenchment policy. Walter Hill is out of the Universal, where he did the publicity for the U for Bluebird. His work will probably be handled by Paul Gulick in addition to the latter's editing of the weekly trade booklet. The Universal is concentrating its various departments. Heretofore there have been press agents for each. Ken- neth McDougal, who the Jewel out- put in that capacity, is out of the Uni- versal office, as is William Schram, v.ho had charge of the sales promotion department. About 70 people in all have been re- leased by the U of late. STRIKE ACUTE IN BROOKLYN. With both sides claiming progress and each hopeful of victory the pic- ture theatre union trouble in Brook- lyn has reached an acute stage where additional houses are under the strike ban, and court proceedings have pre- vented the union members from doing picketing. The Brooklyn exhibitors are recog- nizing the newly farmed "rump" operators' union across the river, and this week it was stated the new union would picket the houses where No. 306 Union men were employed. The new union is planning to get all the members it can, and is also out to place its members in the houses em- ploying 306 members. At the 306 headquarters, New York, the heads claimed they were slowly but surely unionizing every house in Brooklyn. At the Wyckoff (Knickerbocker and Bleecker) No. 306 men are out on strike, the house being picketed. At the Irving the strike is on. but picket- ing is forbidden by injunction. At the Colonial, 1746 Broadway; Globe, 15th street and Fifth avenue, Brooklyn, picketing, with open-air meetings; Marathon, 15th street and 9th avenue, and the Universal. 16th street and 5th avenue, the houses are operating with non-union men, with picketing maintained by 306 members. A permanent injunction prohibits the union from picketing at the Wil- loughby, Brooklyn. Officials of the Brooklyn league, also operating picture houses branded "un- fair" by No. 306, state the union mem- bers are resorting to all sorts of methods to win, their latest being the use of trie "stink bombs," directly charged to striking operators. One manager says that at an open- air meeting speakers branded one of the houses as being full of insects and conducive to consumption, yet strikers were willing, if the house recognized the union, to go right to work there. MICHIGAN AMALGAMATION. Detroit, Jan. 23. The Detroit and Michigan Exhibi- tors' Associations have amalgamated, and in future will be known as the American Exhibitors' Association of Michigan. M. W. McGee of Detroit is presi- dent. The vice-presidents are Charles Porter, Detroit, and W. S. McLaren, Jackson. King Perry and John Brenan, secre- tary and treasurer respectively. The organization is strongly opposed to film stars being paid over $1,000 per week. Meetings will be held every week. -DEAL" IMPENDING. Watterson R. Rothacker is here from Chicago, stopping at the Biltmore, and consummating a new picture deal. Re- peated conferences with Frederick H. Elliott, executive manager of the Na- tional Association of the Motion Pic- ture Industry, indicated Tuesday and Wednesday a rather important con- nection was being arranged. The Supply Division of the industry held a business meeting Wednesday, with routine matters engaging the attention of the members mostly. EXPENSIVE JOLIVET FILM. The Metro's production of "Lest We Forget," with Rita Jolivet, that is to show at the Lyric (which Metro has rented for a month at $3,000 weekly from Fox), is said to be the most cost- ly picture production of recent years, without special play having been made to make the picture elaborate. One estimate of the total expense of the Metro feature is $217,000, much of which was tagged onto the account through delay or waste. ..One man is reported to have been paid $1,000 weekly for 16 weeks to prepare the film. When he finally left, Metro had to call in someone else to do the job over again. SERVICE BUREAU CLOSED. The Service Bureau recently exploit- ed by the National Association of the M. P. Industry has petered out. The special offices fitted up for the bureau, which had Wales Winter as its general manager, have been closed and there is little likelihood they will ever be reopened. Winter has returned to his former work of conducting his own dramatic agency. Springer Leases Uptown House. John H. Springer has leased the Rex picture theatre at 110th street and Eighth avenue, New York, for a long term. It is a 600-seat house, and Springer has an option to purchase the property, which he proposes to do, and when building conditions warrant re- model the structure into an 1,800-seat house. "Son of Democracy** in Vaudeville. J. J. Murdock has booked the Para- mount-Chapin series, "The Son of De- mocracy," for the Keith and Orphcum theatres. WORLD GIVING AWAY FEATURES. Quite a flutter of excitement was created in film circles this week through the announcement by the World Film Corporation to its exhib- itors that until further notice, the World would give free each week, bookings equal in number to those regularly contracted for. The circular letter reads: "Our enor- mous library is open for your selec- tion. Any World picture released be- fore Nov. 1, 1917, and prior to your weekly contracted show, and not in service on the day or days you wish it, is yours for the asking. Ask for catalog, make your selections, and name your dates." At the World Film offices where fur- ther details were sought'it was explain- ed that they proposed continuing this offer for the duration of the war, with- out any restrictions. An official said: "We shall pack, ship, repack and maintain the upkeep of these films with- out one penny of charge to our rent- ers, others than the usual charge for paper and war tax, both of which we are paying and could not afford to in- clude in the tender. This is being done to help the exhibitors, who are suffer- ing from the prevailing business de- pression and we are trying to help them to live. We regard this as an efficient way to help." "DEATH WATCH** IS ON. What might be termed "the death watch" is being held over two of the picture trade publications. The watchers are the members of the United Publishers' Corporation which is planning to issue a trade pub- lication in the picture field. They have their eyes on a Chicago publication with circulation of approximately 4,000, believed about ready to pass away. There was a report the paper had ceased publication about two weeks ago and the publishers have since been wiring manufacturers all over the country there was no truth in the ru- mor. • The other is published in New York, reported to have been subsidized by one of the manufacturing concerns. It is said to have a circulation of about 10.000. The idea of the United people is that neither of the papers can last over two months and they will take them over with a combined subscription list, to which will be added a 10 per cent, free fist, which they believe will give them the entire field. PATHE STARTING 4 COS. Four Pathe producing companies will start work shortly in the Paralta stu- dios in Hollywood, headed respective- ly by Fannie Ward, Bryant Washburn, Frank Keenan and Bessie Love. At the Pathe offices it was stated this was not to be construed as a com- bination between the two concerns, merely that some of the Pathe produc- tions would be made in the Paralta studios. DRESSLER-GOLDWYN ADJUSTMENT Marie Dressier and Goldwyn have come to a parting of the ways. After making two or three two-reeled come- dies it was deemed best not to continue the productions and an amicable finan- cial adjustment was made. PICKFORD INCOME, $950,000. Mary Pickford's salary and share of profits last year from Paramount-Art- craft is said to have been $950,000, with a reasonable certainty this sum will be increased the current twelve months. W. S. S. SLIDES. Three slides, prepared by the Com- mittee of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry to co-op- erate with the Treasury Department in connection with the new War Savings Stamps drive, have been accepted and are being distributed among exhibitors in all parts of the country. EXPO POSTPONED TO SEPT. After three meetings of the board of directors of 10 representatives, five each from the Motion Picture Indus- tty National Association and the M. P. Exhibitors' League, at which full discussion was made of the picture exposition to have been given early in February at the Grand Central Palace, it was determined to postpone the New York exposition until Sept. 7 next. The exposition board decided that while it was impracticable to hold the affair at this time that it was best not to discard the affair altogether owing to the activities already made in its behalf. So the week of Sept. 7-15 was selected, with the contracts for the February exposition holding good. The same officers will continue to look after the September exposition, with Frederick H. Elliott acting as general manager, with Sam Grant as his first lieutenant. The Boston exposition, scheduled for July 12-20, will not be caller' off unless conditions demand that action. ANOTHER TRENCH FILM. Private Peat, who, after his return from the fighting line in France, wrote * book, "Two Years in Hell and Back with a Smile," is a candidate for the films. Those who have read his book state that it has just as good, if not better, picture material than Empey's "Over the Top." Several of the local picture firms are bidding for Private Peat to star in a screen version. Walter N. Lawrence is his personal representative, but he has not accepted any of the offers made thus far. THROUGH GAUMONT ABROAD. Famous Players-Lasky has tottered into a contract with Gaumont of Paris for the handling of its pictures in France, her colonies, Belgium, Switzer- land and Egypt. Gaumont controls the largest picture house in Europe, located in Paris and seating nearly 5,000. Paramount and Artcraft features will, under the new arrangement, be given first run there. SYNDICATES 9 WAR HELPS. During the past week there has been a gathering in New York of exhibitors from the Northwest territory, who have held several informal meetings. Tuesday afternoon one of the biggest operators in that territory stated he believed the war between the Shuberts and Klaw & Erlanger would help the picture business to a certain extent. His contention is that with the two factions fighting they will be unable to put in big snows in opposition to each other and the result be in favor of pictures. $250,000 LOST TO PICTURES. It has been estimated the loss through the theatres closing one day weekly will be at least $250,000 to the corporations which handle single day service. If the Garfield holiday runs out its allotted 10 weeks, the film loss will to- tal on this item alone, $2,500,000. FINLEVS OWN. Ned Finley, who appeared in Edison productions for many years, is to have his own company. The idea is to pro- duce two-reel comedies at Bat Cave, N. C. A company of 26 players will be taken south next week for the initial production. Harry L. Keepers has been engaged as cameraman. Pincus Associated with Schcnck. Joe Pincus. erstwhile vaudeville agent, has become associated with Joseph M. Schcnck in handling the Rnd Fisher "Mutt and Jeff" series, to be first released through Fox, com- mencing Feb. 27. I