Variety (May 1918)

MOVING PICTURES 43 MARY PICKFORD MAT REST. Current accounts seem to agree that when Mary Pickford's present contract expires with Paramount in June next Miss Pickford will take a rest of at least six months before considering future engagements. Some reports say Miss Pickford may be at the head of her own company, and if so it is not unlikely she will look for a contract similar to the one now held by Douglas Fairbanks, also with Paramount (Artcraft). Miss Pickford's present agreement is that she receive $10,000 weekly, sharing equally with Paramount in all profits of her pictures, receiving one-half of the first $150,000 received from a Pick- ford film when Paramount (or Art- craft) repays itself with the full amount of investment on the feature, after which the division of profits con- tinues while the picture is playing. The Fairbanks agreement, considered a better one for the player, is the pay- ment to Artcraft of 27 per cent of the gross for distribution, Artcraft paving Fairbanks a flat amount of $200,000 upon the receipt of each of his pic- tures, that amount being charged against the gross proceeds, less the Artcraft's 27 per cent. While Fairbanks could effect a con- siderable laving in production, it is said he is prodigal in this respect, and the instance is cited of the Fairbanks feature, "Headin* South," costing $190,- 000. Fairbanks insisted in the talking of this picture, that a company of 500 supers be transported for some distance and maintained at his expense to complete it. Contrary to the layman belief, the Pickford receipts for a feature just now outdistance to quite some amount the gross for a Fairbanks. This is attributed to the superior selling organization Paramount has always had with Miss Pickford, handled through the Famous Players before that. Fairbanks is of quite recent origin as an Artcraft star, and while a big draw in centers where known, the Pickford films found a field Fairbanks has not as yet penetrated, although in the course of another year a Fair- banks is expected to prove as big a draw as a Pickford. Since Miss Pickford's last contract it is reported not one of her pictures has fallen below $300,000 in gross re- ceipts to Paramount. Both film stars ended their eastern Liberty Loan tours last week at St. Louis. No direct line was obtainable on the amount of Liberty Loan sales through them, as many of their speeches were made on behalf of the Liberty Loan rather than in a direct appeal for purchases. However, when a direct appeal was made Miss Pick- ford particularly seemed unusually suc- cessful. At the Pittsburgh meeting she add essed for this purpose $14,000,000 in bonds were subscribed for; at Wash- ington a sale of $3,000,000 was recorded, and at Chicago, $2,000,000. It has been estimated Miss Pickford was respon- sible for between $25,000,000 and $30,- 000,000 in sales, with Mr. Fairbanks nearly equalling that amount. A prominent banker of Pittsburgh, after listening to Miss Pickford talk on Liberty Bonds, said he thought it was marvelous that a young girl such as she could place so appealing a plea into her remarks on a big subject WORLD TO INCREASE OUTPUT. Replying to a report the World Film Corporation proposed making a series of special releases in addition to its regular one a week program features, Ricord Gradwell, head of the concern, said : "On the contrary we are at present engaged in perfecting plans for in- creasing our program releases to two a week and shall adhere To our policy of placing any specials we may se- cure on our regular releases." WID'S FILM DAILT. A daily paper devoted exclusively to the film trade is proposed by Wid Gunning, who has been publishing "Wid's Weetyy" for some time. Mr. Gunning is organizing his staff. He has secured Fred Schader, formerly with Variktt, and Lynde Denig ("Mirror"). It is reported the first issue of the daily will be in about two weeks. It will be the first daily newspaper ever published solely for the picture in- dustry. CINCINNATI EXPECTS STRIKE. Cincinnati, May 1. Cincinnati, still in the throes of a hotel waiters' strike, which has hurt business at the classy inns not a little, is on the verge of having a walkout of picture operators. Plans are already being made for importing crank grind- ers from other cities. President F. L. Emrnert, of the Mo- tion Picture Exhibitors' League of the Chamber of Commerce, says: "We have a contract with the oper- ators which does not expire until the middle of 1919. The demands that are >eii being made by the operators are un- reasonable. They ask an increase of from 30 to 45 per cent., and claim that, owing to war conditions, they are obliged to have increased wages. We have offered them increases of from 10 to 15 per cent., but I do not believe they will accept them." A strike would affect suburban houses most seriously, as their oper- ators work at other trades during the day. City authorities are investigating a report that some operators fre- quently leave their booths and let small boys operate their machines. 1 SELECT((|j))PICTURES! P-m, ALICE BRADY in "AT THE MERCY OF MEN"