Variety (May 1918)

MOVING PICTURE DEPARKfiflBNT PA6B8 42 TO 50 I NO WAR TAX CHARGEABLE FOR GOVERNMENT FILMS Division of Films in New York So Advised by Washington. Applies Particularly to Showings of "Pershing's Cru- saders/' Official War Picture. Opens in New York Next Week. The New York office of llie Commit- tee on Public Information, Division of Films, received Tuesday from Wash- ington an official ruling to the effect that there shall not be any war tax charged on tickets of admission for theatres where there is shown cx- :lusively any government films. This immediately affects the various organizations now touring with the first of the official war films under the title of "Pershing's Crusaders," which opens in New York next week at the Lyric and simultaneously at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, Detroit opera house and American, St. Louis. The agents and managers connected with these companies arc supplied with requisitions which enables them to travel free on the railroads and in each city they make requests "of gov- ernment officials to co-operate with them in booming business for the gov- ernment propaganda pictures. In some towns they have induced the local postmaster to post paper in the post offices and have the carriers distribute ziandbills with the mail. PERRET OBTAINS JUDGMENT. Leonce Pcrrct, the French motion picture director, was last week award- ed a judgment against the Clara Kim- ball Young Film Corp. for $44,312.36 in a suit for breach of contract. Perret was brought to America by Lewis J. Sclznick. acting for the cor- poration, under an agreement for two years at a salary of .S750 a week. De- fendant failed to put in an appearance. Notice of suit was served upon the Secretary of Stale, which is legal under the articles of incorporation. The Clara Kimball Young Film Corp. has gone out of bu^inc^. • tv ;^vd< and lia- bilities having been purchased by Selz- nirk at the time the C K. Y. company was formed, last year. The prospect of recovering on llie judgment would, therefore, seem t<> be remote. PROPOSES "DUPING." The liritish (Jovernmeiit lias placed an embargo on all merchandise n«»t ah soluttly needed for government sup- plies. Sidney Garrrtt. president of the J. Frank Brockli-- ('<>.. exporters of films, forecasted such a ruling some three weeks ago in an interview and had been telling film producers it would come to pass before many months. Mr. Garrett has been endeavoring to persuade American producers to co- operate with him to evolve some plan to permit foreign distributors to allow "duping" of their pictures on the other side. He says: "It is a patriotic duty on the pari of manufacturers to allow 'duping' privileges. The American manufac- turer must allow these purchases and permit the people who are fighting .shoulder to shoulder to make money in the exploitation of American merchan- dise. Foreign conditions have made it so that amusements arc wanted to keep up the morale of the people who are in the war zone and they are forced to ask for duping privileges. FILMING RYAN STORIES. IJarrv I. Garson has bought the film rights "to "Told in the Hills." a novel by Marah Kllis Ryan, in which House Peters and Blanche Sweet will be starred. He has also secured for Clara Kim- ball Young another Ryan story, "The Soul of Rafael." These arc the first of the stories bv Miss Rvan to be filmed. "BIRTH OF A NATION" TOURS. For the fourth consecutive season road shows of "The Birth of a Nation" will be sent out again in the fall, routes for eight or nine shows again being mapped out by Sydney Smith, the gen- eral booker for the J. J. McCarthy of- fices handling the Griffith feature. Lasky Engages John Barrymore. "JevM- Lasky has engaged John Barry- more for a series of pictures to be made for Paramount distribution, the pictures to be filmed on the coast this stinmuvc. Asking Divorce From Baron. Yalda Yalkyricn, the Swedish actre-s nid dancer started action for divorce la^t week against Baron Ilralf von de Mi-s Yalkyricn has been in pictures Wit/, from whom she had been sep- arated for the last six months, here, having appeared for Pathe. She lately signed with the World Film. RE-ELECTING BRADY. At this time the re-election of Wil- liam A. Brady as president of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry seems assured. So far Mr. Brady has not signified any intent of allowing his name to go up for the office. The association is due to hold its annual meeting and election in June, but owing to the exposition and league meeting, arranged for Boston about the middle of July, the association may defer the June activities until that time. Edward Horstmann, the Boston film exhibitor, will be a candidate at the annual convention of the National Exhibitors' League of America, to be held in Boston July 13-20 inclusive, for the presidency of the league to suc- ceed the present incumbent. All New England is lined up behind Horstmann. Meanwhile candidates are bobbing up in different sections, with Frank Eager of Nebraska as a likely nomi- nee and Judge J. H. O'Donnell, Phila- delphia, also in the ring, his candidacy having been announced at a recent luncheon in the Quaker city. NO PICTURES AT HIP. The report that some big feature pic- ture was to go into the Hippodrome at the end of the present season, which closed last Saturday night, has been denied by the management. The Gov- ernment had the Hippodrome under consideration for the propaganda film, which is now being assembled by George Bowles. But the plan was not considered feasible, as it will be less than six weeks before work begins on next season's production. About June 15 H. H. Burnside will start on the reconstruction of the stage and every minute of the time will be occupied between then and the open- ing, scheduled for Aug. 15. Even un- der these conditions the Government niiirht \mwc taken the house, but the management has bookings for every Sunday almost for the next two months and this would be the best drawing day of the week, for a propa- ganda picture. Vita Receives Final Decision. Judge Cohalan last week handed down a final decision in the suit in- stituted bv Vitagraph to retain the services of Anita Stewart, in which he ruled that Vita was entitled to the film star's services for 31 weeks from Jan. 31 last. A claim for $2,000 by Vita for atMrncvs' fees was denied. WILL HANDLE EDUCATIONALS. A releasing corporation to handle educational films is in process of in- eorpo ration, the capital being quoted around $250,000. Tt is planned to es- tablish 25 exchanges throughout the conntrv, thev to release scenics, educa- tionals and ihe like turned out by the Educational Film Corp. EXHIBITORS FAVOR OLD METHOD. Charles S. Hart, director of produc- tions, Division of Films, U. S. Govern- ment Committee of Public Information, has written exhibitors seeking infor- mation on the number of weeklies they use, their names, prices for service and if tliey would be interested in a scries of weekly war news services, or if they preferred five-reel features pic- turizing war news. At a conference with Hart, the ex- hibitors of Greater New York sug- gested the Government continue re- leasing its war film as heretofore, through the regular news weeklies, Pathe, Universal. Gaumont and Mutual. Pathe and Universal issuing twice a week. LARGEST BOND HOLDER. The largest individual Liberty Loan bondholder in theatricals and pictures is S. A. Lynch, of Triangle. According to report Mr. Lynch has purchased a total of $650,000 in the bonds of the three Liberty Loans. No announcement of any individual purchase made by show people ap- proaches this amount. PICTURES AND POLITICS. The picture industry will have an important part in helping to name the next governor of New York. Inasmuch as the picture manufacturers, ex- cJiangemen and exhibitors have all kinds of proposed measures and enact- ments cropping out from state legis- lature session to session, the industry as a whole is going to pledge its un- divided support to the men who will be more favorably inclined to lend them a kindly ear in their efforts to suppress all forms of "vicious legis- lation" against the industry. Governor Whitman will be a candi- date for the Republican nomination, but appears to have a number of likely candidates tossing their hats into the state gubernatorial clash. Attorney-General Merton Elmer Lewis has announced his candidacy, while the names of Al Smith and Justice Cropsey are also being prominently mentioned. A meeting will be held shortly by the picture interests, who will decide by a caucus which man will be favored by them for the state office. The candidate favored by the film industry will not only receive the support throughout the state of the exhibitors and the film men, but the theatres themselves will bend every effort, through the picture screen with "stills" and otherwise, to help boom the man's candidacy. Staging Griffith Film in London. When "Hearts of the World" is put on Exhibition ;it ihe Drury Lane, Lon- don. Joseph TV Mack will stage it. Mr. Mack was engaged the other •lay. He may have left by this time for the other side.