Variety (July 1918)

MOVING PICTURE DEPAKTMENT PAGES 30 TO 38 "MARY PICKFORD" ANALYZED AS BOX-OFFICE ATTRACTION First National Exhibitor Tells Conferees Facts in Connection with Pickford Films. Claims Credit Due Direction and Business Sagacity. Artcraft Invested $2,000,000 on Pickford Films Before Putting Them Over.*' «i At one of the meetings of the First National Exhibitors' Circuit to discuss the feasibility of securing Mary Pick- ford, a director, western exhibitor (known to be very close to Adolph Zukor through relations in the past) discussed at length the history of the Pickford relations with Famous Play- ers and the Artcraft organization. Among other things he is reported to have said : "While we are here considering pay- ing Mary Pickford, or any other star, double the amount of salary that has heretofore been paid. 1 wonder if all of us realize that the one man who knows what her real earning capacity value is has dropped out of the com- petition for her services. "When Mary returned to pictures after a disastrous season in the legiti- mate with David Belasco in 'The Good Little Devil' Zukor started her into pictures again with a series of suc- cesses like Tess of the Storm Coun- try,' The Eagle's Mate' and others, all of which at various times we have played in our theatres, not once but half a dozen times. As her popularity grew she continued to demand more for her services. As her popularity grew she continued to demand more for her services, until two years ago the point was reached where it was im- possible, long before Zukor got a suffi- cient return from her Paramount pro- gram pictures, to hold her in line. It was then necessary for him to form Artcraft and devise a new method of -selling Pickford productions. "Is it possible that while we are sit- ting here talking of paying this artiste double her present salary, we have for- gotten our own experiences at double rentals with 'Less Than the Dust' and •The Pride of the Clan.' her first Art- craft pictures? I for one thought that after 'The Pride of the Clan.' a won- derful piece of material, has been ab- solutely rniiic'l for all time and Mary Pickford was tlironK:li. "I kn<<w f*.r a fact that hundreds of thou'-aiids (){ dollars had been neces- sary to hiiaiicf the .Artcraft proposi- tion and make her firvt pictures, but it wa"; not until Zukor took the reins in hi'v own hands and en^'a^ed Maurice Tourneur aiul turiH'd over the entire stu'lio equipnient of his coini)an>' that her fir'-t Artcraft success was possible — 'Tiie Poor Litilc ivi( ii Clirl.' The story alone cost $20,000. I have reason to know that before a profit was turn- ed on the Pickford-Artcraft proposi- tion nearly $2,000,000 were invested in the undertaking. "During the past year the Pick- ford pictures have been wonderful, we will all agree, and have made a pile of money for those of us who have played them, but I cannot help but feel that while part of this has been due to Mary, a lot of it has been due to the direction she has had, the stories that have been bought for her and the gen- eral managerial supervision under which she has worked. If Mary can bring that to us as well as her indi- vidual services, the proposition is a good one—if not, we have a serious problem." It is understood that Adolph Zukor, instead of competing with First Na- tional, tendered Miss Pickford the same percentage she is receiving this year from Artcraft, but with a mate- rial reduction in the guarantee. In other words, if her popularity con- tinues she will earn as much as at present, but if not she won't be guar- anteed $500,000 a year. Los Angeles, July 24. Al. Cohen, Mary Pickford's personal press agent, has been let go. He states to those will listen, that she has signed with the First National. DELAY IN FILM DELIVERIES. The film deliveries are still being held up by the express exchanges and inquiry around at some of the picture distributing points shows that any number of "fall downs" have resulted from these delays. A flagrant illustration was the ship- ment from New York of a print of "My Four Years in Germany," for Monticello, N. Y., for a Fourth of July date, the picture leaving here by ex- press on the morning of July 3 and reaching Mnnticelln July 6. It cost the First National exchange about $18 to send another film by messenger so that the Monticello manager would not lose his July 4 advance. I'~xi)ress shiinncnts to Long Island towns have been delayed while pictures sent by cxj^ress to towns this side of Albany have been reaching their des- tiiialiun three days late. MORE AFFILIATION TALK. The American Exhibitors* Associa- tion, at its annual convention in Chi- cago Sept. 3 to 7, may join with the newly organized National Picture Ex- hibitors' League, with the newly elected president of the league, Peter J. Schaefer, Chicago, expecting to be the pivot on which the expected mergerizing of the two exhibitors* con- tingents is to swing. 'Tis understood locally that Schaefer is strongly in favor of the two getting together again and that there is everv reason to believe that the hatchet will be buried out for the good of the two bodies as one. President Jake Wells of the associa- tion has been a pretty sick man for some time, and there is a possibility that he may be unable to attend if his health does not improve faster than it has of late. In fact. Wells has been too sick, to even personally attend to his numerous theatrical interests in Virginia. Some tangible plan is expected to work itself out so that the joining of the two picture men's organizations will be effected following the Chi- cago meeting. The Chicago meeting will be a little different from others in the way of arrangements. The meeting will be held in the Hotel Sherman, with a war luncheon to take place each noon prior to the daily session. The first three days will be devoted to speeches and talks by governmental officials and big public men, who have long been interested in the film industry. The election of officers will be held about the third or fourth day, with a number of association men ^ualifiedly good candidates, but no specific candi- date singled out at this writing. It's a foregone conclusion that pro- vision is made for the two bodies mergerizing that the revised by-laws and constitution will stipulate that the president not be vested with power of appointing all of the directors; that these be left to the states. The old plan enabled the president to name his own crowd and keep it in machine operation as long as he was in office. The credentials committee hereafter will not be appointed by the president as heretofore, this matter also being left to a more democratic plan. UNITED RUMORS. Lewis J. Selznick was observed emerging from the offices of the United Theatres Pictures Corporation early this week, and when asked if he had been invited to join the enterprise declined to either affirm or deny. All sorts of rumors are afloat con- cerning the United. PLATED CHESS TO DECIDE. Chicago, July 24. A unique deciding factor was called into practice here last week when two local managers played a game of cheis to decide the first run of a picture. Armour & Co. have recently taken a film showing all the various proceslcs in the making of hams. C. M. Feary, Rochester manager of Armour's, re- ceived a print of the film and promised to let the Family aW the Rialto the- aters have it. Manager John H. H. • Fennyvessey (Family) and A. N. Wolff (Rialto) both wanted it first. Mr. Feary suggested chess to decide. Mr. Fennyvessey won and his house (vau- deville) is showing the picture this week. SCHEDULE SIX MONTHS AHEAD. Famous Players-Lasky has laid out its schedule of releases, according to the stars, covering the first six months of its new year, commencing Sept. I. This is the first time a company has been able to definitely state its plans so far in advance. According to the schedule they will start off the first month with 15 new feature productions, 12 in October, 12 in November, 15 in December, 12 in January and 12 in February. ELTINGE FORMS PARTNERSHIP. Julian Eltinge has former a business partnership with Fred Balshofer to produce pictures. The agreement is said to be on a 50-50 basis. Eltinge has had the proposition un- der consideration for some time, but held out until he obtained an arrange- ment which suited him. The new Eltinge company has taken over Selig's Edendale plant and acres near Los Angeles under a long lease. The zoo grounds on the coast, now housing Selig's animal studios, are about to be rented out. The Chicago studio will be sold shortly. Selig is ill in New York, waiting convalescence to return west and complete several deals so that he can completely retire from active producing. Lexington Houses Open Sunday. Cincinnati, July 24. Lexington, Ky., picture theatres re- mained open last Sunday. Alfred Combs, chairman of the Lay- men's Committee, said there are about 30 charges against each theatre and they must answer each charge. Managers of houses recently arrest- ed for Sunday openings were fined one dollar and have appealed. Representatives of Sunday closers stood in front of theatres taking names of patrons for witnesses last Sunday. Mary Anderson, Stone's Leading Lady. ^fary Anderson will be Fred Stone's leading lady for his second Artcraft I)icturc, "Johnny, Get Your Gun." Chaplin Slightly Injured. J. D. Williams, general manager of First National, this week received a wire from Los Angeles stating Charlie Chaplin was slightly injured during the production of a war picture.