Variety (February 1920)

•'■" • >;-'f •'"•! •'•.' '' '"■■'■■.' '■."..■.- '•'. '- ' ''■:';'"." ■• ■ .-. •,;••* -- ■■ , 7-'.*..• ' ■•'' ''■■■,: '■', ':' ..■;.' '■" ''■ •..:. ■ ■'. -■■■■■■■ ..:'■■ ■'■■:■■'. .'.•';.- ''■',;**'<■''': MOTION PICTURE DEPARTMENT PAGES 44 TO 50 SHUBERT DEAL WITH FAMOUS WOULD LEAVE GOLDWYN OUT Understanding Is That F. R.-L. to Finance Legitimate Productions Taking 50 Per Cent of Profits-To Give . Back 25 Per Cent of Picture Dividends—Rumors Disposed of, But Purchase of Capitol on Cards. A statement was made this week by someone who should be in a position to speak with authority that Famous Players-Lasky were negotiating with the Shuberts to finance ail-future legi- timate productions of the Shuberts and to, receive SO per cent, of the profits-- the Shuberts to draw down 25 per cent, of the picture profits. ■ The Shuberts' arrangement > with Goldwyn is only for past productions— or first call on same, so that such an arrangement as above mentioned would be possible, it was said. It was officially stated at-the offices of'Famous Players-Lasky that no such deal was contemplated—that Famous does no£ intend to branch out in the legitimate field, confining itself to its present arrangement for the financing of Charles Frohman, Inc.. There was also a report the Rivoli and Rialto, whose bookings are con-, trolled by Famous-Lasky, would in future decline to play the releases of the "Big Four" or United Artists, on the ground the percentage deal de- manded by the "Big Four" did not yield the houses a sufficient profit. This was also denied by Famous-Lasky, with the declaration the houses were ' open to everyone having' good pictures. An official of the United Artists stated he knew nothing of such a decision, claiming his pictures played to around $30,000 a week at these houses, the per- centage arrangement netting the Big Four" about $10,000, which he con- sidered quite equitable. Asked concerning the probable—or possible—amalgamation of Famous, Goldwyn and Loew, the Famous- Lasky official said such a possibility - had never been considered in any form, feeling the three concerns could function much better as individual units—that the gathering of houses was altogether secondary to the turn- ing out of pictures possessing drawing power. Continuing, the Famous-Lasky official said: "The whole thing simmers down to the making of good pictures. If we controlled /5 per cent, of the theatres in the country it would avail us noth- ing if we didn't have the right kind of picture to play in our houses. And whatever houses we control we shall always be glad to play any picture by an outsider that gives promise of pos- sessing drawing power. Poor pictures are of no value to the producer, the exhibitor or the pubjit. If we can give an exhibitor 25 weeks of good pictures and he secures 27 others elsewhere he will make more, money than if we gave him 25 good ones and 27 inferior ones of burs. It is our policy to sell pic- tures on their individual merits, and when we find we have one not up to standard we do not release it at all on the theory that it will prove more profitable in the end. "Concerning the Associated Directors of which you ask, we are not inter- ested in outside distribution. As every- one knows, the physical'cost of clerical and other labor has gone up 300 per cent, and as a result there is no money in distribution. It is, of course, neces- ary to maintain a distribution service for our own output, but there is" no profit in distribution by itself." Several reports are also current con- cerning the Goldwyn activities. One is that Frank J. Godsol had tendered his resignation, but that it was be- lieved he would be persuaded to re- main in the organization. The elec- , tton of Francis A. Gudger to a vice- presidency in the concern, as represen- tative of the DuPont interests, is said to have had something to do with the rearrangement of the executive offices. Samuel Goldwyn, who left last- week for the coast, is understood to be in charge of productions, with Morris Hilder at the head of the sales depart- ment. The Goldwyn people are in the throes of a deal to purchase an interest in the Capitol Theatre, built by Messmore Kendall, counsel for the DuPonts, and necessarily an ally of Goldwyn through the DuPont financial connection with that film. organization. It is under- stood that by the terms of the deal Goldwyn will have the call on the Capitol for a given number of weeks a vear for first run of Goldwyn releases. If the rumor concerning the deal be- tween the Shuberts and Famous Play- ers-Lasky should eventuate into a reality, it would shut off the indepen- dent legit producer from securing time over the Shubert Circuit and drive him to Klaw & Esianger. It would leave the independents no alternative, but to organize in self-defense. PITTANCE FOR R. H. D.'s STUFF. Morris Rose last week signed contracts for the exclusive screen rights to fifty- seven of Richard Harding Davis*, stories. The purchase price was $56,000. It is be- lieved Mr. Rose will make a cleanup in the reselling of the stories to producing con- cerns, as it is unlikely he will produce them himself. There is talk that Mr. Rose's coup will result in a court issue, as Bessie McCoy Davis, the widow'of the author, and Hope Davis, her daughter, have expressed them- selves dissatisfied with the agreement, Rose having dealt with the executors of the Davis estate, the Franklin Trust Co., of Brooklyn, who, having but faint idea of film story values at the present market prices, readily sold away the rights for the sum mentioned. Mrs. Davis, in refer- tng Mr. Rose to the Franklin Trust did so in the belief that there was a royalty agreement attached to the $56,000. It has developed that a film man, high up in the trade, scoffed' at the $1,000 a story figure, vouching he could fetch at least $100,000 for the lot if not twice that much, considering the value of Mr. Davis' name as the author. True, "White Alice" and "Soldiers of Fortune** have already been disposed of independently, but there remains the famous Van Bibber series, that would make. an excllent feature, "Vera, the Medium," "Gallagher," et al. As yet, nothing has developed. ' CORPORATION ALLEGED MYTH. Guy Croiswell Smith has brought an action in the Supreme Court of New. York against Isaac E. Chad wick ask* ing $10,000 damages and the return of certain sums of money claimed to have been expended in exploiting a picture alleged to have been purchased .by the plaintiff from defendant. Smith's cltim is that he purchased the picture rights to "The Unchastefted Woman" for all foreign territory out- side the United States, Canada, Nor- way, -Sweden and Denmark. He charges the sale was. made under a contract, was signed by Chadwick as "vice-president of the Rialto. de Luxe Productions, which it was claimed was the owner of the disputed rights and- . that"'"upon information ana belief' there is no such corporation. TROUBLE WITH "ROMANCE." D. W. Griffith returned from Florida last week full of tribulation oyer the difficulties he and Doris Keane have been experiencing in making a feature of the play "Romance." Miss Keane. received something like $250,000 for the screen rights, but stipulated she was to play the, lead as she had so successfully done on the stage. The result was innumerable retakes. Despite discouragement and diffi- - culties Miss Keane did not encourage the suggestion a screen actress be allowed to play in the part GAUMONT CO. SELLING. Negotiations are on for the absorp- tion of the Gaumont Company's Ameri- can business by one of the large pro- ducing and distributing organizations, for. a sum said to be in the neighbor- hood of $300,000. That includes the Gaumont laboratory in Flushing, the Gaumont Weekly and all past and pres- ent feature productions. Sennett Not Switching Distrib utors . E. M. Asher, personal representative for Mack Sennett, who arrived in New York last week from Los Angeles, de- nies Sennett will release his future comedies through the Associated Ex- hibitors Inc. Mr. Sennett's contract with Famous-Players has several months to run. Mr. Asher will be in New York in- definitely. His object is to establish an eastern organization. CONGREGATION SHOCKED. Auburn, N. Y., Feb. 10. Rev. J. E. Price of the Universalist Church has sort of stirred up things by pulling off a picture show in connec- tion with a sermon on Sunday eve- ning. He. does not apologize to the devout persons who were shocked, but on the contrary he says that he hopes -soon to have a complete picture outfit in the church. • . He compares the introduction of moving pjctures in the church to that of music '.'••*• DAMAGES FOR SUNDER. "• London, Feb. 10. Thomas Bentley won his case'against the Phillips Film Co. for slander aris- ing out of their statement that 'The Lackey and the Lady" was so bad they had to scrap it. He was granted $1,500 damages-approximately. >• -■ Lip Readers Enjoy Screen Show. Tnree hundred deaf and dumb pupils of Effie C Cosgrove, P. S. 47, attended the matinee performed at the Capitol Thursday (Feb. 5). The children, all lip readers, enjoyed the show im- mensely.' Selxnick Pay. $100,000 for Righto. '. Lewis J. Selznick has purchased from' the Williamson Brothers, the film pro- duction "The Girl of the Sea," paying' $100,000 for the"world's rights. - "UPPER TEN" FILMING. . London, Feb. 10. The "screen" is rapidly ousting .the "stage" as a means of artistic livelihood for the "upper ten." Poppy Wyndham (Lord Incncape's daughter) is a Broad- west leading lady. Lady Doris Staple- ton holds the same position in the "Great London Mystery." Sir Simeon' Stuart, Bart, is also a member of the Broadwest company and not so long ago "B. & C." staged a restaurant scene in which the "extras" were all mem- bers of the "smart set"