Variety (July 1921)

Friday, Jnly 29, 1921 MOTION PICTURE DEPARTMENT—PAGES 28 I'O 31 PICTURES t^ 81 DEADLOCK TIGHTENS; TURNER & IXAHNKEN cmcurriN court MEN ASK NATION-WIDE UNION SUPPORT ^- Twelvc HundreKl Mechanical Workers Out—Fair- banks, Vita and Selig Meet Men^s Demands— Strikers Wttlifaold Demand For Equity Support. Log Anceles, July 27. Strike developmeBts during the last two days have brooght the producers to a realization tba strike comuiittee that has the studio strike in charge is not going to Leave a utone unturned to gain victory for the labor side. Yesterday five different men ap- peared on the sCrtets of Los An- geles asking signatures to a petition calling for the Sunday closing law here. It was admitted at the strike headquarters this was but one of the vove's that the organization bad up its sleeve to gain victory, even though they did not want to press it too far, fealizing it meant the throwing out a number of employees from Sunday work, especially picture machine op- erators, in the event they were suc- cessful in having a law passed. The blue law petition was only to show froducers how far they were willing to go to gain their points. Despite the reports from the pro- ducers that work at the studios was going on as usual, it was imiMssible to discover a single plant that waH running on full time yesterday. The Incc plant issues a statement Saturday it wouhl close for the next four weeks. Yesterday there wsn not a company working at troldwyn or at Jloache's, which completely kilted the Culver City end, with the exception of Wiilatt's studio, where the pro- duction of "Fifty Candles" is going forward. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fair- banks have iHsueJ statements that there is no strike at their plants The strike of the working staffs at the local ntudios continues, with both sides firm. The producer? innist that production is going on at the rate that tlicy want it to, with the strikers replaced by non-union workers, while the strike committee is equally cer- tain that tlie producers are having a bard time to keep their work up to schedule. Oeneraliy the runinioitt is that the strike was ill-udvi4;rd «t this time. .\ survey of the situation shows that the studio mechanics hud no middle path to chooftc. It was cither strike or accept a wage cut with an in- crease of working hours. At present there nrc about 1.200 mpchnnics out. Up to Inst Friday there were eleven studi«m nfr»M't»»d. They wore ^oldwyn, llol Hoach. Wil- Realart. Metro, T»runton, T'nivorKal. ChriKfio, ThoH. H. Ince and Duster Keaton. The Tniversal, Drunton. Ince and Christie men went out Thnr^dny. Donglas Fairbanks met the union demand that there be no 4 nt and the Vitagrnph and Selig plants also in- formed the strike committee they ^ere willing to cootnne under the old •onditions. The joint strike ronim'ttee 4hat has been forn)e<| compris-s Cloorj^e A. ^rijtht. L. A. County DiiildinR Trades <^^uneil (chairman): Vcrn Ostenhof. Central I^bor Council (secretary); William Howard, I. A. T. S. E. No. 33; A. Belmont. District Council of Painters; K. .7. Newton. District <^^)nnci| of Carpenters; John S. Horn, ^''ntrnl T,abor Council; .7. D. Kenton, MovinK Picture (Operators-, and Fran- <*:« ,1. Connolly. Klectrival Workers ^^- ft3. It will be noted that the Actors' Kquity Assoriation has no • '■''presentation on the committee, al- though it is quite possible that if the >M»eosslty arises tlip A. K. \. nicniber- •hip will be compellc<l to. 1" the lint of the trades affcrtcd hv th New York to represent James Lempke, president, and the executive board of the Stage Hands' Alliance in the strike conndls. The strike commtttte is startles on a publicity campaign throughout the United States and Canada through the Au.eruun Federaii«>ii of Labor, by which all of the State Fed- erations, Central X^abor Councils and erery local union wSIl be advised of conditions in the picture indnstry In Tx)8 Angeles. Withnut deinitely stating so, all members of the Ameri- can Federation will be asked to with- hold their patronage from theatres showing pictures pr«duced by such members of the M. P. Producers' As- sociation as arc fighting the nrgan- tced labor nen in this city. The re- action through the exhibitor ranks It is hoped will have the effect of bringing the producers to terms. John S. Horn, secretary of the Central Labor Council, is starting a librl action against the Los Angeles Times for a story which charged him with an attack on the American le- gion in a mass meeting of tlic strik- ing studio workers. The Times story stated in effect that Horn in ad- dressing the meeting said that "the producers state that they have American X^egion members in readi- ness to replace every man that striKes; therefore, I want every man in the hall that has a I.<egion button on to take it off and destroy it." A committee of a local post of the Le- gion was invited to the I^abor Council to make a full investigation of the matter and they cleared the labor man entirely. Fred B. Warren, head of the newly formed F. B. W. Corporation, on his arrival here last week obtained un- usual publicity by sounding the firxt note of optimii«in regarding the con- dition of the industry that has been heard here in six month?;. He pointed to the Federal statement of admission tax returns to bear oj^his contention that the business was flonrishing, and predicted a shortage in pictures if proiluctiou did not speed up. Tl.is w'os seized upon by the strike committee and used in their general campaign to show that the producers were sounding n false note roganling actual conditions in an effort to institute wage cuts in all branches of the production fleld. Right now all work is stopped at iiir "Kowt-lT; Kt^&ton .'.n.l t'hristic stndios. At ITniversal there were KJ companies working when the walkout came. These ore continuing and as each company finishes it will be laid off. If the settlement does not tako place by the tiia*^ that all the roni- panies finish tlwMr current, prodiic- t'ons the plant^~w;ill close down. At Metro, Healart, Famous Players- Lasky and the Fox studios the re- port is "business going on as usual." At the F. P.-L. plant there are six rompanieM working at present with the prospect of from two to four others starting within the oe.xt we««k. At fJoldwyn there is hut one (onipanv actually shooting. That is •The Man With Two Mothers. * un- der the direction of Paul Bern. 10. Mason Hopper is taking sonic re- takes and "Sin Flood"' wa^^ si'licdulcd to start on Monday. "Mrand Lui- ceny" is l>eing cast with a vi«'w to an early start. The ace in the hole that the strikers seem to be holding is tlieir possible chance of pulling out the machine operators all over the coun- try with the sanction of the ;\. F. of 7i. That is the on' point fliat is TARIFF CONCEALS F. P. MONOPOLY I'MediiMl Of Valaation in Bill litfDden, Jaly 27. Members of the British Producers* Committee of the Inoorporated Asan- ciaiion of Klnematograpb Manufac- turers are rerr Much exercised ortt the proposed American import tax upou cinanatcifrairii ilhns. They i^int aut that the proposed tax of 30 per cent ad Talorem Aity is based on the cost of a similar work in the United States, which, they claim, is about five times what it would cost to produce a similar picture here. A feature, they sar» costing 10,000 pounds in this country would he COPYBIOHT POINT Jadge Haaoli Hands Down Opinion on Qoestioa Raised C'Opyright question has been de- cided in a recent lengthy decision banded down by Cricuit Judge Hoagh ia the Court of Appeals, as a result of Isaac Silverman's injunction suit against the Sunrise Pictures Cor- poration the plaintiff claiming all right and title to a certain book. The Butt arisM from a copyrighted novel, "At the Mercy of Tiberius" by Mrs. Augu.sia Evuus Wilson, deceased, the copyright on which (controlled by Dillingham, her publisher) oxi>ire<i Oi'f. 2, 1015. Jodge Hough's deci- sion reverses a previous order deny- ing tho plaintlfTs motion against the 8unrise company for an injunction pendants lite, and issues supplcmeu- 30 per cent, on th« basis of 50,000 pounds, which would call for a duty tary diractlons to grant the injunc- of 15,000 ponnds on its entry into tion aa prayed for, on infringement the United States. They say that in- of copyright grounds. This will asmuch as approximately 85 per cent of the pictures shown in this country are of American origin the inequity of the duty is apparent. The screens of Great Britain arc orer) to the American producer, but if our film producers are to be barred from similar reciprocation there will be no alternative but to adopt similar tax reprisal. A suggestion is before the Ways and Means C'ommittee in Washington to permit American producers to make 35 per cent of a film in foreign conn- :.. and bring it to the United States free of duty. Such an enactment would, it is claimed, create a prac- tical monopoly for the British Fam- ons-Lasky Corp., financed by Baglish capital, which produce pictures in this country primarily intended for American market. HAWKS LET OUT Joins Fox's ''Lost BattalleR*'—Lt. ComdV Wslls Hawks Sccurod Favors From Navy Wells Hawks han left the employ of AVilliam Fox under circumstances that have excited considerable com- ment in I'nited States Navy circles. Hawks joining Fox publicity, has been instrumental in getting favors from the navy, in which he ranks os a I^ieutenant Commander, for Fox pic tures, both news and features. In- vestigation revealed the circum- stances under which Hawks left the company's employ. As a resfrve oflii-er Hawks wan. calJed into service to ha i It'? th»t I'lb- ]-ciiy in connection .vith (h«' r»«ent maneuvers. He suggesteil to Fox this time be counted as his vacation and he would not ask for pay to cover it. Instead of granting his re- quest the company sent him a letter giving him the vacation i)ay due him informing him his services would no longer be retiuired. Men who liave left Fox's employ call themMelves "The f.^st Battalion." "I've joined it,"' was Hawks' only cor.»iir;i* HOME MACHINE What is described as a "rcflrx i>ro- jcrting" machine is about to be plated upon the market for home tise in showing motion pictures. It diff'is from those heretofore cxoloiled in tli;;t. tlic filfn m^**'! '♦' i» i--.ni<t«le nf pa|v>r instead of celluloid. Light is veiurcd from the regular illuminating I'onjiection, The gate through whirh it«i film pa>KeM im at ri^lit angles «o the srreCn, the light n )t being thrown ilireetly oil the film. The piitiiie can he halterl for an\ leriKlh *»f time, not heing siihjeet to to restrain the Sunrise Pic ture Corporation from proceeding with a filinixation of the book on the grounds the copyright renewal was not executed in accordance with the Act of 1000 in that certain distant relatives and executors of the de- ceased author's estate concerned themselves in the matter. The copyright statue provides that renewal of copyright be made within one year prior to its expiration. In this case with the copyright due to expire Oct. 12, 1015, two surviving descendants of the deceased author- ess bethought themselves as late as April 7 of the same year to apply for the renewal. Theae two weto Mrs. Virginia K. Bragg and Mrs. Mary E. Tarleton, both sisters. In 1020 Silverman acquired from th^m ond other descendants tiie right asd title to the copyright of the book. The technicality involved cOBcerpe the renewal by legatees of as aolli«r because such are not mentlaiied in the statute. This Judge Hough dia- misses with the following: • It is, we thinfc, plain that the JiCgiHlature intended to keep th« originsl and rencwsl copyrights con- tinuous; there is no provision for the saving of any rights if the statutory year be permitted to pass without action by some one. It wonld seem to follow thnt if an author unfor- tunately dies on the day of expiry of Ids copyright without having him- self acted in the premises, nil possi- bility'of a renewal in, by or for any one is gone forever. "It fo lows that no matter who had tlw right to renew, there are no pres- ent rights except such as difCcUy flow from the action of Mrs. Bragg and Mrs. Tarleton, who assumed to do what they did ns next of kin "It may be noted here as the real reason for this litigation that until after the estate was closed no one thought the copyright worth renew- ing. Value has been given to this and many other old copyrights and rights tlicreto by the growth of the moving picture and photoplay indus- try " Fred Dahnkm Yields to Mrs. Turner's Stock Con- trol—Later Regrets It flan Francisco, July 27. A legal "war" between the owners of the bulk of the Turner & Dahnken picture stock, whkll dOmpany controls picture houses in thih State and in Nevada,' and whii'h owns the local franchise for the First National rights, is being waged In tile San Francisco courts this week. This ac- tion is the result of the ousting of Tred Dahnken us presi<lent of the company and the election of Mrs. Uattic Turner, widow of Turner, to the office. Dahnken reliiH|uished office to Mrs. Turner last week following the el u - tion, after 1'* years as president of the organlaatioB. A day later he re- gretted his action <>nd on the ad- vice of attorneys he took the matter straight to Mrs. Tqrner atd muccc.mI- ed in rein^itatine himself as presi- dent. This was under protest of Mrs. Turner and she carried the matter to court where a write ol mandoto re- turnable Aug. 14.^rd«vlng Dahnken to turn over to Mrs. Turner all books and other matters of important*; to the firm pending the settlement of the dispute in the higher opujta^ According to Dailttkon's story, some stock disposed of by htm to a friend was in turn purchased by lira. Turner giving her stock control of the cir- euit. It is alleged Dahnken wiis ousted when Mrs. Turner vanted to place her faction in the management of the circuit, a move that net with the opposition of Dahnken whom at prevent has his men in charge. Another story is current that Dahn- ken is anxious to sell out to Para- mount but that, Mrs. Turner is agoinst this. Meanwhilo the matter is pend- ioff. PIgin dothesiaen are guarding the T. lb D. offices tut on "film row." The assets of the corporation, are estimated at $3/000,000. '0 strike order the Fqiiity is listi-il j troiihlinjr the producing faction here | heat. There is, however, a FAMOUS OETS LULU BETT' Cash : rice Paid Reported High for Screen Riflhts Aeting on behalf of Zona (Jale, author un«I T'.rock Pemberton. pro- ducer. Mrs. r. r. Wilkening, the agent la^r week sold the screen rights to ••MisH Lulu I'.ett" to Famous Players for what N>as described as the hign«-st priee ever paid in cash at one time, 1' was said other jiaynients hu\e been on percentage or set over u [lerio I. remhertiin and Miss (Jale share .-,(► .VI. WmX FOR LOCALS 0. 8. Swam ~ Rl^rasaaU Hlaiself ai •f rodtral Filn Co. of WashlHtoii WaaliingCbn, D. C, July 27. A man calling jlimself "(1. H. Hwem" has been foinf through the soutli pnrporttaif to represent the Federal Film Co. of Washington, D. C. with a unique idea for gathering in the shekels. Hwem's aeheaie is to approach a local streets, prominent buildings and to make a motion picture in his city, showing the business home—the pro- duction to be a comedy story, using local talent as the characters and local tsrcots. prominent buildings an! places of interest in and around the city as the settings. Claim is made that the producer has made afrange- menls with the local picture bouse to show tho feature whei* completed. 8weni exacts a small sum -usually $25 from the local business man. There is a Federal Film Service in this city, located ot 910 (; Street, N. W., headed by I). F. O'Donnell, who is regarded as a reputable business man. lie knows nothing of the ven- ture. 111 ^'th the other crafts in a Ntateiiient •hat was issued by Vern Ostemlorf, «»cretary of the strike committee. lie stated i)rivately. however, to a Vari- ety representative there was little Jikeliliood at this lime of the aitors beins called out. he. ausc 'Frank Cill '"<ire of the Equity, who wa«* here 'mtil Inst week, informed us his or- ranizalion did not fully undersiaiid Iabi)r eonditions as yet and a enll from ^'^ inelmliiijr (|,p nctors in the strike ^onld liave a tendency to disrupt his «rranization at this time." A representative of head of the J« A. 1. ,s. E. 19 oil his way from the at this lime. If a mov« against the exhibiting end of game then it is certain that the pro- (Ineer- will he ready to talk turkey ac«>nrding to one of their own exe(u- tives. mad" slnitler, an additional (iroteotion against eunllagration. | While eelluloid film can he used as | well as paper, the latter is iinnb cheaper. rea<lily lireproofcd. is N^s |ierishal)le and can be (irinted in < olor. The M. P. Producers' A«~-oeiatioi) has n memhershij) numbering 4'2 In T^>s AngelcM at this time. W. .7. Reynolds, who is the seereljirv of the organization, is issuing daily state- ments that all of the studios are get- ting plenty of experi* rued men to take the place of the striking forces and that all production w<»rk is pro- PHILLIPS SYNDICATE Formation of a new syndicate which will produce iniilti-recl Dorothy riiillip ijhotoplays has been «n- i.oniirrd by .Teffcrson W. Asber, sor- lelary. of the San Frnneise) ond New Yoik Aiiiii>emerit t'o, a corporjilion <utili«.|liiig the Irtcal Strand. "TURN TO THE RIGHT Hex Ingram has started work on the filmixation for Metro of "Turn to tlie Hight," for which the record price of .$2.'>0.()0() ami 50 per cent of th»: profits was paid. ITp to the time of the purchase, D. W. tjriffitb's payment of $17r».tHH) for "Way Down Kast" was the largest sum ever paid for pic- ture rightH. Sim f then Famou Play- ers have arranged with A. L. Krianger to |)ay $r»(M).000 (h>wn under u guaran- tee «".f $.{,000,000 profits for "Bcu Hur." The new iompany will be known as LOCAL REALL^ MAKING Kf)e|ievter, N. V.. .Inne J7. The .Manla>-Uowe riajMs. » loeal 1 the Ilxploitat icm Company, Ine. I? con<'ern, appears to be really making plans releasing the produ< tions luctiires in this city. There is mor<' I through the First National. Allan than a minor of another new com- pany with a noted Star moving in boon. llaliddar will be the director-in-chief. Reveral Ban Francisco capitalists are bii<-i".ii-ji Lilt f iiLv ' prise. ORGANPIANO IS USED Portland, Ore. .Inly 27. William Woo«l, in charge of .lenscn ik Von llerherg theatre orgiins here, has constructed an attachment for the organ in the Mai«*stic that is win- ning attention. The attachment con- nects the new house piano with the big pipe organ '•o that both ("an be played simultaneously. One hundred difTerent. piano and organ combinu- tionM can he anule on the keybo«rd. Hy a«ljusting eertain slops on the organ one note on the piano can be played in three difTeient octaves. Petfals on the piano can he worked from the organ. lOighty live inagnets are used as the foundation for tii« attachment. y