Variety (September 1921)

H Friday, September 23,"] 921 MOTION nCTURF DEPARTMENT—PAGES 42 TO 47 £_IGXU R E S 47 tflAPLIN WINS COURT ORDER iollo Corp. Ordered Not To Release—Comedian Posts Bond. On the condition Charles Chapliu Je a 120,000 bond to insure any loss t damages to the Rollo Sales Cor- ration, Judge Hough, in the Fed- al Diatrict Court, Southern Dis- ict of New York, this week signed onler restraining the release by e RoUo of three assembled Chaplin medieg made from discarded "cut- ts" until the final adjudication of e issues. The three pictures restrained from lease are **The Bootlegger/' -Dol- s and DoughnuU" and "The Movie t" Chaplin suing that their exhi- on would irreparably damage his tation as an artist and scenario r. ^ which allegations Stai>lcy J. o, president of the defendant cor- ation, answers that May 17 last purchased some o^d Chaplin pic a and "cut-outa" from the Clark- elius Corporation, and imniodi- 1y engaged Ralph Spencc whom dcsci.: to be the beat editor, Iter and title writer in the l)usi- S8, to reconstruct the pieces of film one five-reel comedy and six two- ers. concluding that "the plnintJfT aplin has no reputation as a see- ito writer. His reputation is based itirely upon his ability as a comic r. There is suoh a groat demand •Chanlih firhis that thc'cxHibftloTi tn^fie nifturfs will not ftcrve in nnv jo.,c(insiirr.e a pdtt of ^i^e' AiarkH .Chaplin pictures. Tint 'ott't'Kc'con- ry will , ne gi>o(\ advortisinc for aplin nrvT sor'*^ fo, stimulate the mand for hig pioturcs." Rollo denies Chaplin has anv skill an anthop. and that as a mattor of ct, his allocations to the eontnrv twithsfandinfiT. it was the Lone Star '^oople who supplied ChnpUn v.tfh his .""enariof? whrn he mad«» oomodif^s for ♦bi»m. and from whiHi films the 'Vut- ^nts** are chiefly jrathercd. Dnvid '*fnis. a cameraman; .Tosonh Ti.nros'*, ^*odiiotion m^na^or of fho Utnlfo. *'voli and.CrHorion thf^nfios. niid Trn Lowry. dirertor-cenrral of tho *7.\\oni\ Film rorpornt-on. oarh fur- hed affidavits as to tho merits of iit-.»i» rernnstru'^'lr'l pictures, •nine thnt their oxhibition to tho »io!'nl pnhlip would in no wrse dani- "''' the oomodinn'R reputation, '^'laplin's nfTwinvif staffs f^nt bo '•♦WvoM SI2".000 from F^r^^t X-.tJon;-' '' " eaoh two-rorl rnmrdv and $M0.- M>00 for cafh throo-ro.dor. Considerable Astonishment Created by Republican Proposal to Set Up Federal Regulation and Censorship of Films in Such Form as to Amount to Nation- . alization—Scandals Make Move Possible—^Taxes Must Be Found to Replace . Income Lost Through Prohibition. Waahinfton, Sept, .21. Befor« the adjounmicnt of Con- gress, which reasMmblea tomorrow, the country is likely to be astoundea by a legislatiTe proposal backed by the fun authority of the BepubUcan party to nationaUse all picture the- atres. Republican leaders, seekers for in- formation learned to -theiv aatonish- ment, hare been giTinf the proposal detailed and serious consideratipii, and unlesr unexpected opposition de- velops it will walk straight through the party caucus and onto the floor» of Congress. The fact that it was on the cards has been guarded care- fully. As one leader stated prlrately: "Premature publicity would hurt, but becaufe of prohibition we must have this money, and if we keep quiet the continuous breaking of movie scandals will set the stage for this and it will ease its own way to the White House." Scandals in the picture world, how- ever, are merely regarded as inci- dents setting the stage for the legis- lative move. What really counts Is the econoBiic pressure. The loss of revenue from liquor taxation is a serious problem, and picture people with their cry against censorship and pronounced advocacy of federal regu- lation have paved the way for this drastic policy. Senator France of Maryland who, it is said, will have much to do with Vitiating the project, according to the few who have so far learned what ia in the air an(| are opposed, can be attacked as a man sympathetic with the Bolshevik regime in Russia, but on the other hand they admit that Senator Lodge oh Massachusetts, whose conneotion with the Force bill and the attempt to foist free silver on England is now almost forgotten, will come forward with an able and scholarly defense of the proposition. It is sound political doctrine and has been since the days of the Bo- man empire to und^take the general amusement of the public at a fair price. To keep them fed and keep them diverted has been an accepted principle since Julius Caesar ipade the most of it. Futures are not re- garded throughout the country as sacroaanct in the sense newspapers are. The country-wide wave of cen- sorship ahows Uiis, politicians de- clare. In additioiw what Gov. MiUer of New York has done by forfing cen- sorship oil that state presents a seri- ous national problenw in that it has livened picture people up to the pos- sibilities of the screen as a political medium. Already they have a bureau in Washington and Bepublicans dis- like the prospect of receiving unregu- lated attention from them.' As a backfire sure to prove popular they have therefore decided to pre- sent this federal plan. NdthingWery definite is known about how they will accomplish their purpose, but it will amount to national regulation through censorship^ and taxation that goes to the extreme legal possibility. Legis- lators count on the Ihimenke reVenue reducing other taxes and a settle- LORD'S DAY ALUANCE IS INCORPORATED Matter of $30 Holds Up Paper for Several Months Against Sunday Pleasure Albany Sept. 21. Secretary of State John J^ Lyons last week finally recorded the Lord's Day Alliance of-New York whose ar- ticles of incorporation filed some time last winter were held up for the rea- son that the fee to cover the expense of incorporating was not paid. The members of the Alliance finally raised the amount of the fee, $3(>, and handed it over to the Corpora lie a Bureau. The AUiance has 24 incorporator^ the principal ones indudlng liobert O. Davey, of White riains, formerly, an oflicial of the New York Anti- Saloon Lssfue; David J. Brurel),. LUUan L. Schneider, of New Yor!: City; Harry L. Bo^ey, East Orange, N. J.; Gladys H. Knowells of Brook- lyn; Allen* W. Johnson, of Schenec- tady and David L. Jamison, o^ Al- bany, who, it is believed, will repre- sent the interests, of the Alliapcs ia legislative matters. The mai» purpose of the Alliance, ment of the constantly troublesome it is Reported, Is to suppress amuie. censorship problem to csrry the issue - - — for them with the people. DOUGLAS AND MARY HEARKENING TO FIRST MTIONAIMPA™ ■ 1 • "rrrrOi -^i] 't. !I I '<!< '•■11. '.n Acting as Entre-Preneurs in Proposal td Unite Two Distributing Organizations—Griffith Concerned And McCarthy Abroad to See Chaplin. I PLAN FILM HISTORY Brisbane and He:»p«!t Consulted on || Sinel'8 Scheme Tm'nir Si^ol. son of the one-timo T>ro<5|rVnt of the World Film, is !t. ;;;;"oeotintion with the Cosniopolitnii •jrorlnotions to film tho romnnros of f'^nioricnn history, stnrtjn? wiili tho ^^'f^yolntioTinry Wnr. Tho plnn of pir- ;*"ri7ntion hns boon tnkon up t\it'M .>''thnr nri>sbone. who is Invinjr th*^ J-attor before William Unndolph Honrst. /Hiis plnn of prosonflnpr Amorionn Jl'^tory Tin tho srroon hns boon ^roQohod inmimerahlo timo>i horoto '^'■f'. htit hna novor heon siior-r^sfnllv \v-i^^'^ ""<■• At ono timo Wn.vlrow •l^nn, Tvhilo Proc;,]pnt of tho Tnito^l Matos. wRq willinir to hnvo hU hi-- r^ry of the ronntry filmod. nnd also 'to writo sovornl SfMltionnl voliimo^ Tnnt wonh] hrlnc fhr lM-fnrv un t>- "Jto and inolndo tho various phasos jHf tho AVnrld War. r>..t eve. thin At- tempt fnilod to como to anything. 'POP' ENSLER DIES .ToRoph crop") Knslor, ownor of 'nf" Court sfpfTt tno-.tr,.. U-ouMvii nnd n pionoor in picture biisinoss in ixnaf city, diod Sept. 18 at his homo, ! '^ T.indon strrrt. He was the father- «n-lnw of .T. J. :SfpN>vin, Lopr Island "^•imnge manager for raramount. Another, and quite formidable, am- algamation of film interests is in the making at the present time. Negotiations are being cai^ed on between officials of the First Nation- al, on the one hand, and Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford on the other, looking to an alliance between First National and United Artists. The main qrgumcnt being put for- ward to the premiere film stars is that by syndicating the output of both distributing organizations they will be enabled to deal quantitatively with exhibitors as well as qualitative- ly and that so strong a combination would be in a powerfully strategic position to deliver service to exhibi- tors of such class and in such aniouiits as would render the ex- hibitors independent of practically all other distributing organizations. Douglas and Mary, according to tho story, are listening attentively and giving the matter the serious consideration so important a move demands, but are relucuint to commit themselves until they hove consulted with Charlie Chaplin, to whom thoy will present the proposition dire<tly thoy arrive on the other side. Thoy arc booked to sail tomorrow (Satur- day), on the Olympic. Tho fourth member of the original '•r.ig Four" is D. W. Griffith, who is ofpially non-committal on the propo- sition. Ilia general repreaentative. J. J. McCarthy, sailed last Saturday for Kuropo on a mysterious mission. The trip wos decided on rather sud- donly. and it is believed ho also wont to con/er with Chaplin with re- gard to the proposed amalgamation. Hiram Abrnms. general manager of United Artists, is understood to be Ftrongly opposed to any alliance with oMior distributing organizations. He IiaH devoted himself for tho past Ihroo years to building .up the United Artists, with practically no profit to himself, owing to limited output^ and now that the releases are coming forward in sufficient quantity and of superior quality, he feels he is en- titled to enjoy to the full the fruits of his several years of labor, hav- ing put his concern where it is now —apparently on a substantial foot- ing. CENSORING REQUESTS Buflfalo, Sept. 21. Members of the new state pi,cture censorship commission are receiving hundreds of requests daily for the deletion and elimination of objection- able portions of pictures, according to Mrs. Eli'T. llosmcr member of the commission who returned to Buf- falo this wook after a month's work reviewing films In New York. Mrs. Hosmer came homo to attend a moot- ing of the Kepublican executive com- mittee, of which she is an omcer. Tho censor stated that all of the commission members are receiving numerous requests from all parts of the state daily, most of thorn coming from organizations, requesting va- rious things to be struck from the films. The Humane societies are ask- in;; that picturos of hunting, h«r»n- ing and torturing animals be cut out; city offioijils that picturos showing robbery and similar ads by police or public oflicials be baiitiod. Mrs. Ilosriior stated that as far as procti<'al)lo the board complied with tho wi^hrs of all of tho v:iri(nis organizations ami rcligi'Mis sects. FAMOUS L.L TO OPEN DEC. 1 SHOW RAPPE FILMS Kansas City, Sopt. 21. Although no picture houso offorod any A i buckle films this wock two down-town houses, which muko a spc cialty of sen.iational films, wcro fea- turing picturos of Virginia Ka|»fio. Tho (layoso had "A Twilight IJahy" advertised as a Ilonry Lohnnan com- edy with Virginia Itappt*, "tho victim of the Los Angeles murdor.** Tho Wonderland offered "The Tunch of the Irish" and advertised it was Miss Kappe'a last picture. Scandal on West Coast Is Forcing Shift The Famous Players lK>ng Island studios are to be reopened about Dec. 1, although it was originally planned to let them remain idle until May, next year. The reason for the resumption of activity in the east is tho scandal on the West Coast. . The ofganization In going to at. tempt to divorce the Hollywood col- ony entirely from the eastern pro- ducing end. ments Sunday. The purposes of tho organisatioii, as set forth In-its cartl- ficate of incoriK)ratIon, read a« follows: "To exact Scriptural and Eta» felical conception of the Cbristi^v Sabbath, and to. preserve existing laws insofar as they pratect the first day of tlua«weeJbior neit flHsdintUgioua use. Also te-secure-auch other leff* the dav fof idcfi ns^." -^ AtioaeV^oBJedfr <^f the ot'Khbfiatlon Is the enforcement of the present laws for the protection of the 8ab« bath Day in localities where they are disregarded. OHAS. WUERTZ FOR FILMS Charles Wuertz former manafer ot the Lyric and Comedy theatres for the 8hubert8» has been placed in charge of the film department for the Shubert Tandevflle theatrea. He has b^en booking the news weeklies and short comedies in conjunction to hkt handling the houses. STANLEY GO. BUYS IN PA« Max Spiegel has disposed of his Ilialto, Allentown, Pa., to the Stan* ley Co. and Wilmer tf Vincent. During his running of the theatre Spiegel clashed with the Stanley Co. over the fact that they would not supply him with pictures. KEITH ENCOURAGEMENT BOOMS INDEPENDENT PICTURE MARKET States Rights Sellers Think Murdock ^ould Create a Better Buying Market—Point They Get Theii! Money No Later Than Sixty Days, Tnt'trurfion«; from J. J. Murdock to all KoilJi house manaK<'rH to get be- hind and b'xnn a feature film called "Why (Jirls Leave Homo," put out by Warnor Ilrothors and booked for the Keith circuit, haw caused considerable discussion among picture atates right pcoi»le. Tli'*y Koe in it an hitention on tho part of the Keith people to onc'turaj;(' Independent prodiiotion. Thiir intorprotr.fion is that tho Koith poo[»lo jwo a hottf'r buying markot for themKelves crnitcd by this en<'(nirago- niont. A marked increase iu utjitew rights bus-iness and the optimism among in- dopenden s can be accountod for sep- arately and distinctly from tJio fact that September is Indopt'ndonc«» month. ^Vhitman IJennctt was the first to take note of it and is said to be produoing an much for the indo- pendent markot as for his contracted distribution. Hig names and produc- tions are also being offorod hy Arrow. Itonnott, W. K. Shallonhorgor, Har- ry Kai)f and othor^ all point out that in stafo risht dealing they got their money at onco or at the latost in GO days. With the bigger organization^;, while thf tiirnovor may be larger it ruuB sometimes a:j late a^ 18 moutbSi