Variety (October 1921)

46 PICTURES Friday, October 7, 1921 ^ t.-J=r-=z LOS ANGELES CENSOR BRINGS PRODUCERS' THREAT TO QUIT Big rtealiy Holdings Would Make It Difficult to Leave Coast—Hearst and Merchants Aiding in Fight on Clergymen and Mayor. TiOs Ange-les. Oct, 5. Tlwrr is a batllo on bi'twocn the n;oti Ml pirturp prodiiciug industry as located lnTc and the City Council ov«*r tho ijue^tion of local censorship of pictures, the appointment of a l^fotion Picture Commiysion of Seven as is now propoty'd in the Council, with a secretary at a salary of $2,400 a \ear. the producers to be taxed to meet the cipense of churgcs of the <.'o!jimisMi >n. Already there is the threat tin the part i)f the producers. to leave liOa Anueles tJat and. do their producing in the cast if the censorship bill passes. The Metro studios have closed down: Myron Selznick has wired stHllntf that in the event censorship was passed the idea of moving the Sel»nick producing units to the coast would be abandoned and Irving M. Lesser who was about to start pro- duction' of a history of early Cali- fornia has shelved all idea of continu- ing with the same until the row has been settled. The battle thus far has been waged by the ministers of the toim and they have appeared before the Council and fought for the measure. The producers have been lining up the Chamber of Commerce, the Mer- chants Association and a mimber of other local orgnnixations to aid them in their fi.ght against the measure. .lust how far the producers could go with their threat to leave the coast at this tifiie and produce in other parts of the country is a ques- tion. For the greater part they all have considerable realty holdings here that makes it impossible for them to get out. If they were to leave the realty values, which have been made by the fact that the industry has its producing center here, would fall and all of them would sustain tremendous losses. Due to ArbkSile The proposed measure is believed tq be the result of a certain amount of rivalry between this city and Snn Francisco, the publicity gi'cn in the northern city to the Arbuckls affair and (he stutement reguruing alleged local conditions which grew ou': of the investigation into the death of Virgini:i Itjippe. It is also quite cer- tain thnt the prescn- Council is not any too well disi>oued toward the industry. Since the electi m of Ma- yor Cryer ami the installation o' his adniiniKtralion the result of the ac- tivities of the picture interests in be- half of ex-Mayor Sn.vder to bring iihoui ills ■ re-'eM»c(il>n iiave reactc«i against the industry. On Tues;lay of last week th« re- vision of the motion picture censor- ship onlinance was reco:nn)ended by the Public Welfare Committee of the City Couufil. The committee adopted a r(*poi-t rec(Miiniending: Thar instead of the film cciisor there be a board of weven. That thr c members of the board be "directly connected with or inter- CKfed in the motion picture industry." That the other four be "disinter- ested persons coming from the citizenship at large." That one of the seven serve as sec- retary at an annual salary of $2.1()0. That the Council fix a fee suffi- cient to meet the expenses of the coinniis^ion. That the wj)r«l *'«ensar" he dropped and the coniinission be cjilled the "Motion Picture Comnnsson." al- th'iugli acting as a censorship body. This report came before the Coun- <'il on Wednesday and the hearing was marked hy lively verbal clashes be- tween Sylvester I.. Weaver, presiilent of (he Chamber of Comrneree. and the Kev. (i. A. Ilriegieb, also a mem- ber of the Council, two of whon» fa- vored delaying action on the report of the Publii; Wi'lfare Coinruitt«'e. whi( h had instructed the City At torney to <lraw the censorship meas- ure. TIk' producers have the un<pinli- fied backing of the "Kxaminer" and the "Herald" the morning and eve- ning Hearst publications here. The "Times" is with them to a certain extent, the "Kxprcss" and the "Rec- ord," somewhat passively. William Raixlolph ilearsC wired Thouiaa II. SEEK REMEDY FOR NONTHEATRE FILMS KEITH AND LOEW PLAYING. SAME FILM Day and Date Booking For the ^Three Muskdtters" Mich. Theatre Owners' Convention Canvasses Subject The Michigan branch of the Th* atre Owners of America is in con- vention in Jackson, Mich., this week. This gathering is on-* of the first state conventiooa to attiick the prob- lem of handling competition from Don-thcatrical pictures of an educa- tionivl kind, marking an early step lu \ a campaign to meet the issue on a b*::sis of co-operation. Two of the priBcipal addresses scheduled were by Pr<^. Henderson of the Michigan University, who is also head of the movement for visual edu- cation and Dr. Francis lloUey of Washington, head of the Bureau of Commercial Economics which also \h interested in purely educational pic* tures. Prof. Henderson's org.Hnization holds a considerable fund appropri- ated by various state legislatures to carry on educational experiments via the screen. His attendance at the convention is to discuss a means of conducting the work with the ex hibitors of the state, and through President Cohen, with the national exhibitor body. There was a session of the Michi- gan state executive board Monday and the convention was scheduled to run over Tuesday and Wednesdav. ending with a banquet Wednesday evening. Mr. (*oben is due back ii; the home oflBce today (Friday). He was accompanied by General Mav ager J. A. Mueller of the Theatre Owners of America. Whatever comes out of the Michi- fiiQ meeting will furnish mnterial foi further work at the numerous state conventions scheduled for the Au- tumn. The nearest at hand are ihose of the Iowa exhibitors at the Cham- berlain. Des Moines. Oct. 11-12 and of the South D;ikota showmen at the Klks in Huron, pet for the same date. For the first time in history the Loew and Keith houses are going to play a feature picture day and date. The nrrankement was completed with the United Artists Corp. for Fair- banks' "Three Musketeers/* following the run at the Lyric. Certain houses on both circuits will not play the picture ho as to give a number of the smaller exhibitors a chance to make competitive bids for the production for their houses. CLARA K. YOUNG'S VAUDEVILLE PRICE FILM PROTECTION. SAYS PATHE, IMPERATIY E BY FRE NCH TARIFF French-Made Pictures Must Equal, at Least, Foreigij Importations—^Terms Present Condition of Indus- try Over There "Invalid/' OP*E ARABIAN NIGHT* RIGHTS IN DISPUTE -^ Famous Players Claims Priority—First National Distributes Asked Shuberts $5,000 Weekly to Appear As Act Los Angeles, Oct. 5. It ia authentically rei>orted that Hhubert emissaries have approached Clara Kimball Toung, to appear in the Shubert Taudeville houses in the east. Miss Young replied her act salary would not be less than $5,000 weekly on a contract of not less than 10 weeks. The Shuberts balked at the figure but have not stopped negoti- ating with the picture star. FRENCH EXHIBITOR TRIED AND EXPELLED Showed Indecent Picture Forgot the Local Police Chief Paris, Oct. 5. The (Cinematograph Association has expelled a mcinber recently convicted of showing an indecent picture. The culprit is a well-known exhibitor and owns several picture houses in thft Midlands. His mistake seems to have been in not inviting the village police chief lo the exhibition. Before the current week fs ended Famous Players wiU probably insti- tute suit against First National to determine the American exhibition rights to the Pola Negri feature, **One Arabian Night,*' now being shown at the Strand. The picture was first called **Sumurun," a filmisation of Uein- hardt'a famous spectacular panto- mime. Famous Players believed it had purchased the rights for United States and Canada and was surprised to find First National announcing it for distribution* ^ First National ofllcimla claimed priority of purchase and went ahead with the distribtition. Unless an understanding is arrired at the courts will be called upon to decide the issue. Pola Negri is under contract to come to America Jan. 1 to make pic- tures for Famous Players-Lasky. Another of her pictures, made in Ckr- many, ^'Vendetta,** is being offered to the state rifht market. U. S. INVASION Garraan Film Man Says This Country is Best Field ■ FILM NOTES Fidelity Pictures is handling the output of the Witwer Stories Pro- dncinj; Co., wh?eh is making n series of 12 two reel comedies with base- ball as the subject. The stories are now running in the Cosmopolitai* Magazine. Charles Delaney will p'ay the stellar role and the leading ladv will be Lilyan Tashman of the "CJold Diggers" company. The Travers Vale Producing Corn, has been formed to make fenttire pictures at the rate of four a year. The first one will be made at the Peerless studio in Fort Lee and is to .be titled **The Pasteboard Crown." (Chester Hennett. Vitagraph direc- tor for several years, has formed a corporation of his ofiTi for the pro- duction of a series of "Northwoods" natures, wilh .Tnne Novak starred. The work will be done at the RrnntoM studios on the west coast and will be distributed by Associated Photo- Plays. Berlin, Oct. B. The invasion of America by Ger- man fdm interests is contemplated at this time. Those bchiu<l the project propose the organization over here of their own distributing chain to handle n.inght but ttitiir u»vu iiroducl, which will be fJermnn-madc. in the U. S. One of the hv^ads of the fdm indus- try in southern fJermany, with head- quarters in Munich, has gone over the Americjn situation. lie points out there are practically six times as many theatres in the States as in rjermany. and that the most profitable field in the world for German pictures is being neglected. Germany has at present about 4.()00 cinema house.« nnd the Cnited States has about 10.000. COAST PICTURE NEWS Los Angeles, Oct. 5. Douglas MacLean has returned from a personal appearance tour in the east and is starting on the Ince lot with Del Andrews directing. The picture will be a screen version of. William Collier's "The Hottentot." The R. A. Walsh company with Miriam Cooper as the stir has been in Washington and Oregon shooting lumber camp scenes for **The Kin- dred of the Dust." the Peter B. Kyne Cosmopolitan story. The first of the new Ince produc- tions to be relMsed as an Associated Producers-First National attractiuu will be an original story by Bradley King entUled *Mim." Florence Vidor. John Bowers, Milton Sills and B^ar- guerite de la Motte will.be in the cast. John Griftth Wray will direct nssiste<l by Scolf It. Beal with Henry Sharp at the camera. Wesley Ruggles has been engaged by U. to direct Priscilla Dean's next feature. I^on Chaney has started "The Oc- tave of Claudius" fo( Goldwyn. Wai* lace Worsley is directing with Jac- queline T<ogan -and Raymond McKee in the cast. The Select. MrAlester, Okla.. re- opened Oct. 1. Pictures and Bills at Far Rockaway The Colui'.ihia, Far Uockaway. i. T.. starts Opi. 10. |ilaying pictures the first four d.iys and vaudeville the bal MiH'f of the week. All Hummei llie Columhin played Keith big-Mme bills twice (lailv. GOING TO THE COAST B. P. Schulberg left Wednesday for the coast, where he will remain indefinitely, producing big specials at his Preferred Pictures rtudio in Los Angeles. His first production will he "Ching Ching Cin:iman." a story hy Wilbur Daniel Steele. Leo Friedman, secetary of Loew'i left Thursday for Frisco to confer with Arkerinan & Harris. Auit.'i Stewart, after a vacation in tIiT» east, returned to Hollywood Tliursday lo resume her picture tiiak- ing. luce from San Simeon, Cal.. to the eflfeot that he would telegraph in- structions to his fiOJt Angeles pubii- rations to liRht censorship from every angle an<l the telegram to Ince w:\ ^ reprinted as an editorial iu the "Ex- aminer.** Arrest Marv Milo^ MInter Los Angeles, Oct. ft. • Mary Miles .Minter \\a« up in court late last week after having been ar- rested four times in one day. Sjie wa.M arre>>ted twiee for vi^latin;? flio local speed laws and on both occasions was f»iven an a«Mttional ticket for driving witlioul au operator's li- c«'n.se. Ruth Miller and William Boyd of the Famous Playors-Lasky force were, married last week. The romance started during the filming of "The Affairs of Analol," in which both ap pea red. Paris, Oct. 5. Chnrles Pnthe has been talking of the remedy for the present in- valid condition of the picture indus. try, and hits out from the shoulder^ lis usual for his pet policy of pro- tective duty. The first measure, says Pathe, should be the support of the public " authorities by a reasonable customs tariff, by protecting our industry against. the ikitroduetion of American productions. ^'Everyone will understand the dis- astrous competition waged by Am- erican films producers when I explain their negatives (the outlay of which is entirely liquidated ^by exhibiting in their own country) do not pay on their entry into France a ten- thousandth part of their cost price,** says Mr. Pathe. '^Tlkis tariff is more ridiculoua when we consider if it was multiplied by 100 or 200 such a protection would only prevent Am- erican films of poor quality reach- ing the French screens, and would not effect the masterpieces that coun- try so frequently turns out, as they could easily bear the increased duty, to the benefit of the French treasury." "The only danger in this protec- tion would be to try to imitate the Americans, to decide too quickly and to see too big. The Italians feel into this error, also the Germans and Scandinayians—if the information I receive is correct Serious effects must also be made to multiply the picture theatres so as to give a greater market at home for French films. **The creation of an important fin. uncial organisation, which would have our support, is to be considered. Its main object should be to install mo- vies in country districts. For ex- ample villages of 800 to 1,000 in- habitants could have weekly shows, furnishing the additional few million francs the producers require to as- sure their outlay for negatives," Leon Breaillon, chairman of the Exhibitors* Syndicate, considers the only remedy is a reduction of enter- tainment taxes and poor rates charged on picture shows. The latter form of taxation he declares to be in- equitable, only one form of business, the amusement caterers, having to bear it (through the audience). To revive the French film, M. Brezillon declares it must be im- proved, to make it equal if not su. perior to foreign competition. Scen- nrii must be carefully considered, he claims, the fault with those who in- sist on betnf writer, producer and acrbr ~6t' their -own works.' One may succeed, but many fail. Specialisa- tion is needed ami this is particularily applied to renting. Some renters persist in supllyiug entire programs, which necessitates the incorporation of some inferior films, but the good ones do not make a success of the poor ones. Mique Boylan. lie-^d of the publicity dei>artmpnt at V. Citv is celebrating another daughter added to his family Sept. 20. ADVTG. CASE ADJOURNED Cihcinnati, Oct. 5. The criminal case against I. Fran- kel coming up yestenlay,' was con- tinued until next week Frankel is charged under the Hon- est Advertising Act with having ad- vertised the *'D'Artagnan** film as the "Three Musk.'teers" of Fairbanks. INSIDE STUFF ON PICTURES (Continued From Pag^ 43) Nothing definite or official has ever been printed aOout the suddert invasion and subsequent retirement Into and out of the laboratory business by the Eastman Co. Now that the revenue bill is again "P in Congress with confusing proposals of reviaions, it is likely to be t^hreshed out and the facts will appear. As far as the trade has boea able to understand, the Kastman Company withdrew from the labora- tory field on the basis of Independent laboratory men subscribing to an agreement lo confine th<»m»elve.^ to the use of ''American ra^r alock" and In return the Eastman Company has reduced Its price by a quarter of a cent a foot. It Is declared that some laboratories have offended In strict busi- ness conduct. They have agreed to deliver prints on Eastman stork, but have mixed Inferior and cheaper grades in the job and when the Hqi:awk came from the prodtlcer, tied up the transaction in declara- tions that ill conditioned Ea«tman stock was the cause. Probabl.^ one of the conditions In the Eastman reduction in price will turn out to be some sort 9f. agreement to cease practfces of this kind.