Variety (November 1921)

M PICTURES Friday, November 18, 1 SCREEN S FREEDOM POLITICAL ISSUE IN JERSEY AND MASS, "SREK" BARRED Di KANSASRT i, i a Home Rule on Sunday Shows Barred in Former Where Blue Laws Are Re-established—National Assn. Acts on Mass. Referendum Over Censor The freedom of the screen has be- come a hot political issue in two states within the past ten days. No Sunday shows were given in New Jersey last Sunday on a rutins; by the Court of Chancery, which re-es- tablishes the blue laws; while in Massachusetts preparations are betas; made for a special state-wide referendum on censorship. The executive committee of the national association met Tuesday of this weet in New York to deal with the Massachusetts situation. The association committee was called together to meet a group of Boston men, headed by Alfred 8. Black, to talk over the situation of censorship in the Bay State. The New England men wanted to place before the committeemen for their Information an outline of what the conditions were. A censor law was passed by the Massachusetts Legis- lature last year, but was vetoed by GoYomor CoolWge, now Vice-Pres- ident in the Harding administration. The fact that Coolldge killed the bill ties the hands of the Legisla- ture at least until what would have been the expiration of the gover- nor's term In office if he had re- mained the Bay 8tate executive. The reformers are impatient and decline to wait For that reason the strong reform organisation of the State proposes to use every channel of propaganda between now and next election day to win sup- port for censorship when it comes up for popular decision In a referendum at the polls. At the meeting Tuesday at the Clarldge the National Association committeemen merely heard the Boston delegation In their analysis of the situation. No plan was pro- posed or discussed for a campaign to meet the propaganda of the re- formers. This will be dealt with later. The Jersey issue is particularly Interesting and comes as the newest twist to a complicated situation. In one Jersey town the mayor has challenged the local ministerial as- sociation with the statement that if Sunday picture shows are stopped he will see that the sheriff of the county clotes up every country club and golf course on Sunday. This lead la being followed by numerous other town executives as a good political move to set themselves solid with the popular vote. It makes ten film fan friends for the politician in place of one country club enemy. Goes Back Several Years The Jersey tangle goes back sev- eral years to the time when a strong lobby at Trenton backed by the film men won a measure which gave each locality the privilege of rul- ing by local ordinance for or against Sunday pictures. The only restric- tion was that profits for Sunday shows should go to charity. No sooner was the State law In effect than the reform organizations opened a fight upon it. About two weeks ago Vice-Chancellor Kracke handed down his decision in a test case. The ruling was that all local ordinances permitting Sunday shows were in conflict with the state Muo laws and were illegal on the principle that the state law in nil cases governed where it was in opposition to a law passed by any political sub-division of the state. On the basis of thir decision re- form roganlzatlons all over the state notified the mayors of their towns that he must call upon the sheriff to close up picture shows on Sunday and arrest the theatre managers. In Asbury Park William Rockefeller, manager for Walter Readc's three houses, announced that no attempt would be made to open the theatres last Sunday when tho court ruling became effective. Film men fol- lowed the same course throughout the state. This left the situation in the hands of Mayor Hettrlck of Asbury Park, who took a novel line of ac- tion He promptly instructed the sheriff of Monmouth county to pro- ceed against Sunday picture shows and then made a public announce- ment that he would call upon the Ministerial association and other reform bodies, who had forced his land, that he (the mayor) looked to UNIVERSAL SUBLETS CENTRAL FOR WUX 0' Sennett's Production Opens Tomorrow— Has House for Four Weeks Outvote Men on State Censor Board, Including Mayor and Chairman Universal has sublet the Central theatre, New York, to Mack Bennett for a four-weeks term, starting to- morrow. The Mabel Normand star- ring vehicle, "Molly O," will be pre- sented at the house during the term that Sennett has the lease for. The Universal has been running its own productions for a couple of months past. Sennett is paying $5,000 weekly for the house, lights, orchestra of 18 men, and the house attaches. He will handle the advertising apart from the theatre. The house is costing U. about 14,000 a week to operate exclusive of their advertising and the co. t of their pictures, for they must charging themselves with some sort of a rental against themselves for the productions that they have been placing there. The weekly "nut" with rentals and advertising has been placed at approximately $7,000, with the present business not stand- ing it off. Universale Intention was to have the Central for the presentation of "Foolish Wives," the Von Stroheim special which they made at a cost of more than a million. Although the actual shooting of the picture was completed late In July It has not rcaohed New York as yet In the meantime U. has had the house on their hands and doing the best that they could with their regular pro- gram specials. None of them got any sort of a business break with the exception of the Prlscllla Dean feature "Conflict" now In the final week of a four weeks stay. This production has just done a little better than break even. At present it is planned to let the house to some outside attractions for the period between now and January when It is expected that "Foolish Wives" will be ready to show. Carl Laemmlc left the coast yes- terday carrying with him a print of "Foolish Wives" in 20 reels which will be further cut in New York so that there will be ten reels when it Is shown to the public The pri- vate showing before the New York opening will take two nights and the entire 20 reels will be shown, ten reds each night. Kansas City, Nor. 11 •The Sheik" will not be exhibited in Kansas in spite of its approval by Dwlght Thacher Harris, chair- man of the board of censors; Mayor Burton of Kansas City, Kan., and the Rev. Carl Nau of St Paul's Episcopal church. The final decision regarding its showing was made yesterday when Mrs. J. M. Miller and Mrs. B. I* Short the majority membership of the board, voted "no. The two women voted against the film at a previous showing, but Mr. Ilarrfl [approved the picture and called the other gentlemen-in to witness it' It pleased them, but the opinions of the ladies could not be changed. 24 HOUSES IN DETROIT 1 g HAYHffSIU"NEXT WEEK Simultaneous Runs for Picture Specials Increasi 15 Theatres in Detroit Section to Play Sheik" .—— —f , INVESTIGATION OF FTGKT FILM PERMIT Alder n Want to Know How Come URBAN'S PLANT Takes Over Tousey's Place at Irv- Ington—Similar Invention Charles Urban has taken over the plant formerly used as a publishing house by r*rank Tousey at Irvlng- ton-on-the-Hudson for the turning out of the Spirograph, new home projector. Urban has been selling stock in the new concern for some time. The new machine operates with a disc arrangement, somewhat similar to the flat talking machine record, on which the pictures pro- be | Jected are recorded. The sales price is to be about $75 a machine, which runs a picture about four minutes In length. An elderly inventor by the name of Bettinl, who is at the head of the Bettlni Syndicate, Ltd.. in New York, had a similar invention some years ago but he never marketed it There mny be a clash between Bet- tinl and Urba.i over the patant rights to this form of a machine. The Bettinl machine coul * be placed on the market at a sales rrlce of ap- proximately $25 each. The latter Is the Inventor of the cylinder form of record for phono- graphs which was purchased by Edison some years ago and used on his reproduction machines. WARDE AGREES Aceepts Promise to Pay in Lieu of Judgment JUDGMENT AGAINST AMERICAN A default judgment for $21,230.93 was entered late last week against the American Cinema Corporation by the l'lanet Film Corp. arising from the sale of E. K. Lincoln's star- ring vehicle, 'Tlie Inner Voice." The picture \\"iio produced by the Planet and hold to the American for a sub- stantial cash sum, leaving a $20,000 balance due on a note, payment on which was not satisfied, Judgment being entered by default. The $7,327.44 judgment entered by default In Reginald Warde's favor last week against J. Cohen Barn- sty n, doing business as the British & Continental Trading Co., has been vacated by mutual consent and stipulation, the creditor agreeing to accept payment of the amount sued for, $6,500, in Installments maturing next May 1. This sum represents a balance due on the lease of 40 Christie Comedies by Warde, Inc., to Barnstyn for a period of five years. The transaction involved $16,000, of which $9,500 was paid, leaving the $6,500 balance due which was not satisfied. The stipulation provides that if the amount is not fully satisfied with'r the stated period of time Judgment should be taken with full accrued interest. Consolidation in Trenton, N. J. The interests connected with the State, Tunton, N. J., under the dl- reetion of Milton Hirsmeid, have taken over the management of the St. Regis and Broad Street theatres, Trenton, for pictures. The St. Itogls has a seating ca- pacity of l,0O\» and the Uroad Street 2,:;ot».* TEST KANSAS LAW Kansas City, Nov. 16. Richard J. Hopkins, attorney gen- eral of Kansas, has advised the county attorney of Norton county, Kansas, that the state's anti-Sun- day theatre law applies to picture houses aa well ns regular theatres. However, he stated that he would like to see a test ease tried in order to stop tho continued agitation in various parts of the state over the opening ot picture houses on the Sabbath. In case the law as it now stands should be vigorously en- forced all over the state it would hit a large number of the Kansas City (Kan.) houses, as they are all open on Sunday. Chicago, Nov. 19. With the granting of a permit to show the Dempsey*-Ca . entier fight Alms at the Barbee theatre here, through an opinion rendered by Cor- poration Counsel Samuel Ettleson, on the invalidity of a city ordinance prohibiting the exhibition of sue?) films. Chief of Police Charles Fits- morris directed the censo. in charge of the police department motion pic- ture bureau to approve an applica- tion for the exhibition of the Jeffries-Johnson fight pictures, which nave been barred from Chi- cago for more than 10 years. In the meantime an aldermanlc Inquiry is going to be made as to how "Tex" Rickard was able to pry from his path the city censorship ordinance covering the showing of fight films. Alderman George M. Maypole announced that he will ask for the council Investigation. It is said that before the permit question reached Ettleson officially Rickard applied to Schuler and Welnfeld, former law partners of tho corporation counsel, for advice, and that the latter's opinion fol- lowed closely the lines of legal ad- vice handed out by his old law firm. •Tm in sympathy with boxing and I would like to see it legalised, but I don't see why Rickard has any more right In Chicago than any other promoter," Alderman May- pole declared. "I have investigated the issuance of this permit to Rickard. I find that Acting Corporation Counsel J. W. Breen appeared at the city cen- sorship bureau simultaneously with the appearance of Chief Fitzmorris' letter directing the censors to issue the permit in view of the Bttelscn ruling that he had no power to withhold it longer. "I find also that though issued in the name of Rlckard's company, the permit was actually delivered to Breen. Why all this interes" in Rickard and his fight films?" •T am also going to find out whether the censorship ordinance means anything," added Alderman Maypole. 'If It means nothing, as the Ettelson ruling Indicates, I will ask the council finance committee to save the $30,252 appropriated for it in 1921, by making no approprii- tlon next year." The Dempsey-Carpentler pictures are being shown to capacity houses from 9 a. m. until 11 p. m. at Bar- bee's Loop theatre, with an admis- sion of $1.00 and war tax being charged. It Is expected they will remain there for four or five weeks. Detroit, Not. Twenty-four neighborhood ture houses will play "Over Hill" next week on a pei arrangement with Fox. The is 50-50. It is the first time so many tree have co-operated In one ing arrangement. It will be a test as to the ot the picture, owing to its pro seven-week run at the Fox- lngton here? Fifteen theatres in the territory playing Paramount use "The Sheik," week of Nov. Tin idea of simultaneous runs increasing on specials. TRIANGLE-AnXEN NEAR DEFDuTE Al MARRIAGE FtLM Unconventionslity of Fannie Hurst's Marriage in Selznick them to aid tin- sheriff in prevent- ing any citizen from playing golf or from using an automnhilc for pleas- ure purposes, oi in any other way violating the spirit or tho letter of the strict Sabbath laws of the state. Other mayors in the state fol- lowed the same line with the pur- pose, it was made plain, of drawing the issue sharply between now and next election so that the 1922 po- litical campaign might have the force of a popular referendum on the whole subject of the Puritanical Sabbath enforcement and reform movements in general. 8chenck Handling Inspirations Joseph M. Sehenek's offices are now handling the productions el Inspiration Pietun-s. starring Uieh- ard Parthelmess. whieh will l.. : dis- tributed through First National. The first one, 'Tol'l.'e David."' will be released shortly. English Film Trader Arrives .f. C Walnwright. Knglis!'. lilm trader, arrived in Ameriea early this week and immediately left for the Cos st, where \\o vrill r-main until early in December. Elaine Ilammerstcln has just com- pleted a Selznick picture entitled "Why Announce Your Marriage." under tho direction of Alan Cros- land. The title suggests the recent newspaper storie; which had to do with the somewhat unconventional proceduro of Fannie ITurst, the novelist, in "joining out" with a husband who took dinner and breakfast with Imt "occasionally." The play date of" Hie big Selznick special. "A Man's Home." at the Capitol, New York, has l.«cn fi\ed as the w.ek In ginning !»«•.•. I*. Showing Up L. Wolfe Gilbert A special re* | h;n lieu made nl' L. Wolfe CillM-rt. the sone, writer and musie imMi-h ••-, hy ih«- Loeu .\b-tro Company. Mr. Cill.ert has ;, l.oew contract a.id this reel will pr •- eed«> him aw a "niblieity Mnnt a" every I.ocvv tin aire he plass. The film shows .Mi-. C,ill»»al in the throes of composing a popular *ong. anions other things. Issues in Court Soon if Loses Appellate Appeal Some definite court action looked for within a short time the group of suits brought by present Triangle Film Co. Harry E. Altken, Roy Altken others seeking to recover $000, on an accounting. The cases become involved in a mase of technicalities, all preliminary to actual Joining of the main issue, an appeal on a Supreme Court cislon In the case of Triangle Roy Altken comes up in the pellate Division Nov. 26, and if court of review rules against defendant it is believed jock will end and the substance of matter be submitted, at least some of its preliminary phases, Hyman Wennlg, one of the defendants with the Altkens case involving charges of spiracy, was in the Supreme in New York Tuesday in on a technical motion. T through Attorney Arthur Graham, had secured an order an examination of Wennlg trial of the conspiracy case, nig applied for an order to the original order, fustics M reserved decision. This is a repetition of manoeuver performed by Roy ken. Triangle secured an order examination before trial. Roy piled to have it vacated and Supreme Court ruled against application. This decision Is one that comes up for argument t ppcal before the Appellate slon late this month. Roy carry the appeal to the New Court of Appeals If the first went against him, but it is not lleved he would do so, but submit to examination before Harry E. Altken is in Calif Triangle has not asked for an < der for examination before trisl the case of the company's fa president, so ho is not concer these preliminary moves. 0RMI HAWLEY STOPS: Watertown's Only Woman Mai Leaves Post Water town, N. Y., NoV, After a short siege of tl management, Orml Hawley, nr lilm star, Rave up tlie job and t ed to her home at White! * 1 • Miss Tlawhy wast engaged by theatre owners after making sonal appearance here. The I s. emed au*piciou.<< but Miss ley appears to have tired. Thel (.aimed to have heeti no lacl harmony in her .Managerial flUpP She in;iy form her own comf iind reiur in I'irture making Norwich, N. Y.. Houss 3< Nurwleh. \. V.. Nov. A' !|i'!l!:ci'l||i i I is Mi.'ele °* sale of the Adam 'Tenuis in' in the Colonial late to (he Tla'alriea! Co.. one. : i i ii.L- iHH Onei.n'a and < ; !o\ . i-villc MilVis Will he s. -nl ll'te »" ' wir is will l< manager hut (».-< main as assistant 11 \\ -u:-' 1