Variety (November 1921)

44 PICTURES Friday, November 25, 1921 WITH BERLIN FOREIGN CENTER; FAMOUS SHUFFLING DIRECTORS To Educate Americans There and Germans Here— LubiUch and Negri Due—De Milles and Stanlaws Going—Advantages of Interchange After testing out French and Eng- lish territory as a home for a foreign production studio. Famous Players has finally concentrated on Germany as the most advantageous center for European activity. Al Kaufman has spent practically a year in Berlin completing local arrangements de- signed to play a part in Famous' general scheme. This scheme, as already hinted at In several news leakages, is to edu- cate American directors abroad and foreign directors here. Ernst Lu- bitsch and Pola Negri sail for this country Jan. 1. Both De Milles, Penrhyn Stanlaws and other Para- mount directors are going ope by one to Europe to make productions there. By this program it is hoped to interweave the best of both sys- tems into one. Artistically foreign pictures have much to recommend them, and if Americans can absorb German ideas of picture making, it is felt Ameri- can productions will Improve to such an extent that their domina- tion of the world market will be as- sured. But Germans have even more, from the world market stand- point, to learn here than our di- rectors can get there. This is demon- strated by the selling power in this country of the German productions. "The Golem," for example, has followed in the trail of its prede- cessors. X hit in New York, it has flopped in out-of-town territory. This was true also of "Passion," "Deception" and "Caligarl," all sponsored by different companies. Stanlaws Picked In Penrhyn Stanlaws, artist, illus- trator, portrait painter and play- wright. Famous officials feel they have a comer. He has Just signed .a new contract with that organiza- tion after doing particularly well with Betty Compson. His handling of "The Woman in the Case," an old play and an old theme, is par- ticularly pleasing to the organiza- tion as ho has made the story live through new situations injected. Directors who show promise as he has during his training "period the has been only a year and a half at the game) will be sent abroad for further training. Adolph Zukor says he sees no tangible production relief from any of the European centers. He is constantly experimenting in the hope of securing something worth while, and even when he gets an occasional fort-i^n feature it amounts to less than a fraction of 1 per cent, of the entire output of Famous Players. "At tho present timo," Mr. Zukor said, "we are making two produc- tions 'n Germany under American supervision, but my reports indicate there is little to hope for in that direction, as has been the case with all foreign picture making." ANKLE PINCHER IN SYRACUSE PINCHED WARREN'S LATEST IN FRISCO ENVIRONS With Requisite Capital He will Start New Concern City to Protect Women in Pic- ture Houses Syracuse, N. T., Nov. 23. Arrest of Pasquale Arena for a second time as an "ankle pincher" will result in a crusade by Syracuse police to stamp out the assaulting of women in Syracuse picture houses by men operating under cover of the darkness. Arena, who was first arrested last August after one of his assaults, now con- fesses he escaped prosecution at that time by the tendering of a $25 bribe to the object of his attack. The woman later was unable to re- peat her identification o: Arena as San Francisco. Not. 21. P. B. Warren Is here in the inter- ests of his new releasing organ- ization. He arrived on Sunday and has been In conference with a num- ber of local bankers regarding the financing of the production units for his proposition. The plan is to make productions at the new San Mateo studios. He intends to distribute from San Francisco, not New York. It seems certain that San Fran- cisco capital will be available for the proposition as local financiers have long been anxious to attract picture producing to this territory. Los Angeles has been the centre of the producing activity for years, but within the last two years a few com- panies have come north to make pictures. If Warren can swing sufficient capital here to start producing It will be easy to bring producers and players to this city, because of the long period of Inactivity that there has been in and about Los Angeles since the first of this year. flAX MAYER DIE8 Sam Mayer, manager In Los An- geles for J. E. Brulatour for the sale of Kistman raw stock on the coast, died in Los Angeles, Nov. 18, aged 65. He is survived by his widow. He was a brother of Leo Mayer the sporting man, who left for the coast immediately on receipt of the wire. Adelaide Denk, Brulatour'e secre- tary* has gone to Lot) Angeles to assume Mayer's duties until a suc- cessor can be appointed. BUFFALO CRITERION SOLD BY FAMOUS Acquired by Walker Hays of Mitchell Mark Co. Buffalo. Nov. 23. Shea's Criterion, owned by Fam- ous Players and operated by the Shea Amusement Co„ was this week sold to Walter Hays, manager of the Mitchell Mark Enterprises. The new owner takes possession Dec. 15. The policy is still undecided. Hays has admitted the whole building may be given over to offices. The d£al involved $500,000. It has been known that the Cri- terion has been in the losing col- umn for months, and in fact has scarcely ever turned in a profit. This was largely due to the fact that the house, since 4 going into the man who assaulted her, and warren personally. For the Arena's case was dropped. Arena's second arrest occurred at the System Theatre. It Is charged that the man made two attacks upon women. His method of operation was to permit his overcoat to fall to the floor. Then, picking It up, he grasped the ankle of the woman sitting next to him. The object of his attack screamed, and only the arrival of the police saved the man from rough handling. The new Warren sales organiza- tion will get underway In a short time. There are a number of sales- , . „ men and managers under salary to Pictures has never really bean put Warren personally. For the greater \°™\ Snea will cease operatlbns at part the men were identified with the , hou f ae at u 5 he * xplra i, ,on °' nl " contract with the Exceptional ROTATION OF PATHE s BONDS COMPLETED the F. B. Warren Corporation, but they have been recently dropped when the organization was taken over by F. C. Gunning. BISHOP DECLINES Refuses to Marry Couple Who Have Published Announcement Cactus Features in Two Reels The "Cactus Features," co-starring Maryoon Aye and Bob Reeves, have made four productions t f their scheduled eighteen. Work on the fifth picture starts next week under the direction of Albert Rogell. Theae features are being distributed by Irving M. Lesser and Mike Ro- senberg, of Western Pictures Ex- ploitation Co., in Los Angeles. They are in two-reel length. Reeves was a former Universal player and Miss Aye was formerly , I*arry Semon's leading lady. Ogdensburg, N. T., Nov. 23. Refusal on the part of Bishop Joseph J. Conroy to perform the ceremony because the bride-to-be is a Protestant prevented the marriage of Leland Bayley, accountant with the Island Paper Mills at Carthage, N. Y., and Clarice Miller, pianist in the orchestra . of the Hippodrome, Carthage. The unexpected refusal of the bishop to perform the ceremony came as a double shock, inasmuch as the couple had authorized a friend to announce their elopement and marriage, and the announce- ment had been duly published in the newspapers. The elopement followed the young couple's trip ' j Syracuse *with friends for the Colgate-Syracuse game. Quietly on the following Monday morning tfiey secured a marringe license at Carthage and then hurried to Lowville, intending to have the marriage performed by the Rev. George L. Mun .y, pastor of St. Peter's there. Because of tho difference of re- ligious faiths tho priest declined to act, ad.ising the couple to go to this city and have the bishop offi- ciate. But the Bishop also declined to tie the knot, in tho meantime the marriage announcement duly mak- ing its appearance. The sudden shattering of her ro- mance has led Miss Miller to leave for Appleton, Wis., to Join her father. INJUNCTION AGAINST CLOSING ML Vernon, N. T., Nov. 23. An attempt on the part of Mayor Elmer L. Kincald to close the Little Playhouse (pictures) Saturday be- cause of alleged Building Code vio- lations was met with an injunction) obtained by the lessees through At- torney Sydney A. Syme. The in- junction, temporary, was issued by Supreme Court Justice Young and Is returnable on Nov. 29. The license of the theatre expired OcL 1. The mayor said he did not renew it, pending the Investigation which started after Fire Commis- sioner Havey had complained about conditions. The lessees, through President A. H. Weinberg, claim that they had intentions of making the repairs, but that the mayor failed to call the conference at which details were to have been none over. Realty Corp., a subsidiary of Fam- ous Players. AGAINST HAM0N FILM Kansas City, Nov. 19. Ralph Talbot, president of the Theatre Owners' & Managers' As- sociation of Oklahoma, has called a meeting of that organization for the purpose of requesting the at- torney general of the State to stop the showing of the Clara Hamon film in the State. The first showing of the picture in Oklahoma was given *at Brlstow, last Monday. The mayor of Tulsa, Okla., has forbid- den the local showing of the film. First National Buys Back Texas A settlement has been effected between Famous Players and First National over the Texas franchise of First National, which was taken over from the Hulsey interests in that State some time ago. The matter was adjusted by the repurchase by First National of the franchise. Brunet Says Worst of Trade Depression Is Past Paths has just completed the flo* tatlon of Its $750,000 bond Issue, ac- cording to a statement from Paul Brunet of that concern, who de- clares his belief that the wont of the depression In the film trade is over, but the recovery will be slow until the exhibitor has reduced his operating costs to a point where revision of high admission scales will be practicable. In connection with the announce- ment of the bond issue it was stated that Pathe "quick assets" are more than 385 per cent, of total liabili- ties. Pathe stock Is not traded in on any open market, and no finan- cial statement is made public ex- cept by underwriters in connection with new financing, such as in the present instance. The bond sale was handled through Morrill, Lynch & Co. of New York. "While we do not look for any tremendous betterment In general conditions," said Mr. Brunet, "it is our opinion that the depression so far as the exhibitor Is concerned has Just about hit bottom, and we are sure to witness a gradual Improve- ment. That improvement will be more noticeable in localities where the exhibitor himself has taken drastic steps in so adjusting opera- ting costs as to enable him to estab- lish an admission price well within the buying power of his public. "When I refer to exhibitors* op- erating costs I do not refer alone to film rentals, because the govern- ment tax figures have already re- flected a very considerable reduc- tion in film rentals. Furthermore, even though film rentals, as a cost of operation, were removed entirely, it could not replace the loss of busi- ness many exhibitors have sustained during the last three or four months. "There are today theatre operat- ing costs aggregating a couple of hundred million dollars annually that exhibitors did not find neces- sary a few years ago. It is the cost of such items that keeps up admis- sion prices." INCREASED DUTY ON FILMS Paris, Nov. 17. The new tariff on mo zing picture films has come into force, fixing an ad valorem duty of 20 per cent, on all categories. The Star Without a Failure J4 / LEWIS O. SELZNiCK offers you the greatest Eermanent businas* uildcrs in the' / Lssky Returning to New York I.os Angeles, Nov. 2.1. Jesse Ii. I,asky is scheduled to leave here today for New York. A circus mm arrived in town last week and decided to take in a legit show thai evening. He looked over the advertisements and found among those billed, "The Mad Dog." "The Silver Fox" and "Re.waro of Dogs." He remarked to his wife that "Gentry's show must have busted up." Jack Flex Is manager of the Lyric, Newark, N. J. LYRIC PICTURE TAKEN OFF The name of the F. B. Warren Corp. has been changed to the Gun- ning Corp. The concern's venture as an exhibitor at the Lyric with "What Do Men Want" has not proved highly successful thus far. The initial production at the Lyric will be withdrawn th:s week and next Sunday "Our Mutual Friend" will be shown. This Is a Danish production of Oickens* story of that name. Cspitol and "Cnocolats Soldier" S. I,. Rothafel had only shown a tabloid version of "The Chocolate Soldier" at the Capitol one day when the Shuberts. who arc plan- ning to revive this musical comedy, requested him to withdraw it. He substituted "The Geisha," which ran last week The understanding was entirely amicable. Mr. Rothafel arranged for the Strauss production before he knew of the Shubert plans. STAR, SERIES THE WAY OF A MAID BY HEX TMfLQP^^ DIRECTED BY W. P.S.IARII THE MERRIEST STORY Or TUE YEAR w