Variety (November 1921)

PICTURES Friday, November 26, 1981 EXPLOITING SPECIALS BY LOSING B:G SUMS IN LEGIT HOUSES CONDEMNED In Letter to Variety Leo A. Landau of Milwaukee MARION DAVES' FAN Alhambra Suggest* Exhibitors Advise Public OPENS NEW GRANADA Specials at Legit Prices Will Later Be Shown at Picture House Scale—Asserts Big Picture Houses Could Make as Much Even as a Successful Show- ing at Legit Sale for Producers with Specials In a letter to Variety Leo A. Lan- managlng director of the Alhambra, Milwaukee, protests against the practice of showing big specials at high prices at legit house*. He declares they lose any- where from $100,000 to $200,000, and that this loss is later charged off to the exhibitor aa exploitation. Ha declares the pictures could ■lake as much money as possible at regular prices at regular picture houses. His letter follows: Milwaukee, Nov. 19. Editor Variety: I have read with great interest the comment in Variety relative to the telegram I sent you about the business done here by "Over the Bill." I would like to answer a few things in it First of all let me tell you that "Over the Hill" did over $16,000 here the second week of Its run, which is $2,000 more than the figure you quote as having been done the .second week at the Astor theatre in New York with "Theo- dora." If I Quoted $10,000 as having bean done the first week by "Theo- dora** it must have been a typo- graphical error. What I meant to quote in the telegram was $18,000, and even at that figure we exceeded here in Milwaukee their first week on Broadway. You say that account Is not taken •f the picture houses that cannot do $20,000 gross. In reply I wish to state that In almost every city In the United States the size of Milwaukee and aven in some smaller cities there is it motion picture theatre consider- ably larger than the Alhambra the- atre of Milwaukee, and capable of doing $30,000, aa I am sure this theatre would have done with the first week had our seating capacity feeen 50 per cent larger. I do not expect that producers •hall play their big productions' first tun In a little village ir a motion ploture house seating 800 people In preference to the legitimate theatre which probably seats a thousand, but I do maintain that in cities of two hundred and fifty thousand or over, there is a motion picture house large enough to take in more money at a popular admission than the legitimate house in that same city ■woiiul uike In with the same pro- duction at $1.60 and $1.00. i cannot see what difference it Would make in the argument one way or another as to what business the Alhambra theatre did in an OrUifi.'trv week. Losing $100,000 to $200,000 I have no Idea of conveying that the picture houses should pl_y only big features; I know well enough that there are not enoug'u big pro- ductions like "Over the 11111" '0 play fifty-two weeks. The point that I want to make is Just this: You know, I know and all exhibitors know that it has been the habit for the producing companies when they get a big feature to rent a theatre on Broadway in New York and in the Loop in Chicago, sometimes, and play their picture for $1.50 and $2.00 top over an extended run and lose somewhere between $100,000 and $200,000 In playing the picture that way, and charge it up to "exploi- tation," and then when they sell that same picture to a regular mo- tion picture exhibitor afterwards they expect him to pay enough more for that picture to cover this ex- ploitation loss. k You have a vivid example In your Issue today in which you tell what Is being done with the picture "What Do Men Want?" I will ven- ture to Bay that picture would have done considerably more business at one of the Broadway motion pic- ture houses. I also cnll your attention to a Griffith production that played in the legitimate theatres several months ago, and every one of these legitimate houses advertised that |he picture would never be shown San Francisco's Latest Picture Palace Gets Under Way except at regular legitimate house prices. With this advertising still fresh In the memory of the public that samo production was shown In all the motion picture houses through- out the country at GO cents admis- sion or less. How can the public be expected to believe the next big production that comes out and ad- vertises on the same basis? And is it fair to the exhibitor that plays all the other productions of a pro- ducing company to withhold from him the big feature and play it in a legitimate house? My advice to the motion picture houses throughout the country and in the small towns, too, Is:—When- ever one of these so-called big pro- ductions plays In a legitimate the- atre, they group together and ad- vertise to the public over their sig- natures calling attention to the fact that every so-called "tremendous" photoplay feature that has ever opened at legitimate house prices has afterwards played at regular motion picture prices. In other words, if the producer is going to Ight the regular motion picture exhibitor with the big pic- ture in a legitimate house now and then, I hold that the exhibitors ought to group together and fight that producer when he plays that big picture, letting the public know] what probably will happen with] that picture afterwards, and fur- thermore, in these times the public usually is no^-inclined to pay $1 and $1.50 for a motion picture. Offers Facts As I stated above, there is noth- ing to prevent the producer from r^ntl a legitic house and play- ing it there with a tremendous loss if he chooses to do so, but I know what I am talking about when I say that theatres like the Alham- bra In Milwaukee, the Chicago the- atre in Chicago, the Newman the- atre in Kansas City and others of the same caibre in other cities can gross more money for a big picture nowadays than the legitimate house in that same city. As a concrete example for Mil- waukee, "The Four Horsemen" played here not so long .ago in a legitimate house at high prices. I am not informed as to exactly how much business t-.ey did, but Judging from the looks of things I would be willing to wager that the Alhambra could have played to a bigger gross business in one week than that legitimate house played in two ANDERSON ACTIVE Working on Two-Reel Comediee— Ta Da Featuree San Francisco, Not. M. O. If. ("Broncho Billy") Anderson Is back In San Francisco preparing to re-enter the moving picture pro- duction field, and already haa started a comedy company at work. This unit will be headed by Stan Laurel, and the first picture la to be called "The Nut." The company will locate In the Montague studio here temporarily. George ("Sootty") Cleethorpe la technical director. Walter A. Riv- ers, who waa with Anderson aa scenario writer at the Mayer studio In Los Angeles early this year, haa been engaged to do special continu- ity work. two-reel comedies, a a number of five-reel features. BRUENNER WINS IN M00ERS RELEASE San FranclscA Nov. St. The Granada, Saa Francisco's newest and most pretentious picture i , of two . ree i , palace, waa formally opened and * "fT 1 * waa^nTand dedicated Thursday night. Nov. 17. " erleis 0f westerns and The entire house was reserved for. the premiere, over half of the tickets having been purchased by the offi- cials and board of directors of the theatre company. The handling of the tickets in this manner elimi- nated the free list, incidentally establishing a precedent for a thea- tre opening. The ceremonies at- tending the formal dedication were most impressive and were without the usual introductions and long speechmaking. The Marlon Da vies feature, "En- chantment.** was selected aa the star item of the initial program. The Granada can seat comfortably 3,200 on two floors, half in the bal- cony, which also includes the loges, comprising approximately half of the space. The construction is of the early Mission architecture mingled with Moorish and Spanish design, and for beauty excels any theatre in the west. • The house is equipped with the largest stage in San Francisco, with a depth of 62 feet. The lighting system is controlled by the largest switchboard of its kind It. the west, with Its fixtures at a cost of $86,000, each fixture having four color cir- cuits of lights, each circuit having dimmers to control their brilliance, superb effects thus being possible in every r-art of the house. A house staff of over 100 Is employed aa an operating force. The organ has pipes ranging from 12 feet In length down to the size of a lead pencil, with 15 miles of electric wire in their connections. Oliver Wallace is the organist, one of the greatest interpreting artiste that the screen haa ever known. Mayor James Rolph. Jr.. made the opening address and felicitated San Francisco, complimenting Herbert L. Rothchtld. Eugene H. Roth and J. A. Partington, the managing di- rectors. The opening program was as fol- lows: Unit 1—"Granada March." played by Severl and Granada orchestra- Unit 2—Pathe News. Unit S—Oliver Wallace, organist, with selections. POLITICAL GROUP MAY ENTER PATHE WRANGLE Rumored New Board Members Will Furnish 6,000,000 Fit. Paria, Nov. 15. The local picture people are still discussing the dlfferencea which divide the Societe Pathe Consortium and the .Pathe Cinema. Charles i Pathe divided his business, conced- ing to a financial group the produc- ing of pictures and to another com* pany the manufacture of film stock. The conflict is between these two groups, the latter reproaching the Consortium of having failed ta Anderson says he Intends to make launch the first issue of stock for capital of 20,000,000 franca and Justice Guy Refuses to Order Receiver for 'Blonde Vampire' In the suit of Allan Rock and DeSacla Mooers against Herman H. Briienner to compel the defendant to release "The Blonde Vampire" feature, in which Rock claims a 35 per cent, interest and Mrs. Mooers 10 per cent, Justice Guy denied the plaintiffs' motion for r receiver af- ter the defendant had submitted affidavits in opposition to the mo- tion maintaining he la the Bole owner of the picture; thn; the plaintiffs are his employes; that he had expended $43,952.90 for the pro- duction of the picture; had paid Rock $200 salary as publicity man for 20 weeks, and that their per- centage interests did not make them tenants in common with the defend- ant, but represented merely a per- centage Interest in the profits that may accrue. Rock's reason for the receiver was to hasten the picture's release, setting forth that despite he had ar- ranged a pre-release exhibition date at the Broadway theatre. New York, for the feature, Bruenner had re- fused to release it. Also that Mrs, Mooers elaborate sartorial display, fashioned by the most exclusive dressmakers in 1920, had since gone out of style. Rock continues ho had arranged an elaborate publicity campaign on the picture, including the publica- tion of two editions of the novelised version by Moffat, Yard ft Co.. a picture version in paper binding by the International Copyright Bureau, a song and phonograph recording of the theme of "The Blonde Vampire" written by Walter 8canlan, a por- trait by Henry Cllve, a sculptured bust and other things, but because Doughnuts. Unit 5—Glno Severl, violin solo, with Gyula Ormay at the piano. Unit 6—Tony Sarg*s shadow film, "The First Vamp." Unit 7—"Memories," consisting of scenes recalling San Francisco's Exhibition, including ensemble and of the delay in marketing the fea- Unlt 4—Ben Turpin in "Love and ture these stunts have depreciated Unit 8—Marlon Davles In "En chantment" as the feature picture. the company that released "The Four Horsemen" comes around to us and wants us to buy its other productions. The motion picture today is not so good that the exhibitor can af- ford to sit still and let these things be dono under his nose and lay down and keep quiet abo-. c thorn. Leo A. Landau. DOUBLE FEATURE VOGUE A triple feature bill was the In- novation presented at the Rlalto this week, where Wm. Diamond in "FightIn' Mnd," a reissue of Taul- Ine Frederick in "Tosca" (cut to three reels) and tho "Battle of Jut- land" were presented on the same program. Loew's New York has added an additional double feature day to the regular weekly program there and now is presenting two feature at- tractions on both Tuesdays and Fridays instead of just the latter day. This policy hss been in vogue at the house for the past two weeks now. The admission prices are: Mati- nees, 80-40-50c. and evenings, 85- 55-75-90C in effect a ACCUSES JAPANESE Seattle, Nov. 23. T. Shi ma, a Japanese, was this week arrested at the N. P. hotel here upon telegraphic advices from San Francisco. He is accused of belonging to a gang that has stolen $L'G0,000 worth of fltms. NO FILMS FOR HARRIS William Harris, Jr., denies that the rights to "East Is West" for motion picture purposes have been disposed of to D. W. Griffith as was reported in a dually trade sheet or to anyone else. He also denies that he may have planned to do the picture version himself with Miss Balnter in the loading role. as he has no desire to entor the picture producing field. Regarding the announcement from Los Angeles that Miss Balnter was engaged to a naval officer, the Harris office states that it does not believe that such Is the case, and that in the event it is true they have not been advised of it. The same rumor was prevalent during the run of the piece at the Astor two years ago. SAWING" IN PICTURES Atlanta, Nov. 28. Three companies of the "Sawing Through a Woman" illusion started over Southern picture circuits from this point Monday. The companies came here from New York, where they were organized and outfitted by John F. Coutts. Each 1j carrying special exploitation men who wo-k up interest In the illusion. The bookings are arranged on both a flat rental and percentage basis, with nothing but picture houses being played. a falling to justify the increase of capital. It is now rumored political in- fluence may be called In to.fill the places of the revoked members of the Board of Pathe Consortium, Achille Fould, Joseph Denais, Paul de Casaagnac, Worth, Jousselln and Xavler de Magallon being men- tioned as uniting a capital of six million for the purpose. The criticism of the A stock is explained that each share carries 20 votes, whereas 20 shares B stock are required to record one vote. Before the general meeting of stockholders, reported last week, Charles Pathe made tho following declaration: "We can give other facts proving the role of the Pathe Cinema group has been to protect shareholders of Pathe Consortium against M. Ricaud, who unites by a strange hazard the position of managing di- rector of the Banque Industrielle and of Pathe Consortium. I have confidence in the experts appointed by the courts ultimately revealing the true conditions. We cannot ig- nore that the majority obtained to- day is artificial, and we reserve the right of demanding its cancellation. Years ago at a meeting I warned shareholders if they accepted simi- lar proposals they were sanctioning almost the total loss of the value of their stock. What I then foreshad- owed hapened, and to stockholders of Pathe Consortium I can say to- day the same thing will happen again if those who demand our withdrawal continue to control the> company." SCHWAB NOT INTERESTED Charles M. Schwab, who was re- ported from the Coast last week the backer of a new motion picture en- terprise In Los Angeles, denies he is identified with the venture in any particular whatsoever. Representatives of the organiza- tion which is to produce the pro- ductions under the patent? of Lloyd Brown, are expected in New York in about two weeks. SECOND TIFFANY ACTION Close on the heels of the $50,000 damage suit which the Globe Pro- ductions, Inc., began last week against the Tiffany Productions, Inc., over the "Peacock Alley" film, the same plaintiff began a new ac- tion for a similar sum against Rob- ert Z. Leonard, the director, and Mae Murray (Mrs. Leonard), alleg- ing breach of a written contract. An in the suit against Tiffany, the Globe Productions, inc, sets forth that one Henry L. Gates, its general manager, executed a contract with the defendants February 22 last, af- fective for a year from April 18. 1921 (which contract was eventually assigned to the Globe), whereby Leonard was to direct four pictures with Miss Murray in the stellar role. The defendants were to receive $200,000 for their year's services, $12,500 of which was paid March 1, the balance to be satisfied in instal- ments. The grievance is that they |aft the Globe employ April 15 with- j out cause. A temporray injunction is asked for also in addition to the $50,000 damages. The Globe's suit against Tiffany Productions, Inc., concerns itself with "wrongfully inducing" and en- ticing Mr. Leonard and Miss Mur- ray away from the plaintiff's sorv- ! ices. New Staff at Strsnd, New York A new house management has hcen installed at the Strand, New York. Al Jones, who has been house manager there for a number of years, resigned two weeks ago and Harry Deveys haa replaced him. Kirk MeGee is acting uh assistant manager. JURY AND A. «P. DEAL Paris, Nov. 23. Arthur Levey, foreign suleH agent for Associated Producer*, Is here negotiating pictures sales. l[<» re- ports he hns closed satisf.-ictorily for the Kngllsh rights with Wil- liam Jury. Double Days at New York The Loew Circuit has inaugurated a policy at the New York of two double feature days a week. Until now Friday was the only day when two features were shown at that house. Hereafter they will be on] Tuesdays and Fridays. The double-feature policy doe» not materially lengthen the running time of the shows, as nothing else Is cxhibltod on these days excepting the news weekly. The average running time of two j features and a news pictorial is two | hours, ami ten minutes. SUPERSTITION/ FRENCH MADE New House Proposed in Bronx According to K. Osborne, real es- ' late, operator. 3 Kast Burnsido ave- nue, plans are being formulated for „. .„, tno erection of a picture house lionecr Film Corp. has acquired seating 1,800, nt 171st street ami ^° r .52, n dIstrlbution ^'hat is Ogden avenue, High Bridge. Bronx, described as a big European super- The selected site is in closo prox- production, titled "Superstition." Imity to the Bronx entrance of The picture waa made in France. Washington Bridge ,