Variety (December 1921)

priday, December 2, 1981 MOTION PICTURE DEPARTMENT—Pages 41 to 47 PICTURES 47 CURRENTS CUT BY NORTHERN STORM New England Houses Suffer Heavy Loss of Business Boston, Nov. 30. ►A storm which >aged through maw England for over 72 hours, Sorting Saturday, bringing with It rain and snow, according to locality, resulted In the loss of Lianas of dollars to the picture itr<* in cities and towns Just Uide of Boston, when for at least [wo nights the condition of the Tires prevented electric light com- l-nies from supplying current. , all about 40 cities and towns Were affected by this condition, and t Is believed thet it will be several toys before normal conditions are igain In order in some of the places. The places that suffered are, for the most part, ten miles outside of Bos- ton proper, where independent elec- tric light companies furnish the power. The motion picture houses In these districts would draw their trade from the residents of the city or town and few of the places have any other form of amusement. The cancellation of the power was taken as a precautionary measure because of the many wires down. Until the wires could be restrung, and the danger of pedestrians being electrocuted was past the electric light companies refused to furnish power, and shut off the current. Besides the motion picture houses all house and store service in the districts was cut off. In the territory north and west of Boston the condition prevailed. South of Boston it was not nec- essary to take such action and the picture houses were running. This Is a condition without precedent in this part of the country, for, while there have been Isolated cases of this nature before, nothing so gen- eral has been known. The Somervllle Stock Company was obliged to cancel a perform- ance on Monday night, as they were without lights. It is figured that the general damage from the storm would amount to $1,000,000. The losses to the picture houses In the places affected would of necessity be very great, as at least two days and nights the theatres were dark, with everything pointing to some of them imaining dark longer, for the storm ad not abated in some of the dis- cts on Tuesday night, with the dication being that cold weather, ompanied by high winds, would llow the rain and snow, causing ore trouble. The Boston theatres, while not affected by this particular condition, suffered losses through the thing up of some of the transportation lines running into the city. - ~KLAW SUES- PRODUCERS TAX INCREASED; 10 CENT ADMISSIONS FREE UNDER NEW LAW Impost on Passes Repealed—Vaudeville Performers Benefited by Revision of Revenue Schedule— and Stage Producers Are Hit Washington, Nov. 30. The abolishment of the 10 per cent, tax on free admissions to the- atres has now become a law, this was agreed upon by the Senate and House confreres and along with other numerous changes in the Rev- enue Act of 1918, became law when President Harding appended his signature to the new bill, becoming effective Jan. 1, 1922. The repeal of the transportation tax has been freely dealt with and defined and no survey of this phase is needed at this time. This and other features of the new act will reduce the burden of the' manager and vaudeville performer while the increase in tax on corporations will hit the producing firms equally as hard as firms In other fields. This dropping of the free admis- sion tax was accomplished by the simple expedient of omitting para- graph 2 of Section 800 of the old act. In the old act this portion stated "In the case of persons (ex- cept bona fide employees, municipal officers on official business, persons in the military or naval forces of tha United States when In uniform and children under 12 years of age) admitted free, or at a reduced rate to any place at a time when under circumstances which an admission charge is made to other persons, a tax of 1 cent for each ten cents or fraction thereof of the price so charged to such othe~ persons for the same or similar accomodations, to be paid by the person so admit- ted." tion pertaining to admissions is culled from the bill: Title VIII.—Tax on Admissions and Dues Sec. 800. (a) That from and after entertainment, to which the charge for admission is wholly or in part included in the price paid for re- freshment, service, or merchandise; the amount paid for such admission to be deemed to be 20 per centum of the amount paid for refreshment, service, and merchandise; such tax to be paid by the person paying for such refreshment, service, or mer- chandise. "(b) No tax shall be levied under this title in respect to (1) any ad- missions all the proceeds of which January 1, 1922, there shall beli nure (A) exclusively to the benefit levied, assessed, collected and paid, |> 0 f religious, educational, or chari- in lieu of the taxes imposed by sec-» taWe institutions, societies, or or- tion 800 of the Revenue Act of 1918— "il) A tax of 1 cent for each 10 cent8 or fraction thereof of the amount paid for admission to any place on or after such date, includ- ing admission by season ticket or subscription, to be paid by the per- son paying for such admission; but where the amount paid for admis- sion is 10 cents or less, no tax shall be imposed; "(2) Upon tickets or cards of ad- mission to theatres, operas, and other places of amusement, sold at newsstands, hotels, and places other than the ticket offices of such the- atres, operas, or other places of amusement, at not to exceed 60 cents in excess of the sum of the estab- lished price therefor at sue!, ticket offices plus the amount of any tax imposed under paragraph (1), a tax equivalent to 5 per centum of the amount of such excess; and if sold for more than 60 cents in excess of the sum of such established price plus the amount of any tax imposed under paragraph (1), a tax equiva- lent to 60 per centum of the whole amount of such excess, such taxes to be returned and paid, In the manner and subject to the penalties and ln- ganizatlons, or to any post of the American Legion or the women's auxiliary units thereof, societies for the prevention of cruelty to chil- dren or animals, or societies or or "CALIGARI" BARRED BY ALBANY CROWD Induce Suckno to Withdraw German Feature Albany, Nov. 30. For the first time since picture theatres have been established la Albany a feature film was with- drawn from a local house last week at the demand of movie fans, when Manager Samuel Suckno, of the Albany, ordered the German film* "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," taken off, after it had been given two screenings last Friday. t The film originally was scheduled to be shown at the Albany Friday and Saturday, the policy of the house being three feature films a week, and at times a special la booked in for a week. When the Continental picture was screened for the first time Friday afternoon, the patrons showed their die- approval by walking out in the ganlzations conducted for the sole middl « of the film, and voiced their purpose of maintaining symphony sentiments to Manager Suckno, who This action was originally planned terest provided in section 903, by ants Expense Refund for Hand- ling "J'Accuse" Marc Klaw is suing Abel Gance, the French film producer, for $1,156 in the Supreme Court, having se- cured an attachment for that amount last Friday. The suit arises from the partnership agreernent and agreed to handle locally. June 11. last, Gance asked to be released from the partnership, agreement and a re-transfer and full surrender the plaintiff's right, title and in- vest la this and another picture, Tenth Symphony," which Klaw was tlfio to handle In this country. The complaint carries with it sev- >! letters written by Joseph Klaw r Gance, agreeing to the French- an's request out of courtesy to and for the sako of future busi- deallnps. providing, however. Gance stood for half of the ox- nse Involved in the cutting, re- lin*, re-editing and titling of the Notion, The itemized statement ows Hugo RioKonfeld having re- al ved $1,021.40 for services rendered the cutting nr.d editing of the pie- "* r e and the by Mr. Fordney in introducing his original bill in the House, but when both branches got together they went another step further in re- ducing the tax burden on the theatre goer by removing the tax when the admission charged Is 10 cents or less. This reduction will practically mean a loss in revenue to the gov- ernment as there remain but few theatres even in the smallest towns whose admission Is scaled as low as 10 cents. The cutting out entirely of the free admission tax, however, will run high. A i estimate of this has not been made by the Treasury department. The five per cent, tax imposed by the House on tickets sold other than at the box office at an irrcrease of 60 cents above the regular price was agreed to by the Senate as was theamendment of the House that 60 per cent should be charged as tax when the ticket was sold at more than a 50 cent increase. These taxes to be in addition to the reg- ular 10 per cent, levied, and is to be paid by the person selling such tickets* To enable the theatre managers to familiarize themselves with the new reading of the act the following por- t*>ratories ! Craftsmen Film I^a- for the titling. Mr. *,. . w ' 8 grievance is that Mr. Cance. aitnoiiRh having agreed, has *'* the deht. Dit'e- : u ,hffr & Fishel I Marc Klaw the person selling such tickets; "(3) A tax equivalent to 60 per centum of the amount for which the proprietors, managers, or employes of any opera house, theatre, or other place of amusement sell,or dispose of tickets or cards of admission in excess of the regular or established price or charge therefor, such tax to be returned and paid, In the manner and subject to the penalties and in- terest provided in section 903, by the person selling such tickets; "(4) In the case of persons having the permanent use of boxes or seats in an opera house or any place of amusement or a lease for the use of such box or seat in such opera house or place of amusement (In leu of the tax imposed by paragraph (1), a tax equivalent to 10 per centum of the amount for which a similar box or seat is sold fur each performance or exhibition at which the box or seat is used or reserved by or for the lessee or holder, such tax to be paid by the lessee or holder; and "(5) A tax of 1% cents for each 10 cents or fraction thereof of the amount paid for admission to any public performance for profit at any roof garden, cabaret, or other similar orchestras and receiving substantial support from voluntary contribu- tions, or of improving any city, town, village, or other municipality, or of maintaining a co-operative or community center moving-picture theatre—if no part of the net earn- ings thereof inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or indi- vidual; or (B) exclusively to the benefit of persons in the military or naval forces of the United States; or (C) exclusively to the benefit of persons who have served In such forces and are in need; or (2) any admissions to agricultural fairs If no part of the net earnings thereof inures to the benefit of any stock- holders or members of the associa- tion conducting the same, or admis- sions to any exhibit, entertainment, or other pay feature conducted by such association as part of any such fair,—if the proceeds therefrom are used exclusively for the improve- ment, maintenance and operation of such agricultural fairs. "(c) The term "admission" as used In this title includes seats and tables, reserved or otherwise, and other similar accommodations, and the charges made therefor. "(d) The price (exclusive of the tax to be paid by the person paying for admission) at which every ad- mission ticket or card Is sold shall be conspicuously and indelibly printed, stamped, or written on the face or back of that part of the ticket which is to be taken up by the management of the theatre, opera, or other place of amusement, together with the name of the ven- dor if sold other than at the ticket office of the theatre, opera, or other place of amusement. Whoever sells an admission ticket or card on which the name of the vendor and price is not so printed, stamped, or written, or at a price in excess of the prico so printed, stamped, or written thereon, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $100." Reference to section 802 wherein the tax on free admissions was dwelt upon in the old act of 1918, in this new act all reference to this tax is omitted. was standing In the lobby, on the way out of the theatre. Soma patrons, it is reported, resorted to hissing. The film, however, was given another screening at the scheduled time later in the afternoon, with practically the same result aa at the first showing, aa far aa the patrons were concerned, the fans staging a demonstration against the film this time exceeding in emphasis that which greeted the first run. Manager Suckno ordered the film withdrawn after the second snow* ing and "Idols of Clay," was sub* stituted for the night shows Saturday. MILLER ROUSED Promises Action In Bedford formatory Case WEST COAST ACTIVE Two Companies at Work in Pacific 8tudios not ••* a-ting Godeol Roturning F. Cndsol. who is at pr« sent Europe. j„ ( i„ 0 to n-tnn, t«, this .. Wry about D oc ir> Tnc <nan ,.,. s , 'hat he will 1m aboard the same ,er which will hear Douglas ^nks and M|iry i. i( . kforiJ to ■ shon-s again. San Francisco, Nov. 30. Things are humming at the Pa- cific studios, down San Mateo way. Two full companies are working and the plant is beginning to look like a real picture production establish- ment. * Isadore Bernstein, supervising di- rector of the West Coast Films Cor- poration, is making plans for the filming of "The Scottish Chief," a spectacle on which work will be started in a few weeks. "Wc are getting down to real business on the peninsula," said Bernstein, "but it is going to take more than a number of producing companies to make San Francisco a production center. Of vital im- portance is the co-operation of business men who have never con- sidered any other connection with the screen than that of paying at the hox otllce." APPLETON TO IM STANDARD TEXTBOOKS New Move to Further Visual In- struction Via Screen Crusader Films is being sue. 1 , for $2:'..000 by Asta Films, the lattei alleging the former fall -d to prep in "Hamlet" properly for the American i "' " market. I editing. D. Appleton & Co., publishers of school textbooks, have planned to parallel their educational publica- tions with films of the same for the purpose of visual instruction. ! The move on the part of the house i which has been known for a great J many years as the publishers of I school histories, geographies, rcad- I eis and spellers Is taken as a fu-- | ther move toward visual instruction : in public schools. The Appleton geography will be ; the first of the textbooks to be filmed. For this purpose certain j travelogue films will be assembled in a library for the purpose of DIES AFTER FIGHT Usher Attacks Man Following Alter- cation in Theatre Albany, Nov. JO. The commitment of Margaret Ballard, an attractive young woman of 20 years, who was employed aa a pianist In a Saugertlee, N. Y., thea- tre, to 'ie Bedford Reformatory for Women without a trial, has aroused the ire of Governor Nathan I* Miller, who has announced he will "ascertain the facts" in the case. The Governor said he had "only read reports'! of the release of Miss Ballard by Supreme Court Justice Morschauser upon revelations of her sentence by Justice of the Peace Willli Chldester of Saugertlee without being tried. According to Grant Brinnler of Saugerities, attorney for Miss Bal- lard, the young woman had a disa- greement with her parents because she refused to give up her position in the theatre. She was arrested on complaint of her parents, and the attorney told Justice Morschauser the commitment papers were made out befor3 she was arraigned. Tustlce Morschauser oontneded the young wor.ian was unlawfully com- mitted, adding: "I criticized the method* by which the girl was com- mitted when the case was Lefore me, and said such practices could not go on in this country." MRS. JOHN BARRYMORE Society Women and Author May Appear on 8creen Cleveland, Nov. 30. Following an altercation with an usher at the Avenue Theatre here tonight, which resulted in a fight outside, a man believed to be Ar- thur Pierce died in a police ambu- lance on his way to the hospital. The man was hit in both eyes by the usher, knocked down and badly cut, according to the police. The accused usher decla.cd the victim becane? involved in an argument with a womaa sitting near him in th° picture house. He was ordered to leave, and went to the ticket window, where he asked to see the manager. The usher was called, and he told the man be could not c>me into the theatre If he persisted In creating a disturbance. An argument followed, and the usher followed the man into the street, where the tight oe- cr red. Mrs. John Parrymore (Michael Strange) may b* seen on the screen In the near future. She will not ap- pear in the samo productions with her husband, nor in any produc- tions sponsored 1 the same man- agement. Jos. F. Oodsol has been trying to persuade Mrs. Barrymore to appear in a picture which he has in mind, but she has refused. Otis Skinner Is about to begin tic- 1 product ion of hi * film adap:a.tion of "Mister Antonio." THEDA BABA'S FLANS Kansas City, Nov. 24 x Theda Para, who has been ap- pearing five times dally at the New- man this week, Is going back to the pictures shortly, but expects to again return to the stage. Hlie has been off the screen for a year and a half. Her husband-director, Charles P.r.'.bin, is making plans for a pict- ure to be made in France. Miss 1'ara states that after making a few pictures she will return to the stage, but not In »he sume sort of role as she had In the "Ulue Flame," her last venture. I'M win Millon Itoyle has con- tracted to furnish an original pic- fur*' story for Famous Players. lAy*' v <r il\ j