Variety (December 1922)

Friday, December 22, 1988 PICTURES a? aaci STUDIO SHORTAGE PREDICTED IN NEW YORK WITHIN 60 DAYS jPicture Houses Exhausting Shelf Supply Through Double Feature Policy—Metropolitan Studios Crowded by March 1 ^ studio managers In th« vicinity [ f>t New York are predicting a •'shortage of available fttudio space ^irithin the next 60 days. The rea- ^'•on is the shortage of available feature pictures of quality wiJl fmean production will have to be rushed on a number of companies to meet the demand and the studios both here and on the coast will undoubtedly be crowded from March ilrst on through the entire summer. One studio manager just returned from the coast states he feels the spring-and summer of the coming year will find production on a par wifh that of 1920, which was pre- «.ceding the slump which the indus- try has been- suffering from for two years. That the bigger part of the dis- tributing organizations have been clearing their shelves of produc- tions which they were holding up during the time that there was a rcgrular flow of new pictures from the manufacturing sources and now are without any reserve pro- ductions on hand he feels will speed up prpduction during the next few months. Double feature bills which the Biajority of picture houses first started playing once and then twice weekly have become a regu- lar daily program now, and the available film supply of features Is far from meeting the demand that would make a continuation of dou- ble bills a possibility. I Around New York the chain the- I fttres playing double feature hills F have during the last few weeks ^ been compelled to exhibit a flock of very cheaply made independents to keep up the double feature pace. What they are going to do when I: the supply of these cheap inde- pendently made productions are utilized is a question. DR. JACK" AT $12,000 RECORD FOR NEWARK Strand Gets Lloyd Feature Against "Tess" at the Newark irewark, N. J., Dec. JO. The length to which exhibitors are willing to go in the scramble for features here is Illustrated by the Strand's paying , $12,000 for Harold Lloyds "Dr. Jack." It is true that this figure holds for an Indefinite run, but even under such conditions so large a sum has in the past been thought prohibitive. "Grandma's Boy" hardly squeezed out three weeks here, and there is no reason to suppose that "Dr. Jack" will do better. The Strand has also booked 24 Hew comedies featuring Monte Blue. Meanwhile the Newark has ■ecu-eil "Tesfl of the Storm Coun- try," although the Strand people announced that they had it. "Tess" will open next week. There was a wild soramble for "Knighthood," during which it is said that the Strand offered $2,500 more than the Fabians for tho picture. But both groups were left holding the bag as Fox ran off with it. It is under- stood that ho included Newark with his metropolit<an theatres when he made this bid, and thus was able to outwit the Newark producers. The Newark, which, though owned by the Adams Brothers, is closely allied with the Fabian chain, has booked George Beban and his company (in person) with his "Sign of the Rose." FRANCHISE REVISION SOON IN 1ST NATIONAL Contracts Up for Notice of Mutual Cancellation First of Year The trade is wondering what the line-up of First National franchise holders will be after the first of the year. . Under the agreement, notice must be given of intention to close or renew before January 1 to take effect on the expiration of the agreements the following June. People in touch with the situa- tion predict that there will b« a number of franchise holders drop- ping out. while the understanding la that the First National will make no move to eliininate any of the present combination. The depart- ure of a franchise holder involves the return of deposits with the company based on a scale of rates. Franchise holders all have depos- its with the company representing $100 cash for each $10 on the rental rate, w^hich sums are returnable upon the termination of the con- tracts. It is possible an arrange- ment will be broached to discharge the money transaction by continu- ing the film service account until such time as rentals accrue to a total agreed upon to cover th« de- posit. First National's course In han- dling the last Chaplin picture is puzzling. The film as it was de- livered was four and a half reels In length and the first delay in get- ting it out was attributed to the work of building it up to five reels, put several months have elapsed and no word has come of the com- pany's purpose. Chaplin is said to have laid out the preliminary work on his next feature, but no in- formation has leaked of its nature. FILM MAN SUCCEEDS Frank X. Shay of Schenectady, Moving Up Buffalo Managers' Election Buffalo, Dec. 20. Tho Buffalo Theatre Managers' As.'ioci.ntion this week elected the followinK ofllcers for 1923:—Presi- dent, Al lJe<.'keritl», of Loow's; vioe- -pr(>8ident, Fred fcshafer. of the La- fayette, and secretary and tr<'a.s- urer, W. W. Jtradloy, of the Shu- bert company. The new directors are Henry Carr of Fhea's. John O'shel of tho Teck, JuloR Michael.'? of the Re- Kent, Dr. P. C. Cornel of the Ma- Je.^tio and A. Sknncr and Elmer \N'inot;ar of the Victoria ftnd JiJm- MOOd. . Schenectady. N. T., Dec. 20. As the result of Mayor George R. Lunn, elected Lieutenant-Governor on tho Democratic ticket In last month's election, having decided to resign his mayoralty post to devote his entire time to his new state duties at midnight Dec. 31, Frank X. Shay, manager of the Happy Hour theatre (pictures), will become president of the Schenectady Com- mon Council. Mr. Shay is now pres- ident pro-tempore of the Council and will become president of the aldermanic body when Clarence A. Whitmyre, present president, auto- matically becomes mayor on Jan. 1. The announcement by Mayor liUnn'was a complete surprise as it was thought by hia friends that he would hold both Jobs, there being no law to prevent him from receiv- ing salaries from the state and city. It was feared that if he "stepped out" drastic changes in appointive offices would be made by Mr. Whit- myre, a Republican, hut this matter was satisfactorily settled and it was announced by the mayor-to-be that ho would not disturb the present personnel of the city administra- tion. NEW MOLINE HOUSE St. Louis, Dec. 20. I^AClare theatre will open its doors to the show-going public of Moline, 111., for the lirst time Jan. 1. Announcement was made by F. L. Cornwell, who i.s owner of DeN monte, in St. Louis. The I^Clare and a 16-rtoor hotel wa.s constructed at .something like $2,000,000. It seats about 2,100 on two floors. At this writing Mr. Cornwell is in St. Johns hospital, were he waw taken two weeks ago, suffering a nervous break down. He is .slowly improving, and It is hoped that ii(i'U be out,in time tO( attend tho opening. AMERICAN RELEASES NEW BLOCK OF FILMS Features "Bohemian Girl'' With Ivor Norvelio, Who Was in "Carnival" American Releasing Corporation announces the release dates of a block of specials for the holidays. In this block or second quarter's output of this independent, two special productions that have had pre-release engagements in certain cities, now become available for na- tional release. These are "The Marriage Chance," and "The Prince and the Pauper." Two other pro- ductions are "The Bohemian Girl^" with Ivor Norvello, Ellen Terry, Gladys Cooper, Constance Collier and C. Aubrey Smith. Norvello be- came widely known In America in the previous Harley Knoles produc- tion, "Carnival." Another big capture by American Releasing is the newest Nell Ship- man-Bert Van Tuyl production, "The Grub-Stake." Supporting Miss Shipman are Alfred Allen, George Berrell, Hugh Thompson, George Hernandez and B. K. Van Auker. This picture will have Its pre-re- lease engagement In New Xork, and certain eastern cities early in January, and the national release date has been sgt for Feb. 18. "The Danger Point," another of the pr« 'uctiOns announced, is made by Victor Hugo HaJperIn, and di- rected by Lloyd Ingraham. It fea- tures Carmel Myers, Joseph J. powling, Wm. P. Carleton. and. is being played for a pre-release presentation at the Cameo theatre, New York, the week before Christ- mas. An M. C. Mims production, "That Woman," starring Catherine Cal- vert and directed by Harry O. Hoyt, is announced as the release for December II. The release for Jan» 7 is "As a Man Lives," an Achievement Films' production, di- rected by J. Searle Dawley, with Robert*Frazer, Gladys HUlette and IiYank Losee. The January 21 release ia "The Web of the Law," a Gibson-Dyer production, directed by Tom Gib- son.^ On Jan. 28 announcement Is made of the release of "Milady," which is the famous Dumas story, "Twenty Years After." This is a Henri Diamant-Gerger production and at one time it was contem- plated that Diamant-Berger and Douglas Fairbanks should under- take tho production together. Mr. Fairbanks visited Paris In connec- tion with this negotiation. -A Son of the Desert" is the re- lease for Feb. 4. Ths is an F. W. Kraemer production featuring Ma- rin Sals, supported by William Mc- Cormick.' Feb. 11 will bring "One Million in Jewels," written and directed by J. P. McGowan, who plays the role of Burke of the Secret Service, sup- ported by Helen Holmes, Elinor Faire and Charles Craig. s. _- On Feb. 25 American will release "Vengeance of the Deep," an A. B. Barringer production. made in Honolulu and California. FBEDONU DABK SUNDAYS Buffalo, N. T., Dec. 20. Fredonia, near here, will be dark hereafter on ISunday by reason of an ordinance adopted by the Board of Trustees. The ordinance follows an antique state statute. The Fredonia picture men, believing the board was friendly to them, paid^ no attention and the ordinance was shoved through before they could appear against It. . "EXCITINO NIGHT" OUT "One Exciting Night" will be re- leased throughout the country Dec. 24 by i:nited Artists. The New York date may be delayed owing to the fact that the Strand has first call on the pre-release use of the Griffith production and has not been able to arrange its bookings to play it Ijnmediately. It may go in week after next. INSffiE STUIT OH PICTURES « The Judgment of $80,000, recorded several weeks ago, against Frank Q. Hall, and in favor of Emanuel M. Lebowitz. Is the balance claimed by th« latter on the payment of notes dated June, 1920. The notes amounted in total to $120,000, the money being used in the exploitation of four feature pictures by the Hallmark Picture Corporation. The pictures were "Should a Wife Work," "For Love or Money:" "The Discarded Woman," and "Common Sin." Hall has been concerned with the building of the- atres in New Jersey for the past two years, and his legal residence Is in that state. He was served In New York, but did not defend the action. Leopold Friedman was attorney for the complainant. A million-dollar corporation Is in full operation, with oflflces On Broad- way, promoting on a large scale a series of lifelike dolls of movie stars. These are made from molds procured by actual plaster masks laid over the faces of the subjects. Straws are stuffed into the nostrils and the plaster laid on until it hardens and forms into amazing replicas, a process taking some three hours. The company has fourteen stars already. Each of these has gone through the casting and signed ezchislve contracts. ' calling for 20 per cent, royalty on the sales of the individual dolls, which are about 18 Inches high and are dressed in character representing each star's most famous part. The dolls will be merchandised through a na- tional advertising campaign, and will be sold all over the world at h.fh prices^ the standard model being designed to bring $5 retail. /■.i ■' ••. :i' ■ :■:■:. In Vltagraph's anti-trust suit against Famous-Players certain mem- bers of the picture trade pretend to see a move dirtcted against the Hays organization and an effort to revive the investigation of the Famous- :i Players business by the Federal Trade CommlsBlon. Vltagraph is prac- tically the only major producer and distributor In the field which Is not nilled with the Hays outfit. This does not consider Pathe and Hodkinson, both of which are distributors but both out of the producing business. If the Vltagraph suit ever comes to trial it would be logical to expect an Inquiry Into the big company's participation in the Hays outfit and it would not be surprisiing if some move was undertaken to get on the court record—questions as to the reasons for the unexplain«d pigeon- holing of the Federal investigation into Famous Players concerning which nothing has been heard for months. The release by United Artists of "The Birth of a Nation" for If sUtee comes promptly'upon the heels of the protest of the national association of colored people and, if the trade gossip is to be believed, the two oc- currences are related. The story goes that United Artists wanted to put the Griffith film out for general release at this time, but was afraid it would revive the old race feeling due to the public discussion of the Ku Klux K!an activities. The situation of the Griffith lease on the Apollo, New York, where "One Ex iting Night" was running and which was de- sired by the owners for a legitimate production, created an opportunity to chance houses and bring "The Birth of a Nation" out for a test before the censors. It was argued that If the.New York censors refused a license for the picture Its release would be abandoned at this time, Fhlle if the censors gave the picture a clean bill of health, that ruling'would sund as a precedent in other states. When the censors ruled io favor of the picture, its release was ordered proniptly. , , .,i ^ McVICKER'S PAYS CHORUS -ehirago. D e e. BOi Late run exhibitors are approaching revolt against the condition In which they find prints on delivery. Broken sprocket holes; bad patches and film so badly streaked It is an eyesore, are among their complaints. They declare that some exchanges have cut their film room payrolls down « so low that exhibitors who want prints in good condition have to tip ex- change employes who make more money from this annoying source than they do In salary, A film room man has to be a world beater for skill and energy to get more than $40 a week, while he has not half enough inspectors (usually girls at $20 a week) to give the stock proper attention. The showmen say small economies in the branch offices are driving peo- ple from the smaller houses, because in the rush to wring a picture dry of immediate profits in three month.M. distributors are peddling Junk to the late run theatres rather than spend money for fresh prints when the life of the original is up. The custom of rushing new films and then ne- glecting them goes to the extreme of cutting out the "safe copy" an extra print retained for emergency in the exchange office. . ^ Rodolph Valentino is persona non-grata with the New York exhibitors unle.ss he goes back to work and fulfills his contract with the Famous I'layers-Lasky Corp. That was decided at ajneeting of the T O C C last week when the Valentino question was discussed before the member- ship. If the New York exhibitors hold to their sentiments voiced at the meeting it will mean that about 14'^ per cent, of the entire territory of the United States will be closed to production in which Valentino ap- " pears for all time. The exhibitors In discussing the question took Into consideration the fact that there was an evident understanding between the members of the Will H. Hays organization not to employ the star v^hile his contract fight with Famous Players-Las-ky was on But they maintain that is nothing that would prevent Valentino from making an independent production financed by himself and then placed on the market by some releasing concern that possibly was not included In the Hays organization. However with 14'/^ per cent, of the gross exhibition value set on any picture that the star might make cut out of the revenue that ?«5^» u ^*^V**^ ^y tj« picture it is hardly probable that anyone would undertake to finance the production. FILM ITEMS The first meeting of the Board of Directors of the lately formed Brooklyn M. P. T. O. elected Ru- dolph Sanders, president; George MacNamara, vice-president; Her- man Goldshine, tre<asurer, and Jo- seph Sieder, secretary. Harry Brandt, younger brother of William Brandt, is chairman Of the Board of Directors. The Organization at its first meeting went on record as be-« ing at all times ready to support any mca.sures that the T. O. C. C. might promulgate for the good of the exhibitors of Greater New York and lend its whole support to the older organization, i McVickors theatre paid off all chorus pirls engaged by Jack Mason, j,'iviii^' tlM'm one week's .salary. The (l.uni was ad\anced to the pirl.s that the house had chaiiKott policy and had abandoned presenta- tioriH, but later It was decided to give tho.girJs a week's Balar.y-in lieu of cancellation. The Metro Pictures Corp. and Loews, Inc., have been granted per- mis.sion to open the default and interpose an answer in an a<'tion in s t i tute d by tho Fairmount Film Corp. over tho title "Hate." The plaintiff In 1917 produced a picture by that title and becau.se of its in- tentions to reissue It, brought in- junction ijroceedings agninst M»tro which had released ;»n Alice Lak<- subject by the same name. Metro acquiesced to a change of title to "Wom.in's Ilato" uiul assumed the action was dropped. Tho Fairmount company only abandoned the In- junction phase, but Is proceeding with the civil suit otherwise. Mean- time the defendant has been ordered to post a bond (amount to be de- cided later) for the purpose of pro- tecting the Fairmount Film Corpo- ration. Teddy Wilde Is now with the Roach Studios on the coast, en- gaged in writing, along with Sn/n Taylor and Tim Whelan, and pro- ducing the Harold Lloyd comedies. W. A. Curley, Jr., of I^s Angeles, is in New York with lyce Mnran, negotiating with Ring Laidner for the film rights to the "You Know Mo, Ai" srri* w, with a view to two- r< (I* rs for Moran. Early this week it appoared that the parties would come to torms. "Wife in Name Only," a screen \ci-^i(in of the famous Pc-tJia M. 'lay m»'!o(lr.'ima, is to b<' made by Pyramid Pictures. The -plrtur* will he m.'Mle at the organization's stu- dibs .11 Avtrtrlii, Long Isllhil.'