Variety (July 1923)

u PICTURES Wednesday, July 4, 192t GRAUMMS HOLLYWOOD GROSS HAS FREAK BOX OFFICE ANGLE Situated in Los Angeles Suburbs Eight Miles Out of Town, It Has Drawn $20,000 Weekly Consistently for 20 Weeks—SuggesU Big Days for Big Pictures ADVERTISING GUIDANCE ASPARTOFF.P.SYSTEM Local Quotas and Copy to Be Supervised — Managers Held Responsible Lofl Angeles, July 3. Huw can a city with a population of 1«SB than COO.OOO give a picture •ntertalnment In a single theatre situated in the suburbs of that city and gross a business of over $20,000 weelcly over a period of weeks reaching up to 20 in number? That la a question uppermost in the minds of a great many people who have been watching the re- markabfe business that the Orau- man Hollywood theatre, situated eight miles outside of the city p.oper, has been attracting. For 20 weeks with "Robin Hood" that house played to an average business of 117,(00 a week. At present "The Covered Wagon" is In its llih weeic at the house and the business has been averaging over $20,000 a week. What is the angle that is making tho public flock to one picture at a certain house situated as this one is miles out of the city while in the center of the town business h:;.s been fluctuating from week to week. At present the outlook is that "Ths Covered Wagon" will remain at the Hollywood house until the first of the year. That at least is the prediction that Grauman person- ally makes for the picture. That will mean that it will get a season of practically 36 weeks at the house and even if the receipts fall off somewhat and the business averages the same as that of "Robin Hood" it will mean that the picture will do a gross on the run of nearly $600,000. That is a staggering amount, $600,000 when one figures that it would of necessity mean that every mtCn, woman and child In the com- munity would have have to witness the picture- to reach the. total amount. Of course it is granted that Los Angeles has a treme:idous number of tourists visiting during the season, also that the suburbs contribute a large amount of the patronage, for in the Southern Cali- fornia territory It doesn't mean a thing for the ditch laborer to Jump into his car, and every ditch laborer has one too, and ride ten or fifteen miles to get to where he can find any particular form of amusement that he might want. They d > it out there. The laborer, however, may not be the person that is helping t" swell the box office receipts At the Hollywood, and he is Just re- ferred to as a simile, but there are thousands of people of the middle class In the suburbs surroundinpr Los Angeles who will ride 15 or 20 miles to go and see what they want. However, tho frcaklshness of the t incss that is being done by this suburban house on the outskirts * a city of less than 600,000 should bo an object lesson that should drive home something lo the producers In the picture Industry providing that they are not too nnuch imbued with their own little affairs to look Into tho future. It looks much like a day of long runs for big pictures in the near future. BALABAN & KAH MAY PASS DIVIDEND Reported Profit of Chicago Theatre for Two Years, $700,000 to $800,000 Chicago. July 3. Balaban h. Katz are figuring on paying a dividend on the preferred stock of the Chicago theatre some time this month, which will include back dividends omitted. It Is re- ported. It is said the theatre has made between $700,000 and $800,000 Iny^he two years open and that the Indebt- edness can be paid off In another two years, if biisiness holds up. There were 15 original partners in the enterprise. It is said. To make a showing none of the Balaban & Katz people has drawn salary from the Chicago, preferring to draw ex- penses from other Balaban & Katz theatres, arguing that once the in- debtedness was paid off the propo- sition would be <tfi "easy street." The success of the Chicago is due In a large measure to the fact that Chicago people view it as the "show place" of the town and advise all visitors to go there, emphasizing that a visit is worth while "whither the show happens to be* good or not." The demand from out-of-town visitors to attend the Chicago re- lieves home people of taking rela- tiveii and friends to places where the cost is much larger. This fact is not unimportant in figuring the popularity of this flashy picture house. A local advertising quota based on the picture le to be one of the latest innovations as part of the system of the chain houses con- trolled by Famous Players. Here- tofore the local house manager has been permitted to use his discretion in the matter of advertising in the local daily papers In whlCTWver town he was situated. Some have ovorshot on particularly strong pictures, while others have under- played the strength of certain pro- ductions. The general idea in laying out a quota as to the local expenditure that should be made on a picture, according to the plan that has been evolved by Harold B. Franklin, head of the Famous Players theatre department. Is to give the local manager some sort of advance guidance as to the possible strength pf the production. * Another feature of the advertis- ing campaign is to be regulated as to the clientele that comprises the circulation of the papers in which the advertising is placed. Thus, on taking the New York dallies as a basis, while one type of advertis- ing of a conservative type might appeal to the readers of the "Times," an entirely different type of advertisement should be written to appeal to the readers of the "American." The local men will still be per- mitted to use their own discretion in the matter of the amount of ad- vertising placed, but in the in- stances where they exceed the quota set for a picture they will b« held responsible on the strength of the box office showing that they get through the extra expenditure. FAMOUS PUYERS REVISING POUCY OF SOUTHERN HOUSES Changing Some to Second Run, Others to Daily Change—Will Have to Develop Otlier Entertain- ment Features Plan Producing Centers v; FIUHS IN TRANSIT NOT ON STORAGE-DECISION Magistrate Smith Liberally In- terprets Law in Arrow Case BURKAN DENIES FOR CHAPLIN Nathan l^urkan, attorney for Charles Chaplin and a director in the United Artists, sails for Europe today (Wednesday) on the "Levia- than," to remain abroad for six weeks or two months. Prior to sail- ing Burkan denied that there was a move contemplated by Chaplin whereby he would change his pres- ent releasing arrangement^. There was a rumor to the effect that Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pick- ford, Chaplin and Harold Lloyd were planning a combination of forces with a view to having their productions handled by a new executive. — CLOWN IN 2-REELEIlS Deedio Veldie, the circus clown, has been placed under contract by the Lightning Film Corp. to appear In a series of two-reel comedies to bo produced by the organi'/.ation at the eastern studios. Deedic Veldie Is of the well- known circus family of that name and has for a numbor of jcars ap- peared in vaudevJllc. LILLIAN WALKER IS FiniY EXONERATED Name Eiminated by Court Or- der in Wilkinson Divorce Action With the granting of an Inter- locutory decree of divorce to Mrs. Elsie F. Wilkinson against William J. Wilkinson, wealthy head of a color printing corporation, the lurid dailies in summarizing the litigation renamed all over again the seven co-respondents mentioned by the plaintiff. Of these, two (Lillian Walker and Dian^ Allen) are of the profession. Despite both being com- pletely vindicated by two New York Supreme Court justices signing orders eliminating their names from the proceeaings, the dailieit made only passable mention of It. Miss Walkf?r proved she only met Wilkinson once and Miss Allen showed that she never knew Wil- kinson. The case received consid- erable notoriety because it involved William F. Schlemmer, head of Hammacher, Schlemmer A Co., wealthy manufacturing hardware concern, and broi- ht two socially prcminont families into the lime- light. Miss W;»lker is a screen actrcs.s and Miss Allen a "Follies" girl. HODKINSON NOT LEAVING : uring *he past week there has btjn a rumor in film clrclej that W. W. Hodkinson was to i^'ave the executive direction ol the film dis- tributing organization which bears his name^^thln the next 60 days. As a circumstantial fact to bear out this state. it it ^as said the Hod- kinson product after that period would be released through the Selznit k Di««tributii . .«ystem. At th'^ Hodkinson office it was stated by one of tin e utivt cf the organization. Mr. Hodkinson unavailable through beinf out ' the city, that, '.here was no truth in the rumor and that the Hodkins n or- f^anizatlon with Hodkin-un nt its head wouhl contiiAie to function dnriii}; the coming year. BOTH RELEASED Kansas City, July 3. Jack H. Roth, manager of the Isis, arrested last month and charged with manslaughter, growing out of an automobile accident, has been released. The accident, a collision, resulted in the death of R. T. Jester, of Wichita. Mr. Roth claimed he was blameless; that, in fact, the other car was at fault. When his preliminary trial was called there was no one to appear aj:ainst him and he was released. A ntieh more liberal construction of the law governing the storage of flliDfl in New Tork that barf been existent to contained in a recent decision on tho subject by Magis- trate Barl B, Smith, sitting in the Magistrate's Court of the City of New Tork. Stripped of its'legal verbiage. Mag- istrate smith's decision rendered in the trial of a complaint made against the Arrow Film Corporation for an Infraction of the film stor- age law. says in effect the keeping •of films in a building f<jr a short I period while the films are in tran- sit, Is not an Infraction of the law. The complaint against the Arrow said the^efendant had kept 15 reels of film of an Inflammable nature in its offices for 35 minutes without having a permit. The law allows but five reels of 5,000.foot length to be stored without a permit. Witnesses for the defendant testi- fied the films were on the Arrow premises from 20 to 25 minutes and only temporarily there in course of transit. The case hinged on whether the short period the films were on the Arrow premises constituted storage. Magistrate Smith's decision in effect took the stand that it did not, and the complaint was accordingly dis- missed. The decision would appear to have the effect of permitting the film peo- ple considerably more leeway in temporarily keeping fUms In their offices than in the past. Harry O. Kosch was attorney for the Arrow company. CENSORS' INHUMAN SCENES" CALLED BURLESQUE BY COURT '•% New York Censoring Commission Ridiculed by Appellate Term Decision—Pathe Wins Point in Comedy Film Certiorari Proceedings — r- The Pathe Exchange, Inc., which has contested the Judgment of the New Tork state censor commission o various occasions, won an im- portant point in its certiorari pro- ceedings against the Motion Pic- ture Commission of the State of New Tork, asking for a review by tho court of a forthcoming Pathe comedy release, "Good Riddance," produced by Hal Roach. Mrs. Ell T. Hosmer, George H. Cobb and Joseph Lcvenson, com- prising the commission, objected to several scenes in the comedy as "in- human and tending to incite crime." Seemingly, the censors have no sense of humor, for the five Judges (f the appellate division Friday de- cided the alleged objectionable scenes are burlesque and harmless. Pathe, on complaint of Lewis In- nerarity, its secretary, sued through Coudert Brothers for a writ of cer- tiorari. The higher state court has decided that the scene of a dog ripping a part of the comedian's trouser leg is not indecent ani that the scene of tying a fuse to a mongrel, throwing it from an air- plane and having it alight harmless in a flirver does no. tend to incite similar actions nor Is it inhuman. LOEW TIES UP F. P. Has Entire Output for First Three Months of Season The Loew Circuit has closed a deal with the Famous Players under which it is to play the entire out- put of the organization for the ilrst three months of new season start- ing in September. This leaves the Kfith-Mot^s and Proctor theatroj without ar- of the Paramoi nt product as Z.-zX. run uia- terlal that period. There is a possibility some ar- rangement ma. be effc tod whereby certain pictures will play the latter house; in prior runs to the T^oew theatres. The Loew Circuit is alroady booked solid for September on product and several of the other circuits in New York State are like- wise arranging their bookinprs solid. SENATOK WALKER ON COAST Los Angclcf, July 3. State Senator Jiimcs J. Walker, of New Tork, arrived > ore today. ' is to spend about two weeks before returning east. Senator Walker is handling; tho legal affairs of several picture Btars including I^w Cody, which is the cause of his vi««it to thr coasi. The Famous Players is undertak- ing, a revision of policy in a number of the theatres it controls In the south. The flying visit paid t< five of the principal southern cities v/lthin the last fortnight by Harold B. Franklin head of the theatre de-. partment of the orsanizalipn, ^^ brought to light conditions that de- manded immediate reclassification of a number of the theatres. In^ Dallas alone change.^ were ' effected in the policy of two of the houses immediately after Mr. Franklin viewed the situation. The '' policy of the Queen theatre has been changed to a daily change with a lower pric of admission and the Old Mill has been made a second' run theatre. The Palace which to the big first run theatre of the com-'.'*' bination will remain as such. Like changes are contemplated In ''' other cities of the south where Famous controls houses. Numerous innovations are being considered for the coming fall season, but the tour seemed to indicate to Franklir ac> cording to a statement made on his return that the picture theaties could not hope to give the public the entertainment that they desired in picture theatres by drawing oa -i vaudeville for their talent. Picture audiences want picture*' <j and f.-e entertCiinment surrouiding " pictures will have to b<2 of a nature that has been thus far tl veloped < in the picture theatres themselves. Music will always hold th-" prom- - innt place in the programs next to ) the screen Itself and the supple- *«i mentary features will have to be de« '^^ veloped from the inside of the pic* '0;3 ture exhibition game rather than sought on the outside. There are isolated instances where ' a few headliners and definite l>oz^'>i<l office drawing cards of vaudeville would be able to deliver the type of entertainment In picture theatres, ' but they are so Infrequent in pro- portion to the number of novelties that will be required for the plctur«^4 houses that they could not be t^ counted on as a factor in the book- ings that are to be filled. In working out a general plan for the development of attractions and special entertainment features for the picture theatres. Famous Play- ers seemingly at the present intend the establishing of perhaps three ' producing centers In this country for the building of programs for their houses. The three points In all likelihood will be New Tork, Chicago and Los Angeles. i In New Tork with the Rivoll and i Rialto theatres under the direction ; of Dr. Hugo Reisenfeld a certain type of divertissemeni^s will be pro- Jecte<l. The houses will receive an additional allowance from the gen- • eral fund that would be created for ., the building of the presentations • which would enable them to present ; them on a more elaborate scale. After' finishing in New Tork the '. productions will be routed to the other Famous Players* theatres : within a certain zone. Chicago \ would be the scene of the produc- . fion of a distinctly different type of presentation than those evolved In New Tork. The western city would be given over xh the more popular and jazzy type of special feature programs and these would be routed through the middle west. In Los Angeles the establishment of a pro- duction center therer would mean that the houses along the coast and • . the southwe.st would be supplied from that center. The jouse organ idea whi*.h is now being employed at the Rivoli and Rialto theatres in New Yorl:, in the form of a minature newsp.Tper which also serves as the p gram, is also utilized In seven other cities and is to be extended to cover all the points where the Famous con- trol a house. The southi.-n houses usinK the idea are the Missouri, St. .< liOUis; Novelette. Annison. Ala.; Hon-nrd. Atlant.T Tmp?ii;il, Ashvlllc, . N. C: Palace, X)alla.s. and Palace ^ Memphi«». '.i. ;" . ■^:^ • $3,000 FOR PATTY AT A. C. Rosccc <Fiitty) AibucklcH stay at the Palais Royal, Atlantic City, starting July 9, Is for eight weeks at a 13 000 weekly mmrantor against h.-vlf of the rrross. A $1.50 aiul I- admission will be (hanged.