Variety (July 1923)

Wednesday, July 4. 192S -'^'^ PICTURES JAX QUESTDONNAIRE ON SEAT TAX APPEAL H. p. T. 0. A. Headquarters h> Getting Line on Opinion of Members •The M. P. T. O. A. national head- Quartera is sending out a bulletin eonUlninff a questionnaire to the entire membership of the organisa- tion requesting their views on the proposed repeal of the admission and seat taxes. The questionnaire asks that the exhibitors send to na- tional headquarters responses to the following: Do you want the admission and aeat tax removed at the coming session of Congress? If so Insert the name of your Congressman. Are you interested In informa- tion that will save a substantial amount on insurance premiums? Are you receiving Alms now by jMircel post or express? Average amount paid for expres- sage per week? What is your weeltly cost for ad- vertising, accessories, posters, cuts, photographs, etc.? . Are you interested In receiving reviews of pictures? Are you Interested in receiving ieonfldentlal reports regarding pic- tures, and are you willing to give such Information for the benefit of Other theatre owners? Do you desire to be furnished With non-taxable music by the mu- sic department of the M. P. T. O. A. Without cost and will you acknowl- edge receipt of same to the pub- lisher thereof? The questionnaire also contains a epace for complete detail regarding the exhibitor's theatre. During the last week the M. -*. T. O. A. has entered Into an arrange- ment with the state units of th or- ganization, which will mean that the ofllcers and executives of each tinlt will be the State Legislative committee and keep In touch with, the National Legislative Committee for the purpose of working out the problems of the Exhibitors in na- tional and state legislation. FINDS FOR THE UNION ttefcree Gives Opinion in Operator's Dismissal Case Springfield, Mass., July t. ▲ referee's decision which Is ez- t>ected to influence future contracts between theatre owners, producers and their employes wsm handed down in this city last week in the proceedings brought by the Motion Pictures Operators* Union against Pred L.Vrechette, of the Playhouse In Chlcopee. Frechette was charged with vio- lating the terms of his contract with the union; that despite a contract clause he fired the union operator and hired In his place Kenneth For- key, from whom Frechette purchased the place. , The master's report found for the Union in several points under dis- pute. Part of the report read: "I find that the discharge of the union operator under the circumstances might h^ve an Injurious effect on the observance of similar contracts by other theatre owners and that it might have some effect on the loyalty of the union working at oth- er theatres under similar contracts." f. MUSICIANS KETURN Hornell, N. Y., July t. ' The musicians at the Majestic here, under the manat^ement of F. F. Peters, returned to vvorl- n in- structions from the American Fed- eration of Musicians after they had walked out The me; hers of ,... orchestra of the house made a demand . the management t!;e theatre that they be give 15 mii utcs rest in each hour of playing, no matter what point in the :)rogram th^y ^ wanted the i X. h »i' -da contract with the local union and made an ip- Pf'al to the F. -Vf. rough the M. P. T. O. A. The matter was • taken u by the exhibitor organiza- .^ tlon vlth the musk na organiza- tion. The men were ordore to re- |, turn to work r>ending an adjust- I ment of the questions Invol'-'^ KUPERT HUGHES NEXT "Law Against T.aw" i lo be the title of the nrxt production Rupert Hughes will direct for Goldwyn. The authoi has been n work on ^ the script for the n«'w picture since having completed "Souls for Sale." WHOLESALE REFORMS IN FILM INDUSTRY FOR EXHIBITOR PRODUCER ECONOMY Starling With Production End Inflated Players' Salaries to Be Readjusted— Technical and Mechanical Retrenchment Also Considered to Pare Overhead —Likewise Sales Organizations—3,200 Film Salesmen Estimated in Field FIRE INSURANCE COST FOR ALL THEATRES Wholesale reforms In the matter of production and distribution of pictures are to be worked out In the near future. Accordlngr to the pre- mature discussions between the members of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, the entire situation as re- gards the Industry Is to be gone over with a fine comb In regards to the saving of dollars and cents. In this connection the producers and distributors are not alone concerned, but the exhibitors as well. One of the first problems to be tackled is production. Salaries that actors are getting at the present time are highly Inflated, and only so because production activities are at their peak, and producers are making competitive bids for the services of players well known to the screen-patronizing public of the country. To eliminate the possibil- ity of a like situation in the future the members of the M. P. P. D. A. are to try to evolve an extensive production schedule of all their pro- ductions, worked out on a basis that win do away with the possibility of conflict In the contracting for the services of any screen player. At present around New York and in Los Angeles as well, there are any number of actors and actresses of the screen who have come into prominence within the last year or so, who are now demanding and get- ting tremendous salaries, which are all out of proportion with the box office value to a picture. This Is particularly true In the Juvenile and Ingenue types of screen players. Girls, who less than 12 months aga were getting $75 a week, have boosted their salaries 100 per cent, through the demand that there Is for their services. That is the feature that the producers are complaining about principally that is boosting the cost of production to such a terrific extent that the ex- hibitor is going to be called on to carry a burden, which Is going to be pretty near Impossible for him to assume. Not alone the salaries of players, but those In the technical and the mechanical branches have also gone skyward with the high wave of pro- duction, and this Is another phase of the overhead retrenchment tliat Is to be gone Into. In this matter of distribution, one executive versed In that end of the industry stated this week that there were approximately 3,200 salesmen now employed In the country ped- dling pictures to the exhibitors. Some exhibitors are not only over- buying, but they are being oversold through too high powered sales or- ganizations. This factor Is also to como under consideration of those that are to attempt to work some sort of system out of chaos that new exists in the selling field. In connection with this there Is one suRpostion that might work out for a general betterment of the re- lationship between the distributor and the exhibitor, and bring about a tremendous saving In the cost of distributing pictures. It Is that the newly formed film clubs in the dis- tributing centers of the country ar- range something in the nature of a convention, possibly a semi-annual gathering in their centers of all the exhibitors in the territory that they cover. The plan though rather vague at present would in itnelf suggest a form of convention, a ses- sion whereat all the troubles of the exhibitor could be thrashed out be- tween the exhibitors and the ex- changes at the arbitration board mooting. At the same time the ex- hibitors could view the pictures of the Independent selling organiza- tions as well as those of the bigger exchange syFtems located In the conters, and do their film buying for a six months' period. With the con- tracting for the pictures the placing of playing dates would prevent the exhibitor from overbuying or being oversold, and at the same time cut the coat of the sales organizations materially, which would have to re- act In the cutting of the rental price on pictures to a certain extent. These phases of the business are to be the first to receive attention INSIDE STUFF OH PIGTURES The opening performance of the Mrs. Wallace Reld drug picture, "Hu- man Wreckage," while attended by some of the reviewers of New York papers, failed to get all of them because of the manner In which the seats were sent out. All of the dramatic editors on the dailies received ♦'ngraved Invitations from P. A. Powers, with which was Inclosed a card of Instructions and an order on the box ofllce calling for two seats. The order, according to the instructions, hi»d to be presented by 8:30 p. m. on the day of the opening cr It would not be honored. This alone meant that two trips had to be made to the theatre, one to receive the seats and the other to review the picture: ,:-.. •'■_...''..:■;. ',.■.. However, a number of newspapermen on presenting their orders as »iarly aa 2 p. m. of the Opening afternoon were Informed that there were no seats held for them and that all that was available In the way of seat- mg accommodations were In the second balcony. , '-.^ The net result was that a number of reviewers failed to attend and others that did took their grouch out on the picture, some are still doing it In the matter of according space to the announcements coming to their oflSce for the picture. The Loew show at Braves Field, Boston, starting last week, got a freak weather break. The opening was ideal Monday. Tuesday night it rained. Wednesday nlght« pretty fair, but remainder of the week Boston was chilled by the cold. However, on Wednesday night there were 10,000 people dancing on the canvass spread over the grass. Under the vari-colored lights the sight was unique. •• .;• ;, , ..,••'..■■ ;•,.. ■■■ ■ ^.-rir -:. ''._ ■■■■■■■■"■,.■' Through a billing error Bostonlans first received the Impression the an- nounced celebrities from New York for the premiere would remain there three days, which the natives thought would also be the length of the Innovation's run. A 50-cent top is charged. Dancing and fireworks make up the entertainment Al Jolson's sudden departure for Europe la reported having placed D. W. Griiflth In an embarrassing position. Grifllth has the cast which was to support Jolson In a special feature picture under contract, work on the film bein^ said to have actually begun. The blackface star may be asked for a financial adjustment unless upon hia return he agrees to com- plete the picture. Jolson Is supposed to be the guest of. J. J. Shubert, which supports the report the Shuberts were opposed to his entering pictures, as the wide use of the Jolson name for pictures might affect the draw of the star In the legitimate field, they thought. ■ ■■■'■"•■ -■■ ■ •■ ■■*''■■ Dr. Goodman's latest film production with Mildred Harris (Chaplin) In the cast has had several titles. Its present and latest ona Is "The Dar- ing Years." Dr. Goodman thought he had a choice name in "Dancos In the Dark." After announcing It, he was called on the phone by a woman who demanded to know what he meant by taking the title of her book for a picture. Its first title was "You Will Get What You Give," discarded as too wordy, with the next "Heartache," not sufficiently de- scriptive. The picture will be released through Equity. It has not as yet been shown, even privately, In New York, although the film Is here. During the latter part of last week there seemc(^ to be a scramble after* the screen rights to "Bamum Was Right," with It being rumored that Douglas Fairbanks wanted the vehicle for the screen. The producers, among whom were Included Louis A. Werba, are holding on to the rights of "Bamum'' for the time being and placing a price of $40,000. They have turned down several offers that were made up to 125.000 on the picture rights to the piece. . * DRAMATIC STOCK IN F. P. HOUSE ATTRACnON IN SAN ANTONIO Experiment May Be Elxtended—Company of Local Favorites Gathered by W. J. Lytle—On Program with "Pilgrim" San Antonio, July S. W. J. Lytle, associate owner with the Famous Players of a string of theatres, is trying out something entirely new In this section of the country at the New Princesa. It is a stock company of favorite players in one-act versions of dra- matic successes running from 20 to .^0 minutes. in the dollars and cents saving con- clave that is to be held within the near future, and it is one of the first Indications that there are steps to t« taken in the Industry that is go- ing to bring about something like a real systematic organization in the sales division at least which may eventually lead to a general consol- idated sales organization, which may hold representation of all of the big companies under one roof. The first offering was Wlllard Mack'H "Kick In," giving practically the same version as Mack himself played In the vaudeville theatres. The pl.ay was a tremendous success, going over with a bang. It was run on the same program and right ahead of Charlie Chaplin In "The IMlgrim." The company Is known aa the Lytle Players, consisting of the most popular people In the Edna I'ark Players, which closed their engagement here last week. Joyce Booth. Maurice Pcnfold, Dorothy Gale, Percy Barbat, Bentley Wal- lace and Jack Robertson are among the players, and this line-up added to beautiful stage settings showed San Antonio something entirely new in stagecraft. The Player* went over so big that at the conclusion of their fen- week contract It is reported that they will be booked over the ontire chain of Famous Players theatre."-. Requests Made to All Under- writing Boards by I. T. A.— Concessions in N. Y. City Requests for a downward revision In theatre Are Insurance premiums have been made to every board of underwriters in the country by the International Theatrical Assocla* tlon, following the recently an- nounced reduction secured In New York. Replies have already been received from a majority of the boards, the general tone from the out of town points being favorable. The reduction obtained for New York Is the second granted within two years, the first amounting to 28 per cent of the premiun^ and the recent concession being 26 per cent, on the basis of the past season's rates. The actual saving in New York Is estimated at $50,000 annu- ally, the decrease applying to alt houses classifled as regular thea- tres (vaudeville and legitimate). The annual saving possible. If out of town points are granted a reduc- tion, may be computed from the estimate of from |2,G00,00O to $3,000,000 In Are insurance pre- mlums paid by all the theatres In the United States. The concession in rates is cred- ited to the labors of LIgon Johnson, counsel for the I. T. A, and former Senator Henry Walters of the Keith ' enterprises, who collaborated for sLz months in tabulating daU laid be- fore the underwriters. It was shown that the annual Are loss is only 1^ per cent, of the annual ' premiums paid. The application for reduction and tabulations were filed in April and the reduction was dated, effective June IS. Theatres will be rebated back to the date, although inspection may not be reached for six months. v Insurance rates are not the same for all theatres, the basic rate vary- ing in accordance to the difference In equipment and regulations spe- cified by the Insurance companies. The approximate rate for modern theatres was 90 cenU per $100, and from that flgure the concession was made. The reduction Includes only those picture houses rated as regu- lar theatres and equipped with dressing rooms. Charles O'Reilly, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce, is now working on rate reductions for the other picture houses In New York and will Join JOhnson and Walters in the requeet for concessions out of town. '. FILM FIRE PRECIPITATES CONSPIRACY CHARGE Refusal of Service to Lincoln, Rochester, Behind Exhib- itor Fight Rochester, N. Y., July 1. A battle between the exhibitors in thia territory and the film ex- changes seems to be ready to be waged over the fact that all the ex- changes have cut oflt fllm service of the Lincoln theatre here, with the exception of the First National, which is delivering service on a franchise basis. The fight : the result of a fire on Sunday of last week In the booth of the Lincoln theatre, when 2,000 feet of fllm of a Metro release were destroyed, the house management claiming that the fire was caused by the film being defective, and therefore they were not renponsible. The manager of the house. How- ells, was summoned to appear before the Arbitration Board, but refused to answer, and a Judgment for $80.80 was entered against him. On his refusal to pay the Judgment all of the exchanges that he wae doing business with informed him that they would be unable to continue their service unless he made a de- posit to them of $250 on each of his coiilracl.H. ilowoll. a member of the M. P. T. O. of New York, has reiorred tite- niatter to his aflHociates, and they In turn have plar-od it in the hands of Mitchell & .StapJes. attorneys of liufTalo, who are their representa- tive.s in western New York. The attorneys are instructed to start a suit for consplrary against the Film Club hfuMu.se of the refusal to give the Lincoln service. W. M Srnifh is eroctlng a theatre ;il TulMa, Okla. - »u\ t