Variety (March 1924)

Wednesday, March 12, 1924 PICTURES VARIETY 21 CHURCH HLM SHOWS STOPPED BY Pi DEPT. OF UBOR Io»pector8 Allege Violation of Panic Law—Must Have Permit to Exhibit Pictures—Structural Changes Required Kaston, Pa., March U. The inot'i n picture business done by several local churches was ijm- porarily stopp^ ly a recent visit of Inspectors U. P. Carllng and Harold J. Ho"k, of t J St ■ dep.-rtment of labor and industry, who sei ■.\i no- tice Oil four rast.in institutions, op- Jratlns wlt'.io :. a perr-.it. to cl e. Thfy wall' t they Intended this action on their .lart to serve as a W. rninK to other irganiiatlons :.l iJaston t'.ial Iiave been vi " -tii g f e *tate pr ' • laws. Noti<'eR to close were scrvid on the Ilalian Catholic church, St. John'.-; Lutheran Church, Y. M. C. A. and the Kir.st Presbyterian Church, ^here au average of 700 persons weekly have lioen attending Sunday tilijl't pii'luros for the past four months. Kev. Henry I'rentlss, pas- tor of the latter church, had the ban rpjnoved .mi. received a i>ermlt in time to s" on with his Sunday night proKrum. having an attend- ance of almut 1,000. At tile (ilht'i- pl.ices certain archi- tectural chanKCM will be necessary before itie state .".uthorith-." will per- ^nit tlio .'^liowin;.^ of plctuns. All iliurcius and institutions Iiave been nctilicd to apply to tlie state iepaillinnl for pirinits to .'ioo^v pic- tures. MANICURISTS TALKED; WIFE GOT AN EAR-FULL star's Contract Later Can- celed—Picture May Not Be Released INTERNl ASS'N BEHIND I FEDERAL CENSOR BILL Body to Appropriate Money— i Picture People Look to Con- gressman Dallinger Washington, March 11. Over $100,000 Is to be spent by the International Association In 1924 for propaganda, with some of that sum to go toward putting over a Federal censorship bill. The bill has already been intro- duced by Congressman Upshaw of Georgia and a Federal Trade Com- mission angle h.is been added while former Congressman Charles H. Randall has been engaged as the legislative representative of the or- ganization in Washington. He is the .same Congressman who was elected in 1916 from the Los Angeles District and during hi.'^ term of oftlce introduced a Federal cen- sorship bill which was so displeas- ing to the people of his home terri- tory that he was not re-elected. The International Reform Asso- ciation is tho same body which was formerly headed by the Rev. Wilbur y. Crafts, whose pronouncements caused tlie ire of the more liberal Blinded throughout the country. The picture people, however, have ;a great d.al of hope in Congress- man Kred Dallinger of M.i.ssa- chuselts, who is chairman of the House Committee on Kduration and who h.Ts always expressed his syin- patliy ami interest in the picture in- du.stry. It is under his Jurisdiction ;the cen.'.oi-ship bill must come. I./09 Angeles, March 11. Girls will talk and when manlcur- l.-fts, they chatter. That is why the wife of an im- portant picture man got an ear-full while having her hands trimmed at the Hotel Aml).issador. That is also why a completed pic- ture with a certain star may not be released. Also why the star's contract ap- pears to have been automatically cancele<l. Also why the picture man no longer tnivels nlnne. As the nail beautifier started on the wife's hands, the scissors unil nie expert comnii-nced to l)ro!idoast the-inside stuff of the pioture col- ony to her hutcliering companion ul the next table. Before finishing her current joli the cuticle cutter reached the hus- band of the iMdy before her iiml linked uj> the hus-band with the name of his contracted star. That Is whmi the ear-full started The first crack tho manicurist made was to the effect that so and so "must have been wise to Mrs. Hlank being due back at the hotel today as she checkud out yesterday and Just in time, I hear, .as Mrs. Blank got in this mornini^." "So I heard, too," said her side partner, "but she's >a smart dame, at that, even if It's a blowoff. He chased her pretty rapid while his wife has been away, but she handed him anyway for the biggest diamond ring I ever saw." The story comes right down to tho present moment, where tho wife says "that picture" will never be re- leased with "that woman" in it If she can prevent it. Odds Just now are about G to 1 she can prevent It It has- al.=o been stated by Mrs. Blank to Mr. Blank that hereafter when he travels east or west the two tickets will be spilt between them. ,;"BEAU BRUMMEL" AS SPECIAL i Baltimore, March 11. ' Notwithstanding the John Barry- more-Warncr Brothers' feature, "Beau Uruminel." will not be pl.iyed In a loi,'it house in New York, evi- dencfs tliMt it will elsewhere .-ire apparent through an announcement ciiminK' from the New Byccuiu lure that ilif liirn comes in for a run March 21 nt a »! .'iO top at ni,;ht. In .Vi'w Voik the lllm will |(!.iy at 'he Str.ind insteati of attempting' a Iwiic ililly run at higher prii is GORDON DEAL OFF New England Manager Intends Holding On N. Y. STATE CENSORS EXCEEDING POWERS Exhibiting Film Prohibited by Same Board Privately Showing "Eliminations" The X, Y. State Board of Censors is sending about a four-reel production made up- of the eliminations from a number of screen productions to t>e shown before various womens clubs. The majority of the eliminations are from either old pictures or from foreign productions. The question la "Why are the censors permitted to show these eliminations?" If mat- ter should be eliminated from any picture It should be de- -stroyed as far as New York State i:> concerned, or returned to the producer or distributor so that he might be able to use It for replacement In pictures he is distributing out of the bounds of this State, where the censors have no jurisdic- tion. Otherwise where do the cen- sors get the power to exhi)>it picture t even privately, which they as paid employes of the state refuse license to be shown? ITALY, AS HLM KPORTER. DROPPED OFF 50% IN YEAR Led Foreigners in 1922—Biggest Importer of Eu- rope in 1923 — Italian Productions No Longec Compared PICKFORD-FAIRBANKS REPORTS AND DENIALS Famous Players and United Artists in Stories—Stars in New York REPORT LINKS UP HEARST AND LOEW With Metro-Goldwyn Proposi- tion in Prospect—Loew Is Back NEW AFFILIATION Ma a 1^ I> W. inljii^er, repri'-i-nting the I'roilui ,r.-i' Security t'oipoia- \'V"' in the home ollhes of the W. 'W- lloill'.lri.j,,,, C.i-lMil-.itioi:, I'-i:Tl..! ■ this w.■,•!<. II.- \\.;i :!niiMiri . , !:■ ■.\ ailiii i'i,,,i wiiliin ilie nexl U \\ i!i>.s W. iii'-, i-j-i.;- stated th.it tl\.' n.-w yi-'Itr.' ill Hodkln'mn'.- did not m.ike It Tie I s.s,iv tor his organiz.iiioii lo "avi' :i i,.|,iH scnt.'UiVi; preSClit. The reported deal for the Nathan Gordon string of theatres in New England by Famous Blayers-T*asky Is now said to be cold. Gordon within the la.'t week has made ar- rangements for the in.^t.-illation of a new general manager at the head of his enterprises and also a new juilillcity agent. This is taken to Indicate that the New England the- atre owner is going to retain a firm hand on the amusement properties he controls In that section. The report was to the effect that Gordon, Famous T'l.iyers and Gray, who la conducting the string of Black theatres for the corpor.itlon, were to get together at I'awtuckit (jome time this week for the pur- pose of ironing out the details of the de;il. Several of the Famous Pl.iyers subsidiary companies are Rhocb- Islaml corpor.iMoiis, and they usual- ly hold their directors' meetings in either Pro\ iilonce or P iwt\i( Uft. The fiordon chain of theatres In Bo.«!tf)n are now the only "out" for a distributor in the iriib. th" other outlets bring coiitroll'd by the bli:- ger romiianies Gordon Is one of the oiigin.il fr.inchlsi> holders of I'irst N.itional, .■uul his llie.itre.o .Tre thrlr prit.i ip.-il outlet in .Viw l^tvj:- land. He al--o controls the I'irst National i-xclianpe In Ttoston. Marcus I^oew Is back from Palm Beach and the rumor grind con- necting him with a deal with W, R. Hearst is again to the fore. Be- fore leaving for the South Boew de- nied that there was anything to the stories to the effect that he and Hearst contemplated nn alliance following the finish of Hearst's year with Goldwyn. The new twist that the rumors have taken is to the effect that Hearst Is to take over Goldwyn wholly through the purchase of the stock holdings of other Interested parties and that ho might also merge with Metro. Hearst Issued a denial about two weeks ago he was dissatisfied with the results obtained from Goldwyn in sales, and at the same time de- clared that he did not contemplate the purchase of the stock that Is held by J. P. Godsol, president of the Goldwyn Distributing Corpora- tion. It Is reported Godsol has ex- pressed a willingness to step out of the Goldwyn organization providing he can get his price for the stock which he holds. AMERICAN MACHINE SALE Projectors Exported in January In- creased 337 Per Cent. MR, AND MRS. FRANK B, GOOD l.os An;;'les, M.in-ti 11. Fiii,l: I! Good. CMTniTaman. jind Oolores Cannon, secr. t.iry to .l.ickle Coi gar., w-tc married in Kan l''rancis«) Maich 1, ,.•■-..- -kl ■ Washington, March 11. The American made motion pic- ture projection machine Is making big inroads in the foreign market, according to the latest reports of the Department of Commerce. The exports of these projectors leading all other groups under the special- ties division of the department. The number of machines ex- ported during January, 19:^4, cx- <fedod those exported in January. 192.t, by 337.S per cent., and over Ucceniher, IKi."!, I'iCS per cent. The value of the machines ex- ported in J.-inuary, 1924, w.is $107.- S9G, as coinpared with values of r.'ft.ons for January, 1923, and $IH,- 171 for December, 1923, "AMERICA" FOR L. A, The D, W. Gritlltli produi lion. "America," is to be the opening picture at the l-'orum Tlnalre, ,i new picture pliiyhou--e in the I'iii) siclion. r.os .Angiics, Tl)e b.ackers j of Ihr theatre are giirrrantiiing the i Grillith (irt'.-mization $7r, 000 as I their end for an ind'-flnite nm of I the pirlure, to Ijc pl.iy d on .i i.i r- ■ .■nt.if.'e ba.'-is. Repi-...'-eritatives of the th'-atn- I wern in Xcw York within the past fortrintit nnd .are said to la\e al~;o i ni.iile !in olTer to the Ito^' t Bros for thoir "Aorahnm Bitieoln" fe.i- , tiire. lint Ibi.v was pri<>r to tho lime lh:it lliev roiiir>leti'd firran(5i'ment> i lor ihe GiitfiiH pi odu.tioii. ■ ^' ■'._ ''■"; »t,- , : t.' f . '•. i Where are Mary Plckford and Douglass Fairbanks going to release their pictures? Have they signed with Famous Players? What is go- ing to become of Chaplin and Grif- fith? What will be the finish of I'nited Artists and Hir.im Abrams? These have been the burning <iues- tion of the film world for the past week, but outside of the fact th,at an absolute denl.al of Mary and Doug having signed with Famous Players-Lasky being made all of the other questions remain unanswered. The reason being that none of the four i)arties nicsf Interested have any ide.i themselves of what turn the trend of events is going to take. Mary Pickford and IVjUglas Fair- banks are in New York at present .vn 1 th<y insist that their greatest intero.si ;it the present time is in the opening of "The Thief of Bagdad" tlio new Fairbanks picture which goes into the Liberty next week under the management of Morris Gest. Miss Pickford's production, "Doroth.v Vernon of Haddon Hall," it is understood is to possibly fol- low "The Covered Wagon" late in the spring. That means when the engagenuiit at the Liberty of "The Thief of Itagdad" opens tho two stars will be at liberty to st.irt on their projio.'.-cd Kuropean trip, which they will do about April G. Monday a story to the effect that the two stars had s'gned with Famous T'laycrs appeared. This occasioned a lengthy wire from them to the effect that there was nothing to the story, and that they were both s.-itlsfled with the per- sonnel of I'nited Artists, jiossibly me.ining themselves, Ch.iplin and Griflith. It w'.Ts also stated that neither had any idea of making a now allllia- tion. It w.is admitted that Miss Pickford had had sever.il t.alUs with Adolph Zukor but these were be- cause Miss Pickford is a h.aif owner In many of her old jilctures th.at .ire still to be distributed l)y Fjm<Mis Players nnd that t.ilks had to do with business pertaining to these pictures. It was seemingly strangely coin- cident that the rumor that both Mary Pickford and Dntiglas Fair- banks bad signed with Famous Players .should crop nut in the dally papers on the d.iy that the Famous Pl.ayers-Lasky org.inlz.'itlon Issued their annual sl.atement after a directors meeting nt whii-h a dividend of $2 w'a.s deil.ired by tlic conipan.v. P. W. Gritnth has not m.ide any personal statement regarding the status of the I'nited Artists, but it it known his organization Is dls- patL-jfied with Ihe pres'-nt opcr.'iting P'T.-iioin"! of the organ'z.ition. rii.TpUn thus f.ir has remained mute nn the subject, working on a [licture on the co.iKt. During the week several (.f the distributing organizations m ide of- f>'rs to the four sfar«i for the dis- tribution of tho product that they rilre.idy have with I'nited Artists. The pl.ins .all cillcil for ,at Ir.ist an iiiteriKlvi' c'lmp.'iign of sales of the older piclurfs with a liropos.il of the phy<ic-.il distribution of the new on'-'i to c.pine fiillnwing Ihe |iei io.| 'luring wliicli tbf films wouM ii" road shoW(-d, Blinking interests weri' calli'il into consnil.ition by fine organization find tlKV st.ited Ihit they slorid ready to finance th'' airangemrnt on Ihe pri'sentation to th<m of the fiu i that th'ie was .ihoiii |t;,(ii|i).OiiO iv ft:' ■]■: 'o be fibtiini'd fiom lli'' |ii'' •II' tliat the .st.trs now have witii Cnitcd Artlsl.s. Yestf-rday. Iii.wever. it u.-f. st ii"il that all bets hail be'ii call'.I ofl ,is far as llie mom-yeil lnteresis wer- [••oiiierue'l, principally becau.-ie of llie .J . ... I, ■ . 1 . Variety-Clipper Bureau Washington, D, C. March 11. Naples, Italy, with a population of over 1,000,000, Is a growing market for American-made motion pictures, states the American Con- sul Gei.eral. Homer M. Bylngton, in a special report just received l.y the Department of t^ommerce. Italian productions are stated not to com- pare in any way with those made In this country, nor are the Italian stars a.s popular. The French-made films are the only near competitor, but the American-made films have now supplanted them In first place In the list of Imports. In the first nine months of 19JJ Italy Imported 1,472,607 feet at American-made films, with tVance hitting 1,255,892 feet, German- made totaled 942,3(53 feet, with some Austrian productions also showing to the extent of 108,905 feet. Kxports of Italian-made film have taken a big drop. Whereas In 1922 they led the Imports, the year 1923 found tho exports 60 per cent, be- low the imports. In the first nin« months of 1922 the United ,State.s imported 614.812 feet of Italian- m.'kde films, while In the .same period In 1923 this'totaled but 326,297 feet. In describing the methods of film distribution throughout Italy, Mr. Bylngton states: "For purposes of film distribution, It.-ily la divided Into five sections. Piedmont and Llguria form one district; Lombardy and Venice an- other; Tuscany and Kmilia a third; I-iutio, tho district around Kome. is the fourth, and tho Naples distriit covers tho largest territory, but Is not the most populous, Naples, Palermo, Mesalna, Bary, Monopoii, BeiTce, Taranto and Brlndlsl are tli» only considerable cities. Naples m by far the largest, with a population of about 1,000,000, and has 28 large moving-plcfure theatres and a num- k^r of smaller ones. "Naples film distributors are nut in the habit of buying dlre<-t from the producer. Their method is lo h.-ive their agents visit other litk.i in Italy, I'Vanee, f^erm.iny and ICng- 1.1 nd ntid view lilms that are being exhibited." On the basis of the re- ports from these ".scouts" rentalt are m.ide. Kxiiosed motion pi'tiire film, ui:- der .schedule 94S-b of the Itilinii tariff of July 27, 1923, pays a duly of 25 gol.l lire ($4.S2) on each ini) meters (328 feet) If It Is a film rmsi- live. Negatives jiay 16 gold hm f|:i.09) on each 328 feet. There .n.r no siieci.-il regulations in regard :j the Importation of film e.\cei>t those <'oveiing the storage •>( In- flammable articles. A list of tho distributing ;it;eni iet In Italy can be secured by addres.s. ing the Department of Comnierre. TURNER DESTITUTE Former Vitagraph Star III in Lon- don —Arranging Benefit An old-time Vitagraph st.ir. u.d one of the first to attain stellar hon- ors 20 years ago, Morence Turner, Is refiorted ill and destitute in London. A coitiini! tee consisting of litiiel (-layton, Kdna .Murphy and mem- bers of the Catholic Actors' Guild of Hollywood are co-operating with the .Motion Pirtiire Directors' As- sociation of New York to nrrnr;gs a beneiH for Miss 1'urner, ller I 1st aiijiearnnce on the , ciieri w:is atioiit two years ago, vsilh i'i.» I'l'M 1 I'ilni.'i of Lonilon. JUNE CAPRICE RETURNING ,l!n;e ('.iprice is to return to tlie screen. Hhe retired shortly .ifler miriying Marry .Millaide, the ili- j rector, iui'l since has become i ! mother. .She has not delinlteiy iiii'Ie .1, coni.iT-ti'in ;is vet. fai't lit thfl iri.'ibttity or t t ime ih t er. j»!,>-leil to bring the jiiriure prInc.|iiH loge'i,.!. One of the distribiitinij 'cuMii'.my execui ive.i. however, st ite.i ' ill It he still held hope of bring.ni{ l.ibout a s.ii.sficiory arrangemcriL