Moving Picture World (Dec 1917) - Learn About Movie Posters

December 22, 1917 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1825
Trade News
of the Week
GATHERED BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS
Committee Hill Handle Government Films
New England Division to Distribute Official United States Government Films
Formed—Prominent Film and Business Men Give Services.
By Richard Davis Howe, 80 Summer Street, Boston, Mass.
BOSTON, MASS.—Working under the
vigorous leadership of Paul D. Rust,
a prominent Bostonian, and Mrs. Alice
Rice Carroll, Bay State exhibitor and
celebrated lecturer, the New England
division of Official United States Government
Films, established in this city last
week, is meeting with extraordinary results.
The personnel of the local bureau consists
of Paul D. Rust, director; Mrs. Alice
Rice Carroll, film executive; Llewellyn
Howland, chairman; J. Pennington Gardiner,
secretary; Allan Fcrbes, treasurer;
Louis B. Mayer, Elton Clark, C. C. Payson,
Alexander S. Porter. Roger Ernst and
Joseph Lee. Everyone of these men are
prominent business men and are giving
up hours of their time each day to the
work, because they believe it is their patriotic
duty. Their services are given
absolutely free.
The New England division will work
in conjunction with various war activities
organizations, which plan from time
to time to stage moving picture shows, the
proceeds of which will go toward aiding
this country to win the war. Fifteen
thousand feet of official Government films
have already been received by the local
bureau, which are now being distributed
throughout New England to patriotic
associations. The distribution has been
so efficiently systematized by Mrs. Carroll,
who has charge of this part of the
work, that the films are working every
minute.
What the Pictures Will Show.
Moving pictures of every Government
war activity in New England will be
taken, including- the military camps and
naval stations throughout this section of
the country. A big historical film will
be made in the near future. Scenes will
be taken all over the country and will
include staged scenes of the Landing of
the Pilgrims, the Battle of Lexington and
other Revolutionary scenes. Events of
importance up to the present time will
be filmed for this one gigantic picture.
The scenario for the film will be written
by Prof. George W. Baker, head of the
drama department at Harvard University.
Auxiliary Council to Help.
A great many of the members of the
New England Division have been active
since the beginning of the war in directing
the exhibitions of war films in New
England for war benefits. Louis B.
Mayer, general manager of the Select Pictures
in this city, who represents the New
England motion picture exhibitors on the
committee, is organizing an auxiliary
council of two hundred men and women,
including many film men in New England.
Among those who have already been approached
by Mr. Mayer are Colonel- Henry
L. Kincaide. of Quincy; Frank J. Howard,
of the Atlas Film Company, this city;
Charles Williams, of the Strand theater,
Providence, R. I.; Alfred S. Black, president
of the Maine branch of the Motion
Picture Exhibitors' League of America and
head of the Main Theaters. Inc.; Charles
Bean, of Franklin, N. H.; Harry Asher,
manager of the Boston Paramount office,
and Harry F. Campbell. Boston Fox manager.
How to Get the Shows.
The various state councils of defense
in New England have appointed representatives
to co-operate with the new
bureau. The bureau has established its
headquarters at No. 35 Congress street,
this city. A detailed letter of instructions
has been sent out to every war activity
association explaining to them just
how to get a show and put it over successfully.
A great deal of the credit for the organization
of this New England bureau
belongs to William F. Neibuhr, former
lieutenant in the United States Cavalry,
who is at present a member of the National
Committee on Public Information.
Mr. Neibuhr spent ten days in this city
working on the proposition and organized
and put the committee on its feet. He is
now establishing the same thing in the
West and Middle West.
John Mahoney, well-known Boston publicity
man, will have charge of all the
publicity matter of the local bureau.
Archie Jerome, nephew of Paul D. Rust,
who has just returned from service with
the French armies on the Chemin des
Dames front, will assist his uncle with
the -work of the bureau. Mr. Jerome drove
an ammunition truck to and from the firing
line for several months and was never
wounded.
"Eagle's Eye" Serial Shown This Month.
Boston, Mass.—Samuel Rubenstein, manager
of the Boston Foursquare exchange,
announces that a trade showing of "The
Eagle's Eye," the new serial exposing
German intrigue in the United States, will
be held at one of the leading Boston moving
picture theaters the lattej- part of
of this month. Exhibitors from all parts
of New England will receive invitations
from Manager Rubenstein.
Children's Matinees in Brockton.
Brockton, Mass.—Special Saturday morning
matinees for children -will be instituted
by Brockton moving picture theaters
in the near future. This was agreed upon
by Brockton censor board and the local
theater managers in conference at City
Hall. The special week-end children's
shows will be conducted in rotation by
the theaters.
Harry L. Campbell Is Proud Daddy.
Boston, Mass.—Harry F. Campbell, the
popular manager of the local office of the
Fox Film, is daddy of a baby boy, and
last reports were that mother and baby
were doing nicely. This makes three children
Mr. Campbell has. two girls and a
boy. The local Fox chief expresses himself
as "proud as a peacock." He has
been kept busy daily receiving the congratulations
of his many friends.
Comes from Atlanta to Head Local
Vitagraph.
Boston, Mass.—L. A. Watrous has severed
his connections with the local Vitagraph
exchange and gone to Philadelphia
to accept a position with an adding machine
company. Mr. Watrous was in that
business before entering the film game.
C. W. Sawin, formerly in charge of the
Vitagraph office in Atlanta, Ga., and at
one time manager of the Minneapolis exchange,
has been appointed general manager
of the Boston Vitagraph office.
H. F. Campbell Returns as Fox Manager.
Boston, Mass.—Harry F. Campbell, leading
film executive and pioneer of the
industry in this section of the country, is
back with the Boston Fox exchange. He
has been general manager of the local
Goldwyn office and left the employ of William
Fox last June to take charge of it.
He entered the game about eleven years
ago. Since then he has had charge of
several theaters, but most of his time was
spent in the film distributing end of the
business.
W. H. Bradley Heads Boston Triangle.
Boston, Mass.—William H. Bradley, former
manager of the Triangle Boston exchange
and more recently manager of the
Washington Goldwyn office, succeeds Mr.
Campbell as head of the local Goldwyn
office.
William D. Shapiro, manager of the
Boston Fox office since Mr. Campbell resigned
last June will remain with the
Fox organization and will be assistant to
Mr. Campbell. It was Mr. Campbell who
gave Mr. Shapiro a start in the film business
and "made" him. and it is believed
that with the two working together Fox
will increase its business tremendously in
New England.
Pine Tree News Letter.
By John P. Flanagan. 157 Park View
Avenue, Bangor, Me.
A Lucky Portland School.
F>RTLAND, MAINE.—M. J. Garrity, of
the Jefferson theater, Portland, has presented
to the Maine School for Boys, of
which he is a former trustee, a motion
picture machine, to be used at the school
for educational and entertainment purposes.
The object of the photoplay exhibitions
will be to assist the boys in their
studies and improve their minds.
One difficulty in making full use of the
equipment will be overcome through the
kindness of Hiram A"brams, a native of
Portland and president of the Paramount
Picture corporation. Mr. Abrams has
never forgotten his native city and state,
and at every opportunity he has displayed
a deep interest in everything connected
with it. He has promised that the school
will have a picture program as often as
they desire, and this means much for the
success of the new feature.
Edward A. Golden, manager of the Boston
Photoplay Co., has promised to give
all the shows needed, and others who have
promised to help and have helped are A.
Goodside, George A. Foley, of the Portland
theater; Frank Hoe, of the Elm theater,
and Al Eagles, of the Empire theater.