Page 5

prli1, 1908.
THE SHOW WORLD
STILL THE TALK OF NEW YORK
THE INCOMPARABLE
CURZON SISTE RS
FLYING BUTTERFLIES
Having been the Great Sensation of
NEW YORK HIPPODROME
Now the Talk of Chicago, the Sensational Feature of the
Ringling Brothers, Coliseum
WILL BE THE TALK OF LONDON
London Hippodrome, Opening May 25th
Infringers beware.  Damages next time.  Patent held valid.  French Patent
No. 382180.  Great Britain Patent No. 8991.  United States Patent No. 847139.
J. W. CURZON,
Manager
J.B.CLARKOFFILM
SERVICE ASSOCIATION
SAYSFUTUREISBRIGHT
IN a recent coinisunicatlioi tx 'tIt E ttOP H 1
IX ORLD, J. B. Clark. president of tthe
Film Service Association, says:
"Regarding requests from all parts of the
country fec information concerning the s ta
las of the present controversy in the moo'-
ing picture  busi ness.  wxould  say that it
would be very hard for me to give any in-
formation which has not already been giv-
en to the trade through     your valuable
paper.
"I feel if your readers have read care-
fully page four of your issue of March 21.
they already have alt the information     I
could give the m.  The Film  Service Asso-
lation members. I believe, are xeginning to
realize they have vecry much   the(, tiect Of
the situation tp to the present time. First.
we have the best film subjects: second, the
benefit of the reduced prie  of films. tich
makesstir flintscost its x'ery much lesstianl
the Independent companies are charging for
very Inferior subjects.
Haven't Lost Desirable Customer.
"These two things alone 1cit tie Indo-
pendent exchanges at a disadvantage right
at the start , which I think miakes their
success almost impossible.  Our experience
since Macih I has been that we have not
last a single desirable customer. We have.
of course. lost a lot of chesic trade, xwho
climed they could not pay the now price.
but even some of them    have since come
back for service, claiming they could not
use the subjects put out by the Independ-
entsat no tprice. We are adding new rus-
tomers dailx, and believe our business will
he larger than ever verv soon.
"Our Association has lost a few members
who have dropped out because they claimed
the re r  losing cutstomers, ltI   thins
the real reason is that theytyere alt renting
to cheap shows, who could not pay a living
price, and when they xvwre compelled to
ask their trade even a very reasonable pric e
and cictditet a legitimate business, they'
simply could not exist.
Profits Are Doubtful.
"Thee are now going over to the Inde-
pendent, and are renting films below our
iintiTt schedule, which is as low  as It
is possible to rent films and pay even run-
ning expenses, and if theoy ie any Snew
films Smust pay. T oa  told, eleven cents per"
footl less six per cent. Tf an  of them will
take time to flixre o t where their profits
ace to come from. T think they will be
sorry for their adtion in leaving the Asso-
lation.
''The cutling out of sub-renting has al-
ready worked wonders. and if this part of
the acreeixent is strielt  enforici  tie As-
sociation menbers will be hcnefited bcyondi
ncextations.
"T hope every  xeimber of the Association
has read the sitenment published byi Mr.
B3erst af the Pathe Freres, in which he
gives the reason why his coimian  occepted
a license from  the Edison Manufacturing
company, and why he recognizes the valid-
lb th b  Edison claim s.  Its, stite very'
Plainly his company cannot matte a good
Picture w ith the Biograph coolecrs, and that
he found all the good manufacturers ar-
rayed oti the Edlison side, an  that  lie has
fotxnd from past experience that his cue-
touters did not care for English films, but
xvanted  either Pathe   or  good American
fitoh.
"I knoxx the tolexasers of the Film Ser-
vice Association do not think the seven
nmanufacturers xwho have accepted a license
from  the Edison company, and are paying
them  a royalty, would do so if they di d
nct hlieve the patents would be sustained.
What Chicago Exhibitors Say.
"t am told by members from Chicago
that exhibitors against lhom suits have
been started  in  Chicago  by thle  Edison
companyv are more than willing to accept
Srvice from   a licensed exchange, if they
can get the suits against them withdrawn.
"I presume all mlembers of the Associa-
tion have icy this time learned of the res-
ignation of 'Mr. Peckham from the execti-
tive committee. ' This committee    at its
meeting held in Now York March 21 filled
the vacancy by the election of Mr. TVili. It.
Sxwanson, of Chicago, which    I b-lieve a
wise selection. He has been a hard xworker
in the Association from the start, and un-
derstands the situation perfectly. and we
fe-1 he will he a great aid to our commit-
tee.  This gives Chicago two representa-
tives on the committee, as we recognized
the fact that Chicago has more members in
the Association than any other city, and
felt they were in a wav entitled to a larger
representation oi the committee. and that
Mr. Swanson was the beat man for the
place, and that his election will meet with
the entire approval of the Chicago men-
hers.
'Working Together For Good.
"The licensed manufacturers and the As-
soiation  members are working     together
for the good of the moving picture trade In
alt its branches, from the manufacturer to
tim exhibitor, and I feel are going to pit
the business on such a high plane that it
will regain all Its lost prestige. and again
ic a big mioney maker for all, especially the
exhibitor.
"From personal observation of the quality
of the service being furnished by the Inde-
pendent exchanges. t do not believe they
are huying anv oex  stil es. bit are a tot
of 'itink' dealers, pucre and simple. and
are trying to get all they can quickly for
a lot of old films the- bought tip cheap
before the Association vas formed, and are
sitnplx securing patronage iby crving 'trust.'
and fooling a lot of poor exhibitors who
itilk they cannot pay a higher price. who
if  they  will  stop  and  think  will  filid  the
rsis-- thex  ratnnost ono  a  iMelr priie is
that thex cannot fool the tublic into con-
uinuing to patronizo a show   whicit sltow
nothing hut 'innk.' and if the  would1 got
their service from a hous, ii the Associ-
tion. and get good subioets. their natrona-e
would increase so that they could pay the
Association price. and hov a lareer hal-
ance on the right side of the ledger than
ttxex ever iad, before.
'' don not IlTixik the daily press, and some
of the trade papers, are fooling the, good
exhibitors in thle letast by 'allixig the Asso-
ciation a trust, and the other side the Inud-
pondents, and agree with Mr. George Kleini
that the use of these terms only serves to
furthcr embitter the situation.
"I would like to call the attention of the
exhibitors to the high quality of the recent
piroductions of the licensed American man-
"ifactureres. and also to the statenvnt of
Mr. Berst that the house of Pathe has by
tto means exhausted its inventive resources,
and that they expect by means of a new
invention to shortly improve their films to
such a degree that they will leave all other
films behind, all of which goes to show that
the liccnsed manufacturers are constantly
tr~yiti g to improve their proditcts for the
I   flt of the Association memters andi the
ex h ibitor, as well.
"In conclusion, I wish to say to the mem-
tiers of the Film Service Association that
the offieers and executive committen are
la boring hard to ma ke their organization a
complete success, and have not tak1en a
single step wehich they do no t firml I~
lieve was for the best interest of all mem-
ters of the Association, and that no other
organization such as we are now trying to
perfect was ever built in a day or without
a few mistakes, and would advise all Inem-
icrs o f the Association to carefull rslead
the article by Mr. Aiken in your issue of
March 28. which outlines the present situa-
tion perfectly."
11LL. GO TO MEXICO.
Iteryl Hope, of College Theater Company,
Chicago, to Manage Own Company.
At the close of the present season at the
College theater, Beryl Htope. leading woman
of the resident company. will return to the
City of Mexico and will install in her own
playhouiie  there a  stock  company   with
ithich she will act throughout the summer.
Miss Hope is part owner of the Theatro del
Renacimento. the largest theater in the
Mexican capital.
Before Miss Hoppe tihaame manager of
the Mexican theater last season. it was
managed by an old Spaniard, Don Luis
ouintainilla. Miss Hope secured the play-
house and took to Mexico the first American
stock company that ever played there. Her
company Included Lottie Alter, who played
last winter with the Chicago Opera houis
stock company: Robert Towe. now a    inem-
ber of the company at Bush Temple; Frants
Mordaitot and Ge orge Btoomquist.  Fifteen
American chorts girls were also with the
company. The entire company numbered
more lban forty players.
The English drama   vas mtuch lilted par-
ticularly  by  the  higher class  Mexicans.
President Diaz and Vice-President Corral
were regular box holders. The reportolre
included such plays as The Wife, Are Yo n
a Mason. Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Pri-
eate Secretary, and Sapho.
New Theater at Rochester, Pa.
The County Chairman company opened
the nts theater at Rochester. Pa.. March
7.Thle houtse was     sold ottt and  Marx
S Nathan. manager of the company, and
Zdssrs Albattet  Bros., the lessees. rwere
pleased with, the business. Rochester is In
tl  Beaver Valley country. and it Is fair
to sa- that Albaugh Bros. have one of the
best theaters on the one-night circuit. The
company nresentine the Chairman gave an
excel nit performance.
Will Establish Musicians' Home .
The committee in charge of the Edward
MI-oowlI fund announces that it has cnm-
pletel Its work. The society was form ed
is sties nxonev to take ncar of tls com-
poser in his life, after his health failed.
a nd also to found a basnic for seed miu-
sicians at Peterboroutgh, N  tt.  Tie I xxi
earn(citintiotts to the fvtnd xvith interest Itax'
con:1tribhut ions to the fund with I nterest hiave
toen $39,712. The expenses of admsinistra-
tion, together with the money paid in be-
half of the late conpoer, amounts to $10.-
780, leaving a baIance of $28,932.  This
money will be turned over to the Edward
McDowell Memorial association, which1 has
been  formed to   establish the  mustician'
home.
Will Erect Five Airdomes.
Ernest IHarrington, owner and manager
of the Harrington Stock Co., hs leased
property and will erect substantial airdomes
at Evansville, Princeton and Terre Haute.
tnd.. and Springfield ,and Danville, Ill. Each
tlace xiii have a oeat manager    'hi. e Mr.
Harrington xviii look after the general man-
agement and bookings. which will be in
connection with the Southwestern Airdome
Circtit tnder the management of J. Frank
Itead of Htot Springs, Ark. The txvo cir-
cuits xviii he hooked t ogether and wviil gixve
txvelve weeks solid titae xvith two Sunday
openings.  They expect to plav repertoire,
miusical comedy atsd minstrel.
Kemp Booking Attrations.
George P. Kiip, oxvner of Kmp's Wild
W~est, wxaxs a caller at thle Neix York olflice
of It SHOW WORtLD last xveek. MrI.
Kemp is hooking li big aittraction    iti
lth  memb11es of the National Amusement
Park Association, opening at Ludio   La-
goin ft thre, xveens. 1t carries a full
Wti  Bo  entertaiximent, inClIxditig- s ixty
eopif Tilins coxwiovs, cowgirls, viih a
tot of bucxn  loes9.    Mr. Kemp is a
great admiret of THE SHOW WORTLD and
predicts that it is str, to he the only shov-
man's paper.
The Hotel Clerk in Rehearsal.
\lfrod E. Aarons is usily etigaged in re-
heaxring his new musial conede. The to-
(I1 Clerk, which   opens  in  Philad 1phin'
April 20.  Eflic Fay, Amy    Ames. Htarr
Fisher and a number of Other prominent en-
tertainers will be in the cast.
William Vaughan Moody ill.
Willian Vaughan Moody, the playwright.
wvho first gained prominence as author of
The Great Divide. has teen confined to lxis
home for some time xvith a severe attack
of typhoid fever. He is convalescent.
Visit Show 'World Office.
.T. J. Teaver. of Luillow. Ky.. the water
chute man. and Len Sloss. manager of Luna
Park, Serantos  Pa., T ri' visitors at the
Next Torts office of THE SItfW WORLD
last xveek.
Professionals are Wedded.
Greta Byron, of the Bennett-Moulton Co.,
and Mr. Lake, of the Thomas Shea Co.. were
married at Wilmington, Del., March      13.
The couple met professionally In Maine last
summter.
Stock Company In Denver.
E. D. Price is organizing a stock coipany
to play the summer season at the Broadwvay
theater, Deiver, Colo. Catherine Countiss
xwill head the company which will open in
May.
Chicago Man's Song a Hit.
The new song. The Last Ros of Sum-
nier Is the Sweetest Song of All, which is
1cing sung by the Primrooe mintrels, vas
xritten by Arthur Gillepie, of Chicogo.
Evarts Joins Bush Temple Company.
William   Evarts, who   played nt Bush
Temlile three years ago, has rcioxned the
a"k'ix otxixi aId in 1laviii thil wink In
Q, ILL,
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