Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1917 - Jun 1918)

X H B R H R D CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN "A DOG'S LIFE" THE $1,000,000 A YEAR COMEDIAN IS HERE SHOWN, WITH HIS LEADING LADY. EDNA PURVIANCE, IN A SCENE FROM THE FIRST OF HIS COMEDIES FOR THE FIRST NATIONAL EXHIBITORS' CIRCUIT, INC. Gaumont Company to Produce Big Features From Stories by the Foremost Authors Stories Call for Girls of Exceptional Beauty — To Secure Types by Means of Contest Conducted Through U. S. Newspapers Fulfilling its promise to independent exhibitors, the Gaumont Company announces it intends to produce a number of big motion picture dramas in the near future. While prominent stars will be featured, the drawing power of these dramas will not depend alone upon the names of the stars, but will be made doubly sure by strong stories written by famous authors and produced in the most attractive manner possible. Conservative always, the Gaumont Company makes no extravagant claims that these dramas will be the most expensive or the most spectacular ever produced, but it does promise that they will not be surpassed by any dramas now being offered through the independent or any other market. No insipid stories will be filmed, . it is said, but the themes used will be powerful and dramatic enough to grip the attention even without the excellent casts which will interpret them. Everything possible will be done to make these productions perfect in every detail. Inaugurates Beauty Contest Two of the stories, which are unique in theme, call for hundreds of girls of exceptional beauty. To secure the proper types, the Gaumont Company has inaugurated a nation-wide beauty contest which is being conducted by the leading daily papers in each of the United States. Five girls between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five will be selected by each paper, and the Gaumont Company will make film tests of these girls to find out which have the best screen talent and personality. The girls selected for these two productions will have their transportation and expenses paid to the Gaumont studios, and will also be paid good salaries while engaged in the filming of these stories. The Gaumont Company expects to find a number of girls of unusual types of beauty who possess sufficient screen talent to make them the successful film stars of the future. An interesting phase of this contest, which stamps it as the best of its kind, is that motion pictures of the most attractive of the contestants will be run in each state during the contest in the two Gaumont news-reels, the Gaumont News and Gaumont Graphic, so that the girls will not have to wait very long to see how they appear in cinematic action. This feature, which will result in filling the theatres on the nights these newsreels are shown, will undoubtedly appeal to exhibitors who have booked the News and Graphic. Mme. Petrova Returns From Palm Beach, Fla Mme. Petrova returned to New Yort on Saturday last after a brief vacatior at Palm Beach, Florida. The Polisl actress will commence working imme diately at the Petrova studio on the fiftr of her special screen productions. "Patience Sparhawk and Her Times' is the title of the fifth production, whicl is a picturization of the celebrated nove by the same name, from the pen of Ger trude Atherton. This book is now in it: twelfth edition, it is said, and has beer translated into several foreign languages and has been read by millions of devo tees of the photoplay. Ralph Ince, whe directed "Tempered Steel," the lates production in which Madame Petrova ii to appear, has been re-engaged to pro duce the film version of Miss Atherton'; novel. Mabel Juliene Scott Signs as Star With Harry McRae Webstei Harry McRae Webster, president o the Harry McRae Webster Productions Inc., has leased the Standard Studio a Yonkers, N. Y., and begun work on : seven reel feature entitled "Reclaimed,' by Richard Field Carroll. Mabel Juliene Scott, whose beauty am exceptional pleasing personality was s< pronounced and thoroughly satisfying ii "The Barrier" and "The Sign Invisible,' has been engaged by Mr. Webster, a: leading woman for the production. John D. Braddon, formerly with th< William Fox forces during the produc rion of "Les Miserables," and other bit feature films, has also been engaged a: technical director. MABEL JULIENE SCOTT Leading Woman of "Reclaimed," the, Harry McRa< Webster Production 22