Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1917 - Jun 1918)

X H B R H R D William Fox Corps of Directors To Advise on "Mutt and Jeff Films Youthful Actress Seeks Screen Honors Following a conference held this week letween Bud Fisher, originator of the Mutt and Jeff animated cartoons, and William Fox, who is to publish the com:dies, Mr. Fox announced his intention 'if having all his directors see the Mutt ind Jeff pictures, with a view to obtainng suggestions on methods of developng and sustaining action. It is Mr. Fox's opinion that Mr. Fisher has mastered f:he difficult art of getting his story .started at the very jump and of eliminating everything from the film that does lot contribute materially to the development of immediate interest. "Action; that's what I preach day and light to my directors," said Mr. Fox. 'While the problem of making Mutt and eff animated cartoons is not the same >roblem which confronts the director in lis average production, there is a certain >rinciple involved which applies to Mr. fisher's work as well as to any other notion picture. It is this that I hope to jiave illustrated through the animated artoons." The conference between Mr. Fisher ind Mr. Fox probably was the last they vill hold prior to the cartoonist's delarture for the European battle front, vhere he will serve as a captain of arillery in the British army. One result ')f the meeting, as announced by Mr. [7ox, was that a thorough understanding lad been reached regarding the neces sity of maintaining the productions on the very highest comedy plane. "We are of one accord in this respect," Mr. Fox explained. "We analyzed carefully and in detail all of the comedies that Mr. Fisher has prepared for the next two months. We found they measured up to our standard and that there were very few cuts or other changes which could be made to the improvement of the productions. The first picture, 'The Decoy,' will be ready for exhibitors' March 24th. "My viewpoint was the exhibitor viewpoint and Mr. Fisher's that of the producer. I was looking at the pictures as I look at other productions which are offered for rental in my chain of twentyfive theatres. We discussed them pro and con, re-ran some of them, and, when we had concluded, I agreed that Mr. Fisher had convinced me I could not afford not to show his animated cartoons in my houses. "The pictures are only 500 feet in length, but I am prepared to guarantee that they consist exclusively of laughs. The action starts with the very first flash of light on the screen, and it keeps going to the end. That which I like best about the productions is that Mr. Fisher knows when he is through and stops right there. There is no attempt at padding — no disposition to add a few feet just to make a standard length. The average is about 500 feet, and if any of them run longer there is justification — there is more than 500 feet of fun." * ilm Industry Has Found Itself, Says American Co. Manager Richard R. Nehls, manager of the American Film Company, Chicago, is Confident that prospects in the film inlustry were never better than for the oming year. I "Our president, Samuel S. Hutchinpn, will soon leave for his customary rip of inspection through our studios i Santa Barbara, where studio activities ave been greatly augmented since the irst of the year," said Mr. Nehls. "It as invariably been a policy of the Amer:an Film Company to have all possible icture construction far enough in adance of requirements to meet any redjustment that could possibly arise. Ve make it our business to feel the pulse if the public, to watch for just the thing he public wants and to have it ready vhen the public discovers that it really las been waiting for it. The success ff any corporation must be measured >y its ability to match the public deire. I "It took the film industry a few years p find itself; but now that it has come Iriumphantly through what may be termed one of the most significant pejiods of its history, we may square away |or work in the confident expectation hat it is going to be a big year's work n more ways than one. "I note that the National Education Association, in the recent convention held at Atlantic City, studiously refrain from mentioning the motion picture progress in any of its programs. The motion picture is one of the most searching and widely spread and progressive means of education the world has ever known. Perhaps the teachers will tell us why they chose to ignore it." Hamilton Smith Now A World Scenarioist Hamilton Smith, who has had a varied and highly successful career in moving pictures, has just joined the scenario department of World pictures, having signed a long-time contract with this concern. He is now engaged in association with Mr. Hoyt in the preparation of a new story for Madge Evans. Mr. Smith has been writing scenarios for the past seven or eight years. He began with the Kalem Company, and for ,i time was associate editor of that concern. While with them he did two selials, "The Mysteries of the Grand Hotel" and the "Girl Detective." Later he was promoted to the position of first assistant secretary and treasurer of the concern and then went west as the Pacific coast representative for the company. Resigning the position at Kalem, Mr. Smith returned to do special work for Metro. He has also written a number of the screen adaptations of the Charles Frohman stage successes. 23 Norka Roskaya, better known perhaps in Europe and South America, by reason of her success upon the speaking stage, is about to desert the footlights, it is announced, and will enter the ranks of motion picture stars for film honors. Miss Roskaya, though but nineteen years of age, has won an enviable place among stage celebrities by reason of her rare beauty and wonderful talent both in music and in dancing art. She was born in Switzerland and has appeared in the principal theatres of France and Italy. Her success in South America was marked from her first appearance and in many of the southern Republics she at once became the popular idol. Miss Roskaya's middle name is ambition and she is determined to win fame upon the screen as she has upon the speaking stage. She has cancelled her contracts to appear in Havana, Panama XORKA ROSKAYA and other LatinAmerican cities and within a short time will' be in New York to close negotiations for her appearance before the camera. Japanese Actor Aids Sale of Liberty Bonds Sessue Hayakawa announced this week that he will give all the assistance in his power to the Los Angeles committee in charge of the third Libert}' Loan drive. He plans to work among his own countrymen, of whom there is a large colony in the city, and says he is confident of excellent results. Hayakawa subscribed liberally to both the first and second Liberty Loan issues and is going to add his "bit" again this time. "We must do everything in our power to win the war," said the popular Nipponese star, "and certainly one of the very best ways is to contribute all we can — subscribe until it hurts, as some one recently put it — to the funds required to finance the tremendous undertaking of the United States Government."