Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1920)

December 25, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 199 USING MUSIC IN PRODUCTION John Stahl Will Have Complete Score Made For Each Feature Before Work Is Commenced On It— Will Be Used in Orchestra Pit Also n^irni^— inrnr i 1 1 1 iii ■iiihiiiiiiimmi^— ■ — ^mmm — iw By DORIS CLAIRE IDEALS in picture-making which, when attained, will assure their place among the fine arts, are the goals oi Director John M. Stahl. Mr. Stahl was recently in Chicago. En route to the East from the West he met Virginia Xorden here and the two spent several days working on films for the Louis B. Mayer Productions, at the Rothacker plant. During the visit the two were hosts at a delightful dinner party at the Blackstone Hotel where an Exhibitors Herald scribe was one of the guests. In the course of conversation Mr. Stahl divulged his plan for one of the most interesting ventures yet to be made in the production profession. It concerns the use of music with films — not a new combination, but to be new in its method of employment. To have a complete and individual musical score made for each feature before production is begun, is the first step in the plan Mr. Stahl proposes to work out with the films he will make hereafter. In addition to be used in accompaniment to the scenes as they are staged in the studios, the same scores will be played when the feature is shown. * * * PERSONAL attention to every detail of a feature from the time of the scenario's preparation to the time when it is ready for presentation, is made a matter of extreme and particular care by Mr. Stahl. For this reason he makes but two features a year. He has a deep sense of the responsibility of the director in picture production. Believing that upon him rests in large part the merit of the result, he holds the opinion that a picture good enough to "live" cannot be rushed through in a few weeks' time. Great care in production and strength of story are the two vital points in a picture's ability to retain its popularity indefinitely, he asserts. He illustrates his point with the success attending " 'Way Down East" and "Over the Hills." * * * HE sees the ultimate end of all things to be desired in production when the author, scenario writer and director can be found in the same individual, but realizes the exception that such an artist would always be. However, such faith has Mr. Stahl in the future of the art of picture making, that he believes that this combination will be developed more generally in the future than now seems possible, because of the advance of educational methods in production. The director's output for the last year were the two features, "The Woman in His House" and "Sowing the Wind." Both were written by his wife, Irene Frances Reels, a former Chicago girl. She has also written the scenarios for "Women Who Pass in the Night" and "The Code of Honor," to be produced by Mayer and directed bv Mr. Stahl in the coming year. * * * MISS NORDEN. who is Mr. Mayer's personal representative and his nearest associate in business, is a Southern woman of impressive charm and poise, friendly and feminine and possessed of appealing personality. Mr. Stahl gives the impression of being the aesthetic gentleman and the artist, frankly friendly, quietly agreeable and highly generous in his attitude towards others of his profession and its allied lines. Both Miss Norden and Mr. Stahl confess to having been "in pictures," and both were at one time on the legitimate stage. Ormsby to Produce Three Big Specials Success of Company's First Picture Responsible for 1921 Program A. B. Ormsby, president of Ormsby Film Corporation, is preparing to produce three big stories by well-known authors, which will be filmed as special productions with all-star casts during the coming year. The success of "Neptune's Bride," the Ormsby company's initial production, is responsible for the big 1921 program. "Neptune's Bride" was written and directed by Captain Leslie T. Peacocke, author of "Neptune's Daughter." Pluvia Is Featured "Neptune's Bride" features Pluvia. considered the world's most perfectly formed girl. Roxie Armstrong, who portrays Pluvia. was selected for this role from a long list of contestants. The cast supporting Pluvia in this production are Anita Meredith. Lucille Best, Elsa Erlicher, Carolvne Wood, Lucille Prater, Richard Belfi'eld. Al McKinnon, Joseph Havel. Jack Daugherty, Thornton Edwards, W. K. Norton. Pearl West, Howard Scott and Maude Howe. Writes 600 Photoplays Captain Peacocke has written over 600 photoplays, and he frankly considers this story his best and most artistic effort. The exploitation and sales department JOH.V M. STAHL of the company is conducted by C. O. D. Blanchfield, 212 Superba theatre building, Los Angeles. Universal Will Star Hoot Gibson in Five Reel Feature Films Hoot Gibson, Universal's popular Western actor, will star in five-reelers, Carl Laemmle, president of the corporation, announces. Hoot started with Universal several years ago, and was for a long time the juvenile lead for Harry Carey features. He also has done work for Vitagraph and other companies. He had an important role in "The Hazards of Helen," the Kalem serial. It is expected that his first five-reel picture will be issued some time in March. Boston Photoplays Co. Clinches Contract for Sherman Productions According to a recent announcement Boston Photoplays Company, one of the well-known independent exchanges in New England, has obtained a franchise for the exclusive distribution of all pictures produced by Sherman Productions Corporation in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Fred B. Murphy, general manager of Boston Photoplays Company, and Harry A. Sherman, president of Sherman Production Corporation, arranged the details of the deal. Owosso Gets Pictures OWOSSO. MICH.— Manager Chalker recently opened his new motion picture theatre here.