The Film Daily (1924)

iTHE brAdstreet FILMDOM Authority No. 32 Thursday, November 6, 1924 Price 5 Cents ITEEL By DANNY e First National ipears. You wi if the prod lUed "United States Vou might never conit back of this title — lentally, is a bear for I purposes — will be a Mig with the steel in(t the story is laid in mills. About Pitts there have been niur a big steel special. To — along with other epic "The Covered Wagon" rth of a Nation." There hut that the possihilit'C is to be lioped that the iking this for First Na i\ail himself of the tre -ibiiitics. ears ago a most improducer. Planned to is big steel epic. But al)roblems blocked the ng This, despite that he d jseveral Kirk stories. Kirk stories are full I — and melodrama — steel mills. roducers scriou,sl_\ cong into making one o' specials. .'Kn outstan-jspent hours. Talkiin'er. Only to let it ge wife of a leading vice If the U. -S. .Steel Corp assembled a number of ,ting to the liandling (if ,g to find material. To ;e in a big picture which lates making. e old story. An idea to the air. Many fiqt. Think about it. etly someone does it. n those who were about it. Wonder a ever got out. years we have been ex |e idea. Of making a big To almost every im ucer we talked with. And ago, one day, Dick Rowlet it be known. That mighty fine steel story. 'Oducing it. And the ofcement will be forth tly. « hoped. That this will b all it should be. And it should be big. Mighty More Epic Themes Several Pictures, Quietly Made, Deal upon interesting periods in .\merican 1 istor}-. Frank Carroll has made one called "The Birtli of the West." John .■\dolphi directed with Robert Frazer and Clara Bow in the leads. Much of t!ie production was shot in Colorado and the desert wastes of the West. John Lowell is star in a picture dealing with Indian life. .\ company ppent several weeks securing material in South Dakota, with Edgar Lewis directing. Final interiors are now being made in Gloversville, N. Y. These pictures are designed to folIr>\\ ill the footsteps of "The Iron I lor.se." dealing with the constructioJi of the first transcontinental railroad; "S'uidown." dealing with tlie drive of t'-c last big cattle herd into Alexico; "The 'Last Frontier," now beine' made bv Thomas H. Ince. and dealin-' with the development of the West and the extinction of the American bviff.-do: and "North of 36." treating of the growth of Kansas. Universal has had an expressly successful experience with pictures touching upon pioneer endeavors. The company made four historical serial? as far back as three years ago: "Winners o*' the West," dealing with tl-e Santa Fe Trail; "In the Day (Ciinliniud on Poiic 2) McConnell Now Here Vr<'(\ McConnell, former serial sale? manager for X'niversal. who sonK time a"-n \'-->s transferred to the Coas' to eollahora'c on production, is noi' in change of "ll short subiec's in New York, nn '■■!' supervision of tl'( recently formed s.-iles triumv'rate. Fred Quind)y. McConnell's prede eessor is understood to be on alVes tern farm recuperating his healrh. T. O. C. C. Postpones Meeting The T. O. C. C. did not m.ct vesterdav. as expected, because election interferred with the mailing of notices in sufficient time. It is not likely that the Famous Players situation will therefore be discussed any time this week. Censor's Term Nears End Mrs. F'li T. Hosmer, member of the M. P. Commission, completes her three vear term the end of the year. The Loew Statement The financial statement of Loew's, Inc., for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 1924, as compared with the statement of the previous fiscal year appears on page 7. Monta Bell To Famous Young Director Expected to Sign for Five Years at Unusual Initial Salary It was reported yesterday Alonta Bell, former Washington newspaperman who excited considerable comment by his direction of Charlie Chaplin in "A Woman of Paris" had signed a five year contract with Famous. His intial salary will be $2,500 a week, a figure decidedly imusual for a young director who has only three pictures to his credit. The contract provides for a sliding scale, upwards. Bell's other pictures are "Broa(wa^• After Dark." for the , Warne and "The Snob," a forthcoming Metro-Goldwyn release. It is understood he has several more to make under his arrangement with Harry Rapf and that he will be able to start his Famous contract along about June. In view of the close association of Adolphe Menjou and Bell, it need not be surprising if Bell were assigned to several of the starring pictures that Menjou will make for Paramount. It was admitted at Famous yesterdav that a deal was under way with Bell, but denied that any contract 'lad been signed. New Arbitration System Ti-e T. O. C. C. and the F. I. L ■^t CInb have arrancjcd a new svstem of arbitration hearings. Beginnine ■•-stprda--, the\ will be held in the T <"). C C roonis once a week for a niontli to be followed by a month in 'I'r 1~. T. L. M. Club rooms. An ex'■ihitor will be chairman of the ioint '>oard when the T O. C. C. rooms are used Motion jiictures and "stills" were taken of the event. The Piccadilly Schedule The Piccadilly has booked the following, to play after "Madonna of t'-e Streets." which closes Friday: "Ocburau" (Warners) for two weeks; "The Narrow Street," (Warners) : "The Siren of Seville" (Prod. Dist. Corp.); "Sundown." C First National): for two weeks and "The Dark Swan" (Warners.) " ntional il^^ Some Big Specials New First Nat'l List Includes Norma in "Madame Pompadour" and a Big One About Stee!^^^ While officials of First art keeping under cover t, _ outstanding features of their coming list for booking after Jan. 1, it is understood tiiat their "leader" group — the next list of releases — will include several big important specials which are expected to be ready. Among the more important speciaLg which will likely be included in this group will be Norma Talmadgc in "Madame Pompadour," of the of the outstanding stage successes in Berlin and London, and which will have its American premier next week in New York. This should be a fine box office, if the screen .production matches with the stage play. Norma is down for another in this list; "The Lady," which, according to studio reports, promises to be another Secrets." Another special expected to attract much attention is "United States Flavor' based on a Saturdav Evening .Post story by R. S, Kirk. The baekgroimd of the story is placed in the steel mills and, in all likelihood, this will be the first of a number of pictures dealing with the steel industry to reach the screen. "The Lost World," which will be included in the list, is regarded by those who have seen it as one of the greatest novelties ever made for the screen. In all, it is expected that the will total about 29 productions. ^ ist Making International Survey (Sfecial to THE FILM DAILY) Washington — The Bureau of Commercial Economics, under guidance of Dean Randolph 'M. Boggs is making an international survey of motion pictures. Its scope includes theaters, producing companies, here and abroad; motion picture publications and non-theatrical exhibitors What About "D. W."? Coast Conference Will Determine Whether He Continues with United or Goes to Famous in addition to the approval of the reorganization plan for ll^nited .\rtists that must come from Nathan Burkan, legal mentor for Charlie Chaplin and .\. H. T. Banzhaf. as attornev for D. W. Griffith, it is understood the future relations of the latter will be discussed. It should be borne in uu'nd that United Artists feels that Griffith i.« tied to that organization for three (Continued on Pag* 2)