Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

July 31, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 45 Edison and Kleine Combine to Produce Five-Reelers Company, Known as Kleine-Edison Feature Film Service, Will Begin on August 30 — Active Operations for the Production of Subjects in a Service Distinct from Their Releases Through the General Film — Ethel Grandin Scheduled for Regular Releases TWO veterans of the motion picture industry, Thomas A. Edison and George Kleine, have formed a feature producing and distributing combination, known as the Kleine-Edison Feature Film Service, which will start active operations on Monday, August 30, with the Edison production of "Vanity Fair," in five reels, with Mrs. Fiske starred. Feature films, mostly five-reelers, with an occasional subject of exceptional merit running to a greater length, will be distributed. At first Edison will release one a month and Kleine two. This will be increased till the Kleine-Edison Feature Film Service is handling a feature a week. This service is entirely apart from the Kleine and Edison picture released THOS. A. EDISON through the General Film company. These pictures will continue. The pictures to be released through the new combine are entirely the product of increased activity. Both manufacturers will go slow in the matter of increasing the output. Both feel that haste in producing is detrimental and on no account will the manufacturing process be hurried. When it is felt that the output can be increased without sacrificing quality for speed the increase will come. Kleine Exchanges Will Be Distributors The George Kleine exchanges will be the distributing, offices. The only change in the management of the exchanges is the removal from Chicago to New York of Mr. Kleir.e's executive department. The office employees, including the publicity and general accounting departments, and Mr. Kleine himself, now make headquarters in the Candler theatre building, 226 West Forty-second street, New York City. Chicago remains the distributing center for the Middle West. This department and the Kleine Optical company will continue at 166 North State street. "With our present releasing facilities and the fact that two big studios are busy making the pictures, we feel that we have covered the two ends of the industry," said Mr. Kleine. "I may say that my name appears first in the title of the new company because Mr. Edison so wished it. I would never think of trying to precede the real father of the motion picture business, but he was kind enough to say that the name of Kleine had been associated in the mind of the trade with feature films longer than the name of Edison and he felt that it should come first in the name of the company. ''Mr. Edison is more interested in the production plans, the quality of the product, public preferences as to subjects and such matters than in the cost of production or profits. "In addition to famous stars of the dramatic stage such as Irene Fenwick, Frank Sheridan, Paul McAllister, Fania Marinoff and Anne Meredith, the vaude ETHEL GRANDIN ville team of Bickel and Watson has been engaged for coming comedies. These will be 'Hello Bill,' 'The Politicians' and 'The Secret of the Seedless Prune.' "Bickel and Watson will be featured in a series of comedies that will avoid any suggestion of vulgarity, without affecting, however, the broad humor for which they are celebrated. They will be surrounded with exceptional casts, selected because of the individual fitness of the members for their several parts. Coming announcements will give proof of this intention. The general treatment of settings and properties will be of strictly feature quality. Bickel and Watson to Be Featured "The Bickel and Watson comedies will, therefore, be rich in humor, but at the same time artists of the first rank, whose work will be entitled to the most serious consideration, will appear with them in these photo-comedy productions. GEORGE KLEINE The contrast be. ween the seiious acting and that of the comedy ioiss cannot fail to add to the amusement and pleasure of the spectator. "Of course the Kleine dramatic feattures will receive earnest attention. From the sets up to the players nothing but the best will be seen. I have always believed in devoting time and care to every production and this rule will be rigidly adhered to." At the Edison offices in West Orange, N. J., much enthusiasm was expressed over the new affiliation. The attitude there is that the Edison company now has a certain outlet for pretentious features and that it will produce the very best. The Edison players, scenarios and settings have won a high reputation in short-length pictures and there is no reason why Edison cannot produce successfully a long list of features. "Vanity Fair," an Edison feature with Mrs. Fiske, will be the first realease of the Kleine-Edison Feature Film Service. Then comes "The House Next Door," a Kleine production with Irene Fenwick. Then Viola Dana will be seen in "The Poor Little Rich Girl," by Edison. This will be followed by a Kleine production