Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

54 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 12. No. 12. "Royalty" Shoves Democracy Aside at San Diego "Rule By the People'' Suspended (in Pickwickian Sense) While "King and Queen," Bushman and Beverly Bayne, Metro, "Reign" on Motion Picture Day METRO stars shone among the brightest in the constellation of screen artists that scintillated about the grounds of the San Diego Panama-California Exposition on Motion Picture Day, Saturday, September 11. In a formidable field of starters that included the foremost artists of the screen, Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne, Quality-Metro stars, were respectively crowned King and Queen of the great carnival, their selection being made after a hotly waged popularity contest conducted by the newspapers of Los Angeles and San Diego. The public voted for their favorite screen actor and actress on coupons provided for the purpose and Mr. Bushman and Miss Bayne won "hands down" with an overwhelming plurality. The royal purple and ermine fitted snugly upon Mr. Bushman, as he was elevated to the King's throne in a similar contest a few weeks ago at the San Francisco ex FRANCIS X. BUSHMAN position, and was easily the most popular personage at the recent Brighton Beach Motion Picture Carnival. On that occasion Metro captured many of the chief prizes, not least of which was the carrying off of the first honors with the most attractively decorated automobile in the mammoth parade, the principal event of the day. The signal honor bestowed upon Miss Bayne, the newest stellar attraction of the Quality Picture Corporation, was received with considerable elation by President Fred J. Balshofer and her co-workers of the Quality-Metro forces. The keenest sort of rivalry and interest prevailed in the newspaper popularity contest, for the "Who's Who" among screen artists appreciated the distinction of being named to don the regal robes and crowns. A committee of representative citizens of Los Angeles and San Diego had personal charge in the final count of the bales of coupons deposited in the contest. This committee was composed of Mayor E. M. BEVERLY BAYNE Capps, of San Diego, Mayor C. E. Sebastian, of Los Angeles ; G. A. Davidson, president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce; Carl Heilbron, president of the SanDiego Chamber of Commerce; D. F. Garrettson, president of the First National Bank of San Diego, and Marco H. Hellman, president of the Hellman Commercial Trust and Savings Bank, of Los Angeles. Special to Motion Picture News ' Boston, Sept. 15. CULTURED Boston is looking forward to October 1 as a date of great importance in its artistic history. That is the date when Boston's own pet of the operatic stage will make her" public debut in motion pictures. Geraldine Farrar herself chose Boston as the city which should see her "Carmen" film before all others. Miss Farrar considers her debut in the films of every bit as much importance as her first appearance on the operatic stage ; and when Paramount left the decision, as to the first showing of the film in her hands she promptly selected Boston, since her home town, Melrose, Mass., is but a few miles away. Another significant fact in connection with the limited engagement of the film, previous to the regular release on November 1, is that it will be shown in the famous Symphony Hall, the home of the worldrenowned Boston Symphony Orchestra. Morris Gest was in Boston Thursday, and secured permission from the city officials for showing the film at this hall, which is one of the largest auditoriums in the city. Paramount has also secured the services King Bushman and Queen Bayne ruled over the festivities arranged for the occasion, riding in state throughout the exposition grounds, where they received the plaudits of a record crowd, and the envious glances of a score of motion picture stars who were unsuccessful in the contest. The throng at the exposition swarmed around Mr. Bushman and Miss Bayne to obtain a "close-up" of them in the flesh. So many persisted in shaking the hands of the King and Queen that at last guards were summoned by the exposition authorities, who rescued them from an uncomfortable, but withal, a pleasing situation. FOX NEW YORK OFFICES ENLARGED BY ANOTHER ENTIRE FLOOR The rapid enlargement of its business necessitated the Fox Film Corporation extending its business to another entire floor in the Leavitt building, 130 West Fortysixth street, New York, the past week. This now gives the William Fox concern four complete floors in the building and one of the most complete executive suites in the business. The fourth floor, which is the new accommodation to be occupied, was formerly occupied by the Eclair company and was purchased, with all its furniture and fittings, by William Fox. The offices of General Manager Winfield R. Sheehan and his executive staff, those of General Representative Abraham Carlos and his attaches, and those of John H. Goldfrap, general publicity and advertising manager, are among those who moved to the new quarters, which are elaborate and roomy. Archie Bell, critic of the Cleveland "Leader," who was in New York last week, made a tour of the William Fox studios and interviewed the ten stars and directors now at work in the vicinity of New York. of S. L. Rothapfel, of New York, the best known exhibitor in the business, and he will be in charge of the Boston engagement. Mr. Rothapfel plans to decorate the hall in gray, . to make a strong contrast with the lighting scheme he plans to use in connection with the tragic scenes of the film play. The music will be another feature. The nucleus of the big orchestra of more than fifty pieces will be the famous People's Orchestra of Boston, directed by Emil Mollenhauer. It is very likely that special soloists will be engaged to take part in a musical program preceding the film itself. The prices for this engagement will not be high. The highest will be one dollar and a half and the lowest twenty-five cents. At the showing of the film on the regular program at the Park later, however, the usual prices of that theatre, twenty-five and thirty-five cents, are expected to prevail. John C. Flinn, publicity man for Lasky, is assisting Charles Ellis, personal representative of Miss Farrar, in completing arrangements for the Symphony Hall engagement. Mr. Flinn paid a call on the News representative and was glowing with enthusiasm, not only for "Carmen," but for all Paramount undertakings. "Athens of America" for First "Carmen" Showing Geraldine Farrar, Operatic Star, Who Makes Her Initial Screen Appearance in the Picture,. Picks Boston to See Film Before It Is Exhibited in Other Cities