Motion Picture News (Dec 1920-Feb 1921)

264 Motion Picture News To Picture Life Story of Jenny Lind Harry Leonhardt, president, and Harv^ey B. Day, general manager, of the Allied Independent Attractions, Inc., announce that on behalf of the Allied they have entered into a contract with P. B. Lyon, general manager of the Jenny Lind Photoplay Company to produce and distribute a feature production of the never-to-be-forgotten Swedish nightingale. Mr. Leonhardt, who will personally supervise the production, did not say where it would be made, but it is understood that the greater part of the production work will be done in California, with shots taken in New York where Jenny Lind made her first American appearance under the direction of P. T. Barnum, and at Boston and Northampton, Mass., where she was married and spent her honeymoon respectively. In the work of production Mr. Leonhardt will keep with him the same staff that aided in the production of the George Arliss picture, "The Devil," and which included James Young as director, Harry Fischbeck and Frank Hampton, studio manager. "Service" — Lesser's Slogan "Midchannel" Star at Theatre Opening Clara Kimball Young, Equity star, appeared before a distinguished gathering at the opening of Astor theatre in Philadelphia recently. Despite the pouring rain, an overflowing house was on hand to greet her. She was introduced by Ben Amsterdam, and made a brief speech of appreciation, after which she complimented Mr. Amsterdam for his enterprise and spirit in erecting one of Philadelphia's finest theatres. It was only after a number of " curtain calls " that she was allowed to leave. Miss Young's second personal appearance in the Quaker City was at the Great Northern theatre. " IMidchannel," in which Miss Young is starred, had just been screened when the actress was introduced to the audience. In the dedication of Amsterdam's Astor theatre. Miss Young met many of the most prominent film men of the East, among them Sam Grand, of the Federated Boston; Arthur White, of the Federated, New York; Harry Bernstein, of Commonwealth. New York; Walter Green, Bill Steiner, Abe Werner and Joe Brandt — all of New York. Joseph I. Schnitzer, president of the Equity Pictures Corp, was among the guests. ^£ ^ ERVICE to anyone who de^ sires Service," is the New Year slogan of Irving M. Lesser, general manager of the Western Pictures Exploitation Company. According to a recent announcement, Sol Lesser and Irving Lesser have taken up different, but closely associated fields of endeavor. Now it is Sol Lesser, the exhibitor, and Irving Lesser, the producer and distributor. The Western Pictures Exploitation project, which was formed three months ago with Irving Lesser at its head, has now more than passed the embryo stage and looks forward to a prosperous New Year. Mr. Lesser's experience in the motion picture field is one of the biggest assets of the new company. Having spent the greater part of 1919 exploiting and distributing D. W. Griffith's "Hearts of the World" throughout the West, Mr. Lesser is thoroughly acquainted with the territory his company covers. He is also interested in the AU-Star Features Distributors, Inc., the Educational Film Corporation of Southern California and the Sol Lesser Motion Picture Enterprises. Starting in 1906, Mr. Lesser has been actively' engaged in the picture business for the past fourteen years. He has held large interests in state right pictures and exchanges throughout the Western States. He also has had large theatre holdings and extensive interests in the manufacturing of pictures from time to' time. In reference to his latest project and its prospects for the New Year, Mr. Lesser makes the following announcement : " Through my long experience in the picture business, as a producer, distributor and exhibitor, I believe that I have gained a thorough knowledge of every phase of the motion picture industry, which should be considered vahiable. It is my intention to capitalize on this experience to the extent of becoming heavily interested in the manufacturing and distributing of pictures. I am in business to serve Foreign Sales Reported Alvin Wortham, foreign sales manager for Bech, Van Siclen & Co., Inc., announces the following sales : " The Ghost of Slumber Mountain," for India, Ceylon and Burmah ; " The House Divided " and "T)ollars and Destiny," for Italy; "An Adventuress" and " Trooper 44," for India, Ceylon and Burmah ; and " The Mystery of the Hope Diam'ond," for England, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, Philippines, India, Ceylon and Burmah. Active Year Planned by Irving Lesser on West Coast anyone who desires service." Since its organization the Western Pictures Exploitation Company has successfully disposed of the entire United States territory on a number of pictures. " That Something," produced by the Hermann Film Corporation with Margery Wilson and Charles Meredith in the feature roles ; " Neptune's Bride," written and directed by Captain Leslie T. Peacocke, author of " Neptune's Daughter," and featuring Pluvia, considered the world's most perfectly formed girl; " The Stranger," produced by Hugh B. Evans, Jr. ; " Sky Eye," produced by Sol Lesser; the United Film Corporation's feature, " Sins of the World," starring Loys de Kay; "Souls of Men," the G. and J. Photoplay Corporation's production, featuring Will Jelferis, Yvette Mitchell and Lucille Young; the Romayne Super Film Corporation's " The Toreador," or " Bull Fights of Spain," and Mack Sennett's ■' Yankee Doodle in Berlin," with the Sennett Bathing Girls. A very novel, historic and instructive feature, " The Missions of California," is the latest film to be secured by Mr. Lesser for world distribution. This picture, produced by the Scenic Art Productions, promises to create no little interest, due to the fact that it will be distributed at the same time the Ca-lifornia Missions Restoration Association conducts its million dollar drive for the purpose of restoring the historic Spanish missions to their former state. " The Art of Diving," a one-reel film featuring Annette Kellermann, has proven a big seller and has received unlimited praise everywhere. In this picture, the Blanchard Film Company used the cinal slow motion process camera with remarkable success. The above named pictures are being handled in various parts of the country by the following representative exchanges : Greater New York, New York State and Northern New Jersey, Empire State Film Corp., New England,Federated Film Exchange of New England, Eastern Pennsj'lvania, and Southern New Jersey, Masterpiece Film Attractions, Inc., Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, First National Exhibitors' Circuit of Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Marj-land, District of Columbia, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, Associated First National Pictures of Washington, D. C. ; Michigan and Ohio, Standard Film Service Corporation; Kentucky and Tennessee, First National Exhibitors Exchanges of Kentucky and Tennessee, Illinois and Indiana, Celebrated Players Film Corporation; Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Associated First National Pictures of Northwest ; Iowa and Nebraska, A. H. Blank Enterprises; Missouri and Southern Illinois, United Film Service; Kansas and Western Missouri, Crescent Film Exchange; Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, True Film Company; Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, De Luxe Feature Film Co. ; California, Nevada and Arizona, AllStar Features Distributors, Inc. In addition to his extensive interests in the distributing of pictures, Mr. Lesser is now actively engaged in the production field. With Jackie Coogan, the famous child actor, who played the title role in Charlie Chaphn's " The Kid," as the star, the Irving Lesser Productions is filming a series of " Peck's Bad Boy " features which promise to set a precedent among child pictures. Another branch of Mr. Lesser's extensive business is the management of star, actors and directors and the handling of plays and stories. One of his chief accounts in this department in ^^'heeler Oakman, well kno)vn leading man, who recently completed the lead in Tod Browning's " Outside the Law." Mesco Co. Busy in Missouri WHY go east or west to make motion pictures when there is so much natural beauty in Missouri and the middle western states waiting to be screened? This question confronted a group of Kansas City capitalists and business men early last summer, and since no good reason was forthcoming to vanquish the project, the Mesco Pictures Corporation of Kansas City was chartered under the laws of Missouri for the purpose of making photoplays in the Middle West. The idea was to produce only really superior pictures and the first requisite was an experienced director. The company found him in the person of Franklin B. Coates, widely known as a director, Amazon explorer, and writer of successful scenarios in the studios of both coasts. Missouri has one character whose life and adventures are stranger and more thrilling than any which might be conceived of by the lurid imagination of the average scenario "Jesse James" Feature Nearing Completion in Middle West writer. This character is, of course, Jesse James, so Director Coates went down into the James country around the little village of Kearney in the Missouri River valley, and with Jesse James Jr., only living child of the outlaw, and a number of old men and women who had known Jesse James, contributing many heretofore unrevealed facts concerning the life of the most hunted character in the history of outlawry. Mr. Coates himself wrote the scenario, "Jesse James Under the Black Flag." With infinite pains Director Coates selected the cast. Jesse James, Jr., young attorney of Kansas City, appears in role of his father with Alargaret Hungerford playing opposite Mr. James. The supporting cast numbers more than 300 persons. Skilled horsemen and horsewomen appear in many of the scenes. Indians in costume revive the old frontier atmosphere. Three reels of the eight dealing with a romantic epoch in the life of Jesse James were filmed in Santa Fe, N. !M., where the Spanish architecture of the town and the Castilian faces oi the residents subtly portrayed the period of Jesse James' Mexican exploits. Work on the interior sets is now in progress in the Rothacker studio in Chicago. Final Scenes Shoot on "The Tame Cat" Word has been received by the Arrow Film Corporation from E)ramafilms that Will Bradley, the director of " The Tame Cat," has just returned from Charleston. S. C, where he shot the final scenes on this production, which is now being cut and titled, and will be read>' for earlv release.