Motography (Jul-Dec 1913)

222 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. X, No. 6 Bessie Learn contributes a great big thrill to Edison's "Slander's Tongue," when she snatches a baby from in front of a train. It is one of those scenes where the spectator literally holds his breath. The clever acting of the little heroine does much to increase the intensity of the situation. Tom Mix, the all-around champion cowboy with the Selig Stock Company, stationed at Prescott, Ariz., now has under way a new western play that promises to eclipse all predecessors in the matter of sensational dare-devil feats with "critters and shootin' irons." The skilled and fearless Mix is famed for everything but sentiment. Bob Ross of the Evand Studios is now in full charge of the stages, scenic arrangements, property rooms and everything else which pertains to the making up of the scenes. It would be hard to define his position but he fills it all right. Tom Evans of "Venus" Features is taking a few days' holiday. He has been working day and night for months and is twenty-one weeks ahead on releases. Those who know Tom prognosticate that he won't be able to stay away from his beloved studio for twenty-four hours. Bessie Learn, Herbert Prior, Ben Wilson, Augustus Phillips, Charles M. Seay, C. Jay Williams and others of the Edison studio, have become speed demons during the year and now George Lessey put their noses out of joint by appearing in a brand new 1914 model. Right up on the front seat next to George sits a handsome Airdale terrier, which the director says he is training for the camera. Stanley H. Twist, director of publicity and business lieutenant of the Selig Polyscope Company, left Chicago on Saturday, August 30, for an extended trip to the Pacific Coast, where he will attend to some business matters for the Selig Company, as well as some personal matters. Mr. Twist expects to be gone three or four weeks. Fred Mace had a great send off when he went East with little Bud Duncan and Harry Edwards to join the Thanhouser forces at New Rochelle. Mace is president of the Photoplayers' Club and a fine president, too — it will be hard to fill his shoes. By the way, the Photoplayers' Club is one of the finest in the West and the membership list is assuming large proportions. Eugenie and Visky Forde of the Frontier brand called on their way to Santa Paula, where the company will be for a time. They had suppers and other events tendered them when they left New Mexico. Both of these clever ladies will join the dramatic companies, of which there will be two, as well as the comedy aggregation under G. P. Hamilton. J. Warren Kerrigan, so well known as the American Star, has arrived at the Universal and started work under Allan Dwan's direction. Mr. Dwan is happy now he has his old combination together again — Warren Kerrigan, Pauline Bush, Jessie Van Trump, George Periolat and William Worthington. Bessie Bannon, Horace G. Plimpton's secretary, is still globetrotting over on the other side. Henry Guell, who for years starred with Lily Langtry, playing opposite the Jersey Lily on her last tour of the United States, is now with the Crystal Film Company. Besides being an actor of recognized ability, Mr. Guell is extremely goodlooking. Capt. Leslie T. Peacocke of the New York scenario department of the Universal Company has invaded the realm of comic opera as a librettist and his first effort along these lines is a new vehicle for Annette Kellermann. The opera is to be called "The Mermaid," and will have early presentation on Broadway at the hands of George Lederer. George Berg, for a number of years connected with the Klein Optical Company, is now in charge of the newly created feature department of the Mutual Film Corporation. Mr. Berg's office will be in the Mailers building on Wabash avenue. ROLL OF THE STATES. ALABAMA. The Princess theater, a picture show at Birmingham, was sold by the owners, J. D. Helms, E. H. Easterling and W. F. Howell to E. H. Colley of Birmingham. The consideration is said to have been $1,500. The Elite moving picture show, situated on North Railroad avenue, Opelika, owned and operated by Hutchinson and Stallings, was destroyed by fire. CALIFORNIA. Architects John C. Austin and W. C. Pennell are preparing plans for a one-story brick store and moving picture theater building to lie erected at the intersection of Washington, Hoover and Bonnie I'rac streets. Los Angeles, for 11. L McAllister and T. M. Dobbins. It will be irregular in shape, the dimensions being 169x183x36x121 feet. Gustav Koch of Pasadena is reported to have stated he will start work at Hermosa Beach immediately on the erection of a fireproof moving picture theater on a Pier avenue corner, the building to cost $10,000 and to have foundation heavy enough to carry a three-story structure. San Pedro street, 1219 South, Los Angeles. Mrs. S. H. Van Nuys, owner. Picture theater. Construction has been begun in Hollywood upon one of the finest and most elaborate moving picture theaters yet projected in the city. The building, planned by Krempel & Erkes for H. W. Lewis, will occupy a site on the south side of Hollywood boulevard near Highland avenue. It will follow the Romanesque style of architecture. James Keene, an Eastern moving picture producer, has arrived in San Francisco from New York with plans for a new $25,000 studio which he intends to build near this city. The new company is being backed by Eastern capital in a large measure, and by some California capital. Feature films devoted to showing scenery of Northern California will be taken. There will be over one hundred actors employed the year around producing dramas pertaining to the early history of California. Several well-known stars, such as Frederick Ward, Nance O'Neil and James Neal, are already under contract to appear in the new productions. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Florida Amusement Company, owners ; I. C. Denny, architect; John H. Nolan, contractor; to build moving picture theater, 1438 Florida avenue, Washington; cost $10,000. A large moving picture theater is to be located at the corner of Ninth and E streets, Washington, which will be known as Crandall's. Owner, Harry Crandall. FLORIDA. It is stated that a lease has been perfected between the owners of the Bisbee building and the Montgomery Amusement Company at Jacksonville for the use of the store on the east side of the building for an arcade from Forsyth street through to the new motion picture theater, which is to be built for the company on the old Maloney property in the rear of the office building. IDAHO. Nampa has another moving picture theater. It is located in the Arvidson building on Twelfth avenue between Front and First streets, and opened for business September 1. Robt. Taylor and Frank Lester are the proprietors. ILLINOIS. Coroner Hoffman proposes to teach "safety first" in the public schools by means of movies. Some of the young men of Earlville have purchased a moving picture machine and will give shows here in Dewey's Hall on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday nights of every week. Henry J. Schlaacks, architect, has plans for a moving picture theater on Wilmette avenue, Evanston. A new motion picture theater is planned for Woodlawn, Chicago, at the northeast corner of Jefferson avenue and Sixtyfourth street. The property has been sold to the Loop Theater Company by Charles A. Abrams for $15,000. The Airdome theater at Wyoming conducted by Frank Warren will be rebuilt and will open about October 15. On Saturday, September 13, the Empire theater, West Madison and Union streets, Chicago, formerly operated as a burlesque theater, reopened as a motion picture house. Mutual films, booked through the Majestic branch, are being shown. Hamburger's Apollo Theater opened with Muutal films on Monday, September 8. Other theaters to begin a Mutual service the same week are the Virginia at West Madison and Halsted streets, and the Hamlin on West Madison. INDIANA. A contract has been let to Mat Hollenberger of Evansville for the construction of an addition and the remodeling of the Columbia theatorium, Columbia street and Fulton avenue, owned by Philip Skort. The theater will have a seating capacity of 600. Work has been started. Brubaker, Stern and Boyle were the architects. Fire destroyed the Why Not moving picture concern at Greenfield, causing a loss of $3,000. IOWA. Walter St. John, George Mercer and Peter Hedlund will open a new moving picture theater at Sixth and College avenue in North Des Moines on October 1. The theater will be located in the building formerly occupied by Ruth and Clark at the northeast corner of the street intersection. Promoters of the new theater arc spending about $5,000 to remodel the building for use as a moving picture playhouse. The new Gem theater on Main street, Hedrick, was opened to the public Saturday, September 6, under the management of J. H. Ward, formerly located at the Auditorium.