Motography (Jul 1918)

76 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XX, No. 2. Gail Kane to Produce for Mutual Bill Star Will Have Own Company and Start First Production at New York Within Ten Days GAIL KANE is to appear in a series of feature productions which are to be produced by her own company. This announcement is made by the star simultaneously with an announcement from James M. Sheldon, president of the Mutual Film Corporation, of a contract for the distribution of the pictures. The producing organization will be known as "Gail Kane Productions." Miss Kane's first picture will be started at New York studios within ten days. The story chosen is under the working title of "Love's Law." It is an original scenario by Joseph Franklin Poland, a picture author with a long list of important successes. "Miss Kane's pictures will constitute an important addition to the schedules of the Mutual Film Corporation," said Mr. Sheldon. "The organization of 'Gail Kane Productions' is also a significant move in the present trend in producing activity. More and more the tendency is toward individual, specialized production, rather than quantity production, by large organizations handling a large number of people. "This is of importance to the exhibitor in that the specialized one-star company can be expected to support that star to the utmost of her box office value. Productions so made can also be expected to bear more of the individuality of the star than pictures made under the usual conditions. The one-star company tends to give the star a control of the artistic aspects of the product to a degree comparable with the hold which the author or the painter has on his work. "Miss Kane's previous pictures, a considerable number of which have been dis^ tributed by Mutual, have achieved an important success for exhibitors. Among her particularly successful releases, I may mention 'Souls in Pawn,' 'The Upper Crust' and 'Whose Wife?' "It will be of interest also to scenario writers, authors and agents that there is an attractive market for vehicles specially adapted to Miss Kane's requirements." Opera Glasses Aid Pictures It has just been discovered that a motion picture seen through a pair of ordinary opera glasses takes on enough added depth to give it the third dimensional effect familiarized by the stereoscope. Therefore Air. Rothapfel, of The Rivoli and The Rialto, is urging his patrons to bring their opera glasses with them when they attend his theatres, no matter in what part of the house they expect to sit. He claims that the beauty and realism of any picture taken out of doors is particularly enhanced by the opera glass and with eyes focused on the screen the spectator gets the impression of being actually at the spot where the action is taking place. Do You? RALPH KETTERING, publicity director for Jones, Linick & Schaefer, is a champion of Chicago. The city has, he declares, turned out more motion picture producers, managers and stars than any other in the country. He is asking Do You Remember When — Louise Glaum played Naturich in "The Squawman" — in Chicago? Howard Hickman married Bessie Bawiscale — in Chicago? C. Milford Giffin was with the Dearborn Stock Company — in Chicago? Richard Stanton played in "Conscience"— in Chicago? Clara Kimball Young did "Jane Eyre" — in Chicago? Elisha H. Calvert changed his name from Billy Helm — in Chicago? Oscar Apfel played juveniles with Hunt's Stock Company— in Chicago? Thurston Hall was the matinee idol of the North Side — in Chicago? ' Herbert Brenon thought he was a better actor than director — in Chicago? Roland West had a corner on vaudeville acts for Loew — in Chicago? Adolph Zukor was in the cloak business — in Chicago? Jesse Lasky produced "girl acts" — in Chicago? William De Mille was better known than Cecil B. — in Chicago? Bryant' Washburn was a "rep" actor — in Chicago? Kathlyn Williams made "Kathlyn" famous— in Chicago? Lafayette McKee liked to act in stock — in Chicago? Aaron J. Jones first thought he was busy — in Chicago? Nathan Ascher sold gloves — in Chicago? Madge Kennedy played "Over Night" — in Chicago? Alma Rubens in the new Triangle picture, "The Painted Lily.' Taylor Holmes with Triangle Taylor Holmes, who won success on the screen in his Essanay pictures of the past year, has signed a three years' contract with Triangle. With him will go Lawrence Windom, director of the former Holmes successes. The Taylor Holmes-Triangle pictures will be made at the Western Triangle studios, just as soon as Mr. Holmes finishes his present vaudeville contract.