Moving Picture News (Jul-Oct 1913)

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i8 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS STUDIO GOSSIP James Keene, an Eastern moving picture producer, has arrived in San Francisco from New York with plans for a new $250,000 studio which he intends to build near this city. After looking over various sections of the state, Keene has decided that the country around San Francisco bay is better suited climatically and by reason of its wonderful scenerj' for the moving picture producing business than any other part of California. San Rafael, Alameda, Berkeley, San Leandro and San Jose, through representative business men, have offered Keene various concessions and their co-operation if he will build his plant near their town. The new company is being backed by Eastern capital in a large measure, and by some California capital. Feature tilms 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. Work on the new studio will commence about September 15th, and before the end of the year the new corporation will be well under way with its productions. The films will be handled through a moving picture exchange in New York and will be shown all over the world. * * * * Word comes from Universal City to the effect that Director Otis Turner, of the "101 Bison" brand, has taken a specially selected company to San Francisco to commence a trio of stories dealing with the picturesque life of the corsairs and buccaneers. The features will be put on with an attention to historic detail that will eclipse anything that has ever before been attempted in that line. Several ancient Spanish galleons that saw actual service in the nefarious practice of piracy, have been secured, and have been restored to their original condition for use in the pictures. * * * * They have the laugh on dignified Alec B. Francis over at Eclair. While the company was in the Adirondacks last week, Mr. Francis was playing the part of an officer in the Canadian Mounted Police, he had on a bright red coat. While crossing a field in order to reach the ne.x:t location, Mr. Francis was startled to hear a disturbing noise behind. It was a case of a quick run and a few sharp dodges and even then some of the company had to play toreador with other red coats held at different parts of the fence before Mr. Francis escaped from John Bull's brother Bill. * * * * Keep your weather eye open for those new Peerless films. Owing to copyright laws, the name Empire, under which brand these pictures were to be released, has been changed to Peerless. Kessel and Baumann, known throughout the trade and to the exhibitor as men who are always a "little ahead of the bunch" promise that these Naval and Puritan stories which will be filmed under the Peerless brand will "lead the field" in settings, photography and sensations. ^ ^ ^ ^ A new face has been noticed of late in the Crystal pictureplays, which the most sophisticated fans have been at a loss to place. Investigation discloses the fact that the newcomer is none other than Henry Guell, who for years starred with Lily Langtry, playing opposite the Jersey Lily on her last tour of the United States. Besides being an actor of recognized abilitj', Mr. Guell is e.xtremely good looking, and his advent to Crystal films will bring joy to the hearts of the matinee girls. * ♦ * • James Neal, the veteran stock actor and impresario, has joined the Universal forces as director. This announcement comes as a finale to a persistent campaign upon the part of General Manager Bernstein, of the West Coast Organization at Universal City, who offered a series of inducements that eventually persuaded him. Miss Pearl White has returned to the Crystal studio after a trip through the East, in which she played a three days' engagement at the Olympic Theatre in Leominster, Mass., and at the Wizard Theatre in South Norwalk, Conn. * * * * "The Thanhouser Twins" are back at the New Rochelle studio after a long absence. They have been with a theatrical company but have returned to appear in pictureplays. "Life's Pathway" is the first release since the twins began their return engagement. * * * * George Cooper, who will be remembered in "The Mills of the Gods," "The Drop of Blood" and some of the Lambert Chase series, produced at the Brooklyn studios, recently went to Santa ^Monica to join the Western Vitagraph Company. * * * * There will be no Reliance release on Wednesday, September 3rd, to allow for the three-reel production of "The Glow Worm" by Will Levington Comfort, released on September 6th. The release of Wednesday, August 10th, will also be omitted to allow for the two-reel subject "The Clown's Daughter," which appears on September 13th. Following this latter date the regular three weekly Reliance releases will be made as usual. * * 5fC * The first Florence Lawrence feature that has just been completed by Director Harry Salter for the Universal, is a strong love story that shows Miss Lawrence at her best. The scenario was written by Captain Leslie T. Peacocke, and is an adaptation of his powerful short story "The Victorious Surrender," which appeared last fall in "The Smart Set" Magazine. Nell Shipman is completing plans whereby she will fit a number of the leading stars of the profession with the scenarios particularly suited to their various personalities. :}c * ^ * Fred J. Balshofer, he of the dazzling diamonds and silver-headed cane, arrived from the Los Angeles studios of the New York Motion Picture Corporation on Tuesday,. August 19th. Fred, who is general manager of the coast studios, will 'look them over" in New York for a mont'n or so and attend to various business details of the company. * * * * Bessie Bannon, Horace G. Plimpton's secretary, is still globe-trotting over on the other side. Ireland appealed most strongly to her — of course she is — and she writes: "We have traveled from the extreme south of Ireland to the extreme north, over 420 miles, and I have passed through the most wonderful locations for picture purposes. Edison pictures are very popular in Ireland. That girl never could forget business. * * * Big Bill Sheerer, the "man of many faces." who does, character work for the American Eclair Company, hardly looks like a candy maker, yet he was at one time. Bill was once a regular guy at making candy. In the days of long ago Sheerer got some very valuable experience in the medicine companies that used to travel our little land.. Bill was chief comedian for one organization, and for this he received the magnificent salary of $20a month. But Bill had another income. He had the candy privilege. Every night on the big platform, Bill would place his big candy hook, and there before the vast throng he would artistically "pull the taffy." When finished it would be sent through the crowd by boys, and the receipts were no small item. But who would ever think Bill could make taffy to see him on the screen to-day as a dienified old millionaire? * * * * Two writers of reputation are responsible for releases, to be presented by the Reliance in the near future. "The Glow \N'orm" — in three parts — is from the pen of Will Levington Comfort, who has written a number of successful novels. It appeared originally as a magazine story. Another two-part drama scheduled for earlv release i; "The Stolen Woman." by Eleanor Ingram, which was published in Lippincott's Magazine and lends itself admirably to picture dramatization.