The Moving Picture Weekly (1920-1921)

-THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY -11 How Joe Martin Came to Charlotte, N.C. DiOTA COK\E WA.-YOVER HERE? '\»^HV It^ OOE MARTIN THE HOVlE. ACTOR VOU'LL ^imD me in This space Glaojto HEARJ JOE' As t/ie cartoonist sees the Universal monkey comedian, and beloiu the sam.e actor after he had become acclimated and ivas steadily on the job in the Charlotte papers. EXTENDING UNIVERSAL CITY ACTIVITIES at the vast studios at Universal City have increased to such an extent that it has been found necessary to enlarge what Universal officials claim to be the biggest motion picture plant in the world. While President Carl Laemmie was visiting Universal City, recently, he left word with General Manager Tarkington Baker to make room for big things in the spring, and work has already begun on a new stage that will occupy about one-third the area of stage space already covered. The new stage will measure about 400 feet by 140 and will contain a subcellar generating plant which will supply light and power for the buildings known as the main stage, the north stage, the west stage, the old and new light buildings and the new theatre building, and it will easily be the largest single electrical installation ever made in any studio. The switch boards will be forty feet long and sixteen feet high, in two tiers. The current will be supplied from the Edison Company's lines at 15,000 volts and distributed to various transfonner stations at 2200 volts. All the main feeders and branch distributing panels will be located above and below the stage and controlled from switches located at various points on the outer wall. It will be so arranged that the electricion wall be able to control anyone or all the lights from any location in the studio. This will cut out the objectional stage cable running all over the floor and is a feature originated at Universal City. The structure will be known as the new stage and Sub-Station and will be able to accommodate from sixteen to twenty-four individual sets. Its estimated cost is about $96,000. THREE NEW ALLEN WILD ANIMAL FILMS IJNIVERSAL announces that three more Major Jack Allen animal pictures will be released shortly. The first of these "The Story of the Jaguar" is on the list for March 1st. "The Story of the Wolf" will be released on April 5th while the date for "Tiger Land" is set for May 3rd. Major Allen's pictures have aroused enthusiasm wherever they w-ere shown. Thei'e have been but three released to date, namely: "Trailing the Leopard," "Bear Ti-apping," and "Lion Trapping." Major Allen, internationally known as an adventurer, naturalist and trapper, has studied wild animals for over twenty years. When he signed a contract with Universal to produce a special series of pictures it was not thought at the time that they would prove so successful as the idea was a new one and the public pulse had not been felt. The pictures proved to be so unique that they went over big. Wherever they were shown there was an actual demand for more of them. Universal started receiving letters asking for Major Allen's personal appearance at various showings. The first three pictures were produced before the Capitol Theatre had opened its doors in New York. Two of the remaining three, "The Story of the Jaguar" and "Tiger Land" have had pre-release showings at this playhouse and the third has also been booked. Universal is receiving an un~ usual number of advance reservations for dates on these pictures because of an unlooked for public interest in Major Allen's unique methods of catching wild animals without rifle or ammunition. Previous to the present series of pictures — he made several, four ot wiaich were shown at the New York Strand and one at the Rivoli. Ip his pictures he demonstrates before the camera how the fiercest jungle beasts may be captured by human methods. Outside of the educational interest to these pictures there is the everpresent feature of thrill about them as the scenes are constantly depicting ticklish moments when the wild animals are on the verge of disregarding their "director" and going on the rampage.