The Moving Picture Weekly (1916-1917)

14 THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY ^ ^ 7 >f y m jf'i /T may surprise many readers of the Moving Picture Weekly to know what tremendous interest is taken in Universal, Bluebird, L-Ko, Century, and other American films in Japan. The establishment of a Universal branch office in Tokio viay have something to do with the tremendous amount of publicity which is to be observed in the Japanese moving picture and general magazines. The cut at the top of this page is of Gale Henry, and was taken from a Japanese magazine. The cut at the bottom is a letter received by Agnes Vernon of the Bluebird from an admirer in far-away Japan. FAR EAST ADMIRES AMERICAN PLAYERS FOR several months the Moving Picture Weekly had a Japanese correspondent. Whether the burden of supplying news to the Weekly was too great, or whether some accident has befallen him, we know not. This letter, however, is interesting enough to be published in its entirety, and will pay reading. It is addressed to the Universal Company, and contains the offer of a scenario for production. Tokyo, 5th, June, 1917. Universal Film Supply Co, Allow me to typewi-ite: Dear Sirs — I am a Japanese, and crazy about movies, especially I like very much Bluebird or Red Feather photo-play. How these pictures gave me good impression. I am now attending to a secondery school. I always looking forward to the Saturday's night when I am in the habit of going movies where they show the Bluebird or Red Feather's artistic production. The newest picture in Japan was "A Romance of Billy Goat Hill"— a Red Feather. When I got home I could not forget the picture. And I wished to wTite something, I did not know what it was. Late that night I started to write a sad village romance. It was the "Elisa's White Dove." I sent to you. Now I dare to offer my poor production. I heard the words as follows: — "American movie Co. can not make a tragedy which makes the audience weep." But it is a great mistake. I cannot understand the meaning of the heart of a man who says such things. I weped when I saw "Saving the Family Name." I cried when "A Romance of Billy Goat Hill" was showed. It is sure that the great Universal Film Company is most skillful to make tragedy in the world. Of course, it is superfluous to say, it is your will that you adapt my novel or not. If fortunately you adapt my story please let me know. The names of players who play my story, and if it is not adapted also please let me hear at earliest date. If you find any faults with, my novel, please supply them by your dramatic knowledge. I hope very much that the day will come when the story I wrote is showed as tiie Universal Photo-play. Yours very truly, YASUHARA UCHIDA, 13 Ichigaya Kawadacho, Ushigome-ku, Tokyo, Japan. UNIVERSAL Director Ruth Ann Baldwin, one of the few women picture producers, has just returned to Universal City fi-om ten days spent at the big trees near Santa Cruz. In private life. Miss Baldwin is Mrs. Leo Pierson, for she was married last fall. At that time she was busy with the production of a picture, while her husband, who is a well-known leading man of the screen, was playing the lead in "The Birth of Patriotism," a Universal snecial feature. So the honeymoon had to be postponed, but Mr. and Mrs. Pierson declare that they enjoyed it even more on that account, when it did come. Remarkable letter received by Agnes Vernon from far Japan.