The New York Clipper (June 1917)

June 20, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 31 TRIANGLE HELPING SENNETT GET PLAC E WITH PARAMOUNT Report Out That H. O. Davis Is Striving to Unscramble Director's Connections with Former's Company; Ince Definitely Out Without Any Unpleasantness Mack Sennett'a film artists came flock- ing into town last week, coincidental with Mr. Sennett'a negotiations to get out of Triangle and into a new connection. Mabel Normand, star of "Mickey," which originally was filmed upon 200,000 feet of otherwise perfectly good celluloid, and which now has been cut down to eighteen reels, was the latest notable to arrive. For several days it was gossiped about that the Keystone cops were on hand to atom the office of H. O. Davis, general manager of Triangle, and make him do the right thing by Mack. Inside information from the conferences of the chief characters in the Sennett- Triangle drama, a type of play with which Sennett is not familiar, reached The Clipper to the effect that Mr. Davis has been working heroically to get Sen- nett extricated from his Triangle en- tanglements. This inside rumor, from sources remote from either Sennett or Davis, but authentic just the same, testi- fies that Mr. Davis is further working to help Sennett get a job with the Para- mount. The principal difficulty is said to be tbat of unscrambling Sennett's financial affaire. It is declared that the Keystone company, hitherto directed by Sennett, owes Kessel & Bauman $500,000. Even if Davis wanted to retain the Keystone and Sennett's future producing services, lie would have to liquidate that $500,000 first. In the withdrawal of Thomas H. Ince, whose relations with Triangle were simi- lar to those of Sennett, announced last week, it was officially revealed that Mr. Davis has promulgated a definite policy against dealing in any way shape or form with a subsidiary company, hereafter. The subsidiaries are declared to have been the undoing of Triangle. Henceforth, the producing organizations will be owned, controlled and directed by Triangle, with- out any intermediary influences. It was confidently expected that before this week passed, Sennett, with the help- ing hand of Davis, will have gotten out of Triangle, and will have procured an engagement from Paramount. Mabel Normand's coming to town is said to have included the settling of a little difficulty with the Goldwyn Pic- tures Corporation. Much to the surprise of everyone outside of Miss Normand and Goldwyn, it developed last week that Goldwyn possessed BOme sort of option on her services. In some quarters it was said that the firm star, following a period of discontent over her connections with the Mabel Normand company managed by Sennett, had signed a contract with Goldwyn. Now, it is declared, she is seek- ing to abrogate this or whatever other obligation she is alleged to have with Goldwyn. It is said her future hopes lie in the direction of appearing under Sen- nett's direction, wherever he happens to be connected. PARAMOUNT ANNOUNCES PLAYS With the departure for California of Jesse L. Leaky, in charge of production of Famous Playera-Laaky pictures, an- nouncement is made this week of the photoplays in course of making or com- pleted and to be released through Para- mount during the late 'summer and early autumn months under its new "star series" selective booking plan. Thirteen of the foremost and most popular stars on the screen comprise the stellar list, namely, Madame Petrova, Marguerite Clark, Pauline Frederick, Bil- lie Burke, Julian Eltinge, Fannie Ward, Jack Pickford, Louise Huff, Vivian Mar- tin, Sessue Hayakawa, George Beban, Wal- lace Reid and Ann Pennington. These stars alone would be potent enough to make a complete ■ success of the produc- tions in which they appear, but, in its determination to do everything in its power to set an example in the procuring of better photoplays, the Famous Play- ers-Lasky Company has enlisted the serv- ices of, or obtained the rights to the writ- ings of many of the greatest authors and playwrights of the past and present. VITAGRAPH ELECTS OFFICERS Albert E. Smith was re-elected presi- dent and treasurer of the Vitagraph Com- pany of America, at a meeting held last week. Commodore J. Stuart Blackton wag re-elected vice-president and secre- tary. Former Postmaster-General Frank H. Hitchcock was elected chairman of the Board of Directors and General Coun- sel of the company. Prior to* the election of officers a meeting of stockholders was held, at which those selected as directors were Albert E. Smith, J. Stuart Black- ton, Walter W. Irwin, Clendennin J. Ryan, H. H. Vreeland and Frank H. Hitchcock. Immediately following the election Messrs. Smith and Blackton were re- elected by the unanimous vote of the board. WINS POINT IN FOX SUIT Louis T. Rogers, former contract man of the Fox Film Corporation, won a point in bis suit against, that company when, according to a decision of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court last week, he need not submit to an examination by defendant's attorneys before trial. Rogers is suing the company for $1,800 for sal- ary alleged to be due him for extra work he did as manager of the Canadian de- partment of the Fox Film Corporation. TOBIAS GETS "SUNSHINE" RIGHTS M. T. Tobias returned from Chicago this week, having completed arrangements whereby he will control the state rights sale for the United States and Canada of ten snperproductions to be made in the West by the Sunshine Film Corporation, of Chicago. These productions will be seven-reelers, in which wellknown stars "ill be featured. The first will be ready for release about September 15. HOWARD UNDERGOES OPERATION George Bronson Howard of the Fox Film Corporation was operated upon last Satur- day at his home in West Eighty-sixth street, for the removal of an abscess in the left aide. His picture "Come Through" opened Sunday night at the Broadway Theatre. TRIGGER GETS NEW THEATRE Samuel H. Trigger has obtained a long fcaae on the Park Theatre, Corona, L. I., making the fourth theatre in which he is interested. The house, which has a seat- ng capacity of 600, will open July 1 with Harold W. Rosenthal as manager. LOUIS J. ARMS JOINS GOLDWYN I Louis J. Arms has been engaged to take charge of the editorial offices of the Gold- *Jn Pictures Corporation. METRO SHIFTS ITS DIRECTORS AND STARS QUALITY STUDIO ACTIVE TRIANGLE PLAYS ANNOUNCED Dorothy Dalton and BesBie Barriscale are the stars of the Triangle plays to be released July 1. "The Flame of the Yukon" is the title of the drama in which Dorothy Dalton will make her ninth stel- lar appearance. It was written by Monte M. Katterjohn, directed by Charles Miller and photographed by Clyde De Vinna. Bessie Barriscale will be seen in a com- edy of the eternal feminine from the pen of C. Gardner Sullivan, known as "Hater of Men." Charles Miller also directed this production. ROSENGARTEN GETS FRANCHISE Leo Rosengnrten, president of the Herald Film Corporation, has secured the first States Right franchise from the Superla- tive Film Corporation. The latter organi- zation will release six pictures made by the Irving Cnmmings Pictures, Inc., and the some number produced by the Lois Mere- dith Pictures, Inc. Rosengarten has pur- chased the rights of these pictures for all of New York State and northern New Jersey. The Metro Pictures Corporation an- nounced last week a sweeping shift of its directors and players from one studio to another. Maxwell Karger has been placed in charge of the Quality studio. Dave Thompson will be his assistant. The first picture to be produced by them will be "A Sleep Memory" the famous story by K. Phillips Oppenheim, which was pictur- ized by Albert Shelby Le Vino. William H. Stevens will lie technical director. Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne will soon be shifted to the Quality studio for the making of forthcoming produc- tions. Edwin Carewe will be their di- rector. Miss Stevens, who was the first star selected for the Metro special productions, is still working in "The Slacker" which, it is reported, will soon be completed and; released. MISS DALTON AT WORK AGAIN Dorothy Dalton returned to Culver City this week, from Chicago, where she has been spending several days with her par- ents. Miss Dalton stopped in Portland, Ore., on the way back to the Culver City studios, and appeared at ttie Movie Ball of the Exhibitors League of Oregon. She also appeared before large audiences at the Liberty Theatre in Seattle and the Por- tola Theatre in San Francisco. Her next Triangle release will be "The Flame of the Yukon." THRILLING PROLOGUE OFFERED In what might be called the prologue to the latest Triangle drama, "Paws of the Bear," by J. G. Hawks, in which William Desmond is starred, a glimpse of the Bel- gian frontier is given, where the Uhlans are brought sharply into conflict with the allies. There are scenes of startling actu- ality, with the explosion of big guns and the circling of aeroplanes. And yet this is not a war story. FILM IS MURDER EVIDENCE San Francisco, June 13.—A motion pic- ture taken here last July three minutes af- ter a bomb explosion, which was respon- sible for the death of ten persons,' was of- fered ns evidence by the prosecution to- day in the trial of Mrs. Rena Mooney for murder, growing out of (he explosion. MISS STEVENS IS DE LUXE STAR Emily StevenB will be the star in "A Sleeping Memory," the first of the special productions de luxe to be released by Metro Picture* Corporation, which has been adapted for the screen by Albert Shelby Le Vino, from E. Phillips Oppen- heim's popular novel. SELZNICK JOINS ASSOCIATION Lewis J. Selznick last week became a member of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry. CLUB TO DINE ROTHAPFEL Samuel L. Rothapfel. of the Rlalto. will be the guent of honor at a dinner and en- tertainment to be given by the Screen Club June 30. CAMERAGRAPH PRESIDENT WEDS Frank R. Abrams, president and general manager of the Cameragraph Film Mfg. Co., Inc., was married last week to Ethel Levey, non-professional. Mr. and Mrs. Abrams have left for the South and will be away several weeks. NETTER OPENS NEW OFFICES Leon D. Netter, head of the Master- piece Film Attractions, announces the open- ing of his new offices at 404 Sincere Build- ing, Cleveland, O., from which he will op- erate through the Ohio territory. SUPERLATIVE GETS DAVENPORT Arthur Blumenkrohn, business manager for the Superlative Pictures Corp., was in New York last week and engaged Harry Davenport to direct Irving Cummings in his first release. WILLIAM A. BRADY, Director- General WORLD-PICTURES Present ALICE BRADY "THE DIVORCE gAmE" Directed by TRAVERS VALE. From the Famous Play, "Mile. Fifi" by Leo DHrichatein