The billboard (Dec 1911)

.14 The 9111b o a r d DECEMBER 16, 1911. O/FiaN PICTURE NEWS OF THE ENGAGES MISS HOLLAND Powers Motion Picture Company Negotiates Contract with Mildred Holland to Pose Exclusively for Their Camera— Has Mad Successful Career on Legitimate Stage New York. Dee. 8 (Special to The Billboard). —Mies Mildred Holland, the wonderful emo- tional star whose feats have made her famous as the Marvelous Mildred, is the latest moving picture feature to be shanghaied from' the ranks of the legitimate constellations. It is announced by the Powers Motion Picture Co. that Miss Holland Is- now under contract to appear ex- clusively in their productions. This announcement from Mr. Powers is looked upon in film circtts as a forerunner of what be is now. planning as regular releases from his studio. ' It is a widely known fact that only on the recent completion of his new studio has ■ Mr. Powers come' into- possession of such ade- quate picture-making .facilities as he has long cherished; a desire for. Miss Holland's most famous play, "The Power Behind the Throne," in which she has been applauded in almost every city in the country and which has won for her a fortune, will be the ' first of ■ her repertoire for release This drama of Austrian- nobility embraces one of the most powerful plots ever written, giving ad- mirable play for Miss Holland's art and motion ■picture adaptation. There Is ptrhaps no more widely known star In the theatrical business today than Mildred Holland. She has toured the country for years in The Power Behind the Throne.' playing the same cities season after season successively and FIL M NO TES. Mr. Wm. Avis, who lias been conducting a motion picture show on Main street. Benwood, W: Va.. has dosed It and will open a similar house in Martins Ferry, O. Bobbie McCain, the well-known operator of the Orpheum Theatre, Alliance. O.. is confined In* the MassOlon (Ohio) State Hospital and would be 'glad to hear from any of his friends In the show business. New Bison Com- pany a Winner New York, Dec. 8 (Special to The Billboard). —The first of the new Bison Stock Company's productions has been finished and exhibited. It Is the best Bison ever produced. Bison pic- tures have for so long been merely spectacular . that the sudden interspersing of splendid dram- atic and comedy work with the typically West- ern scenery still- prevailing Is both a long-felt necessity and ait important addition. The first picture Is to be called "B Z's New Cook," and Is to be released December 12. The cast consists of several new people cor- ralled from, the Imp and the Melles companies and is both large and vivacious. The plot calls for some very vivacious action, for the comedy is of a very broad type. Sublety is likewise apparent throughout the.course of the play, so that a pleasant: mixture of the two qualities is always present. The photography and .scenic properties of the film are two notable ones. The photography Is clear and mellow, while the scenes are selected with. > care toward appropriateness and their value Incidental .to .the--.requirements of the storyi- • - . . r . ". " FORM .-OR<5A N IZATIO N. • Bridgeport. Conn./ December. 1 (Special to The; Billboard).—At . '.a ' gathering of the local . moving picture men. held- last week at ftne" Bijou - Theatre - in. Fairfield Ave- nuejvthe, Connecticut - Motional Picture Exbiblt- ora*|Association'- was. formed- .Twenty-nine pro- prietors ' signed and became members. A- A. Stevenson was chosen president and Boyd Fish- er, proprietor or rh£,,IQriole Theatre In Pem- broke-jStreet, was elected.'Ss secretary and treas- urer. An nnsnceesBfrd^^Kempt wag made- to raise the price of admfusfoii-ffrom 'five to ten centsr;J.... . - " s i v'Ttt&gpgiwjkStfte^naay-op-mlris was discussed at Je5aJr^JaMr«: committee^ c^prised of W.' P. PlrnSiSteyB%r7> •'Kinder aa.J.'W. S, Banta was apnaJMftf.toS^fer with:: tuft latrthdrlties on the matters^'On? Of .the members of the: association stateff-Hrrlg flwrnfriKitrmt fte- theatres would- be opened Sundays if It was thought possible to' do so after dne consideration. Most of the members of the association are reticent on the matter. Captain Paul Boyton. charged with violation of the Sunday law; In that he conducted amuse- ments at Steeplechase Island, Sunday, August 13.: was-adjudged "riot guilty*" in the Common Pleas Court at Bridgeport. November 23. Since this' decision was given there has been con- siderable- discussion among moving picture the- atre owners as to- the advlsibillty of making an attempt to open their places of amusement on Sunday. CHURCH TO BE MOVING PICTURE HOUSE. Chicago. See- 0 (Special to The Billboard). —-Henry Errlcson. commissioner of buildings, re- cently recomended the council committee on the buSdlng department To grant a permit to con- vert a crmrch at 1132 Milton avenue Into a nlekle' theatre Some objections were raised, as the bnfldloe don not conform entirely to the birndtng. laws. It Is thought however that this win soon be rectified and that the original plan will. be zone through.- with.' to capacity. Bo remarkable has been Miss Hol- land's triumph in this play that it has become a classic. In fact, when one hears- Miss Hoi-, land's name. The Power Behind the Throne .in- variably comes to mind. She is the only woman who ever starred in it, as she is the sole owner of the play. The Powers Co. is going to back-up, the pro- duction with a unique line of free advertising matter, which it might be well for exhibitors to apoly for at once, as this material will be distributed only on a special list of requests. PICTURES IN T HE AIR Champion Film Company Secures Privilege of Having Camera Man Accompany Aviator Robert Fowler in His Flight from Beaumont, Texas, to New Orleans New York, Dec. 8 (Special to The Billboard). —The Champion Film Company, through the en- ergetic- efforts of Mr. Dlntenfass, has obtained the exclusive privilege of sending their camera man along with Aviator Robert ; Fowler in his flight from Beaumont, Tex., to New Orleans. The photographer is to be the only passenger in the machine with Mr. Fowler and will ac- company the aviator . on the entire - Journey. Arrangements have been made for a fresh sup- ply of negative film at each stopping place so GRACE CUNARD. Miss Cunard, appearing with the Bepublic Company, was practically born on the stage, her earliest recollections are of the footlights and stage fairies. When only fifteen years of age she played leading Juvenile parts with stock companies In Cleveland, Columbus and St Louis. During the season of 1910, she starred in College Days. She made her debut into moving pictures with the Kalem Company, and from the beginning was a pronounced success. -She later was affiliated with Patbe, Edison, Lubln and the Biograph Company. Miss Cunard. In addition to being pretty and possessing a magnetic personality, is an expert rider and swimmer, and has proven herself.« valued addition to the Bepublic family of beautiful and accomplished performers. She. uluyed the heroine role in Before Yorktown, a feature 01m, which will be released December <22>anM 3*? fifeat Northern Branching Out New Tork, Dee. 8 (Special to The Billboard). —The confidence that the Great Northern Film Co., of this city, have In the near future de- velopment of the film situation thronebont the American continent. Is responsible for the large number of meritorious feature productions that this concern Is Importing from their Copen- hagen manufactory. Ingvald C. Oesy manager of the American branch, has' at present a large collection of two and three-reel subjects In bit safes awaiting exploitation In this hemisphere. The Great Northern is really the parent manu- facturer of special films, having' started the present boom In this direction by their three- reel production of Temptations of a Great City, which was handled by toe Monopol lUm on page 60.) A Perfect Syn- chronizer at Last New York Dec. 11 (Special to The Billboard). —The latest and most perfect synchronizer, the product of the Hepworth Mfg. Co of Xon- ' don, England, .was given its first demonstration to a New York theatre audience Friday. Dec- - ember 8, when F. Aslett Wray, representing the manufacturer and Inventor in tals ccuuiry, Installed the Victor Anxetopbone. together with : six of his latest reels Including the opera, Fanst. at the Manhattan Theatre. Broadway i and 81st Street. The performance of one hour I and a half was loudly applauded by the audhnre I and the perfect synchronization was recognised ! by all In attendance. In particular, William Oane. proprietor of the theatre; Hollls H. Coo- ler, general manager tot Felix Ismant N. S. i (Continued on page SO.) that a great amount of film can be utilized to the purpose of obtaining the pictures. The idea 1b novel lu the extreme 'for it It rarely the nubile Is treated to pictures taken from a machine in actual' flight and the aim will be e*ieclally exceptional because of the interest attached to this particular flight in which the well-known aviator is to participate To see what mother earth actually looks like from the birdmau's point of view Is bound to be an opportunity few people would want to num. The fact that the Champion Company or lu photographer is risking the taking of such i picture marks the progressive spirit prevailing among film manufacturers at the present time and compels us to hand It to Mark Dintenfass tor his integrity In securing the privilege and putting the stunt through. MOVING PICTURE OF BIRTHDAY PARTY Mr. Samuel 6. Hatch, traffic manager of the Illinois Central Railroad had moving pic- tures taken of the birthday party which was given In honor of his son who had reached his flfth year. It is Mr. Hatch's intention of having a moving picture taken of his son each year so that when lie grows up he will have a more permanent and accurate record than he would have with a still picture. These pictures were taken by the Industrial Moving Picture Co. of Chicago, spe- cialists and pioneers in this line of the film business. E. J. Hoffman, manager of the Princess Thea- tre, in Dallas, Tex., will open another picture house, to be knoivn as the Empress. The new bouse will be about four doors west of the l'rineiss, and will have a seating capacity of 335. Maine Pictures on Broadway New York, Dec. 11 (Special to The Bill- board).—The two-reel Maine picture showini the process of surrounding the sunken battle ship with a dike and the method of removing the water from the resulting enclosure w«> shown for the first time In public at the Herali Square Theatre, New York, where It opened et Sunday. December 10. On the following Sun day the show will open at both the West Em Theatre, New York, and the Belasco Theatre Washington, D. C. The film Is creating quite a lot of Interet since the newspaper controversy over the find ing of certain pieces of metal supposed to be part of a submarine mine which exploded and caused the destruction of the ship. The Maine film shows the pictures of all the damaged parti of the ship as well-as views of the recent find- ings. The latti r have Just been attached to the film and will be exhibited at all the houses where the firm-Is shown. ' : The film Is exceptional in that'it carries wltl it so strong an appeal to all classes of pee pie. As an -engineering -accomplishment the work done on the ship is considered the greates feat In many years, and, as will be remembered attracted -nation-wide attention. As an erecl In history j It■<• is,- of International Importance and thus will appeal to the high-brows as well as the newsboy. —---- JOSEPH HOPP RETURNS. Chicago, Dec. 11 (Special to The Billboard) —Mr. Joseph Hopp. president of the Standard Film Exchange, returned on Saturday from ■ trip through the East.. Mr. Hopp was In Ne« York for several days and whilst there at ranged with the Sales Company for the purchase of several more reels, when the .-new-manufac- turer's product is rHit, on the market . Mo«t of his time, however, was spent in Louisville, where be-is- operating,ai branch offlce wtlcb he claims Is far surpassing his most wild anti- cipations. , (..-.< • The Standard Film Exchange of which Joaepl Hopp Is president Is now offering Its patronr a variety -of twenty-eight releases a week. This fact has caused quite a little stir In UK film circles of Chicago. This merely Is another evidence of MrV Hopp's ambition' "to^represent that which Is best In the moving picture In- dustry. From the exchange standpoint wit' his present service he has reached the snnlth. Aitbongb one of the bnslest men In the bad- ness In bits we learned from him that he will keep op with the Independent output. 1" claims that bis patronage wbnlrt warrant bin offerln* a larger variety and It Is his intention to offer the extra releases as fast as they come out. The Kinemacolor Co. hare received a eablt message from Delhi. India, from their niwig and the Inventor of the process to the cu«< that everything passed off according to schedule In too ceremony of the state entry into DM". 1 ! the' most Imporant event- of the King's Yaw except the actttal Durbar .or lnrjictlorj « King George V. as Bmperor of India and now ■of-the Far East. Charles Urban, the Inventor, has been appointed royal photographer for UK Durbar and will: take every event of the monies In natural pictures. Just as be did • the Coronation last summer.