Camera (April 1921-April 1922)

CAMERA! The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry' Page Nine Production Notes (Continued from Page 8) INSTALL NEW OFFICERS Following his installation tnis week with •other new officers, Arch Reeve, president of the Western Motion Picture Advertisers, has just announced committee appointments to carry on the work of the organization in 1922. Other new officers include Pete Smith, vice-president; Harry Hammond Beall, secretary; Malcolm S. Boylan, treasurer. The committees include: Publicity — Harry Hammond Beall, chairman; Garrett Graham, Mel Riddle, Arthur Wenzel. Service — William E. Keefe, Chairman; Bradley Smellen, Larry Weingarten. Membership — Pat Bowling, chairman; Dick Spier, Bogart Rogers, Harry Hammond Beall, and Malcolm S. Boylan. Speakers — Walter Anthony, chairman, Robert Deman, Ed Moriarity. Reeve also announced the appointment of Harold Hurley as assistant treasurer and Howard Strickling, assistant secretary. Garrett Graham is to be chairman at the meeting. The new officers were installed at a high jinks held at the Egan Little theater ballroom, the new officials being officially inducted into office via the shadowgraph, a new use for motion pictures. CAREWE FILMING SERIES FOR FINEMAN A further stimulus of film production in Los Angeles came this week with the announcement from B. P. Fineman that he will make twelve specials here during the coming year v/ith all star casts to be produceTT under the direction of Edwin Carewe. The first, "I Am the Law," will be completed within the next ten days with snow scenes to be made at Truckee. The interiors have been filmed at the Fine Arts studio. Fineman has formed a new producing organization in association with Bonnie Ziedman ancT Charles R. Burr to make independent features for the state right market. As a sample of the stellar casts which Fineman is to use he selected Alice Lake, Kenneth Harlan, Gaston Glass, Noah Berry, Rosemary Theby and Wallace Berry for "1 Am the Law," a story by Raymond L. Schrock, dealing with the Northwest Mounted Police. Carewe, the director, is best known for his First National successes including one Katherine MacoDnald feature, four Anita Stewarts, and Lsabel starring House Peters and Jane Novak. HOLLAND LOANED TO LASKY Cecil Holland, star of Protean Arts' dramatic novelties, has been loaned by that organization to the Lasky studio, where he is playing a part in George Melford's production, 'The Woman that Walked Alone." Immediately upon completion of his present role, Holland will again be directed by Raymond Cannon, who is preparing to produce the second picture of the new Protean Arts series, "The Mind of Man," Protean'n first offering, recently played at Grauman's Million Dollar theater. The title of the next Morante Company picture in which George Cheseboro is featured will be "Blind Circumstances," written by J. Inman-Kane and the adaptation made by Victor Gibson. Alfred Hewston, Frank Caffey, Russell Tizzard and Harry Arras will be pri^minent in the supporting cast of "Blind Circumstances" the next Milbury Morajjt* T^Stfrru JSrjfta'M George Cheseboro. SCREEN AUTHOR BECOMES PRODUCER L. V. Jefferson, screen author, recently completed "The Forest King," which he filmed in the i-edwood forests of Northern California. The picture, which is in five reels, is being released on the independent market through the Pacific Film Co., of Culver City. Recently Jefferson adapted for the screen such well-known books as "Desert of Wheat," "The Kentucky Colonel," "Down Home," "The Face of the World," and "Fifty Candles." MEXICAN PLAYER VISITS GOLDWYN Luis Ross, motion picture player of Mexico, who is now in Los Angeles making a study of American production methods, visited the Goldwyn studio recently. Mr. PEGGY BLACKWOOD Ross stated that Mexican productions are now distributed only in that country, but that in time they will also be marketed in South America. LATE PATHE RELEASES Recent Pathe releases are: "Sylvia of the Secret Service," Pathe Playlet with Irene Castle and an all-star cast, including such players as Elliott Dexter, Eric Von Stroheim, Macy Harlan, J. H. Gilmore, T. Wigney Percival, and Suzanne Willa. "The Gem of the Desert," Pathe color subject feature of Pathe Review No. 145. Latest offering of the series of "Adventures of Bill and Bob," entitled "Mysterious Tracks." "The Cave of Peril," tenth episode of the new Pathe serial, "White Eagle," starring Ruth Roland. "Pardon Me," Hal Roach comedy, featuring "Snub" Pollard. "TTie Tiger and the Donkey," animated cartoon of the series of "Aesop's Film Fables," produced by Fables Pictures, Inc. "On the Jump," re-issued one-reel comedy, starring Harold Lloyd. A California record for movie stars was made the other day when eight of Charles Ray's ]!)2M»22 productions were shown simultaneously in the theatres of Los Angeles and environs. FIRST NATIONAL NOTES The filming of "Fools First," Marshall Neilan's latest production for First National release, has just been finished at the Hollywood studios, Claire Windsor, Richard Dix and Clauae Gillingwater play the principal roles. a ill J. D. Williams, general manager of First National, before leaving Los Angeles for New York, attended a viewing of the new Neilan production. Katherine MacDonald has started production of "The Woman Conquers." No title has been selected as yet for the photoplay Miss MacDonald recently finished. Charles Ray has finished the filming of his latest photoplay, the title of which is "Alice Julius Caesar." The next Ray photoplay which comes to Los Angeles is "R. S. V. P.," a comedy of Fifth avenue and Greenwich village bohemian life, in which Charlie has the role of an impecunious artist. John M. Stahl will finish the editing of "One Clear "Call" in about ten days. The title of Buster Keaton's latest comedy is "My Wife's Relations.' ' PRIVATE VIEWINGS FOR GENERAL MANAGER During his ten-day stay in Los Angeles, J. D. Williams, general manager of Associated First National Pictures, Inc., attended private viewings of Constance Talmadge's "The Divorcee," Norma Talmadge's "The Duchess of Langeais," Katherine MacDonald's "Domestic Relations," Buster Keaton's comedy, "My Wife's Relations," John M. Stahl's "One Clear Call," Thomas H. Ince's "Skin Deep," Anita Stewart's "The Woman He Married," Charles Chaplin's "Pay Day" and several other recently completed productions. INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS NOTES Gus Schumacher, pioneer producer, now general manager of O'Connor Productions, productions, producing the new series of two-reel Billy Franey Comedies, is one of the first Slate-right producers who joined the Independent Producers Distributing Syndicate, to sell their product direct to Exchanges and eliminate the heretofore necessary evil of indirect distribution. Bill Mill Productions are also selling their product through this new medium of direct to (-xchiihge distribution. The best and biggest independent producers are endorsing and praising this new clislributing plan and are wondering why this could not have been instituted five or ten years ago, so it would have saved millions of dollars to the state-right producers and their financial backers, instead of esfabli.sning a rei)Utation for independent producers that makes the whole film business appear as a reckless risk to'conservative investors. Since, however, this new direct from producers to buyers system was organized, all apparent risk in the producing business is practically eliminated and the film business may be looked upon in the future as a legitimate industiy where there will be no more hazard than in any other line of endeavor. Mr. Lichtig of the firm of Lichtig and Rolhwell, Mr. WilTred Lucas, Mr. Jack Livingston and many other well?known film l)layers and producers are now preparing Iheii pictures lo be sold through the above organization, controlling therefore their own productions and not trusting anyone else to collect the money for them. John de Palma, brother of Ralph de Palma, automobile racer of note, has become a member of Nazimova's production forces at United Studios.