Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr 1923-Apr 1924)

~” TORONTO, CANADA. Jack Pickford Goes Back to Broadway Announcement is that Jack Pickford will return to New York City with his bride of just about a year, Marilyn Miller, soon after he finishes his next picture at the Pickford-Fairbanks studio, Hollywood, and which he has started under the working title of “The Valley of the Wolf.” Miss Miller must be in the East sometime in September for rehearsals for the new Ziegfeld “Follies” show in which she is to have a star role. Mr. Pickford will complete his coming production, scheduled for release through Allied Producers and Disrtibutors Corporation, within the next two months, according to present plans, and will then make arrangements to return East. He plans to remain in New York City and make pictures while Miss Miller fills her engagement as the star of the new “Follies.” Actual filming of Jack Pick ford’s next picture, which is to be a‘story of the Kentucky Mountains of a decade or so back, will be under way in a few days. The idea for the picture was conceived and put on paper by Jack and his celebrated sister, Mary Pickford, with the aid of Marion Jackson, of the PickfordFairbanks Scenario staff. George Hill will direct. Vitagraph All Star Cast For “The Leavenworth Case” Whitman Bennett, who will produce six specials to be released by Vitagraph, announces an all star cast for his next picture “The Leavenworth Case” the world famous detective story by Anna Katharine Green. This mystery novel has been read by more persons than any other published work of the last half century. It is one of the most gripping mysteries ever written and one which holds suspense to the very end. Seena Owen, one of the most popular screen stars, will have the leading role of Eleanor Leavenworth and Martha Mansfield will play Mary Leavenworth. Wilfred Lytell is cast for Anderson, Bradley Barker as Raymond, Paul Doucet as Harwell, William Walcott as Leavenworth, Francis Miller Grant as Dinah and Fred Miller as ‘Thomas. In assembling such a brilliant cast for his coming production Mr. Bennett is following the Vitagraph policy inaugurated by Albert E. Smith, president, that only casts of players of established box office’ value shall be offered to the exhibitors in the twenty six specials to be released during the 1923-24 season. Bye ynGre tures Read The Digest Advertising Pages: IMPORTANT STEP FINALLY TAKEN TO SECURE FILMS FOR SCHOOL USE Montreal Sends Representative Abroad to Study Value of Motion Pictures for Instructional Purposes — Toronto Producer Has Worked Hard on School Subjects, Winning Educational Authorities’ Approval—But No Action Yet. An interesting development of the Motion Picture Industry in Montreal and the province of Quebec, advanced a considerable step towards realization during the past week, when Yves Le Rouzes, teacher at the Plateau Academy of this city, embarked for Europe from New York on the “La France.” In France, Switzerland, Belgium, and other countries of Europe, Mr. Le Rouzes will conduct a survey of the programme made in public school instruction by means of motion pictures and will submit a report to the Catholic School Commission of Montreal on his return in the Fall. This Commission has voted Mr. Le Rouzes a sum of money to cover his expenses in this connection and he is expected to be back in Montreal in September with data which will afford the Commission an opportunity to analyse the benefits of such an innovation in the local schools, and what steps would have to be taken to introduce the method of instruction by motion pictures into schools of the city, and later of the province, under the supervision of the. Commission. His Honor, Judge Lafontaine, secretary-treasurer of the commission, interviewed by the Digest, considered that such instruction, especially in the subjects of history, geography, and the sciences, particularly natural science, as well as other subjects, could be carried out with greater success with the assistance of moving pictures. Facts in these studies could be better imparted to the brain and imagination of the student by the moving picture method than by the reading of inaminate books. This is the result of the labors and enthusiasm of H. de Maublanc, who from his office in the Allbee Building, Mitchell Comes East for First National Toronto Appointment Winnipeg.—The departure of Will Mitchell, western manager for First National, Winnipeg, formerly of Calgary, to Toronto, to be assistant to the general manager for Canada, was announced this week. Mr. Mitchell leaves for the east July 31st. Montreal, has been in constant written and personal communication with. the School Commission for the past few months, but who has preferred to keep the matter a complete secret, until the actual departure for Europe of the Commission’s agent. He feels. now that the Digest is entitled to the fullest information, in view of the fact that we have not permitted any leak since the matter was first mooted in the Spring. Mr. de Maublanc states that, if the plan goes through, a large educational film library will be founded in Montreal, from which all School pictures will be sent out as required. The whole idea, while not new, is new in the respect that it has never come so near to realization in this country as now appears to be thie case. In many of the large cities of the United States, the screen is a regular part of the school curriculum, some sixty public schools in Chicago alone being equipped with up-to-date motion picture projection. It is understood that many of the officials of the boards of Education throughout Canada are most favorable towards the introduction of mo-_ tion pictures for instructional purposes. A prime mover in this connection in Ontario is Irwin Proctor, one of Canada’s pioneer producers, who has originated and supervised the making of a number of highly important educational subjects, which have been viewed and approved by Toronto educational authorities, and representative officials from important local women’s organizations. Mr. Proctor believes that the time is not far distant, when. the screen will be recognized, as an indispensable instructional medium in the schools as well as the colleges of Canada. Mr. Proctor is responsible for a number of intensely interesting screen subjects, and a group of important films dealing with agricultural and mining problems from the student’s point of view, which have been shown in the large educational centres of the United States, as well as in several Canadian Universities. Vancouver Allen Independently Owned John Schuberg, of Vancouver, spent a few days in Winnipeg recently, and stated that the Allen in Vancouver outside of some common stock held by the Allen interests and which the Famous Players may yet acquire, is under the control of himself and De Weiss. Me