Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Dec 1917)

X H I B R H R D 64 Over The Top with J. B. New York, Noy. 13. One day last week the manager of a public projecting room was trying to sell some old comedies to a few South American buyers and as he ushered them into the darkened enclosure he spied Wally Van. The manager rubbed his hands in glee as he advanced to meet Wally. Taking him by the arm, the manager said: "Come in, Mr. Van, and see these comedies, and as you are my very good 'frens.' for God's sake, 1-a-ff a leetle — 1-a-ff a leetle!" * * Pierre V. R. Key is a lineal descendant of Francis Scott Key. father of the National Anthem. Francis Scott Key wrote a hard one, but a good one. Pierre V. K. wrote a motion picture, and we pass judgment up to the reviewer. Not long ago. a lawyer who was about to throw his hat into the motion picture ring, expanded his chest and said with true prize-fighter persiflage: "I'm going to revolutionize the picture industry and fight the old system." After six months in the business, and following the reviewing of his first picture, he pulled Carl Morris' old stuff, "a broken uhjer bone." 'Twas ever thus! * * Wallace Thompson is master-at-arms for the W. W. Hodginson combination and we believe he will be able to bring Kerrigan's Cuban Revolution to a successful conclusion. Hope so! Head line! Irene Hunt's mother on the coast. The "Maternal Spark" is the play she has just finished. In a projection room, not long ago. the M. P. reviewers were kept waiting for a long time by the "generalismo" of publicity and not even the customary excuse was given. Then the squad burst into song: "Hail! Hail! the gang's all here." We wondered at the time, but since reading the reviews we note that it doesn't pay to keep a battalion waiting when it is anxious to get into action. * * * Mabel Juliene Scott was at the Army and Navy Bazaar handling "Plug" and "Navy Cut" like a regular sailor. Mabel sold hundreds of dollars worth of tobacco and cigarettes for the Sun's Tobacco Fund, and incidentally made a tremendous hit with everybody. * * * Earnest Shipman says "It's a wise author that knoweth his own picture when the studio 'fixits' finish 'improving' it." * * * We hear on every side the remark, "Isn't it regrettable that Geraldine Farrar fell down so hard in 'The Woman God Forgot!'" You can't altogether throw the blame on Miss Farrar. She acted as well as she could, but was "stripped" of opportunities — and other things — and was handicapped with an uninteresting, illogical, inaccurate production. * * * "Buck Moe" (that's Jules Cowles) is creating another type of African, under the direction of Frank Crane in Goldwyn's coming presentation of "Thais." The character in the play is known as Amnairis, and in the end he is put to torture. Hope they won't go too far with his scene for several other companies are after this versatile coon creator. * * * Oh! sighed the old actor, after he had been refused a job for the fifteenth time that day, "Man was made to mourn." "Oh! royalty," says he, "was made to Knight." But, I say, "Even as the day breaks without falling, and the night falls without breaking, man was made for morning, noon and night." Off to the psycopathic ward for observation; Winsome Mary Kenned)', who played the lead in "Lucky O'Shea" at the Thirty-ninth Street theatre this season, has signed up to play the "Spirit of Water" (bottled at the spring) in Maeterlinck'? "The Blue Bird." Mary always was strong on that psychic stuff. Let a little "Sunshine" in your theatre, Just to drive the blues away. For it will make the patrons laugh. And come another day. S'Welp me Judge if yer leave me off this time, I'll cut it out. Mother's Clubs Ask Showing of "Mother" G. L. Tucker's Film A request was received this week by McClure Pictures, which company is offering to state right buyers the six-part George Loane Tucker production. "Mother," from the president of the Federated Mothers' Clubs of America, asking a showing of the picture before the members of the various branches of the organization, located in the principal cities throughout the United States. In her communication the leader of the association states that the McClure picture carries a message for every woman in the land. The McClure organization has the request under advisement and arrangements may be made, if possible, whereb\ Elizabeth Risdon, star of "Mother" will appear at the showings in New YorkCity, making a short address on the subject dealt with in the Tucker feature. INTERESTING SCENES FROM THREE MUTUAL PICTURES LEFT — A SCENE FROM 'SNAP JUDGMENT," WITH WM. RUSSELL, THE AMERICAN-MUTUAL STAR. CENTER— ANN MURDOCH \ND SUPPORT IN THE EMPIRE-MUTUAL FILM, "PLEASE HELP EMILY." RIGHT — BILLIE RHODES AND JA\ BELASCO IN A SCENE FROM THE STRAND COMEDY, "A MAID TO ORDER" (Mutual). 24