Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD Burton Holmes Series of Films , On Re-Making Europe Completed Visited Entire Battle-Line in France and Then Went Into Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, and Other Countries That future issues of the ParamountBurton Holmes Travel Pictures give everj' promise of being the most interesting and unusual short subjects ever made available to exhibitors, is the statement of the Famous Playcrs-Lasky Corporation, which recently received from Mr. Holmes a resume of the photopraphic operations of his party in Europe during the past summer and early fall. Mr. Holmes and his party, which included his business manager, Louis Francis Brown, and his chief cinematographer, Herford Tynes Cowling, left New York in June, going direct to England. The time spent there was comparatively short, their main object being to get views of Continental Europe in the remaking. Crossing to France, they proceeded at once to photograph the battle fields and ruins of the wartorn area. Visit Entire Battle Line Every point of interest in Northeastern France from the North Sea to the Southermost salient of the battle line was visited, special attention being devoted to Ypres and the Hindenburg Line as well as St. Mihiel and the Argonne where s» many thousands of American soldiers laid down their lives in the big drive which spelled Germany's doom. Belgium was then completely covered and some wonderful pictures were obtained of the ruins of the cities which were in the path of the Germans when they first swept through five years ago. Liege, where the mammoth Belgian fortifications withstood the battering of the German 42's just long enough to allow France to organize and Great Britain to get her first hundred thousand across the channel, proved most interesting, the ruined fortifications being left just as they were when the big guns ceased their hammering. Go Into Alsace-Lorraine From Belgium the party went down into Alsace-Lorraine and many pictures taken there which, when thrown on the screen, will offer ample evidence of the unbounded joy of the people in living Dnce more under the flag of France. Then they made their way into Germany, visiting all sections of the so-called Rhineland, making a comprehensive pictorial record of living conditions among the people and the more or less peaceful operations of the American and Allied armies of occupation. Mr. Holmes and Mr. Brown then returned to America to complete arrangements for the former's present season of lectures and Mr. Cowling was left to continue the photographic work. He first covered Czecho-Slovakia, including Bohemia and Moravia; then worked up through Austria and into Switzerland. He is now doing the Pyrenees Mountains in Southern France and from there he will cross the Mediterranean and travel through Algeria, Tunis and Egypt. Returning, he will visit Italy and the Dalmantian Coast, which just now occupies the center of European political interest. Obtains Something "Different" On his tour, Mr. Cowling has paid particular attention to unusual subjects and writes that he has obtained a lot of stuff that is different from anything that has yet been seen in films. The ParamountBurton Holmes Travel Pictures now current are composed for the most part of a series which he took in the Far East and the islands of the South Sea. On this trip, which was the longest purely photographic tour on record, he covered more than 200,000 miles. Marjorie Rambeau in First Capellani Film Marjorie Rambeau has begun work on her first picture for the Albert Capellani Productions, Inc., at the Solaz Studios, Fort Lee. Mr. Capellani and George Proctor finished the scenario of "The Fortune Teller," the play in which Miss Rambeau appeared so successfully on Broadway last year, at midnight Sunday night and by noon on Monday, the cast of the picture was engaged. Miss Rambeau will have the role of Renee Brenner; Frederick Burton that of Horatio Brenner; Virginia Lee that of Eleanor Leonard; Joe Burke that of James Ellis; E. L. Fernandez that of Tony and Raymond McKee that of Sergius. VERA STEDMAN New lead in Christie Comedies. Change Hyland Title The title of "Auld Lang Syne" the next Fox release for Peggy Hyland. has been changed to "Faith." J. Anthony Roach is the author and Howard M. Mitchell, the director. 55 — i — To get an idea of the size of the painting of Priscilla Dean on the north wall of the Mecca building, the home of Universal in New York City, comnare the eye with the size of the two painters. It is said to be the world's largest portrait. Campaign Books for 'The Invisible Hand" Are Placed in Mail Vitagraph's compaign and plan book for its news serial, "The Invisible Hand," in which Antonio Moreno is starred, has been placed in the mails. It is filled with exploitation matter and exhibitor aids on this latest Smith-Brady chapter play, The plan book is made up of fifty-two pages, including the covers, and measures ten by fourteen inches. The front and back covers are of unusual interest, each containing an exact four color reproduction of the two special twenty-four sheet stands provided for the serial and the entire book pictorially is a work of art. Two pages are devoted to biographies of the star and the leading members of his supporting cast including Pauline Curley, who plays opposite Mr. Moreno. Thirty pages are given to advance notices, readers and other matter that should be of great value to the exhibitor— two pages to each of the fifteen episodes. The lobby display, banner, paper, heralds, scenes and portraits are also shown together with two pages of exploitation stunts and hints to the exhibitor. Cberlin, Ohio, to Have Another New Play House OBERLIN, OHIO.— The Rex theatre, which was closed two years aeo. has been completely remodeled and will open as a motion picture house. The new management will be Hobbs & Broadwell, S. S. Hobbs is the owner of the building and Mr. Rr^ariwpil was formerly manager of the Apollo theatre.