Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD "The Outsider" Is Purchased by Metro For Screen Classics "The Outsider," an original play by Julie Heme, is the latest addition to Metro's list of recently acquired dramas, to be picturized by Screen Classics, Inc. Negotiations for the purchase of "The Outsider" have just been completed by Metro, and it is the company's intention to utilize the Heme play as a vehicle for an all-star production, featuring Alice Lake at the head of the cast. The story of "The Outsider" has to do with a young manicurist who, after marrying the scion of a wealthy and aristocratic middle western family, goes to her husband's home to li^e. The studied efforts of his people 1o snub her and wound her feelings, thus "keeping her in her place," as they phrase it, and the young woman's ultimate triumph over false pride "and prejudice form the basis of what is described as a dramatic composition of moving power and profound depths. Miss Julie Heme, a daughter of the late James A. Heme, whose "Shore Acres" will also be an Alice Lake picture, is an actress as well as a playwright. Her play, "The Outsider," has been presented in a number of cities throughout the country and has been warmly received. Ebony Will Produce State Rights Films "Do the Dead Talk?" Is Title Of Film to Star French Actress "Do the Dead Talk?" is the title of a new screen production presented by the Ebony Film Corporation through arrangements with the author and director of the story, Jack McCollough. The story tells of one of the most mooted questions of the day — spiritualism, and according to the management it is handled in a very interesting and entertaining manner. It is not a sex picture, nor a story with the usual love theme. The production of the picture has been under way for the last three or four months and is scheduled for a late December or early January publication. The principal roles are enacted by Willard Bert, Grant Forham, and H erminia France, a European actress of some note, who makes her first screen appearance in this production. The picture is being put out on a territorial rights basis. Novel Exploitation Idea One of the novel exploitation ideas based on the story of "The Adventures of Ruth," a forthcoming Pathe serial, is the use of a cardboard key, five inches long, bearing on the front of the announcement of the serial and on the back a blank space where the name of the theatre and the play date are to be printed. It is with thirteen mysterious keys that the heroine of "The Adventures of Ruth" is shown the way to the thirteen mysterious missions on which the story is based, thereby tying up the story directly with the exploitation idea. A LIVE WIRE RALPH T. KETTERING ONE would not think that beneath the calm exterior and easy-going methods of Ralph T. Kettering there lurked the demon of energetic labor, still a recital of his exact duties reveals him as a "hound for hard work." As general representative for Jones, Linick & Schaefer, he directs the publicity campaigns for six Chicago loop theatres, two film exchanges and a vaudeville booking office. Any one man who has been the right hand power of a human dynamo like Aaron J. Jones for a period of seven years deserves a "croix with palms." This Kettering has done most successfully. Jones, Linick & Schaefer always do things spectacularly— at least since Kettering has been with them. It was Kettering who put over the long-tobe-remembered campaigns on "The Spoilers," "The Little American," "The Drug Terror," "How Britain Prepared," "The Crisis" and "Joan the Woman." Recently he has been the fellow who spread broadcast knowledge of "Cannibals of the South Seas," "Broken Blossoms. "Male and Female," "Daddy Long Legs," "The Hoodlum," "Heart o' the Hills," "Every Woman" and all the new Chaplin pictures made by First National. Watch his campaign on Chaplin's newest, "A Day of Pleasure"! For a year he directed the Goldwyn publicity in Illinois and he has handled all First National stuff since its inception. And he writes vaudeville sketches and plays as a side line! He has written and produced upward of one hundred playlets and at this time there are on the road four companies playing his plays. His most successful full-sized plays are "Which One Shall I Marry," "A Daughter of the Sun," "Abraham Lincoln," "The Girl He Left Behind," "Killarney Rose," "The Marriage Question" and "Oh George, Be Gentle." He is thirty-five years old, married, has two sons and is a member of Medinah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Knights Temnlar, Thirty Second Degree of Scottish Rite, and is a member of Chicago Lodge No. 4, B. P. O. Elks. He is also a member of the Press Club of Chicago and the National Association of Authors and Writers. 66 Sennett Completes New Comic Feature Will Publish Production in About Two Weeks— Many Animals in Film Mack Sennett has practically completed his new multiple reel comedy production, which is said by those who have seen it run off in the projection room, to be one of the most novel feature pictures ever made. Mqre than fifty thousand feet of film were taken in making the picture, it is said, and this is being now edited down by Mr. Sennett to four reels and a prologue. Has Human Interest The picture, which is primarily a comedy of the Sennett type, is said to be different from all other laugh-making pictures, in that there is a deep human interest, as well as mirth making burlesque. It is a picture with a moral, as well as a comedy of the Sennett type. , All of the Sennett fun makers appear in the picture, and in addition Teddy, the "dog with the human brain," Pepper, the cat comedian, the Sennett cows, geese, pigs and other animals. Prepare Special Publicity The Mack Sennett publicity department is preparing special publicity for the use of exhibitors in advertising the picture, the release date and distributing details, it is expected will be announced within the next two weeks. The title has not yet been decided upon, but two or three are being considered. George West Leaves On Long Sales Trip Acting as special representative of the Cropper Distributing Corporation of Chicago, George B. West is on his way to California visiting important exchange centers on the way for the purpose of concluding negotiations for rights to the Billy West and Howell comedies. West has stops scheduled at Kansas City, Denver, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is probable that he will not reach the Coast before the first of the year. Sloman Directs Barriscale Edward Sloman, one of the best known directors in the film world, for many years director of Mary Miles Minter with the American Film Company, and director of the B. B. Hampton successes, "The Westerners," "Desert Gold," and "The Sagebrushers," has been added to the B. B. Features staff and will direct Bessie Barriscale, in the second production of her new series for Robertson-Cole, "The Luck of Geraldine Laird," from the book by Kathleen Norris. June Mathis Goes East June Mathis, head of the Screen Classics, Inc., scenario department, is on the way from California to New York on the first vacation of any consequence she has had virtually since her affiliation with Metro Pictures Corporation, which distributes all Screen Classics, Tnc, productions.