Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1920)

April 24, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD With the Procession in Los Angeles By Harry Hammond Beall iniiiinmim>iiniiiiiiiiiiimi«iiiJniiuitiuumii:iiiinui!iiHiniiimiiHijiimimHiniiiiiffiiiiiniii[U]niiiiiWk«!. Raoul Walsh, formerly with Fox, is on his way west it is announced, having signed with Mayflower for a picture in which Miriam Cooper, his wife, will appear in the lead. * * * Alexander Cuscaden, formerly Sunday editor of the Los Angeles Examiner , has become publicity director of the California thatre, succeeding Monte Rice, who has become exploitation manager for Paramount Artcraft at San Francisco. * * * James Kirkwood, formerly a director of note, will take the leading masculine role opposite Louise Glaum in her next production for J. Parker Read, Jr., at the Thomas H. Ince studios. * * * Maurice Tourneur has settled any speculation that he might remove to the East shortly by purchasing a lot this week with plans for the erection of a home to settle down in. * * * King Vieor was called in from location at Stockton. Calif., where he has been filming snow scenes for his next production, "The Jackknife Man," to witness the premiere of his first indepedent production. "The Family Honor," at the Los Angeles Kinema. * * * Irving Lesser, brother and eastern representative of Sol Lesser, arrived at the general excutive offices from New York this week for an extended conference in regard to the distribution and exploitation of the new Annette Kelferman production Sol Lesser is making, and "One Man in a Million," George Beban's latest picture, which is to be released under the Lesser standard. Benny Leonard, "world's lightweight boxing champion, says there are more reasons than one why he likes being a motion picture actor. The king-pin of the 133pound boxers, now starring in "The Evil Eye," a fifteen-episode serial, points ?ut the fact that he came west in a special car with a retinue of sixteen actors and others as an argument in favor of pictures. Billy Gibson, manager of the champion, was responsible for the securing of the special car. Henry Kolker has completed the filming of "The Heart of Twenty" at Brentwood and while supervising cutting is making preparations for the commencement of the production of "The Little Widow," an original comedy-drama with scenario by Sada Cowan and featuring Zasu Pitts. Ethel Clayton is rounding out the Paramount Artcraft picture, "All in a Night." scenarized by Edith Kennedy from Samuel Merwin's story and directed bv Paul Powell. I * * * William de Mille is waiting for the prrival of Thomas Meighan from New [\ork so that he can begin active work on rConrad in Quest of His Youth," Leonard plerrick's story, scenarioized by Olga ■Pnntzlau. Some of the preliminary scenes arc being made but the principal part of Ihe production will begin when the talented Mr. Meighan arrives to play the title role. film forces as an assistant director after attaining a captaincy in the army in France, is now a full-fledged director of comedies. He is at present wielding the megaphone in front of Dorothy Devore. He has also directed Molly Malone, Teddy Sampson, Harry Depp and Ray Gallagher in Christie-made comedies. * * * Fay Tincher, after a vacation of three months from screen work, has started work in one of Christie's special comedies entitled "Belinda's Bluff." The story is by Maie B. Havey. In the cast which is being directed by Bill Beaudine are Fay Tincher, Charlotte Merriam, Eddie Barry and Jimmie Harrison. * * * Admirers of Mack Sennett comedies will rejoice to know that Charlie Murray, Mack Sennett's favorite Celtic comedian, will remain with the Sennett organization in spite of a multitude of rumors to the contrary. * * * Ma urice Tourneur has purchased the photoplay rights to F. Hopkinson Smith's novel, "Caleb West, Master Driver," and is now selecting a cast of players to interpret the story for the screen. The scenario has been written by Jack Gilbert, who will also assist Mr. Tourneur in the direction of the production. The filming is expected to start next week. * * * Hedda Nova and Paul Hurst, her director-husband, will soon start on the first of a series of pictures to be known as the Hurst-Nova Pictures. Mile. Nova will have the stellar roles and Mr. Hurst will direct. * * * Joseph Dowling, one of the most eminent of character actors on the screen, who leaped into fame in the title role in "The Miracle Man," has been secured by Al Christie to take a prominent role in the Robertson-Cole production of "A Smart Aleck," the sto;y by Irvin Cobb that is now in production at the Christie studio in Los Angeles. * * * Eugene O'Brien, under the direction of Bob Ellis, is now in the third week of the current production to be known as "The Figurehead," which he is making under the management of Harry Rapf, general manager of the Selznick West Coast studios. The story was written by John Lynch and the scenario by Ella Stuart Carson. | * * * A special dam cons'.ructed to hold back a large quantity of water has been erected at a point near Los Angeles for the crucial scene in Wallace Reid's new Paramount Artcraft picture. "What's Your Hurry?" adapted by Byron Morgan from his own Saturday Ei-ening Post story, "The Hippopotamus Paradet" and directed by Sam Wood. * *' * Harry Carey will be host to his entire company, numbering about two score people, for a week or ten days at his ranch in the San Francisquito Canyon, Calif. A number of ranch scenes in his current production, "Crossed Claims," will be filmed there and the star has invited his players and his technical staff to be his guests while on location at the Carey ranch. * * * John C. Brownell. chief of Universal's scenario staff in the east, who has spent the last six weeks at Universal City reorganizing the department, has returned to New York. Upon his departure Lucien Hubbard will assume charge as scenario editor at the "Big U" studios. * * * Hoot Gibson is now at work on an action western at Universal Citv entitled Allen Watt, who joined the Ch nstie The interior of the Majestic theatre, just completed at Benicia, Cal., at a building cost of $75,000. The theatre, which seats 550. is managed by W. B. Crooks.