Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1920)

March 13. 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD ^^tllfliuuinuuiiM^utncirtiiiiitMiiMiiiMlitiiiiMtiiiuiiuntiuiiiuiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiMiilunfintiHctuiiiMiinrHHnnMiiiiiiiuiiLiLiiniii ! : i > 1 1 i : 1 1 ; . 1 1 : : . . . i _ ; : k . i : . ; : : i ' i l ■ i .,: i n in 1 1 1 1 1 . i . i ■. I , i n 1 1 1 . 1 L i .: ■ 1 1 , i r i ■ i .^r I NAZIMOVA-SODA WATER "TIE-UP" j Ripley, O., Exhibitor Persuades Fountain Men To Serve Nazimova Drinks and Sundaes While Showing "Eye for Eye at His Gayety Theatre ^■■niaiuiiuituniiiiinjmniiiiiHrritiuiaitititiitiiJtititiJiiiiriiJitiiiiiiiUMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii mum miiiiiiiiiiii iimiiiimiiimiimimmimii imiiimiimiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiimimmmmuil Billy V. Maddox, owner and manager of the Gayety theatre, Ripley, O., used the prohibition situation to advantage by persuading proprietors of the local soda fountains during his run of Nazimova's ''Eye for Eye" to serve Nazimova sodas, Nazimova sundaes and Nazimova hot chocolate. This stunt, combined with broadside newspaper advertising, put over this production by the Russian actress with a bang, Mr. Maddox reports. Asks for More Productions The success of "Eye for Eye" drew from Mr. Maddox an inquiry for more of the Nazimova pictures. In his letter to Metro's Cincinnati exchange he said: "Give us her new stuff and we will put it over and get the business and put Metro pictures on the map here." The home office of Metro Pictures Corporation agrees with W. W. Rowland, branch manager in Cincinnati, who wrote to Mr. Maddox: Exhibitor Must Put It Over "This is the kind of stuff that does one good to receive. In the writer's opinion there are a great many pictures that are being produced that are A No. 1 in every respect, but it is up to the exhibitor, from a publicity standpoint, to put them over, and we congratulate you upon your methods, and I am going to ask that in booking all of our features that you get your press matter as far in advance as possible and go over same carefully. No doubt you will find some suggestions there that you can adopt and others that you can improve upon." While this letter to Mr. Maddox was in transit, Mr. Rowland reported that he sold that exhibitor all of the Nazimova pictures, besides the Screen Classics, Inc., productions, "Lombardi, Ltd.," starring Bert Lytell; "Fair and Warmer," starring May Allison, and "Please Get Married," starring Viola Dana. . Bessie Love at Work On Her First Picture LOS ANGELES.— Bessie Love has started the work of filming her first independent production under her contract with the A. J. Callaghan company. The picture is being made at the Hollywood studios and is directed jointly by Joseph de Grasse and Ida May Park grace: c i \ aiid Who is .starring in a .series of two-reel comedies being produeed by the National Film Corporation for the Marion H. Kohn Productions. Issue Building Permit LOUISVILLE, KY.— Permit has been issued for the construction of the $300,000 Rialto theatre, which will seat 3,200 persons. Old World and South America Will Be Covered Thoroughly by Fox News "Kentucky Colonel** Expected to Develop Surprise at Premiere That "The Kentucky Colonel," recently completed by the National Film Corporation of America, will give eastern film buyers a genuine surprise when the first print is show-n in New York, is the prediction made by Harry M. Rubey president of the National, in a message to Joe Brandt, eastern representative. Because of the wealth of details in the original Opie Read story, the first print will be in eight reels. Whether the feature will be reduced to seven reels, as was originally intended, will be decided on later, according to Mr. Brandt. There is nothing spectacular about "The Kentucky Colonel," it is said. Although large groups of extras were used at times, no mob scenes play any great part in the story, which has an appeal that is universal. Mr. Read is almost as well known a lecturer as he is an author, especially in the Middle West, where his name is a household word in all classes of society. Kelly and McCarthy To Produce Pictures (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24.— Cameo Productions is the latest independent producing company to be formed, with Robert H. Kelly, lately associated with Colin Campbell in the production of "Corsican Brothers" and formerly production manager of the Empire All Star Corporation at Glendale, Long Island, and Henry A. McCarthy, author and scenario writer, as executive heads. Kelly will direct from McCarthy's scripts. Others interested in the com.pany are Frank C. Fanning and Robert E. Murray. In the belief that the people of this country are deeply interested in news pictures from abroad, especially since the war, William Fox. editor of Fox News, has laid plans for an extensive development of news sources in the old world and in South America. Fox News already has cameramen in all the capitals, and at many other points, but Mr. Fox announces that he is determined that his reel shall contain every interesting item of news no mat * ter where it occurs, and regardless of the expense entailed. To Carry Out Plans One of the objects of Winfield R. Sheehan, general manager of Fox Film Corporation, on his present trip to Europe is to carry out Mr. Fox's plans with regard to Fox News, it is said. Mr. Sheehan will arrange for the services of cameramen in various parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. In France he will increase the size of the staff controlled by the Paris office, and will see that Northern France, which is expected to become a mecca for tourists, is properly covered. He will do the same in Germany, and in Spain he plans to see that more news pictures come from that country than America has been receiving. Instructs Far East Men Although his present itinerary does not take him to the Far East, Mr. Sheehan, before his departure from New York, was in cable communication with representatives in China, Japan, Siberia, Korea and India, instructing them to be sure that those fields were thoroughlv drawn upon for the latest news pictures. When Mr. Fox last summer determined upon the establishment of a news reel, he was much impressed by the pos sibilities of a well conducted screen newspaper devoted to binding together in spirit all the nations, and he enunciated the principle that at all times Fox News would aim to further the cause of universal peace. President Wilson at one time congratulated Mr. Fox on his enterprise and wished him every success. Mr. Fox believes that no better service can be rendered to the cause of peace than by instructing all peoples in the ways of their neighbors, and that there is no more efficient means of doing this than by the news reel. Allen Buys Foreign Territory for "Tex" The Arrow Film Corporation reports the sale of the twelve five-reel detective features entitled "Tex, Elucidator of Mysteries," to L. H. Allen for the following foreign territories: Mexico. Cuba. Porto Rico, San Domingo, Venezuela, Central America, Panama, Canal Zone. Argentine, Uruguay. Paraguay, Chili, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Portugal. India. Burma, Ceylon, China. Japan, Straits Settlements, Dutch East Indies. Phillipine Islands, Turkey, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Syria. Film Dickens Book LOS ANGELES.— Charles Dickens' "Old Curiosity Shop" may be put on the screen this year with Bessie Love in the role of Little Nell. American Sues Fisher LOS ANGELES. — The American Film Company has brought suit against Margarita Fisher, claiming $52,000 damages for alleged breach of contract.