Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1920)

March 20, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 47 Public Approval of Big Features Induces Hampton to Produce Them Producer Says There IsrGreat Amount of Good Material Available3for All-Star FilmsKing and Thornby Will Direct Recognizing the definite stamp of public approval that has been placed by patrons and in turn by exhibitors on big special features, the Jesse D. Hampton studios have announced the intention of making a series of special productions to be known as the Henry King Productions and the Robert Thornby Productions. These will be made in addition to the present star series of the company, which includes the H. B. Warner, Blanche Sweet and William Desmond Productions. Situation. Is Interesting In announcing this new departure for his organization, Mr. Hampton says: "The trend of the theatre-going public to special productions is particularly interesting from the producer's standpoint, as it permits the use of a type of stories and plays not always acceptable for star vehicles. "Contrary to the generally accepted theory, there is a great amount of excellent all-star special picture material available. Most of the famous writers of fiction of several decades past wrote stories that for screen purposes are ideally suited to this type of production, but which were not feasible for the star production type. All-Star Stories "The trend in current fiction seems to be along the same lines. All of the stories of the leading publications, including the Saturday Evening Post, The Bed Book, et cetera, in the very great majority, are all-star types of stories. "Another attractive angle in producing these special productions, from the producer's viewpoint, is the opportunity to utilize to the -utmost the ability of the director. In this day it is a truism to suggest the importance of the director. While the public may not know the names of very many directors, exhibitors definitely have learned that they can safely judge a picture in advance by knowing who directed." King and Thornby Direct Mr. Hampton has selected for his directors for these specials Henry King and Robert Thornby, both of whom have been responsible for many recent box office successes, Mr. King most notably with H. B. Warner pictures and Mr. Thornby with Blanche Sweet's. Both have had long careers as actors on the legitimate stage, in pictures and as directors. Director King's first special will be "Big Dick," by Frank Spearman. In this story Mr. Spearman has departed from his railway types and has written a virile heart interest story with some spectacular scenes laid in San Francisco at the time of the fire, and on sea, and back again on the desert. To Film Isham Story Director Thornby's first picture will be "Half a Chance," by Fred H. Isham. This well-known book is one of the outstanding successes of Mr. Isham's. ' All of these special productions will be from stories or plays by famous authors, including William J. Locke, Jerome K. Jerome and John Galsworthy, three of the foremost British writers; John Hastings Turner, the young English writer whose first story, "Simple Souls," brought him fame over night; Marjorie Benton Cooke, Bayard Villier and Byron Morgan. Dwight Cleveland, head of the J. D. Hampton scenario staff, has conferred in New York with Howard E. Morton, eastern representative, regarding the purchase of a number of famous plays and books which will be used for these special productions and for the Blanche Sweet-H. B. Warner-William Desmond star series features. Baptist Would Use Theatres on Sunday Shailer Mathews, dean of the divinity school of the University of Chicago, will seek to have adopted by the Northern Baptist convention a plan whereby motion picture theatres will be used in foreign districts on Sun-day mornings as schools of Americanization. Dean Mathews said that it might be impossible to convert playhouses into places of worship, but it was possible, he added, to use them on the Sabbath as community centers for spiritualization and Americanization work. HENRY KING who will direct special features to be known as Henry King productions. Organize to Lease and Operate in Two States DULUTH, MINN.— The Capitol Amusement company, articles of incorporation of which have been filed with the registrar of deeds, is to buy, lease and operate motion picture theatres in Minnesota and Wisconsin. S. J. Blackmore, E. A. Blackmore and R. N. Chafee are the incorporators. The company is capitalizing at $50,000. ROHKRT THORNBY now directing Jesse D. Hampton Specials. HiN first will be "Half a Chance." New Louise Glaum Picture Is Booked By Keith & Proctor Despite the congestion in booking and the fact that pictures already bought would have to be deferred, the United Booking Office circuit of B. F. Keith and Keith & Proctor theatres have booked J. Parker Read, Jr.'s, second Louise Glaum production, "The Lone Wolf's Daughter." The W. W. Hodkinson special opened a week's engagement at the Eighty-first Street theatre in New York on March 7. Engagements will follow at Proctor's Fifth Avenue, the Fifty-eighth Street theatre and across the entire metropolitan chain of this amusement organization. Keeney Books Feature Frank Keeney's Keeney theatre and Sydney Cohen's chain of Metropolitan houses have booked the picture for first runs in Brooklyn. Marx Nathan, the Hodkinson manager in New York, announces that he has called for more prints than were ever used before on any production distributed through his office in the New York zone. Among the important New York bookings of the past a few days in addition to those named are: The Roebling, Brooklyn; the Mardi Gras. Brooklyn; the Cleveland, Brooklyn; the Webster, New York; the Hopkinson, Brooklyn, and a number of other theatres in the metropolitan district. Policy Is Broken Frank L. Newman, the Kansas City owner of three first run theatres, has broken his policy with regard to the Newman theatre, it is reported, by presenting a melodrama at that house. First run contracts in other large cities of the country signed recently include the Midgeley American, Oakland. Cat.; the Queen, Galveston; the Mission. Amarillo; the Connellee, Eastland, Tex.; the Ruben & Finkelstein Garrick, Duluth; the Liberty. Ranger, Tex.; the Strand. Arkansas City. Kan.; the Rialto. Enid. Okla.; the Picher. Picher. Okla.