Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1920)

March 27, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 81 Picture Rights To Tales by Popular Novelists are Bought by American The producers of the "Flying A" specials have purchased the motion picture rights to "Their Mutual Child," by Pelham Grenville Wodehouse; "The Blue Moon," by David Anderson; "The Thirtieth Piece of Silver," by Albert Payson Terhune; "The Week End," by Cosmo Hamilton, and "Payment Guaranteed," and "The Gamesters," by Louis Zellner. Some of these novels already have been filmed and will be ready for publication following Samuel Mer win's novel, "The Honey Bee," in which Mme. Marguerita Sylva made her first appearance on the American screen under contract with the American Film Company. Terhune Film Follows The next American picture to follow "Slam-Bang Jim," which was adapted from "Snap Judgment," will be "The Thirtieth Piece of Silver," by Albert Payson Terhune. In this story Mr. Terhune reaches back into the beginning of the first century for a grisly memento of the Master's betrayal and places it in the hands of an up-to-date society man whose penchant is the collecting of rare coins. The plot is said to be very unique and will baffle the shrewdest fans who Montgomery and Rock to Star in Separate Films A. E. Smith, president of Yitagraph, announces that Earl Montgomery and Toe Rock in the future will be featured with separate companies. The two comedians signed contracts recently, and each will be provided with a complete organization with tlfe aim of supplying Yitagraph exchanges with a two-reel comedy every three weeks. The two comedians have played together in more than fifty subjects. Before entering pictures they were on the stage. Yitagraph has had the services of the two for five years. Build Hanna in Cleveland CLEVELAND, O.— The new playhouse which will be a part of the new Hanna building at East Fourteenth and Euclid avenue will be called the Hanna theatre. Takes Possession of Gem MANTENO, ILL.— Jack Guertin and Aaron Lesage have taken possession of the Gem theatre, which they purchased recently from Joseph G. McCauley. Improvements are planned. ^IIMIMIIWMIBimitMMMIMIiWIIIIIMIIWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlimininm^ I Tour Yukon Valley With Picture Show f | NOME, ALASKA.— Two Nome j I men have left for the lower Yukon | | Valley with a dog team and a mo [ I tion picture outfit. Shows will be j 1 given in towns and Indian settle | 1 ments during the half-light winter, j I Whenever the people have no j | money for admission, furs will be j | accepted. inniiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiKiininiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiii mmrawifw. " attempt to unravel it in advance of the film action. Plot Laid in Indiana "The Blue Moon," published by Bobbs Merrill Company, brings to the fore a fresh setting for a plot among the river men on the Wabash flats of Indiana. The finding of the Blue Moon, a gorgeous pearl, forms the basis of the story. The author, David Anderson, writes of adventure among the rough and dangerous pearl hunters, whose strange mode of life and weird occupation affords a unique background for a romance replete with action. "Their Mutual Child," a novel by Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, published in 1919, laughs at eugenics and pokes fun at the attempt to bring up children by rote in glass cases. The futility of modern so-called "society life" is the background of an amusing love drama. In "The House of Toys" the American will present a strong drama of love and ambition, a story written by a Pennsylvania lawyer, Henry Russell Miller. The scenario is already in the hands of George L. Cox, director. "The Week End," by Cosmo Hamilton, will be the basis for another "Flying A" special. Metro's West Coast studios at Hollywood, Cal., report that the six productions that comprise the third round of the "fewer and better" program are getting under the finish wire neck and neck. Of the six new pictures, three have been completed so far as the actual camera work is concerned, and the other three are so nearly finished that they will be in the cutting rooms for editing, titling and assembling within a week. The trio of productions that now are undergoing the process of final cutting are "Old Lady 31," starring Emma Dunn; "Shore Acres," starring Alice Lake, and "Alias Jimmy Valentine," starring Bert Lytell. Each Director Supervises Right behind these three are "The Cheater," with May Allison; "Dangerous to Men," featuring Viola Dana, and "The Hope," a Drury Lane melodrama, with an all-star cast, featuring Jack Mulhall, Ruth Stonehouse, Frank Elliott and Marguerite de la Motte. In each case the director of the production personally will supervise the cutting, titling and assembling of the respective productions. This rule was put into operation with the departure from the California studios of Maxwell Karger, Metro director general, who is to take over the company's New York studios in Sixty-first street. Repeat in Picture "Old Lady 31," starring Emma Dunn, is an adaptation by June Mathis of the successful play by Rachel Crothers, which was produced on the stage by Lee Kugel, with Miss Dunn featured in the role of Angie, which she also interprets in the screen version. Henry Har Uses Side Door Pullman JACK DEMPSEY Performing one of IiIm nuiiierotlM Nerlnl stunt* in the .sixth episode from "The Daredevil," being distributed by I'nthe. mon, who played Abe on the stage, repeats his performance for the cinema. The director was John Ince. Alice Lake's first production as a full fledged star for Metro is "Shore Acres," adapted by Arthur J. Zellner from James A. Heme's play of New England folk. Rex Ingram directed. Supporting Cast Miss Lake's promotion to stardom was announced by Richard A. Rowland. Metro president, on his recent visit to the western studios. Exhibitors' reports on "Should a Woman Tell?" in which Miss Lake was featured, were the direct cause of her further advancement, it is announced. Miss Lake is supported by Edward Connelly, Robert Walker. Marparet McWade, Franklyn Garland, Frank Brownlee, Joseph Kilgour, Nancy Caswell and Burwell Hamrick. Filming of "Alias Jimmy Valentine" was completed at 4 o'clock on a Sunday morning after Bert Lytell and his company had worked on the production all day Saturday. "Alias Jimmy Valentine." the crook drama written by the late Paul Armstrong, was completed in just eight weeks from the time production started. Finis Fox adapted the story for the screen. Elaborate Settings Built A number of elaborate settings were built at the Metro studios for this picture. Among them was the lobby mezzanine floor of a metropolitan hotel. Another was the complete interior of a modern bank. Yola Yale is Mr. Lytell's leading woman, while Eugene Paulette, Marc Robbins. Wilton Taylor, James Farley and Winter Hall have important roles. May Allison's newest Metro production, "The Cheater," an adaptation of the Henry Arthur Jones' "Judah." has been finished. Henry Otto directed this picture. Six of Metro's 'Fewer And Better' Productions are Nearing Completion