Exhibitors Herald (Sep 1920)

50 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 11, 1920 Fox Warns "Hands Off" to Those Seeking Mix Service Star Approached by Persons Who Are Endeavoring to Induce Him to Sign — Present Contract Is In Effect Until Year, 1924 "'Hands off"' is in effect the warning issued from the New York offices of Fox Film Corporation following the reported activities of certain persons who are said to have attempted to induce Tom Mix to sign contracts calling for his appearance in motion pictures to be made by these persons or companies which they claim to represent. The Western star's present contract with Fox will not expire until 1924. Commenting on this matter, one Fox official declared : Declare Popularity Is Growing "The Fox people are not insensible to the sincere flattery made by the many attempts to get Tom Mix to appear for other concerns. They realize that this star has achieved an enormous popularity and has a following which grows week after week. They are particularly desirous, however, that all elements of the film industry understand the rigidity of the agreement existing between Tom Mix and Fox Film Corporation, and under which he is appearing as a star in Fox productions. "No exhibitor need pay the slightest attention to stories whispered in his ear that Tom Mix productions can be brought to him by any other distributing company than Fox Film Corporation. No person thinking of investing capital in the picture business will take seriously the representations of anyone that he can land Tom Mix as a star for a new concern or for any now in operation. "Fox Film Corporation has developed Tom Mix from an unknown player to a star with a national reputation and a wonderful following. This has been done by the application of those principles in the production and distribution of pictures in which this player has appeared, which have become to be known throughout the industry as Fox showmanship. "Tom Mix is, today, an easy favorite in the class of productions for which he has become specially known — productions of which the most recent Mix subject, "The Untamed," is a supreme example. The story in this picture presented Mr. Mix with wonderful oppor tunities for just that sort of acting in which he excels, and the admirers of the star assert that Mix has never been seen to such splendid advantage as in this strange story." Consolidated Plans to Theatre Hotel Building At Fort Wayne, Indiana (Special to Exhibitors Herald) FT. WAYNE, August 31.— A new motion picture and vaudeville theatre is to be erected here at a cost of $500,000. Albert F. Brentlinger, general manager of Consolidated Realty & Theatre Company, announces that construction work on the new building, which is to be a four story brick on the north side of Wayne street just east of Calhoun, will begin in September. The new theatre will have a seating capacity of 2,500. The plans call for a hotel and theatre building. The formal opening of the theatre will not be before the fall of 1921. Consolidated owns the Orpheum here and has started the erection of a new theatre at Evansville. Shirley Mason's New Fox Feature to Come Soon Shirley Mason, star of "Her Elephant Man," her first Fox picture, soon will be seen in "Merely Mary Ann," based on the big stage success of the same name by Israel Zangwill. Edward J. LeSaint directed "Merely Mary Ann" and also wrote the scenario. Miss Mason has Casson Ferguson as her leading man and others in the cast are Harry Spingler, Georgia Woodthorpe, Babe London, "Kewpie" Morgan, Jean Hersholt and Paul Weigel. II K N It Y < . SI KG EL, »wljr appointed bMHM of Selznick IMrturea. Blue Mouse, Minneapolis Theatre, Costs $250,000 The Blue Mouse, Minneapolis' Hst word in picture playhouses, was opened August 28th. with Oliver A. Rowe and William Sobleman as managing directors. The feature of the opening week is Douglas Fairbanks' latest United Artists production, "The Mollycoddle." The theatre has been under construction for more than a year and represents an expenditure of $250,000. Ship Ahoy Marshall Xeilan and Thomas H. Ince, watching the Xeilan troupe making; a scene for "Dlnty," in which Wesley Barry stars. "The Better Man" Is O'Brien's Next Film Preliminary Plans Laid for Three New Productions Selznick by Selznick Pictures Corporation has begun preliminary work on three new fall productions and launched the making of a new feature starring Eugene O'Brien. Mr. O'Brien's picture will be known as "The Better Man." For this feature John Lynch has supplied a story said to have been described by those who have read it as providing the star with the best acting opportunity of his career. Robert Ellis will direct. Harry Rapf and Director William P. S. Earle are going over the continuity of "The Road of Ambition," which will be the second National Picture Theatres production starring Conway Tearle. "The Road of Ambition" is described as one of the most talked of books of recent years. To its author, Elaine Sterne, a young woman who gave up writing during the war to devote her time to hospital work, it brought letters of commendation from the late Theodore Roosevelt and other notables. Myron Selznick's plans for Alan Crosland, who directed Olive Thomas in "The Flapper" and Elaine Hammerstein in "The Point of View," call for his launching before September first "Shadows of the Sea," a special production, the story of which has been supplied by Frank Dazey. Build New Oregon House COTTAGE GROVE, ORE.— A new theatre will be built at the corner of Eighth and Main streets, one of the most valuable lots in the city.