Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1920)

December 25, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 205 Talmadge Sisters Victors Hands Down In 'New York News' Popular Star Race Norma and Constance Talmadge have been selected as the most popular stars of motion pictures in a voting contest among the readers of the Daily News, which has' a wide circulation in New York City and the surrounding territory, including New Jersey, Long Inland and southern New York state. Against the field Norma finished in first place in the likings of the fans with nearly 3.000 votes more than her nearest competitor, and Constance won second place with a lead of 106 votes over the holder of the third position. In the original contest each reader was permitted to vote for six male and six female stars, and the interest that was aroused among the motion picture fans of New York is well illustrated by the protests that were received at the office that the method of voting did not conclusively show the most popular star, but rather showed the most popular six. Take Referendum Vote The newspaper immediately announced a referendum vote in which readers would be confined to but a single choice of a female and male star. Norma Talmadge jumped into the immediate lead on the first returns received in the referendum vote and at the end of the first five days of voting had nearly double the number of votes that had been received by her nearest competitor. The contest resulted in the widest interest in the productions of the stars who stood up among the leaders. As Put First Pickford Pictures on Market Aywon Gets World Rights to Fifteen Shorts Made for Biograph Nathan Hirsh, president of Aywon Film Corporation, announces he has acquired the world's rights to a series of fifteen Mary Pickford features. He has purchased for his firm the world's rights to a series of fifteen tworeelers that the famous star made for the Biograph Company. It was in this series that Miss Pickford first came into prominence through the variety of roles she assumed in them under the direction of D. W. Griffith. Hirsh already has sold the territorial rights to these pictures to such wellknown men as Bromberg of Atlanta, Hertz of Chicago and the Premier people of Charlotte. The foreign rights have been sold to Motion Picture Sales Company of London, England. Mr. Hirsh is now engaged in getting the E. K. Lincoln picture, "The Man of Csurage," ready for publication. After putting the Pickford pictures on the market, Hirsh states that he will have still another announcement to make that will be of more than ordinary interest to the state rights field and the exhibitors. Acquire Theatre Site PORTLAND, ORE.— Jensen "& Von Herberg have leased space on the ground floor of the Alisky building to be used for theatre purposes. soon as the voting closed the Daily News office was flooded with letter and telephone requests as to where productions of the winners could be seen. The result was that the News started the publication of a column each day giving the names of theatres at which productions of the winners were being shown. Chicago Paper Follows Following the success of the contest from the standpoint of a newspaper in New York the Chicago Tribune, which sponsored the start of the Daily Neics, started a similar contest. Normal Talmadge has proved as popular there as she was shown to be in the New York contest and two other Associated First National Pictures, Inc., stars — Anita Stewart and Charles Ray — were well up among the leaders, within four days after the contest was started in Chicago. "The Way Women Love" Ready for Publication Announcement is made by Arrow Film Corporation that the first Rubye De Remer picture, "The Way Women l ove," will be ready for screening soon. This is announced as a special production with a cast including Walter Miller, Edward Elkas, Rose Mintz, Henry W, Pemberton, Thomas Magrano and Harry C. Young. It is a screen version of "Behind the Green Portieres," a novel which appeared in magazine form in Detective Stories Magazine. E. P. Hermann, president of Hermann Film Corporation of Santa Monica, Cal., announces that he has obtained the rights to four of James Oliver Curwood's books which will be used as vehicles for big special features to be produced during the coming year. E. P. HERMANN President of Hermann Film Corporation of California. M A I » I , A I X E T R A VERSE AVho recently formed her own company and will produce pictures independently. Luna Chain Adds Link LOGANSPORT, IND.— J. Frank Bellinger has sold his interest in the lease of the Nelson theatre to Luna Amusement Company, an Indiana corporation, with its home office in Lafayette. About $5,000 will be expended in remodeling. Entering the motion picture field a short time ago, the Hermann company made a hit with its first production, "That Something," featuring Margery Wilson and Charles Meredith. Distributed through Irving M. Lesser, general manager of Western Pictures Exploitation Company, that feature has been booked throughout the United States. It received the endorsement of the Rotary clubs of America and was written by W. W. Woodbridge. Hermann has built an ideal studio, the only one in Santa Monica, Cal. It is situated on Wilshire boulevard, the main automobile road between Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The scenic advantages within easy reach of the studio are unexcelled in Southern California. During the coming year the Hermann studio will be available for lease by big producing companies. The company is prepared to handle the wants of producers of every type of photoplay despite the fact that the production of their own features will be carried on throughout the year. "Gasoline Alley" Will Be Picturized Russell-Greiver-Russell announces that it has completed negotiations with Bray Pictures Corporation for the animation of "Gasoline Alley," Frank King's cartoon, to which they recently purchased the screen rights. Three scenarios have been turned over to the Bray people for animation and the first "Gasoline Alley" will be ready within a few weeks for viewing by the producers, it is reported. Hermann Corp. Gets Four Curwood Books for 1921 Special Features