Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

44 EXHIBITORS HERALD February 7, 1925 Hidden Talents of Screen Stars to be Disclosed at Dinner A. M. P. A. Annual Affair fPill Hold Many Surprises — Glen Alvine Stages Unique Stunt to Advertise ‘‘Ten Commandments” By JOHN S. SPARGO New YORK, January 27. — In addition to telling the naked truth about the motion picture profession, the stars, the producers, the directors and the advertisers themselves, the Naked Truth dinner and dance of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers to be held in the gold room of the Hotel Astor on Saturday night, February 8, will disclose the hidden talents of some of the screen stars who will be in attendance. Bessie Love, First National star, has a splendid talent for playing the ukelele, as the members of the A. M. P. A. discovered when she was the guest of honor at a recent luncheon, and she will render a number of selections. Aileen Pringle has been hiding a very able gift for dancing and she will entertain with some terpsichorean selections. ROY BARNES is known to his * friends as a good fellow and a fine actor. Few of them were aware that he is an adept at the performance of sleight of hand tricks. He will demonstrate his accomplishments in that line. Adolphe Menjou is a skillful monologist — he was not always an actor in the “silent” drama — and has agreed to give a sample of monologues. Jacqueline Logan, having once been a “Follies” girl, can, of course, dance, and will do so. Milton Sills is a pianist of talent and will probably play the piano for guests at the dinner. He is a very modest man and needs a little more persuasion. George Hackathorne can, and does, sing when properly approached and the advertising men discovered the proper method of auoroach. Many other interesting revelations of what noted screen personalities can do will be disclosed at the Naked Truth dinner. Requests are being received for tickets from all parts of the country from persons connected with the industry. The number of tickets sold will be strictly limited to 950, of which number about 750 have already been sold. The 200 left will be sold out soon. As long as they last, they may be obtained through Charles Einfeld at First National Pictures. Mr. Einfeld gives warning that no tickets will be held out for personal friends or others until the last moment. When the 200 have been sold anyone asking for tickets will be politely — oh, very politely — invited to put in his request for seats for the Naked Truth dinner to be held in 1926. Among the picture stars who have signified their intention of attending the dinner and dance are Bessie Love, Richard Barthelmess, Dorothy Mackaill, Clara Kimball Young, Lila Lee, Adolph Menjou, T. Roy Barnes, Aileen Pringle, Lillian Rich, Neil Hamilton, Claire Adams, Richard Dix, Bebe Daniels, Milton Sills, Ben Lyon, Phyllis Haver, Doris Kenyon, Viola Dana, May Allison, Myrtle Stedman, Hobart Bosworth, Robert Edeson, Kenneth Harlan, Betty Blythe, Ann Pennington, Mary Hay, Hope Hampton, Thomas Meighan and many others. The star publicity stunt of the week was putting the eclipse to work for a picture. This was done by Glen Alvine and the eclipse worked for “The Ten Commandments.” Before the hour for the eclipse a screen had been placed on the front of the Cri terion theatre and, by arrangements with the police department, a projection machine was placed in the traffic tower in front of the house. When the sun was about three-quarters eclipsed, the scene of Moses receiving the commandments, one of the most spectacular things in the picture, was projected. For about five minutes before totality and about the same time after the projection was completely satisfactory, and was enjoyed by a crowd which blocked the entire street, having been tipped off by stories in the morning papers. Mr. Alvine says he does not expect to have another eclipse work for him on Broadway for several years, at least. * * * Lambert Hillyer tofd the members of the A. M. P. A. at their weekly luncheon at the Cafe Boulevard on Thursday, January 22, just how much he loves action in the motion pictures that he makes. They understand now why the pictures that he directs are noted for action, moving drama and thrilling events. He loves action so much, he said, that he often doubles for the actors in his casts when they are called upon to perform some daredevil feat. His talk was an interesting one and was highly appreciated by the motion picture advertisers. Fred Stanley, First National’s studio publicity director in New York, was present and was introduced as a new member of the A. M. P. A. “Bill” Yearsley told his fellow members good-bye, as he is leaving for the Pacific Coast. Victor Shapiro, on behalf of the various committees arranging for the Naked Truth dinner and dance at the Hotel Astor on Saturday night, February 7, announced that arrangements had been about completed and that nearly everybody in the profession who is anybody would be in attendance. The dinner this year, he told his fellow advertisers, will surpass previous ones in its entertainment features. A speechless speech has been evolved through the labors of the various committees, he said, and several speechless speakers will be seen if not heard. The report that all but 200 of the 950 tickets which will be sold for the dinner had already been disposed of was received with satisfaction. * * * Marcus Loew and Nick Schenck, the white-haired boys at Metro-Goldwyn, took a peep at Jackie Coogan’s newest opus, “The Rag Man,” last week and both came out of the projection room wreathed in smiles. “That’s a picture,” said Mr. Loew. “You said something,” answered Mr. Schenck. And Arthur Bernstein, general manager for Jackie, and Larry Weingarten, Hollywood’s premier milkman, dashed to the nearest Western Union office to impart the glad tidings to Jack Coogan, senior. Bernstein and Weingarten brought a print of “The Rag Man” to town last week and plan a large exploitation campaign to accompany the film in the key cities. In this film Jackie reverts to his old characterization similar to that of “The Kid.” He has discarded the royal rainment of “Long Live the King” for a battered derby, a pair of worn out trousers and an all enveloping sweater. * * * Frank G. Conklin, receiver for Preferred Pictures, left last week for Los Angeles, where he will confer with creditors of the concern and hold a general conference regarding all its interests there. * * * Luther Reed, formerly with Cosmopolitan, has taken temporary quarters at the Long Island studios of Paramount, where he is adapting John Monk Saunders’ story, “The Shock Punch,” into the next vehicle for Richard Dix. * * * Herbert Brenon, who has been recuperating from a recent illness at Atlantic City, has returned and will soon begin work on “The Little French Girl” for Famous Players. This is the picture originally intended for Betty Bronson, but which has been given to Mary Brian. Miss Bronson will be directed in her next picture by James Cruze. * * * “Manhattan Madness,” the picture generally credited with having made Douglas Fairbanks, is to be remade by Oscar Price into an elaborate production with a cast which will include a lot of well-known screen names. Work on the production will be commenced next week. * * Lee Ochs gave an “Author’s Night” party last Wednesday at the Piccadilly theatre when “The Lost Lady” was shown and Frederick Fradkin, the new orchestra conductor, was introduced to a gathering of the elite of the writing fraternity. ^ ^ “The Ten Commandments,” after a continuous run of sixty-one weeks on Broadway, the record of motion pictures the world over, will give way to another offering on the night of Saturday, Feb. 21. Official announcement to this effect was made by Famous Players last week. In spite of this long run, “The Covered Wagon,” predecessor to “The Ten Commandments” at the Criterion, still holds a record of its own. “The Covered Wagon” was sho-wn on Broadway for 59 weeks, the entire time being spent at the Criterion. “The Ten Commandments” long time was divided between two houses, the production having opened at the George M. Cohan theatre, and later moving to the Criterion. Safety Campaign Begun to Cut Down Accidents ( special to Exhibitors Herald) MILWAUKEE, WIS., Jan. 27.— To avert tragedies such as has occurred in other parts of the country recently as a result of the lax handling of films, the Milwaukee Film Board of Trade has opened a safety campaign. As one step in instructing exchange employes in methods to avoid accidents, a mass meeting is being arranged at which a representative of the Eastman Kodak Company will speak on the disposition of scrap film.