Exhibitors Herald (1925)

October 3, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 59 Universal in Campaign for Biggest Year X^VARL LAEMMLE, president of the y_j Universal Pictures Corporation, has projected an ambitious program of short product for the coming year. Universal means to take a long lead in the 1925-1926 season. With the increasing tendency on the part of exhibitors to give more attention to their short features, and especially on the part of small town exhibitors to institute all-short programs, Laemmle has determined to build up the Universal short subject department, by increased releases and by improved pictures. This applies to all brands of Univarsal shorts; the Century Comedies, the Bluebird Comedies, the Adventure Pictures or serials, the Mustang Pictures (2 reel westerns), the Gumps Comedies, and the International Newsreel. In planning the 1925-1926 comedies, Julius and Abe Stern, the officials of the Century company, took several radical steps.. They determined to make outstanding improvements in stories, in studio facilities, in production personnel and in the quality of the players and supporting casts. . Another innovation is the distinct grouping of the season’s output in star series, the pictures made by each star, such as Wanda Wiley, Edna Marian and the others to be considered as a separate brand of pictures. The star series plan is expected to be of great advantage to exhibitors, by reason of the fact that the Century stars have individual box office values in different theatres. A third Century innovation is the acquisition of the screen rights for a novelty series of two-reel comedies. This is the Buster Brown Comedy series, being made from the celebrated newspaper cartoon comic of the noted artist, R. F. Outcault. The Century Company is making these pictures as straight comedies, not as animated cartoons. Universal's adventure pictures are tenchapter serials, and are being made this year as the result of a new policy in serial production. This policy is based on selecting stories and subject matter for serials which will admit of national tie-ups and exploitation. They are based on American history, famous books, or interesting inventions. The Universal schedule for 1925-1926 includes six Adventure Pictures, made with popular stars and directed by men of topnotch rating in the serial production field. For sales purposes, the pictures are known as The Lucky Six. In the order of their release they are “Perils of the Wild,” made with Jack Mower, Joe Bonomo and Margaret Quimby, now being released ; “Ihe Ace of Spades?” starring William Desmond, to be released October 19th ; “The Scarlet Streak,” starring Jack Daugherty, for release beginning December 21st; “The Winking Idol,” with William Desmond, for release February 22nd ; “The Radio Detective,” due for release April 28th and “Strings of Steel,” for Line 28th, 1926. In the new Gumps, Universal has an excellent comedy series for the 1925-1926 market. A series of twelve of these tworeelers is projected, to be released, one picture a month. Joe Murphy plays the leading role. Fay Tincher is seen as Min. Three stars are devoting their attention to Bluebird Comedies. They are Charles Puffy, Arthur Lake and Neely Edwards. Charles Puffy is the famous fat-man come( Continued on page 60) “Buster BROWN” Comedies CENTURY will distribute 12 “Buster Brown” comedies through Universal during the 1925-26 season. Scenes from the first of these are shown herewith. ARTHUR TRIMBLE is seen as Buster, Doreen Turner is Mary Jane, and Pete is Tige’s real name. CHARLES LAMONT, Century veteran, is directing the Buster Brown series.