Exhibitors Herald (1926)

April 17, 1926 EXHIBITORS HERALD 43 Lionel Barrymore Comedy Released With the release on March 28 of “Wife Tamers,” a Pathe-Hal Roach two-reel comedy, what is called probably the greatest array of stars ever in a short feature production is provided showmen for spots in the electric lights, in the lobby, newspaper ads and billboards. Heading the talent is ponel Barrymore, a member of America’s foremost family of the stage and silent drama. The distinguished star of such stage plays as “Peter Ibbetson," “The Copperhead,” and “The Jest” dons the jester's cap and romps through this broad farce with the same artistry that has distinguished his work in more serious paths. In “Wife Tamers we have a short comedy with one of tlie country’s greatest dramatic stars and in the same cast is Clyde Cook, who has a record as a screen comedian that parallels that of Barrymore as a dramatic star, supported by such celebrities as Vivian Oakland, Gertrude Astor and James Finlayson. “In bringing to the short-comedy field box office names of this caliber, Pathe has given the industry the most revolutionary change in comedy presentation in recent years,” said Stanley B. Waite. “We are going to give them Theda Bara in a two-reel special supported by James Finlayson. And Mildred Harris, Eileen Percy, Virginia Pearson and Anders Randolf in comedies with well known Roach comedians.” Buster Brown Comedy Heads Sterns Releases “Buster’s Hunting Party,” a new Buster Brown comedy, is the feature of a strong list of two-reel comedy releases that were put out by Stern Brothers last month through Universal exchanges. This comedy recently was prereleased in New York dty, being shown in the Hippodrome as an added attraction in that Keith vaudeville house. Another high light is the inclusion of two Wanda Wiley comedies. The March comedy releases were “Flying Wheels,” a Wanda Wiley comedy, March 3 ; “Al's Troubles," an A1 Alt comedy ; “Buster’s Hunting Party,” March 17; “Yearning For Love,” another Wanda Wiley comedy, March 24. and “A Flivver Vacation,” featuring Eddie Gordon, March 31. Ed Luddy directed the Wiley comedies, Gus Meins the Buster Brown comedy, and CTiarles Lament the A1 Alt two-reelers and Noel Smith the Gordon picture. M. A, Chase Is Manager for Red Seal at Buffalo Harr>’ Bernstein, general salesmanager of Red Seal Pictures, has obtained Maurice A. Chase to manage the newest Red Seal exchange, Buffalo, N. Y. which opened A^l 1 at 257 Franklin street. Chase during the past ten years has been an imtwrtant factor in Universal Pictures' sales distribution. With this great organization he covered the entire country and was exchange and division manager, achieving a number of records in his field. For a time he was also Laemmle's special representative in Europe. His career also includes ^e general salesmanagership of Selznick Pictures for a year, and the operation of his o\vn organization. Chase Pictures Corporation, throughout the upstate New York territory. . ^hsse’s territory for Red Seal includes entire state of New York West of Poughkeepsie. Here is a closeup of the dozen dinosaur eggs said to be more than one million years old that were discovered by Roy Chapman Andrews on his third expedition into the Mongolian desert. International Newsreel, distributed by Universal, its current issue shows exclusive pictures of this expedition. All Comedy Circus at Lyceum, Leavenworth At the Lyceum theatre, Leavenworth, Kan., a three day All-Comedy Circus, the first this house ever conducted, was featured three days. The program consisted of Educaliomd Short Features exclusively, four tworeelers, including a Hamilton, Larry Semon, Bobby Vernon and Juvenile Comedy and "Felix the Cat" animated cartoon subject. A regular circus style broadside in bright colors, with heading tvorded “First Big Educational Pictures All Comedy Circus — Laugh Aivay Your Blues at the Lyceum Theatre," was distributed liberally, and the copy made the most of the fact that during this event the theatre was offering patrons “Four 5hotes for the Price of One." The throw-away also made use of a liberal number of Educational accessories, one-column star cuts and tivo-column ad cuts being displayed prominently. Palestine Pictures of Pathe Shown to Pastors Through the co-operation and endorsement of Reverend Arthur H. Armstrong, executive secretary of the Church Federation of St. Louis, a private screening of four subjects of Pathe’s “A Pilgrimage to Palestine" was held at the Third Baptist church, St. Louis, with church dignitaries in attendance. The four single-reel pictures screened were “Bethlehem," "Nazareth,” "Bethany in Judea,” and “Gethsemane." Dr. Armstrong’s endorsement along with an invitation to attend the special showing of the four pictures was sent to 400 members of the Church Federation by Branch Manager J. A. Harris of Pathe s St. Louis office. New Educational Tieup Educational, Christie and other short feature producers and distributors are receiving a fine publicity break because of the policy recently adopted by the Klein Chain Shoe Repair Shops of New York City of displaying prominently in their downtown windows pages from the current issues of the national magazine "Film Fun.” Eight Novelty Comedies Will Supplement Fox^s Schedule for 1926-27 Eighty novelty comedies will he added to Fox schedule for 1926-27, making the season's total fifty-two instead of fortyfour. The Van Bibber, Helen and Warren, O. Henry and Imperial comedies will be continued, according to George Marshall, comedy director general at the West Coast Studio. The first of next season’s 0, Henry’s will be “The Lickpenney Lovers,” with (jenc Cameron and Arthur Housman in the cast and the second will be “The Complete Life.” The first of the new Van Bibbers will be "The Swimming Instructor,” with Earle Foxe and Florence Gilbert in the leads and Frank Beal and Lyim Cowan in featured roles. "The Family Picnic” starts the 1926-7 year for “The Married Life of Helen and Warren” and it lias a cast that is unusual for quality and quantity in a two-rccicr. ICalhryn Perry and Haliam Cooley have the leads and in featured roles are Arthur Housman, Belva McKay, Grace Goodall. David Butler, Mickey McBan, Jimsy Boudwin and Pal, the dog, "Easy Payments." with Miss Perry and Cooley in the leads, will follow "The Family Picnic." “Eight Cylinder Bull’ starts the Imperial comedies on their way for 1926-7. In the cast are Jean Arthur, Harold Austin, Ralph Sipperly, Fred Walton and Scott Seaton. This picture has just been completed and “A-1 Society” is now in the making, with Barbara Luddy and Gcorgic Harris in the leads and Bardson Bard playing the heavy. “A Rare Bird” is next on the list. Kinograms Reel Tells Colonel Coolidge l/ife A special reel of about 300 feet of intimate views of Colonel John Coolidge, father of the President, was made up by Kinograms. the news reel release released by Educational, and given to the exhibitors immediately after the death of Colonel Coolidge. A second reel showed the road being cleared of snow for the President's party on the way to the homestead. The third part of the film included the funeral ceremonies.