Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1922)

1110 EXHIBITORS TRADE REVIEW Volume 11. Number 16 Roach Adds Four Directors to Staff With Seven Years' Achievements Behind Him Comedy Producer Plans Steady Expansion of His Large Staff at Culver City As a forerunner to important announcements which will mean the introduction of several new comedy units to the Pathe releasing schedule, Hal Roach has added four of the best known comedy directors on the West Coast to his staff at Culver City. The Roach organization has been further augmented by two nationally known cartoonists, who will assist in the preparation of stories for future Roach comedies. So busy has the Roach organization been keeping pace with the demands of the American public for more and more comedy productions that there are now four companies operating on the Culver City lot, in addition to the Ruth Roland serial company producing The Timber Queen, which every one is confident will outrival any serial in which Miss Roland has starred. The new directors at the Roach plant are Bob McGowan, William Beaudine, Al Santell and Gil Pratt, all of whom have won success in the comedy field. Tom McNamara, creator of Us Boys comics, with their nationally known characters, Skinny Eaglebeak Spruder and others, has been engaged to write the stories for a new series of children and animal comedies, which Bob McGowan is directing for release on the Pathe program. C. H. "Duke" Wellington, cartoonist of Pa's Son-in-Law fame, is another important addition to the Roach staff. He will sit in on the production conferences as "gag" man. Another newcomer to the Roach studio is George E. Reehm, who brings his talent to the scenario department. Mr. Reehm has originated many comedy features which enjoy popularity; has played leads, and in addition has won a reputation as one of the most daring men before the camera. Charles Parrott continues as supervising director of all the comedy production units with the exception of the Harold Lloyd company. Fred Newmeyer, who has directed some of Lloyd's best works, continues in that capacity, while the Lloyd scenario department remains as it has been for many months. Hal Roach, Sam Taylor and Jean Havez comprise the story writing staff in the Lloyd organization. Harley Walker continues to provide all the titles for the Roach comedies which make them so distinctive and appealing. William Beaudine, who has been engaged as "Snub" Pollard's director, dates his career back to the days of the old Biograph studios with David Wark Griffith. One hundred and eighty-six pictures have been credited to Beaudine's direction. Al Santell and Gil Pratt will alternate in the direction of the "Paul" Parrott comedies, single reelers, which will be released one each week. Each of these directors is ably qualified for his new berth, having had years of experience in comedy making. Santell has been directing for seven years. Mr. Pratt, while new to the Roach plant in Culver City, is a former associate of Mr. Roach's. He first became affiliated with the producer when he was personally directing Harold Lloyd's comedies at Edendale. The demands made on the Roach plant have compelled the producer to make plans for further enlarging his facilities. New buildings seem to shoot up overnight at the Culver City studio and still the equipment appears always to be overtaxed. In the seven years during which Pathe has released all of Roach's product, pioneered by Harold Lloyd, the steadily increasing demand has doubled his comedy output. When Mr. Roach first started operations at Culver City he had only two companies working — Harold Lloyd's and the "Snub" Pollard producing unit. To-day the Roach plant, with constant expansion going on, is the most conspicuous evidence of the prosperity resulting from this association of producer and distributor. Consistency has been the keynote of the Roach activities; it is the steady flow and high type of comedy leaving his studio that has brought increasing success. The comedies featuring Pollard are placed by Pathe in nearly eight thousand theatres every week, which sets a record in the distribution of any motion picture product. Christie's Comedy "Oh Promise Me" Is Real Entertainment The Christie Film Company is releasing through Educational Exchanges Oh Promise Me, the two-reel comedy featuring the American Legion and including in its roster of players many members of one of the Los Angeles posts of that organization. Scott Sidney has ably directed the subject, the story of which was from the pen of Frank Roland Conklin. The production is one that will have great interest for former service men and their families — and the latter will be sure to be interested even if they are not entirely entertained by it. For there are two flashbacks to one of the Paris sidewalk cafes in which a charming Parisienne is the object of ardent attention upon the part of a doughboy — or rather of first one doughboy and then of another. Neal IBurns is the former service man who in a spirit of bravado informs his fellow club members he is to be married on the 12th of the following month. His friends have a hunch as to the identity of th^ girl and call her on the phone to inquire. There is an indignant denial. When Dick shows up at Betty's home he is invited to leave. As he must make good to his fellows, he recalls Babette and sends a cable dispatch. Babette starts for the U. S. A. During the Armistice parade, the day before the 12th, Betty sees Jack and changes her mind. She calls him out of ranks and asks as to the license. Jack forgets Babette and the two clinch. But Babette has not forgotten Jack. You may make your own guesses as to the denouement. Dick had several before the tangle was straightened out. We are shown the Armistice Day parade in Los Angeles — actually it may have been the turnout for Marshal Foch, but what's the difference? We see the Marshal, too, in a close-up of his carriage. There is an amusing moment when Jack, in his search for the bride who in his supposed interest has through a confusion of photographs been kidnapped instead of Babette, gets into the wrong church where a "society" negro wedding is in full blast. There's another when Babette throws her arms about the neck of Dick's father-in-law prospective with the greeting, "Oo la la Papa !" The picture contains real veteran at mosphere, but with that angle entirely aside it will rank high on its merit as a comedy. The art direction is credited toTom Brierley — and it is a credit to him, especially the treatment of the Parisian cafe setting. Josephine Hill very capably carries the role of the American bride. The picture is deserving of a wide circulation. G. B. There's Nothing Dry About Buster Reaton or About "The Boat'^ In The Boat, a First National release, played at the Rialto for the week of March 5, Buster Keaton shows us a few new ways of getting wet. He launches a homemade boat — that is, he does after he gets it out of the cellar, following the removal of many bricks, the dislodging of these , being in turn followed by the collapse of the house. But getting back to that launching thing. Buster ties the boat down to the ways. He loses an automobile overboard in the effort to tow the alleged craft into the water. Finally he gets the boat on its way or ways, standing proudly on its deck. The boat, securely fastened, slides down the ways and out of sight. Buster refusing to give up the ship until he floats free, having neglected to tie himself as he did the boat. However, what in this instance could be pulled under could be pulled over, and the craft is salvaged. Buster installs his family, the missus and two sons, and in order to hang a picture or something he drives a nail in the ship's side below the water line. The dampness comes through — quite fast — and in order to overcome the rapidly gathering moisture Buster takes a leaf out of an archaic book, one of Muldoon's, or maybe it was Barry and Fay's, of a couple of score years ago, and bores a hole in the bottom of the boat. Only instead of an axe he uses an auger, but quite as effectively. In a raging gale Buster and the family set sail in the small boat, in this case a bathtub retrieved from the collapsed house. When all seems lost Buster puts his feet down and decides the family may walk ashore. To the petulant query of the missus as to their bearings Buster's lips frame a reply. The title does not tell us what he says, but it looks very similar to the name of the craft which has just gone to Davy Jones — Damfino. Buster is always as clever as he is serious, and in The Boat he gets many laughs, especially during the scenes when the water is flooding the cabin. The dinky bathtub which he makes also serve the purpose of a dinghy is the cause of a lot of fun, too. Then there are collapsible masts and a funnel, which are all right when operated properly, but on the one occasion when Buster fails to note an approaching "low bridge" they go by the board. And Buster goes right over with them. G. B. Baby Peggy Heads Owii Company It being a well established fact that the average dog "acts" better when he is given a child companion — and Brownie in spite of his unusual accomplishments being no exception to this rule — Julius Stei-n has placed little Jackie Morgan in the position formerly occupied by Baby Peggy. Now that Peggy is at the head of her own company of grown-ups, the comedies in which Brownie stars will be supported by little Jackie Morgan. A new Century beauty will also appear in the same picture. She is Alberta Vaughn, who has appeared with success in several pictures with Harry Sweet.