The Film Daily (1922)

iTHE 7Ae BRADSTREET o/' FILMDOM U js^^recocnizei^ Authority FORMERLY 7ol. XX. No. 69 Friday, June 9, 1922 Price 5 Cents Vidor to Direct :£ngaged by Metro to Make "Peg O' My Heart" — Coast Plant is Now Busy 'le Metro offices yesterday re• d a wire from the coast confirmthe engagement of King W. Vidor iirect Laurette Taylor in "Peg O' Heart" which will be one of the pany's important releases, last advices indicate that the ;ro plant is again busj'. Viola a is working in "Page Tim •• ien" under direction of Harry Limont, Billy Dove is making ;intry Love" with Emile Chautard cting and, as noted. Sawyer and n are producing "Quincy Adams ;,., ..yer." Clarence Badger is directing that. Hunt Stromberg who is now on his way west will make the future "Bull" Montana comedies there. E. M. Saunders, general sales manager leaves for the Middle West next week to hold a series of sales confeiences with branch and district managers. These will be held in Cincinnati, Chicago and probably Cleveland. Later on W. E. Atkinson, general manager will go to the coast to look er Fall production. 50 Attend Massena Meeting (Special to THE FILM DAILY) .lassena, N. Y. — At a meeting of e Northern New York Division of the M. P. T. O. of N. Y. Inc., embracing Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, Essex. Lewis and Warren counties it was requested the board of directors sever all relations Willi the M. P. T. O. This was passed unanimously. Over 50 were present at the meeting at which V. A. Warren presided. Story Committee For the piirpose of obtaining the best available vehicles for its stars, Associated First National has appointed a committee of five to select rjiaterial. E. J. Hudson is secretary of the body which also includes J. D. Williams, Richard A. Rowland, C. L. Yearsley and Bob Dexter. Original material will not be solicited, the committee will concentrate pn published books, magazine stories and successful stage plays. Stories that are considered suitable will be mailed to producers or stars with the committee's recommendation. According to a First National statement, this does not mean that the policy of the organization will be changed. First National remaining solely a distributing organization. Through With F.P.-L. I Constance Binney in England for Ideal — First Picture "A Bill of Divorcement" Constance Binney has completed her contract with Famous Players and is now in England where she has already started work on "A Bill of Divorcement" for Ideal Films, Ltd. Reginald Warde, well-known in exporting circles here will handle the American distribution of the picture as well as a series which Ideal intends making in England with a view to tlieir ultimate disposal in this country. Dcnison Clift will direct. He also made "A Woman of No Importance" an Ideal release which Selznick will release here. Oldknow Here; Going to Europe Bill Oldknow who recently disposed CI his ijiterests in Consolidated of .Atlanta, the Universal distributors in the South is in New York preparing for an extended tour of Europe. He is sailing on the Majestic on June 17 with Mrs. Oldknow and expects to return in September. Oldknow has not made any plans for the futuie. He says he has seen enough of lilm for a time. No Settlement Yet Hayakawa — R-C Negotiations Still Pending — P. A. Powers Going to Coast Shortly (Specal to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles-^Sessue Hayakawa is back from New York where, it is understood he signed with the Shuberts to star for them in New York in the Fall. When Hayakawa was in New York, he told THE FILM DAILY that one reason for his presence there was to discuss some sort of a settlement with R-C covering the unexpired portion of his contract. It is understood that the matter was discussed there but nothing definite done about it. A local newspaper says that Hayakawa and his wife, Tsuru Aoki will probably vacation in Japan. An R-C official stated yesterday the fiayakawa matter had not been ' settled but that P. -A.. Powers, managing director of the concern would shortly leave for the coast where he would again take it up. According to a recent statement made by Hayakawa. the adjustment he hoped for would call for two more pictures. Going to Vienna To Film "Ivanhoe" — Edward Laemniie to Make It for Universal Universal will film "Ivanhoe" in Vienna and has selected Edward Laemmie to direct it. His sailing date has not been definitely fixed but in all likelihood will be in the near future. Martin Bendheim has gone ahead to arrange for studio space and other details. Several of the technical force will be taken over but the actors will be probably engaged in Vienna. Carl Laemmie is scheduled to sail for Europe on the Majestic on the 17th. One of the reasons for the journey is understood to be the supervising of this production in Vienna although the trip will essentially be in the. nature of the usual summer vacation. The original plan called for direction bv King Baggot. Stabilizer for Marine Shots Dr. Sidney D. Jacobson. a physician lias invented a platform which will remain level on the deck of a ship at sea while a camera perched upon it shoots scenes. The stabilizer which is operated on a hydrostatic principle is believed by Jacobson to be particularly suitable for securing marine scenes of all kinds. He says the platform is so operated that the effect of a moving horizon is entirely eliminated in a completed picture which iooks as if the camera were perched on solid ground instead of on a boat in motion. Reelcraft Alleged Bankrupt \ petition in involuntary bankruptcy has been filed in the Federal Court against Reelcraft Pictures Corp. with offices at 220 W. 42nd St. Judge John C. Knox has appointed Max Cedarbaum. of 233 Broadway, receiver in $2,500 bond. Liabilities are placed at $160,000 in the petition and assets at between .$50,000 and $75,000, consisting largely cf uncollected royalties. The complaining creditors are: Bud Comedies, Inc., $5,000; L. Bernstein as assignor, $400, and J. F. Rothschild, assignor, $320. trank Drucker is attorney for the petitioning creditors. Ben Levine Out Ben Levine has resigned as general sales manager of the First National Exchange of New York. No successor has been named. Secure Dorothy Gish Feature Producers Security yesterday announced acquisition of "The .Country Flapper" starring Dorothy Gish. Glenn Hunter is in the cast and Richard Jones directed. The picture was made in the East and will be released via the state right market. Lynch Sells Newspaper (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Jacksonville, Fla. — The Florida Aieiiopolis, an afternoon paper which was purchased two years ago by the S. A. Lynch P'inance Corp. has been sold to John H, Perry of New York and Richard Lloyd Jones, owner of ll-ie Tulsa Tribune. F. P. Deal for Scandinavia Emile E. Shauer has closed a deal v;ith Carl York and W. W. Le Mat for Paramount distribution in Norway, Sweden and Denmark which calls for release of 80 pictures a year. As indicated exclusively in these cohimns. Paramount exchanges will be opened in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Christiana with Ingvald C. Oes in charge. English Unit European M. P. Co. Ltd. Formed to Handle English Distribution — Smith the Head (Special to THE FILM DAILY) London — Announcement is made of tne formation of the European M. P. Co. Ltd. to handle Universal distribution in Great Britain. Offices will be opened at 167 Wardour St. with Edwin J. Smith as managing director. Associated with Smith will be E. M. Bates, former secretary of the Pilm Booking Offices Ltd. which until now have handled Universal releases here. The new unit this year will release 356 subjects including features and short reels. That Universal would maintain its own offices in England was stated in this publication last week. The London dispatch does not mention the fact that there will be eight offices. To Star Virginia Valli Universal has signed Virginia Valli to star. She will first appear as costar in some Jewel Prod, and later branch out presumably in Lhiiversal Special Attractions. ;r Myron Selznick Here Myron Selznick is in town from the coast. O'Neill a Hays Aide Joseph J. O'Neill for years a member of the New York World staff has joir.ed the Hays organization as a special assistant. He will be given a dmner by his newspaper friends at the Newspaper Club tomorrow night. Mr, Hays will talk.