Film Daily (1923)

THE -aw< DAILY Sunday, July 29, 1923 I Short Subjects 1 'The Steel Trail"— Universal Pleasing to Duncan 's Following JType of production. . 15 chapter serial Univer sal's latest serial stars William Duncan who is supported by Edith Johnson and a cast that includes Ralph McCullough, Harry i Carter, Harry Woods. Mabel Randall. Cathleen Calhoun and others. Duncan is also responsible for the direction. The story, as the title indicate-, deals with the efforts of a up of ranchers to construct a railway through a Western valley. They are held up in every possible way by the president of a rival rail;oad company and his employees. The plot is not unusual, but the star is well-known and where he has a following they should he anxious to him in this. He is cast as a J -miction engineer engaged to take over and complete the building ,.if 'he railway within ? limited t'me. ; nd his efforts to do this in the face of innumerable obstacles comprise the action of the film. Edith Johnson does satisfactory vr>rk as the pretty daughter of the chief rancher. An outstanding feature of the three episodes reviewed pre the exceedingly good backgrounds. The scenic beauty of some of the shots is especially worthy of mention. Each enisode ends with a thrill, the first showing the girl going over a high ••Iff in a car and nluneing into a lake below. The second episodes shows a desoerate attempt to derail a car loaded with dynamite, which is headed for a passenger train, while the third episode shows the f-irl who is trapped in a forest fire being rescued in an aeroplane. The story and scenario are by Paul M. Brvan and George Plympton and <~-eorge Robinson i responsible for the good photography. has a hard time keeping the agent in ignorance of the fact that the place is in flames all about him, but finally gets his policy only to have it burn in his hand, while he isn't looking. / I "The Cat and the Fiddle"— Lyman H. Howe — Educational A Novel Note Type of production. . 1 reel magazine Lyntan H. Howe's latest HodgePodge reel follows closely in the footsteps of preceding numbers of the series which can always be relied upon to furnish a novel note for almost any program. The subject matter is varied, but the reel takes its main title from the first bit which shows two children reading a picturebook. As the pages are turned, the rhymes and pictures come to life in very amusing fashion. There are also <=ome very nicely tinted scenic shots which range from Hawaii's surf riders to the Bridal Veil Falls, and another cartoon number under the title of "A Dav at the Circus."1 St. Louis Notes (Special to THE FILM DAILY) St. Louis — Mrs. Wallace Reid is appearing in person at the Kings theater in conjunction with the showing of "Human Wreckage." Billy Weiss, First National salesman, has resigned. M. G. Kennedy has succeeded WTeiss: Manager Barney Rosenthal of Universal has returned from a business trip to Chicago. "Post No Bills"— Paul Parrott— Pathe One of His Best Type of production .... 1 reel comedy This is one of the best Parrott comedies seen in many a long day. The laughs are genuinely funny, the action swift moving and the fun really merry. It should prove a mirth-getter on any program. Parrott is employed as a bill-poster and sniper for a moving picture theater, and the novel methods and places he employs in sticking his ads will give new ideas to any exhibitor. Marie Mosquini is the pretty ticket seller and the little cross-eyed fellow who plays with Parrott is really funny as an excited bridegroom who has forgotten his marriage license. Leo Landau is rushing work on his $100,000 addition to the Washington on State St. He hopes to open next Fall. The Lyric will hereafter show first runs while the Avenue, under the same management, will show pictures and vaudeville. Because of his promotion to the F. B. O. Managership, Tom McKean was forced to resign as president of the M. P. Salesmen Club. Jack Underwood, Enterprise Manager was awarded a gold watch chain, the first prize for the largest volume of sales during Enterprise Week, lulv 1 to 8. Tom Leonard plans to move Progress Pictures from 3435 Olive St. to 3405 Olive St. on Aug. 1. i The Green Cat"— Snub Pollard— Pathe Average Pollard Offering Type of production. . . .2 reel comedy Snub Pollard. Marie Mosquini. Noah Young and William Gillespie, do their best to make this entertaining. Pollard has opened a brandnew roadhouse but no one patronizes him. The help wastes food, and Pollard is almost in tears. He will thoroughly succeed in makine the audience sorry for him, particularly if they arc tender-hearted. Even his brilliant idea of having a blind pig outside the door fails, because while it does bring thirsty autoists in search of a drink, it also brings prohibition officers who wreck the place in search of the hootch which turns out to be nothing but vinegar. The finish is good, showing Snub making the insurance agent sign a fire polirv while the place is burning down. He "Plus and Minus" — Hammons — Educational Moderately Pleasing Comedy Type of production. ... 1 reel comedy A soda fountain clerk who slips on banana peels and turns on the wrong faucets thereby wetting his customers and himself is the basis for much hitand-miss comedy in this Cameo comedy in which Cliff Bowes and Virginia Vance are the leading players. There is also an irate landlady whose name is not mentioned but who gets her bits over in satisfactory manner. Bowes is a border who cannot pay bis room rent. He writes a postal card to himself saying that his uncle has died and left him some money. Thereupon the landlady regrets her harshness and loans him some cash. This is a one reeler that should give moderate satisfaction. Fred Hibbard is responsible for the direction and Francis Corby for the photography. Julius Johnson Quits A. H. Blank (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Omaha — The resignation of Julius Johnson has caused a big shift in the managerial forces of the A. H. Blank theaters. Harry Watts succeeds Johnson at the Rialto, coming from the Strand; Arthur Cunningham, formerly of the Princess, Sioux City, now manages the Strand; James Martin, of the Boone, Boone succeeds Cunningham who, in turn, is replaced by M. Brown, formerly assistant manager of the Strand. Another Theater Company Formed (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Des Moines — The Iowa Theater Co., Inc., of Mason City, la., has been incorporated with a capital of $10,000. M. R. Tourneir, W. E. Willington, and A. F. and J. M. Beck are sponsoring the new project. Heads Goldwyn Chicago 'Change (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Chicago — Harry L. Hollander, who has been in charge of Goldwyn-Cosmopolitan's Omaha exchange, has been appointed head of that concern's Chicago exchange. Clayton F. Lynch assumes charge of the Omaha branch. McFarland Injured in Auto Spill (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Omaha — E. N. McFarland, branch manager for United Artists, was seriously injured in an automobile accident near Des Moines. Has Highest Amusement Tax (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — Figures made public by the Collector of Internal Revenue for this district indicate that for the first six months of 1923 the Los Angeles district furnished one-twentieth of the total theater tax paid in the United States. While theater and amusement taxes decreased $4,000,000 throughout the country during the fiscal year, the increase for the Los Angeles district for the first 6 months of the year was $241,535. Three Big Penn. Houses Close (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Philadelphia — Three of the biggest houses in the anthracite section have closed their doors for the rest of the summer, due to decreased box-office receipts. They are: the Hippodrome, Pottsville; the Family, Mahoney City and the Arcade, Shenandoah. A. H. Fischer Hurt (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Minneapolis — A. H. Fischer, Metro manager here, was hurt near Kau Claire, Wis. when his automobile turned turtle. Fischer was on his way to Chicago to attend a meeting of the executives of the mid-western boards of trade. William De Mille's Next Three (Special to THE FILM DAILY) Los Angeles — William de Mille's next three productions will be "Spring Magic," "Rita Coventry" and "Icebound." Clara Beranger will adapt the stories. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT LINES "The Searchlight Route" Between NEW YORK ALBANY TROY and VACATION LAND Full Fleet in Commission Daily Sailings as Follows: From New York City, Pier 32, N. R. (at Canal St.) 6 P. M. West 132nd St. half hour later. Troy 8 P. M. Albany 9 and 11 P. M. (All Daylight Saving Time) Passengers ticketed and baggage checked through to all points. Music Restaurant Automobiles carried at reasonable rates Hudson Navigation Company