The Film Daily (1919)

/ \< i. VII No. 9 ZfcBftADSTREET of FILHDOM 7 Lasky Plans Th y w Directors and Several Plays k and Stories Secured. ii >se L. Lasky announced yesterday j that Famous Players-Lasky has secured number of new directors and plays. (i ;orge Fitzmaurice, formerly with Pat* will direct Elsie Ferguson . The I firsi induction will be "The Witness ne Defense," in which Ethel Barry m"t was featured on the stage. Work will be started Jan. 27 in the east. Kcnm-th Webb, who lias been producing two-reelers for Vitagraph, will Marl work in the early future in the ting Willat, who produced "False •s'' for Thomas H. Ince, is on his ■ *3 west to start work with I.ila Lee on "Judy of Rogues Harbor." Resides "The Witness for the DeFamous Players-Lasky have just obtained picture rights to "Come Out of the Kitchen," produced on the stage by Henry Miller, with Ruth Chatterton and Bruce McRae, in which Marguerite ( i trk will he starred "Girls," by Clyde h, and E. Phillips Oppenheim's "The Malefactor." which will he used W John Barrymore. John S. Roberts ..l who recently joined Famous, will u rect Barrymore. Negotiations are under way for sevnl other important subjects for film presentation. Wolfberg Succeeds Flintom (Specal to WW'S DAILY) Kansas City—Harry Wolfberg, formerly manager of the General, has been appointed District Manager of Paramount, with headquarters here, succeedg the late D M. Flintom. Anita Stewart's Second. Louise B. Mayer announces that the st of the Lois Weber productions, maturing Anita Stewart will be "A Midnight RomEnce,' by Marion Orth, author of "Borrowed Clothes." Jack H<Mt, who supported Mary Pickford. the leading role and Juanita Hansen is in the cast. Abe Warner's Energies. Abe Warner of Warner Brothers, it ; understood, will practically devote s entire time to the sale and exploitation of "The Fi?hthg Roosevelts" Ijrst completed by McClure, to be relieved through First National. It is lunderstood that the Warners hold quite . strong interest in the production To Work at Thanhouser. Louis S. Meyer announces that the hanhouser Studio in New Rochelle "ill be used in filming the first picture the Virginia Pearson Photoplays, &RECOGH8ZED AUTHORITY Cents Move Makes Progress Desberg Reports Six ContributionsUnited With Exhibitors. Fred Desberg who is in New York "'Hi John vvemig in the .merest of o Stale Screen League regarding Sunda\ closing law reports "excellent progress" m lining up New York producers and distributors in the fight. Mr. Desberg says that nu one to whom •e has spoken has reh ,| ■ that he already has contributions from laramount. Select. Universal. Mutual, n ted and Metro. J. A. Berst of United yesterday •ssued a statement voicing approval of the exhibitors, saving in part : "I have seen with sympathetic interest the untiring efforts which Messrs. Desberg and Weinig along with many Ohio exhibitors have put forth -since last June to fight this proposed Sunday closing in Ohio, and 1 want to vo on record as urging that these men tie given unstinted assistance and unlimited support not only by exhibitort^B 'i the State of Ohio but by every pro^ lucer and every distributor who sells film m that State, and this support and issistance must he given NOW, before it is too late." Expect Big Business j States Right Dealers Optimistic Over Future. | A tone of optimism seems to prevail in the open market field. Now that the holidays are over, state righters and independents say they anticipate doing a b'g business. One large independent reports an urusual number of inquiries from all over the country as to open market offering . Conway Tearle will support Norm; Talmadge in her next production "Fl..» Flu" Notes Seattle, Wash.— A recent increase in the number of new cases and the number of deaths from influenza in Seattle caused the city health commissioner to issue a warning that drastic measures might again be resorted to. It is thought, however, that this will be unnecessary. About ten other towns of Washington have been closed again ; while 26 Oregon towns are now closed, Salem being the last to apply the ban. "U" Lands Feature Laemmle Proud Over Releasing War Relief Two Reelers. The 12 two-reel productions made by the Stage Women's War Relief for the benefit of wounded soldiers and sailors will be distributed through Universal. Five of these productions are completed and it is expected that releasing will begin almost immediately upon a schedule of one a month. Among the notables in these productions are David Belasco, Bruce McRae, Hamilton Revelle, Macklyn Arbuckle' Cyril Maude, Violet Heming, Nance O'Neill, Tyrone Power, Yvette Builbert John Drew, Otis Skinner and many others of notable importance. "Money could not purchase such productions," said Carl Laemmle of the Universal. "No producing organization in the world could afford to assemble such casts and such writers for a of photoplays so short. Only the ism of the players and author made such wonderful combinations possih'e. I am the proudest man in the country to think that the Stage Women's War Relief has turned to Universal as its distributing agent." \