Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

1912 • M ot i 0 n P ictur c N e w s glllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIilllllllllllllllllllllllNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIW I Hollywood Production Survey Completed I ^llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllMinilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll»^ tures will shortly be made; and from all well known names in the Columbia "Perfect production angles they seem to rank right up Thirty" schedule are: Johnny Walker, with the best programs. In addition, to these, Shirley Mason, Ralph Graves, Helene Chadseveral specials of extended run calibre will wick, George Fawcett, Ann Pennington, be produced. Stanley Forrest, William V. Mong, Eugenie Hoffman knows his market with the best Gilbert, of them; he is another producer who has George B. Seitz will direct "The Blood had not only plenty of experience in that Ship". Ralph Ince, Walter Long and Frank field but also in direct contact and import Strayer are also under director contracts. I antly so, with the sales and theatre ends. saw some scenes from an East Side, New York, comedv which Ralph Graves is direct COLUMBIA PICTURES CORPOR ing and in ' which he also appears with ATION will have to be put down now Johnny Walker; and it looks good and funny, among the national organizations. Let that The Columbia list of titles is striking ; and fact be known. the story material is from such authors and I wouldn't be surprised to see the plant playwrights in the world of melodrama and moved away soon to the outlying districts of comedy as: Willard Mack, Channing PolHollywood, both because more room will be lock, Alfred Henry Lewis, Octavus Roy needed and because of the high value of the Cohen, George Bronson Howard, Jack present location on Sunset Boulevard. Lait, etc. Joe Brandt and Harry and Jack Cohn j^^r^^rj w/i j ^u i j u r o 1 -' ] . I jv X .k • jr . J /^OIHAM, under the leadership of Sam deserve a lot or credit tor their fast and con Itc • i -j.-j uu •1 11 • r\£ .u u J ^"^ ^^x, IS making rapid strides. He has a siderable expansion. Or course they had a t r x . -ui • 1^111 • • .u .• ine-up or tourteen, possibly sixteen pictures long and rounded experience in the motion r , ^ %-, • i j • i picture business to begin with. ^"''^^ "'^^^ '^^'°" ^h^se include stories by They first learned The picture market top ^^Il-known au hors on a variety of subjects. J u 4.4. ^ A ^1 .u I Iwo special oirenngs will star Mrs. and bottom and consequently they are mak ttt n t> -j a i, • . j • „ _ 1 ^ 1 1 • ^ "^ -^ 1 ^1 Wallace Reid. As we have pointed out, ex ing marketable pictures; every now and then i-, -n j n . u • • j l i^u^^r «.^i ^ 4.u^ r 4. ] ^ u . ' u. hibitors will do well to bear in mind the they make the rirst run market; but right rr ■ <• • • j j ^'^ .1 u\ 4.U 1 u ££' offerings of progressive independents in along they hit the general box office. , • ^ u • l i • rpiT 1 1 J 1 11 r .u . r making up their bookings. Ihis years schedule calls for thirty fea ^ t^ & tures, an increase over last year's twenty ^ TILL another contender for national four; and that in turn calls for a sizable ;:^ rating among the independent programs plant, lots of resources and plenty of hard ^g Excellent Pictures, which will shortly an work. They are signing up well known jounce an imposing schedule for the season names on a contract basis and their distribu ^f 1927-28. As I say, the exhibitor should tion IS now, practically, a national one^ ^-^^ th^s^ pictures his thoughtful consider Casting IS under way for The Blood ^^jon, first, because he wants as open a proShip, a sea story which Conan Doyle pro duction market as is possible; and, secondly, nounces the best to his liking. Hobart because with the big companies straining at Bosworth will be featured. specials these so-called independent pro The successful "Lone Wolf Returns" of ducers concentrate more on the standard type last season will be followed this year with of feature. "Alias the Lone Wolf" by Louis Joseph Their studio resources have paralleled the ^^^^^ general advance here and the list of free lance Priscilla Dean will appear in several players makes available, although at high crook pictures. Betty Compson is also under salary costs, the desired number of boxcontract for a number of specials. Other office names.