Motion Picture News (Jan - Feb 1926)

February 27, 1926 991 ''The Bat * Now in Last Week of Production After three months of work at the United Studios, filming of "The Bat," the Roland We?t production being made for United Artists release, is now in its final week of filming. This mystery melodrama, a screen version of the Mary Roberts Rhinehart and AverA' Hopwood stage play for which the continuity was written by Julien Josephson, will be released during the latter part of March as a United Artists special. The east includes Jewel Carmen, Jack Pickford, Louise Fazenda, Emily Fitzroy, Robert McKim, TuUio Carminati, Andre de Beranger, Eddie Gribbon, Arthur Houseman, Charles Herzinger, Lee Shumw.ay and Sojin Kamiyama. Moreno to Play Lead in 'Move's Blindness'' Antonio Moreno will play the leading male role, that of a young English nobleman, opposite Pauline Starke in Elinor Glyn's "Dance Madness" which John Francis Dillon is directing under Irving Thalberg's supervision for Metro GoldwynMayer. In addition to the principals the cast includes Kate Price. George Wagonner, Walter Tennyson, and Ned Sparkes. First National Purchases Two New Stories First National has purchased screen rights to "The Sheik of Florida," by George F. Worts, and "The Lying Truth," by Ralph Spence. The former has been purchased for publication by the Mxmsey Publishing Company, but had not yet appeared in print. It is described as a romantic comedy-drama laid against the background of a Florida land boom. John S. Woody to Engage in Production JOHN S. WOODY, well known executive in the film industry, announced this week that he would enter the production field and that the first production he will sponsor is a feature based on the exploits of Jesse and Frank James and the Younger boys. A deal has been completed witn Robertus Love, of the St. Louis PostDispatch, for the motion picture rights to a book "The Rise and Fall of Jesse James" now being printed by Putnam and to be put on the market in the near future. Love, who was a friend of the James family, and whose story is said to contain intimate facts and incidents hitherto unpublished regarding these bandits, has been cooperating with Woody in indicating locations and activities of the James brothers. Woody has budgeted the cost of the production at $250,000 approximately and intimates that releasing arrangements will be handled through F. B. O. He has announced the intention of maintaining a selected staff to cooperate with the distributor in the handling of product, but this staff will not undertake to make sales or quote prices but will cover the country to screen pictures for the exhibitor and point out their box office value. Highlights of the Fox Film story of the race track "The Dixie Merchant." Barthelmess With First NatU Star Signs to Make Eight Productions After Expiration of Inspiration Contract RICHARD BARTHELMESS has been placed under contract by First National Pictures to make eight feature productions fpr that company within two years following the expiration of his engagement with Inspiration Pictures. Barthelmess is now producing "Ransom's Folly" for Insi^iration and will complete his contract in time to start 'work for First National in the fall. This announcement is issued by Richard A. Rowland, general manager of First National, who' signed the contract the day be Motion Picture News Booking Guide "The Booking Guide is very useful for reference as to stars and footage on old pictures which are often shown with double features. I consult the Guide very often and always have found what was wanted in my files." Charles W. Denzinger, System Theatre, Syracuse, N. Y. fore Mr. Barthelmess left for the West Coast to start his new production. The contract is in accord with Frrst National's policy which calls for the expansion of production activities including the enrollment of popular screen players. During the next few months, every effort will be made to obtain a strong array of stories for the star and although the title is not disclosed, it is annoimced that the tii'st story, a work of world-wide fame, has been selected. In commenting on the affiliation, Rowland said in part: "I have always had the highest regard for Mr. Barthelmess, both personally and as an artist. He has gone far in the past few years since his memorable performance in 'Tol'able David.' But I am confident that with the bigger stories he will do even greater things in the future. "Our relations with Inspiration Pictures, producers of the Barthelmess productions, which we have been distributing, have always been most cordial and continue to be so." First National Completes "Men of Steel" "Men of Steel," the First National special with Milton Sills, has been completed after having been in production since the first of November. Sills wrote the picture story from a suggestion received in R. G. Kirk's short story, "United States Flavor." The United States Steel Corporation has co-operated from the beginning -with the producing company in the making of the picture. George Archainbaud directed, while in the supporting cast are Doris Kenyon, Mae Allison, George Fawcett, Frank Currier, Victor McLaglen and John Kolb.