Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

March 10, 1923 1193 Charles Murray as he appears in the C. C. Burr comedy for Hodkinson. " So This is Hamlet." Wells Latest Author Won to Screen To George H. Davis goes the distinction of recruiting to the ranks of great authors now writing for the screen another big name, with the advent of H. G. Wells' great novel "The Passionate Friends " as a motion picture. Mr. Davis, whose name has been long associated with the production of screen offerings of merit, among them " Isobel," or the " Trail's End," " The Heart of the North," " Life's Greatest Question " and others, saw the tremendous possibilities in the works of Wells as screen material long ago and determined that if ever Mr. Wells could be persuaded to let one of his works serve as screen material, he wanted to be the man to produce that picture. His determination was realized with the production of " The Passionate Friends " which is, perhaps, one of the greatest of Wells' products. Made under the personal supervision of the author of the " Outline of History," " The Passionate Friends " has lent itself admirably to screening, it is claimed. Production Completed on "Temptation" Actual production was completed this week on " Temptation," the third of the C. B. C. Film Sales Series. According to word from Director Edward J. Le Saint this feature was completed on schedule time, every detail of production running smoothly with not a single hold-up of any kind. Mr. Le Saint has wired from the West Coast production center that everyone concerned is highly enthusiastic over the result. Exclusive Distribution for Powers Independent Movie Supply Takes Over Large Territory WILLIAM H. RABELL, President of the Independent Movie Supply Co., New York City, announces that his company has been made the exclusive distributor oi Power's Projectors in New York State, North of frenton in New Jersey, and part 01 Connecticut. In Connecticut the Independent Movie Supply Co. will distribute Power's Projectors throughout the state but the right to sell exclusivelv is limited to a line west of the 72° 30'. Offhand, this does not seem to be a very big territory but when you consider that about one-eighth of the population of the United States is concentrated within this comparatively limited area it will be seen that the franchise is a valuable one and that the transaction is one of the most important made for some time in the cinemachinery industry. This territory has a large motion picture loving public and the number of theatres in it is pro bably well in excess of oneeighth of the total number of best known and most successful houses in the United States. William H. Rabell is one of the best known and most successful motion picture equipment dealers in the United States and the Independent Movie Supply Co., has been made Distributor of Power's as a well deserved reward for its success in handling Power's Projectors under the more limited rights here Foreign Deals Closed on "The Curse" The six-reel melodrama adapted from Charles E. Blaney's famous stage play, " The Curse," has been sold by Export-Import Film Co., Inc., which handles the foreign rights to the feature, for the South American territory including Argentine, Uruguay, and Paraguay. tofore granted by the Nicholas Power Company. Although the Independent has been handling Power's for about two years this firm has installed Power's Projectors in a large number of well known motion picture houses, but Mr. Rabell is now putting into effect plans lor going after business on a much larger scale and in a more vigorous manner. The Independent Movie Supply Co. in addition to its main also has branches at Albany and Buffalo, New York and New Haven, Conn, and other branches will be added if it is found necessary to develop new business and give efficient service to the customers of this Company. " Bill " Rabell, as he is popularly known, has been a well known figure at many of the important social events of the Motion Picture industry, for nearly fifteen years, but no night has ever been too long to prevent his being at his desk early next morning. His success has been due entirely to his own efforts, as he started at the lowest rung of the ladder in the motion picture supply business some years ago. The Imsco is exclusive distributor for Power's Projectors, General Electric Motor Generators, Superlite Screens and other well known motion picture equipment, because Bill Rabell knows how to go after business and take care of his customers after he gets it. His motto has been and still is " Courtesy with Service." < i Message of E. Coue" in Demand Bookings in Big Picture Meeting WITHIN the next two weeks many of the most representative houses in the United States will be showing the Educational Pictures Special, " The Message of Emile Coue." The list of bookings already arranged includes the largest and finest houses in the country. Among the first to book this short subject special were the Rivoli and Rialto theatres, New York, for a total of three weeks. The picture will show at one of the houses for two weeks. Houses Indicate with Popularity In Chicago, Balaban & Katz broke their established precedent in booking this picture day and date in all of their theatres. Detroit responded with a booking which is perhaps a record in booking speed. Twenty-four minutes after the Detroit office of Educational had received the wire from New York announcing that M. Coue would appear in a two reel special for Educational, John H. Kunsky booked it at his Capitol theatre for the week starting Feb. 18, as well as in five of his large suburban houses. Emil Jannings in " Othello," sponsored by Export & Import, at the Criterion theatre. New York. Mrs. Reid's Picture Gets Women's Endorsement Endorsement by State Federations of Women's Clubs throughout the nation is being given the picture produced by Mrs. Wallace Reid, in co-operation with the Los Angeles Anti-Narcotic League. At the invitation of this organization, the California State Federation of Women's Clubs will send their president, Mrs. W. A. Fitzgerald, to Washington to aid the Government in its campaign against the drug evil. Mrs. Reid's pioure, which is being produced in conjunction with the League's crusade to arouse public sentiment against narcotics, will be urged as the screen's' best portrayal of the miseries of the unfortunate addict and the most powerful medium for disseminating knowledge of the menace. Mrs. Fitzgerald will appear before the Porter Committee if the sessions of that body are still in progress. She will also incite the other state federations to follow the lead of the California organization and join them in the effort of the Los Angeles Anti-Narcotic League to ally the screen with the press of the nation in the fight against the drug evil. Guests of the Al Lichtman Corporation assembled at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, New York, on Thursday, February 1 5th. in a testimonial dinner to Al Lichtman on the ( °ve of his European trip. "Fighting Blood" Goes Into Big Houses " Fighting Blood," the series of twelve two-reel pictures adopted from W. C. Witwer's Collier's Weekly stories, have already been contracted for by the largest firstrun houses' in the country, announces Film Booking Offices of America, which is distributing the pictures. The first episode, "Fighting Blood," was issued on February 18th, and is to be followed at intervals of fourteen days by the remaining eleven. " Fighting Blood " is a series of stories of boxing, which contain in addition much wholesome comedy and clean romance. They are directed by Mai St. Clair and feature George O'Hara, with Clara Horton in the leading feminine role. The stories have been published over a period of ten months in Collier's, the last appearing in the most recent issue. The screen adaptations are made by Beatrice Van. The first eight have already been completed at the F. B. O. studio in Lot Angeles.