Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1656 Motion Picture News THERE comes to our desk an envelope which brings back memories with a rush. We used to get just such an envelope ten years ago with the address printed on the flap and the entire front of it occu ■ pied with a cut of what was then about the finest and largest studio and laboratory plant in the business. The envelope generally contained a polite declination to advertise coupled always however with a cordial invitation to come over to Flatbush, Brooklyn and lunch with J. Stuart Blackton, Albert E. Smith and William ("Pop") Rock. J. Stuart Blackton has chosen, happily, this old style envelope to announce his return to this country, to Vitagraph and to his old job as Vice President, along with Albert E. Smith and — now it is John, not William Rock. And, somehow or other, the envelope and letter got a lot of sentiment out of us. There's a large "welcome" sign for J. Stuart Blackton and the whole industry is back of it. Not a man knows him but likes him and respects him. He has held positions of prominence and responsibility, always ably and fairly and with credit to this industry. His letter concludes with: "Throughout all the years since 1896, I have been actively engaged in producing motion pictures. I have always retained my one-third interest in The Vitagraph Company, and now, after five years of independent producing in the East, in California and for two years in England, I have returned to my old office of Vice President of The Vitgraph Company. " This reviewing of old ties and associations means to me much more than a mere business deal. Vitagraph is my old home. With Albert E. Smith and ' Pop ' Rock, I helped to build its foundations. I was with it through its years of astounding success. It is the only one of the old line pioneer companies still actively and successfully working. " It's a grand old name, is 'Vitagraph.' The training school, the Alma Mater of hundreds of famous people in all walks of motion picture life. " Vitagraph has a great and an honorable past. I believe it has a still greater and more successful future in store for it, and I am very happy and proud to be able to write and tell you that I am 'back home' again." THOMAS SAXE'S Theatorium, the monument of a pioneer in the motion picture field, has executed a fade-out. This tiny theatre, hedged in by cigar stores, haberdasheries, restaurants and refreshment parlors, was the pioneer of Milwaukee's motion picture palaces. Mr. Saxe opened the theatre as a "Hales' Tours" car in 1906. It was fitted up as a railroad Pullman, the entrance modeled after the observation end of a train. The pictures were chiefly scenic. All the accompaniments of a train journey were observed ; the whistles, crossing bells, and puffing of the engine. There was even a device which gently rocked the floor, enhancing the idea of a train trip. The crude projecting machine was placed behind the screen, which was a sheet, and had to be dampened with a hose from time to time so that the pictures would show through. There were but forty seats in the theatre. The hey-day of the Theatorium was the day of John Bunny, Florence Turner, Maurice Costello and Broncho Billy. A four story bank building costing $500,000 will replace the tiny theatre, which has taken its place in history along with other buildings which are first in something but must make way in the name of progress. ]\fO wedding bells will ring out * their glad tidings for Pola Negri and Charlie Chaplin April 1. A rumor that the " Queen of Tragedy" and the ' King of Comedy" were to unite their II royal fortunes on All Fools' was dispelled this week by Pola her \ self. Six months, at least, must intervene, she says before she tosses the bride's bouquet. Rea | son? Production activities. • * » RB. MURRAY, director, U. S. Army Motion Picture Service, thinks it is a good idea to bring to your attention what he considers some very interesting statistics — interesting in that they indicate the high entertainment value of the pictures that are now being produced and the efficiency of the distributing organizations. From July 1 to December 31, 1922, the U. S. Army Motion Picture Service had 9,814 programs scheduled for exhibition in the no War Department Theatres in this country an3 the Canal Zone. Here are the reactions: there were 93 pictures substituted for pictures that had been advertised for showing; 93 cases where the audience did not like the feature ; 341 cases where the film was received in poor condition; 3g cases where the films did not arrive or arrived too late to be shown on the scheduled date. Thus there were but 473 complaints against the distributors or five per cent. There were but 93 cases where the audience did not like the feature or one per cent. Mr. Murray considers the operation of the service on a 94 per cent, basis is not only satisfactory, but that it is a remarkable tribute to the product of the producers and the efficiency of the distributors. The director's argument softens the hard knocks which the producer and distributor are receiving these days. * * * THE Authors' Breakfast will take place at high noon, April 21st, at the Willard Hotel, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Harriet Hawley Loeher, whose professional work brings her in touch with the leaders in the photoplay world, both producers 1 and actors, has been appointed by Mrs. Louis N. Geldert, national president of the League of American Pen Women, as chairman of the Motion Picture Committee, and through her the interesting characters in this field will attend the Authors' Breakfast. Mrs. Locher is director of the public service and educational department for the Crandall Theatres in Washington. * * * A COLORFUL postcard pamphlet of Heliopolis, Egypt, has been received from E. V. Richards, who with J. S. Saengt.r and their wives are touring the Orient. * * * OF all the unique sets ever built in Hollywood, none, say 1 the wise ones, has ever equalled the quaint old Spanish | city now growing out of the roof of the Pickford stage for use in Miss Pickford's new picture as yet unnamed. The roof is fifty feet high and for the sake of the film represents the summit of a hill in an old Spanish city. Surmounting the hill are a church, several dwellings and a number of trees. A burro path leads from the ground to the roof of the stage, and during the taking of the scenes much of the action will show not only the mules, but many people on the 1 trail and on the roof. Intervening buildings which constitute a replica of one of the streets of the Spanish city rise between 1 the cameras and the top of the stage, thus completing the illusion of the distant hill. A portion of the town which crowns the hill-top will overlap the roof of the stage, and supporting scaffolding will make it virtually a "city on stilts." PICTURES AND PEOPLE 1