Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

Christie Studios Hard at Work New People Engaged and Activity Will Continue Through Summer Months 1700 Jazz Music Effects in Aesop Cue Sheets A new departure in thematic music cue sheets is produced by Fables Pictures. Inc., for use with Aesop's Film Fables, released by Pathe. In addition to the usual cues and music themes, queer and comic effects by the orchestra, with their cues, are indicated on the sheet — for the first time, it is said, in connection with motion picture performances. James C. Bradford, compiler of the thematic sheets, has so prepared his cues that the trap drummer can tell at a glance all the effects he will need during the showing of the film. The same sheet contains both music and effect cues, with the themes. The leader and members of the orchestra therefore can play the picture without having to refer to a dozen different sheets of varied numbers. " One Hard Pull," scheduled for release on April IS, is the first of the Aesop's Film Fables to be supplied with this elaborated effect and music themes cue sheet. Ruth Roland Serial Has N. Y. Trade Showing Exhibitors of Xew York and vicinity crowded the large projection room at the Pathe home office last W ednesday at the first trade showing of Ruth Roland's latest Pathe serial. " Haunted Valley." The first three episodes were seen and were pronounced highly effective in the qualities of mystery, suspense, dramatic action and daring encounters with strange perils. Haunted Valley " is produced by the Ruth Roland Serials, Inc., from the story and scenario by Frank Leon Smith, and directed by George Marshall — all under the supervision of United Studios, Inc. The action and locations of " Haunted Valley " are typically western, with much hard riding and hard fighting. It is on Pathe's release schedule immediately to follow the release of the final episode of Pearl White's " Plunder " — some time in May. Children Have Chance to Name Animals " Bobbie's Ark " and " Bare Facts Concerning Bears " are the two current Urban Popular Classics released by Vitagraph. " Bobbie's Ark" is said to be particularly attractive for children. Bobbie goes to sleep and dreams that his toys have come to life and there are screened ahout fifty strange and familiar animals which are not identified on the screen. Exhibitors are offering prizes to those who can guess the names of the fifty animals shown. • Fox Shows Middies in Intimate Views The first moving pictures giving intimate views of the 2,500 middies at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, appear in release Xo. 49 of Fox News. The pictures show the rigid training that the naval cadets are forced to go through for their athletic contests of the Spring. They also show the first interior views ever taken of the cadets at mess. <«' I 'HE approaching warm weath1 er has not lessened the activities at the Christie Studios ; in fact we are working harder than ever, and have no intention of letting up for the so-called summer slump. We have engaged several new comedy people and intend to work right through the summer." This is the statement of Charles Christie, business manager of the Christie Film Company, producers of Educational Christie Comedies, on his return to Los Angeles after a trip to New York, and an investigation of the conditions in the East. Within the past two months Christie has been adding to his staff and has acquired three new leading ladies : Hazel Deane, Duane Thompson, and Kathleen Clifford. Miss Thompson is supporting Neal Burns, and will be seen in "Hot Water," and Charlotte Stevens is now working with Bobby Vernon in "Take Your Choice." Kathleen Clifford is being starred in a comedy, the title of which has not as yet been announced. Bobby Vernon, Neal Burns, and the new Christie star, Jimmie Adams, are hard at work on current productions, and will continue through the summer. Vernon is playing the lead in "Take Your Choice"; Burns has just completed "Hot Water" and is now working on the next picture of his series, and Adams is completing "Green As Grass," his first picture under the Christie banner. Dorothy Devore is at Truckee with Al Christie and a company making the snow scenes for her next production, "Winter Has Came." Harold and William Beaudine, Scott Sidney and Al Christie, directors, are working their respective companies, producing comedies on schedule. Even the studios have been enlarged and many improvements added in the last few months. A two story brick building has been completed, and will house some of the mechanical departments. A third motor generator set has been added to the already extensive lighting equipment of the studios, and the foundation has been laid and building is in progress on a new studio and office building. The new building, when completed, will contain a stage 100 by 175 feet. In addition to extensive building and additions to the producing force, the Christies are sparing no expense in making their comedies. Al Christie's recent trip to Honolulu and return, a trip of 4,500 miles to secure the proper backgrounds and atmosphere for "A Hula Honeymoon," and his present trip to Truckee with Dorothy Devore and a company of twenty people to get the snow scenes for "W inter Has Came," are indications of the expense and detail with which these comedies are made. Motion Picture News Newspaper Argues For Short Subjects Following up Pathe's widely published symposium in which newspaper editors almost unanimously declared their preference for short pictures, the Indianapolis Sunday Star prints a strong two-column argument along the same lines. It reads in part : " The fault of modern picturemaking lies in the ever present tendency to make a full length (that is, five or six reel) picture out of material that would make scarcely a two-reel film if all the padding were left out. " Not infrequently does it happen that the shorter subjects save a picture program from the ignominy to which its feature picture condemns it. Just a few weeks ago honors on a bill at a local house went, not to the chief film that was based on a contest-winning scenario, but to a short, merry comedy. ... A picture should occupy no more of the spectator's time than the story deserves." Pathe Shows Welcome to Seaplane Heroes What convinces the beholder as the most extraordinary public demonstration in honor of a daring human achievement are the scenes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, welcoming Lieut. Hinton and his companions at the end of their speaplant flight from New York City. These scenes are exclusively pictured in the current issue of Pathe News, No. 23, by its staff cameraman, who was a member of Lieut. Hinton's party. The streets of the Brazilian capital are packed with wildly enthusiastic multitudes. They are seen carrying on their shoulders the heroes of this first flight linking the two Americas. In actual flying time the 5,641 miles of the air voyage were covered in 126 hours. Jimmy Adams Comedy Is Completed " Green as Grass." the rural comedy which introduces Jimmie Adams as a Christie Comedy star has been completed under the direction of Scott Sidney, and will be released in April through Educational Film Exchanges. In the cast with Adams are Charlotte Merriam, William Irving, Earl Rodney and William Chapman. The story introduces a wonderful horse, declared to be a " find " by the director. The plot, which was written by Walter Graham, centers at a county fair. Hugh Fay Will Direct Hamilton Comedy Lloyd Hamilton has engaged Hugh Fay to direct the sixth Educational-Hamilton Comedy of the present series for Educational release. Fay is responsible for the production of two of Hamilton's previous successes of the present series, " The Speeder," and " No Luck." Since the last of these he has been directing Bull Montana in several i comedies for Metro. The forthcoming comedy will be his eighth for Hamilton. News Weeklies Resume Pathe News No. 25: — congressmen en route to Panama visit fleet; London, equine comedian has a " get-up " all his own; Constantinople, Turkey, Boy Scouts of Turkey launch drive for increased membership; Athens, prepare for formal exchange of war prisoners; London, Avro-Napier with its 1,000 H.P. engine is the largest single-engined airplane in the world; Los Angeles, University of Southern California starts drive for $10,000,000; Panama Canal, Atlantic and Pacific fleets combine in joint maneuvers off Canal Zone; Washington, D. C, America honors girl heroines of World War ; New York City, Tut-Ankh-Amen becomes fashion designer; Greenville, Ala., every school child and " grown-up " in country take part in big celebration. Kinograms No. 2235: — E. St. Louis, 111., 100,000 gallons gas in flames — tank explodes and causes fire that threatens million-dollar plant; Paris, Ida Rubenstein, "the best dressed woman in Paris," and her latest Egyptian gown; Lakehurst, N. Y., the ZR-1, which will fly around world and to both poles, nears completion; New York, Capt. Harbert Hartley, who has just received finest post in American merchant marine, the command of the giant liner " Leviathan;" Washington, D. C, Gen. Pershing bestows Distinguished Service Medal upon nurses for exceptional service during World War; San Juan, Cal., rally to save old Franciscan mission — youngsters and grown-ups join in restoring structure to original condition; On the Atlantic, Senate and House committee members aboard " Henderson " take daily exercise; Los Angeles, Tom Mix, screen star, has a steam yacht — this is christening ceremony. San Francisco, Cal., Dr. K. Muira comes to America for research work; Rio De Janeiro, carnival season opens in Brazilian capital; Annapolis, Md., Naval Academy starts spring training in athletics; Paris, France. River Seine overflows and floods heart of city; Anacortes, Wash., big freighter crashes on rocks in fog; Memphis, Tenn., score killed as cyclone hits village along Mississippi; Miami, Fla., Attorney-General Daugherty announces Harding candidacy for second term; Fort Bliss, Texas, Major General Lewis reviews first cavalry division. International News No. 26: — Washington, State, new tractor plow in first tests opens spring trail over snow-bound mountains; New York City, Giants and dwarfs invade Manhattan — spring having arrived, circus folk flock to the Big Town; General "Pershing decorates five war nurses for heroism under fire in France; Miami, Fla., racing craft overturns as President reviews big speed boat regatta; Palm Beach, Fla., President and Mrs. Harding lead the simple life — new kind of front-porch campaign banishes worries of office and restores First Lady of Land to health; Panama, giant alligators bagged by U. S. naval officers in heart of Panama; Bangkok. Siam, royal beauties of Siam in strange temple dances for King and new Queen. Fox News, Vol. 4, No. 49: — New York City, Free State supporters parade on St. Patrick's Day; Santiago, Chile. President of Chile poses for camera; Pathe Shows Baseball Stars in Training In Pathe News baseball training I.ictures, "home team fans" are enabled to get vivid views of their heroes tuning up for the great struggle of the coming season. It is announced that every team in the National and American League has now been filmed on the training field.