Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

June 2 , 1923 2639 Fifty From Paramount for 1923-24 Season Details of the First Thirteen Photoplays For New Theatrical Year Announced FIFTY photoplays will be released by Paramount for the season 1923-1924. Announcement of titles and casts of the tirst thirteen of the new season picturewas made this week. " It has been deemed advisable not to reveal plans and details on a greater number at this time," said the announcement. The list of specials will be headed by Cecil B. DeMille's production " The Ten Commandments," now in work. With fifty features and specials for the new season, the Paramount output will be considerably under the 1922-1923 volume, when eighty pictures were scheduled. Details of the first thirteen Paramounts for next season were announced as follows: u The Purple Highway," starring Madge Kennedy. Produced by the Kenma Corporation and based upon John Golden's stage success, " Dear Me," by Luther Reed and Hale Hamilton. Henry Kolker directed the picture. In the supporting cast are Monte Blue, Vincent Coleman, Pedro de Cordoba and Dore Davidson. " The Love Piker," produced by Cosmopolitan from Frank R. Adams' story. It has contrasting backgrounds of society on one hand and the slums on the other. Anita Stewart has the featured role, with William Norris, Robert Frazer, Frederick Trusdell and Arthur Hoyt in the supporting cast. E. Mason Hopper directed from a scenario by Prances Marion. " Hollywood," a romance of a girl who wants to get into the movies and doesn't suceeed, Produced by James Cruze, maker of " The Covered Wagon," it numbers fifty film celebrities in the cast: Cecil B. DeMille, Pola Negri, Thomas Meighan, Gloria Swanson, William S. Hart, Agnes A}Tes, Betty Compson, Leatrice Joy, Jacqueline Logan, Jack Holt. Walter Hiers, May McAvoy, Nita Naldi. Lila Lee, Richard Dix, William de Mille, Lois Wilson, Owen Moore, Charles de Roche, Mary Astor, Baby Peggy, Hope Hampton, Alfred E. Green, Herbert Brenon, Ben Turpin, Will Rogers, J. Warren Kerrigan. Eileen Percy. T. Roy Barnes, Bull Montana, Julia Faye. Charles Ogle, Ford Sterling, Kalla Pasha. Clarence Burton, Guy Oliver, Sigrid Holinquist, Edythe Chapman, Gertrude Astor, Helen Dunbar, Dinkey Dean, Mayrn Kelso, Jack Gardner, James Finlayson, Frances Agnew, Walter Woods, Chuck Reisner, Paid Iribe, Claire West, Charles Eyton, Jeanie Macpherson. The story was written by Frank Condon and the scenario bv Tom J. Geraghtv. " To the Last Man " is the first of the Zane Grey stories Paramount will produce. It is a tale of a feud between cattlemen and sheepmen in the late eighties. Doris Schroeder wrote the scenario Victor Fleming is directing, and Richard Dix and Lois Wilson are featured, with Frank Campeau and Noah Beery in support. Mr. Grey is supervi-inti the film. " Lawful Larceny " was produced by Allan Dwan from Samuel Shipinan's play. The scenario is by John Lynch. Hope Hampton. Nita Naldi, Conrad Nagel, and Lew Cody are featured. One of the scenes is the Rendezvous Restaurant, New York, with Gilda Gray and Alice Maison in special dance numbers. In " The Silent Partner," two former Paramount stars, Owen Moore and Robert. Edeson are featured with Leatrice .Toy. This i a do Metro Buys Three Sories for Immediate Filming Metro announced this week the purchase of three new stories, which will be placed in immediate production at the Metro west coast studios, in addition to the purchase of several other stories which will be announced shortly by Milton E. Hoffman, Metro production manager. The stories announced this week are " Held to Answer," by Peter Clarke McFarlane; "To Whom It May Concern," by Rita Weiman; and "The Spirit of the Road," by Kate Jordan. " Held to Answer " is a modern drama, and will be the second of the Metro all-star specials of the coming season. The first special, " The Eagle's Feather," is now in the course of production under the direction of Edward Sloman. It is from a story of the same name by Katherine Newlin Burt. " To Whom It May Concern " will be Viola Dana's second starring picture for the soming season. It is a mystery drama. Miss Dana is now at work on " Rouged Lips," also a Rita Weiman story. It is being directed by Harold Shaw. "The Spirit of the Road" will also be for Miss Dana. luestie drama of New York life. It was directed by Charles Maigne from Satla Cowan's scenario based upon a serial in the Saturday Evening Post, written by Maximilian-Foster. In the supporting cast are Robert Sellable, Forrest Robinson, Maude Wayne. Patterson Dial and Lura Anson. " The Cheat," written by Hector Turnbull. was first produced by Paramount eight years ago. In the new version, produced by Geoi-ge Fitzinauriec. Pola Negri is the star, with Jack Holt in the leading role and Charles de Roche as the heavy. " Bluebeard's Eighth Wife " will" be a starring vehicle for Gloria Swanson. It is a Sam Wood production, with scenario by Sada Cowan from the New York stage success. The story calls for the ultimate in daring gowns on the part of the star. Huntley Gordon is leading man and Robert Agnew, Irene Dalton. Frank Butler, Paul Weigel, Charles Green and Lianne Salvor are prominent. Bret Harte's classic, " Salomy Jane." has been screened under the direction of George Melford, with Jacqueline Logan in the title role and Maurice Flvnn opposite her. Witli these two George Fawcett is featured, while William Davidson, Charles Ogle, James Neill and Clarence Burton are also in the cast. Melfoi'd took the company to Boulder Creek, Col., and reproduced the old mining camp of the Harte story right oh the spot. " Ruggles of Red Gap," a picture of ranch life, directed by James Cruze from Harry Leon Wilson's story is also listed. An allstar cast will appear in it. The scenario is by Tom J. Geraghty. " Mortal Love." based upon Edward Knoblock's play. " The Faun." a stage success of William Faversham'-. is being produced by William De Mille. A cast of all-star personnel will be provided. " Zaza." which brought wealth to David Belasco and fame to Mrs. Leslie Carter on the stage, will be a starring vehicle for Gloria Swanson. Albert Shelby LeVino wrote the scenario and Allan Dwan is the producer. " All Must Marry," by George Ade, who also provided u Our Leading Citizen " and " Back Home and Broke " for Thomas Meighan, will be a vehicle for the same star. As in the cases ot the two previous Ade pictures, Meighan will be directed by Alfred E. Green from a scenario by Tom J. Geraghty. The story concerns the four children of a very rich father who provides in his will that his estate shall not be divided until all four are married. In connection with the new season's output, Paramount announces that it will continue national advertising on a big scale. Special advertising will be done during Paramount AYeek in two thousand newspapers, it is announced. Leather bound calendars, announcement booklets in tabloid form for distribution by theatres, special rotogravure sections and heralds will be supplied at cost to exhibitors by the Advertising Accessories Department under the direction of Mel Shauer. The Paramount Publicity Department, under the direction of Charles E, McCarthy, supplies a vast amount of publicity each week to newspapers and magazines. The Exploitation Department, directed by Claud Saunders, has the largest staff in its history. The Paramount exchange system, under the direction of S. R. Kent, General Manager of Distribution, has been expanded. Through the division conventions recently held at New York, Chicago, New Orleans and Los Angeles, approximately 1,000 Paramount field workers were brought into direct contact with home office executives. Xew exchanges have been opened in the last year in Milwaukee, Columbus, Portland, Me., Wilkes-Barre, Peoria, and Sioux Falls, and a separate exchange for Northern New Jersey. A shipping station was opened at Butte. Mont. New exchanges will be opened in Memphis and Jacksonville, Fla., about July 1. The Foreign Department, under the direction of E. E. Shauer, is considering plans for additions to the thirty-five Paramount foreign offices and exchanges. These will be opened as rapidly as conditions permit. The new exchanges in France, Mexico, Japan, Scandinavia, and the Far East have had a successful first year, it is stated. Chadwick Pictures Acquires New Project The Chadwick Pictures Corporation, of which I. E. Chadwick is president, has arranged with Jimmy Aubrey, comedian, to market his product for the next five years. Another achievement of the Chadwick Pictures Corporation is the securing of the series of forty subjects which were completed recently after eighteen months of effort in foreign lands, by the Post Pictures Corporation. They will be known as Post Impressions — a x ries of pictorial visits abroad. In addition to these short subjects plans have been completed whereby the Edmund Lawrence feature productions, the first of which will be " The Parasites of Broadway," will be marketed by the Chadwick organization.