Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

June 30, 1923 J 189 Twenty Units in Sets for Jackie Coogan THE Jackie Coogan forces have worked out a new system of building sets for the little film star's Metro production of " Long Live the King." by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Following a conference among Jack Coogan, senior. Director Victor Schertzinger and Art Director John J. Hughes, it was decided to have the sets erected in sections off the lot; the numbered pieces to be brought to the studio stages and put together after the fashion of skyscrapers. This permits continuous action by the players, in addition to effecting economy in the cost of production. The interior sets for "Long Live the King " are grouped in twenty distinct units, representing an expenditure of over $400,000 for material and labor, it is claimed. "Long Live the King" was adapted for the screen by C. Gardner Sullivan, with scenario by Eve Unsell. Fr^nK Good and Robert Martin are at the camera. The entire production is under the personal supervision of Jack Coogan. Senior. Missionary Commends "Nanook of North" The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, whose " Free Ice for Babies' Milk Fund " shares the profits of the successfully exploited run of " Nanook of the North " at the Pershing theatre, prints a high tribute to the picture's value from Dr. Frank H. Spence well known missionary authority on the life of the Eskimos. The Post-Dispatch of June 6 tells of the lecture tour of Dr. and Mrs. Spence on their nine years' experience among the Alaskan Eskimos, conducted under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions, which supports a hospital at Port Barrow — the only source of medical aid within a radius of 600 miles. It prints the following statement from Dr. Spence, following his attendance at a " Nanook " performance : We enjoyed 'Nanook' very much — we never saw as good phosography of the ice regions and particularly the dogs, as contained in this picture." "Trifling with Honor" Praised by Ruth As the principal guest of the New York Newspaper Club, last Friday night, George Herman ' Babe) Ruth witnessed a showing of " Trifling with Honor," the Universal Jewel production of William Slavens McNutt's baseball story, directed by Harry Pollard, director of " The Leather Pushers." The home run king expressed himself as having enjoyed the film immensely and said he thought it was a great picture. Several hundred members of the club were in attendance and found great enjoyment in the film. Los Angeles Stages F.B.O. Week Four Productions Open On Consecutive Days, With the Fifth Possible FB. O. WEEK in Los Angeles • is on. With the showing of the fourth installment of the " Fighting Blood " series, the pic age," scheduled to play at Grauman's Million Dollar theatre, is expected momentarily. Judge and Mrs. J. W. Summer turization of H. C. Witwer's popu field and many notables of the lar Collier's Weekly stories, at the Metropolitan, F. B. O. productions screen world attended the opening of " Divorce " Tuesday night as will bob up on local screens for guests of Miss Novak and Mr. four consecutive days, with a re Bennett. mote possibility of a fifth production being added to the list. Sunday, " Westbound Limited," Emory Johnson's latest screen opus, glorifying the humble heroes of life, opened at the California. Monday, Johnnie Walker's latest starring vehicle, " The Fourth Musketeer," was flashed on the screen at Pantages for a week's run. Tuesday, " Divorce," Chester Bennett's latest production, starring Jane Novak, entered upon an extended engagement at the Rialto. Plans are under way to make the opening of " Human Wreckage " one of the most distinguished premieres attending a screen production. The picture is to be presented under the auspices of the local Anti-Xarcotic League, and Mayor Cryer, Chief of Police Oaks. Judge Benjamin Bledsoe, Bishop John J. Cantwell, Brigadier Boyd of the Salvation Army and many other leaders in civic life are expected to be the guests of the League. It is possible that Mrs. Reid will be present to witness the presentation of her great work in Announcement of the opening behalf of the movement to arouse date of an extended run of Mrs. Wallace Reid's " Human Wreck the public to the growing danger of narcotic addiction. "Human Wreckage" Wins S. F. Mrs. Wallace Reid' Praised at World MRS. WALLACE REID'S " Human Wreckage " had its world's premiere at the AckermanHarris Century theatre in San Francisco June 9 and was warmly commended by the newspaper critics. Gleaned from these criticisms were the following : Currant D. Swint, photoplay critic of the Call and Post, stated " ' Human Wreckage ' is in a class by itself. It registers overwhelmingly." George C. Warren, Chronicle — "Good entertainment, a power in the war against narcotics." Fulton Gillaspey of the Bulletin — " Convincing and holds the attention from start to finish." Thomas Nunan of the Examiner — The most important motion picture ever made." Preceded by a gigantic publicity and exploitation campaign, the basis of which was the Narcotics Educational Week proclaimed by acting Mayor Ralph MacLeran, " Human Wreckage " got away to a smashing opening. Of greatest satisfaction to Mrs. Reid was the unanimous agreement among the local critics as to the artistic content of her production. The gist of their criticism pointed out that " Human Wreckage " is not just a "dope" picture; that it is not a sordid and revolting depiction of the evils of drugs ; but a brilliantly dramatic photoplay sumptuously produced, skilfully created by John Griffith Wray, the director, and splendidly rounded as to continuity by C. Gardner Sullivan. Mrs. Reid personally opened the campaign when she arrived in San Francisco from her home in Hollywood on Friday, June 8. She was greeted by a delegation of more than fifty prominent club women of San Francisco, who escorted her to the office of acting Mayor Ralph MacLeran. The same dav she ad s Production Highly Premiere on Coast dressed 3,000 members of the San Francisco Center at the St. Francis Hotel, delivering a ringing speech against the menace of narcotics. Her first personal appearance took place on Saturday night, when crowds are said to have stormed the doors of the Century and blocked the streets outside to get a glimpse of the courageous little woman, who is taking up the cudgels in her fight against dope. "Little Church" Praised by Chicago Critics That the Warner Brothers' " Little Church Around the Corner." adapted from the play by Charles E. Blaney, with story and scenario by Olga Printzlau, is meeting with approval throughout the country was again demonstrated during its recent engagement at the Chicago theatre, Chicago. The Herald-Examiner said : " It is a strong story, well worked out and a good production in every way. The scenes of the mine disaster are well worked out and exceedingly thrilling." Chicago Journal said: '"The Little Church Around the Corner ' is embellished with all the sure-fire situations that have made many a successful film play." American said : " Tugs at the heart strings are many, coming thickest when are presented the scenes taken in and at the mouth of the mine disaster in which a party of men were entombed." Tribune said: "It is a melodramatic picture, not without interest, and exceptionally well directed in those scenes where the women of the coal mines are waiting for their men to be brought out of the shaft." Deliver by Airplane During Floods AEROPLANES were pressed into service for the delivery of prints of First National Pictures during the floods which covered the greater part of Oklahoma during the past week. When train service out of Oklahoma City was interrupted because the bridge had been washed away, Tom H. Boland, First National franchise holder in that territory, organized the aeroplane service for the delivery of prints. The situation was made more difficult by the absence of salesmen in New Orleans, where the Southern District sales meeting was being held. However, by careful management and arduous work the office force of the First National exchange handled the situation so competently that there was not one instance of delay in the delivering of prints. Leah Baird Is Making Many Appearances Leah Baird is now on one of the most extensive personal appearance tours ever made by a screen artist During the present week " Is Divorce a Failure?" and its star have been the attraction at the Newark theatre, Newark, N. J., and have drawn large and highly appreciative crowds daily, according to Associated Exhibitors. Last week Miss Baird was in Boston. '"Is Divorce a Failure?' the feature picture at Loew's Orpheum theatre this week, is made deeply interesting because its star, Miss Leah Baird, appears in connection with the showing and reveals the secrets of the ' shooting ' of this picture," said the Boston Post " Miss Baird off the screen is even more attractive and charming than on." " Leah Baird, the movie star, was seen at Loew's Orpheum yesterday in actuality as well as in the picture on the screen," said the Boston Globe. " She appeared both afternoon and evening before large audiences and will do so again today and tomorrow." The Boston Herald said : " The appearance of Leah Baird, moving picture star, upon the stage in person at Loew's theatre, preceding the presentation of her picture, ' Is Divorce a Failure? 'gave satisfaction to large audiences yesterday. Miss Baird gave an interesting talk." U. S. Admiral Aids Johnson " Mail-i^ man" Feature Emory Johnson and his F. B. O. motion picture unit have returned from San Francisco, after a week's coastwise tour aboard the New Mexico as the guests of Admiral E. W. Eberle, commanding the Pacific squadron. Admiral Eberle is said to have posed on the bridge of the flagship for several scenes which are to appear in the new Johnson production, which will be entitled " The Mailman."