Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

3194 Motion Picture N e zv s Photoplay Symphony for "The Scarecrow" A PHOTOPLAY Symphony will be written by Frederick S. Converse, noted composer, for Percy MacKaye's " The Scarecrow," starring Glenn Hunter, according to an announcement made by the Film Guild. Mr. Converse, who is the author of many noted symphonies and grand operas, including " The Pipe of Desire," the first work of an American composer to be produced in the New York Metropolitan Opera House, will write a complete symphony score to be synchronized with this romance of Puritan witchcraft persecutions. The picture, which was adapted by James Ashmore Creelman and Frank Tuttle and directed by Mr. Tuttle, will be released by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation. Coast Publicity Chief Opens N. Y. Offices F. H. Cobb, former advertising agency man, has opened offices for the Grand-Asher Producing Company, in the recently vacated offices of American Releasing Company at 17 West 44th Street, New York. Mr. Cobb up until two weeks ago was located at the company's West Coast studios in Hollywood. Mr. Cobb will handle all publicity and advertising at the New York office. Grainger Likes "Palace of King" Truart Completes Sales on Three Features M. H. Hoffman, vice-president and general manager of Truart Film Corporation, announces the consummation of the sale of three of its productions for the territory of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia to the Columbia Film Service of Pittsburgh, Pa. The pictures are a series of Western dramas. They are " The Prairie Mystery," " Riders of the Range " and " The Westen Musketeer." Films Russ Circus For "Rendezvous" AS an added touch of color to his production of Madelaine Ruthven's Russian story, " The Rendezvous," Marshall Neilan is now engaged in filming a Russian circus in which the Siberian conception of everything in connection with a circus, from the clowns to the elephants, prevails. A parade of wooden soldiers is being incorporated in the circus scene. Mr. Neilan is nearing completion of the photography on this production. Goldwyn Sales M tic After First Gl TAMES R. GRAINGER, general *-» manager of sales for GoldwynCosmopolitan, who knows pictures as well as any man in the industry, it is claimed, has been at the Goldwyn studios in Culyer City, Cal., for several days looking into the new productions and consulting with Abraham Lehr and other studio executives about future productions. While there he saw the " rushes " of Emmett J. Flynn's first Goldwyn picture, " In the Palace of the King," from F. Marion Crawford's novel of adventure in Spain in the sixteenth century. He was so impressed by the nature and the bigness of the story and the production that he telegraphed the home office that the production " is going to be one of the year's biggest and greatest pictures." Regarding the mere physical bigness of the production he wired : " The sets are bigger than those of ' Robin Hood.' There are more people in it, and the story is a great one of unusual possibilities." His judgment of the artistic and boxoffice value of the production is summed up as follows : " The picture is worthy of a long Broadway anager Enthusiasimpse of Feature run and of extended engagements in the key cities." The continuity for " In the Palace of the King " was prepared by June Mathis, editorial director for Goldwyn, and Director Flynn has been given a free hand to develop the picture on a scale commensurate with its worth. The palace set is the biggest that the Goldwyn studios has ever turned out, it is said. The palace itself is 280 feet high and the interiors are on a magnificent scale. Thousands of extras were used in some of the sequences. Heading the cast are Blanche Sweet, as Dolores, and Edmund Lowe as Don John. Hobart Bosworth appears as General Mendoza and Pauline Starke as his daughter, the blind Inez. Sam de Grasse acts the role of King Philip of Spain and Aileen Pringle is the Princess Eboli. Others are Charles Clary, William V. Mong, Ena Gregory, Lucien Littlefield, Tom Bates, Charles Graham, Harvey Clark, H. N. Clugston, Jack Pitcairn, David Kirby and Bruce Sterling. Fighting Blade' Is Completed First National Busy With Production Activities at Eastern Studios FIRST NATIONAL producers in the East, while not as large in numbers, are just as busv as their co-workers on the West Coast. No sooner did the Richard Barthelmess company move from the old Universal studio in Fort Lee after filming " The Fighting Blade " than Samuel Goldwyn's company, producing " Potash and Perlmutter," moved in. Residents of the New Jersey town were reminded of old times during the filming ot " The Fighting Blade," which was made under the direction of John S. Robertson, the Inspiration director. Hundreds of extras, dressed as Cromwellian soldiers, roamed the town during the " shooting " of the big battle scenes, which occupied a full week. An elaborate street scene was constructed on the lot and another big set, an old English castle, will play a prominent part in the picture. These sets were designed by Everett Shinn, art director, who served in the same capacity during the production of " The Bright Shawl." "The Fighting Blade" is a story of England of the early seventeenth century. Barthelmess is cast m a romantic role as a soldier of the Cromwellian army, with beautiful Dorothy Mackail, featured player of " Mighty Lak' a Rose " in the picturesque role of the heroine. Eighty thousand feet of film were " shot " on this picture and the work of cutting and editing is now in progress under the direction of Mr. Robertson. Director Clarence Badger was well under way on " Potash and Perlmutter " when the scene of his activities was transferred from the Paragon t< rh< Universal studios in Fort Lee. A massive modiste shop set had been erected at the latter studio and work was uninterrupted by the change. " Potash and Perlmutter " is being filmed with the same featured players who starred in the stage production — Barney Bernard as Potash, and Alexander Carr as his beloved partner, Perlmutter. Others in the cast include Vera Gordon, Hope Sutherland, and De Sacia Mooers. Goldwyn Boasts Largest Picture Stage What is said to be the world's largest motion picture stage is now at the Goldwyn studios in Culver City, California. The structure covers an ordinary city block, being approximately 300 feet long and 175 feet wide. Fifty average motion picture sets can be built on it at the same time. The new stage, known as No. 6, covers more than an acre and a half of ground and contains 52,500 square feet of floor space. Lowe Cast for Hero "In Palace of King" Edmund Lowe will play Don John, the dash-lover of "In the Palace of the King" as his first role under a recently signed Goldwyn contract. Lowe has been in Panama, appearing in a picture directed by J. Gordon Edwards, but returned to the Goldwyn studios at Culver City to start work in Emmet Flynn's picture. In " In the Palace of the King" Lowe will play opposite Blanche Sweet. Principal Super Five Deal Completed MICHAEL ROSENBERG, the energetic Secretary of Principal Pictures Corporation, has returned to Los Angeles from Seattle whither he journeyed to try his persuasive selling powers on his brother, Al, who is the G. M. of the De Luxe Film Co., which maintains offices in both Seattle and Portland. A deal was consummated whereby De Luxe acquired the rights for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska for Principal's Super Five series and " Mind Over Motor." They have handled all of the Principal output in the past, as well as Licht~ man's Preferred Pictures. The Super Five consists of Bennie Zeidman's " The Spider and the Rose " and " Bright Lights of Broadway," and " Temporary Marriage," " East Side, West Side," and "Gold Madness," the latter being the screen title chosen for the adaptation of James Oliver Curwood's magazine story, " The Man from Ten Strike." Blackton Is Busy with First Production Commodore J. Stuart Blackton is making preparations for the first of the Blackton Productions which will be released by Vitagraph. These specials will be among the twentysix super-features announced by President Albert E. Smith recently. It is understood that Commodore Blackton will produce at the Brooklyn studios of Vitagraph where he made the Blackton Productions. The Commodore is now busily engaged in outlining the scenario of his first production. "To Last Man" Being Made in Arizona "To the Last Man," a Zane Grey production adapted for the screen by Doris Schroeder from the author's well-known story of a feud among frontiersmen, is being made in the wilds of Arizona for Paramount. The exact location of the famous old battles of this feud are being used in the picture. The featured players are Richard Dix. Lois Wilson, Noah Beery, Robert Edeson and Frank Campeau. Victor Fleming is the director. Bert Lubin to Start New Feature BERT LUBIN, responsible for " Partners of the Sunset," starring Allene Ray and producer of other independent films, will start work shortly in Hollywood on a new feature. The story is " Dangerous Innocence," written by Willard Mack and presenting a big cast of well known names. Announcement concerning director and the studio to be used will be made in the near future.