Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

June JO, 1923 3195 Principal Plans Big Campaign Will Back Super Advertising Thro Five Series With ugh All Mediums Derelys Perdue. F. B. O. star, whose first starring vehicle. " Daytime Wives," has just been completed. Production Under Way on "Gold Diggers" Actual production of the Warner Brothers screen version of David Belasco's stage play, "The Gold Diggers," was begun last week at the Warner Coast studios, according to announcement. The feature is being made under the direction of Harry Beaumont. The leading roles will be portrayed by Hope Hampton, Windham Standing and Louise Fazenda, with a supporting cast which includes Claude Gillingwater, Johnny Harrin, Ann Cornwell, Joseph Dowling, Gertrude Short, Alex Francis, Jed Prouty, Barney Barnett, Areta Gillman, Eleanor Montgomery, Peggy Brown, Trixie Andrews, Michael Dark. The scenario was written by Grant Carpenter ; Frank Strayer is assisting Beaumont in the direction, and Dave Abel has been engaged to turn the crank. Preparations for the production of "Tiger Rose," to be made by special arrangement with David Belasco and featuring Lenore Ulric, are now under way at the Warner Coast studios. From present indications first scenes for the production will be filmed on June 20 under the direction of Sidney Franklin. U.S. Publicity Bureau Aids "Loyal Lives" THROUGH bulletins being sent out by the Government publicity department at Washington, the 52,000 postmasters in the United States Post Office Department are being officially enlisted in the support of Whitman Bennett's mail man melodrama, " Loyal Lives," it is claimed. The Post Office Department is keenly interested in this Vitagraph release, and every member of the postal service is expected to give the production invaluable support when it reaches the theatre next month. IN accordance with their well known policy of backing up the exhibitor, Principal Pictures Corporation is on the eve of launching a comprehensive and intensive advertising campaign, nation-wide in scope, to further the interests of their Super Five series and " Mind Over Motor." The former includes " Bright Lights of Broadway," and " The Spider and the Rose," both B. F. Zeidman productions, " Temporary Marriage," " East Side, West Side," and " Gold Madness," the last named being founded upon the James Oliver Curwood story, " The Man from Ten Strike," and starring Guy Bates Post. This advertising campaign, which is the idea of Irving Lesser, general manager of distribution, and under w'hose supervision it is being engineered, will utilize practically every known medium and method of reaching the vast army of American Movie Fans, including, as it does, newspapers, trade papers — both national and regional — billboards, fan magazines, syndicated rotogravure sections appearing in the Sunday papers throughout the land, special exploitation feats, and. finally, the columns of many of the leading national magazines. This tremendous advertising " splash " is one of the results of the increased quantity and quality of the coming season's quota of Principal output, which, in turn, is the result of a competitive spirit which has been engendered between the New York offices of Principal and those in Los Angeles. The first of the eastern made pictures is " Bright Lights of Broadway," produced by Bennie Zeidman under the supervision of Irving Lesser. Its cast includes Lowell Sherman, Doris Kenyon, Harrison Ford, Effie Shannon, Tyrone Power, Elmund Breese and Claire Dolores. Webster Campbell directed. Among the players listed in the other four pictures of this group are Guy Bates Post, Alice Lake, Gaston Glass, Mildred Davis (now Mrs. Harold Lloyd), Kenneth Harlan, Eileen Percy, Cleo Madison, Mitchell Lewis, Grace Darmond. Tully Marshall, Myrtle Steadman. Robert McKim, Maude George, Joseph Dowling, Frank Campeau, Louise Fazenda. Noah Beery, Hector Sarno. Alec Francis, Edwin Stevens, Stuart Holmes, little Richard Hedrick and Wally Van. Lasky Enthuses Over 'The Cheat' raramount N. Y. Executives See First Print of Pola Negri Starring Vehicle THE first print of George Fitzmaurice's production of " The Cheat." starring Pola Negri, has arrived at the Paramount home office in New York and has been seen by the company's executives, all of whom are enthusiastic over its entertainment qualities and its perfection of technical detail. The result is that Jesse L. Lasky, at his office in Hollywood, has received many congratulatory messages from New York on the excellence of this new adaptation of Hector Turnbull's famous screen drama. In Mr. Lasky's estimation there has never been a more appealing or more perfectly produced picture made under the Paramount banner. " Miss Negri comes into her own in ' The Cheat.' " he said. " Nor must the splendid work done by Jack Holt and Charles de Roche be overlooked. Beautiful women, gorgeous gowns, sumptuous settings, flawless direction, superlative acting and a tremendous story all combine to make it the ideal picture. " It is the type of picture the public is clamoring for. and no effort was spared, nothing left undone, to make ' The Cheat ' a triumph for both tne star and the producer. The compliments I have received from the New York office strengthen my belief that we have succeeded." Ouida Bergere's adaptation of the screen play in wnich Fannie Ward and Sessue Hayakawa scored such a great success eight years ago follows the original theme almost to the letter, it is said. Only in detail of treatment has the story been changed, the most important alteration being the elimination of the Japanese character originally played by Hayakawa. The villain in Miss Bergere's version is a white man who, for the purpose of dealing in Indian treasures, assumes the clothing, make-up and personality of an East Indian nobleman in order that he may trick the public for business reasons. This is the part played by Charles de Roche, the French actor who has just made his American debut in support of Dorothy Dalton in " The Law of the Lawless." Richard Thomas, producer-director of " Phantom Justice." Melbourne Spurr, L. A. Photo. "Temple of Venus" at Fox Coast Studio Announcement has just been received from the William Fox offices to the effect that work • has started at the Fox West Coast Studios on a special titled ''The Temple of Venus," under the direction of Henry Otto. The story is an original by Katherine Carr, who also adapted it for the screen. The cast is headed by Phyllis Haver and David Bulter. William Boyd is the juvenile lead. Others included are Jean Arthur, Leon Barry. Fred Erie. Marian Harlan and Duchess Dilant. " The Temple of Venus " will be among the early releases from William Fox. '49 Days Restored for "Salome Jane" Boulder Creek Canyon has become a show place for tourists from San Francisco and other parts of northern California, for there a complete mining settlement of the wild days of '49 has been restored. Cabins built of redwood logs, open barns, the general store, the saloon and that indefinable atmosphere which harks back to the old days of the gold rush is faithfully reproduced. It's all part of the huge set constructed by Paramount for the filming of the George Mel ford production. " Salomv Tane." Johnnie Walker to Start "The Worm" Johnnie Walker, the RobertsonCole star, will shortly begin work on his next independent production. " The Worm," from the story by Frederick Stcwers under the direction of William Worthington. "Enemies of Women" Has Long Runs COSMOPOLITAN'S production of " Enemies of Women," is out after more long run records. Not being satisfied with shattering the record of the Roosevelt theatre, Chicago, it has now captured the same record for the Imperial theatre, San Francisco, where it has just completed a six weeks' booking, it is claimed. It ran for seven weeks at the Roosevelt in Chicago and has been booked for a second-run extended showing at Jones, Linick & Schaeffer's Orpheum theatre. It will show at all of the Jones, Linick & Schaeffer houses. " Enemies of Women " is now in its ninth week in New York, being at the Cameo theatre, after showings at the Central, the Rivoli and the Rialto. It will be shown at Goldman's King theatre in St. Louis in the fall.