Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

September 8 , 1923 1179 Associated Makes Changes in Personnel Floyd Lewis, a veteran in both the sales and exhibition end of pictures, was added this week to the list of special representatives of Associated Exhibitors, under appointment by John S. Woody, general manager. Mr. Lewis lias been in the industry nineteen years. S. T. O'Brien, branch manager in Des Moines, has been appointed to supervise both the Des Moines and Omaha branches of Associated. Charles J. Howard has been named branch manager at Minneapolis. E. S. 01smith returns to Associated, after an absence of several months, to be branch manager in Oklahoma City. Other appointments announced by Mr. Woody are those of William Bernard and Jack Conley as salesmen at the San Francisco and the Cincinnati branch, respectively. Jess Robbins Will Direct Baby Peggy Feature Jess Robbins has been signed by Universal to direct Baby Peggy in her third UniversalJewel production. The picture will be a comedy drama of five or six-reel length, filmed from a Lois Zellner continuity of an original story by Bernard McConville. The working title of the play is " Settled Out of Court " Hodkinson Will Release "Drivin' Fool" The Regents Pictures Corporation's " The Drivin' Fool," featuring Wally Van will be distributed by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation in September. It is a screen version of W. F. Sturm's Blue Book story of the same name. Some of the big scenes in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," featuring Lon Chaney, made by Universal. Schulberg Takes Over Selig Studio Buildings to be Enlarged and Remodeled for Increased Production Activity Wife in Name Only," from which these scenes were taken, is a Selznick picture. BP. SCHULBERG has taken over the Selig studios in Los Angeles for the * exclusive production of Preferred Pictures, to be released by Preferred Pictures Corporation, of which Al Lichtman is president. He has acquired as well a large ranch at Alhambra, just outside of Los Angeles, which will be used for large exterior sets and locations. Until now these studios have been shared by Mr. Schulberg and Louis B. Mayer, who has made all of his pictures there. Increased production plans of Preferred, however, necessitated greater space and additional equipment. Among the first improvements to be made in the property will be the building of a large new stage and a big tank. The Selig studios, from now on are to be called the Schulberg studios, were among the first to be built on the West Coast, and are among the landmarks of Los Angeles. Continual rebuilding and remodelling, however, have made them as modern and as completely equipped as any studios in the world. Sparc and equipment are sufficient to allow six companies to work simultaneously. A large plot of ground adjoins the studio buildings, and this will be used for large exterior sets, such as the Colonial home_ in " Maytime," on which construction has just been competed. The Alhambra ranch, which will also be used exclusively for Preferred Pictures, is about twenty minutes from Los Angeles, on the Pasadena road, and it contains some of the most beautiful exterior locations in all California. It was here that some of the exteriors for " The Virginian " were made. The acquisition of this property will enable Mr. Schulberg to make more elaborate pictures at smaller cost, and is an important step in the increased production plans of Preferred. Work on " Maytime " has already been started under the direction of Gasnier, with Ethel Shannon, Harrison Ford, Clara Bow, and William Norris in the. leading roles. Tom Forman will start soon on his production of " White Man," starring Kenneth Harlan, from the novel by George Agnew Chamberlain, and Victor L. Sehertzinger is making preparations for " The Boomerang," which is an adaptation of David Belasco's famous stage success. Girls "Romola" With Gish to Start Shortly The departure on the Homeric last Saturday of Henry King, the director, together with the heads of the technical departments of the Inspiration studios in Rome, William M. Ritchey, Robert Haas and Miss Marie Vallero, means that the production of the motion picture, " Romola," based on George Eliot's novel, in which both Lillian and Dorothy Gish will appear, will begin very shortly. One part of the " Romola " unit has already left for Italy. This included William Powell who plays the part of Tito; Charles Lane, character man; Joseph Boyle, assistant director, and Roy Overbaugh, cameraman. Among those whose departure is scheduled for early in September to join the unit in Italy, are Ronald Colman who will be Miss Gish's leading man in " Romola," and Herbert Grimwood who will take the part of Savanarola.