Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1916)

February 5, 1916. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 697 taken up the making of 101 Bison subjects, with a company composed of Edwin N. Wallock, late with the Selig company, Lee Hill, who for a time was with the Chaplin Essanay, and later director of Vogue comedies ; Marie Walcamp, G. A. Williams and Jack Curtis. The first subject to be made is entitled "The Strife of the Iron Trail," from scenario by F. M. Wiltermood. This story has to do with rival railroad companies trying to build into the same city, through a mountainous section. Among the thrillers for this will be a fight between the two rival construction crews on a fast moving train of flat cars, the leaping from a fast running locomotive into a river eighty feet below by the heroine, and the dynamiting of a mammoth railroad bridge. Throughout the story there is a love interest between the disowned son of one of the railroad magnates and the girl who serves as operator at a station near where the fighting takes place. "Crippled Hand" a Two-Reel Subject "The Crippled Hand" is a two reel subject being produced by Robert Leonard and David Kirkland, wherein Ella Hall is featured as a little crippled shop clerk whose dreams of finding a prince as did Cinderella comes true when she tries on a slipper on display in a theatre lobby, and thus secures a place in the newly organized opera company. There she prevents the prima donna from being shot by jumping between the woman and a crippled man who had formerly been a celebrated violinist playing in concert with the singer, and jilted by her after he had been injured in an accident when he saved her from injury. A prominent part is that taken by Robert Leonard, the role of the angel of the show. This story is by Calder Johnstone, formerly scenario editor at Universal City, .who for the past six months has been with the American. Mr. Johnstone returns to Universal staff the first of this week. George Cochran, who was recently added to the producing staff at Universal city, has completed the filming of the one reel story "Shackles," from story by Laura Oakley. The principals in this are Douglas Girrard and Carmen Phillips. The Allan Curtis Joker Company is filming "Love Laughs at the Law," and the second Joker company featuring Victor Potel is busy in the making of "When Slim Was Home Cured." The Ford-Cunard. Company is filming a one reel drama entitled "The Bandit Wagon." The cast for this includes Jack Holt and Neal Hardin. At the Universal zoo "The Toll of the Jungle" in two reels is being filmed by Director Jay Hunt and company. The leading parts in this are taken by Rex Roselli, Yona Landowska, Colin Chase and T. D. Crittenden. Jaccard Making "Wedding Guest" The Jaccard Western Universal Company is busy with the making of "The Wedding Guest," adapted from the story by Lucia Chamberlain. As in previous western subjects made by this company, .Harry Carey, William Gettinger, Olive Golden and Peggy Coudray play the principal parts. "The Journal of Lord John" serial company has taken up the filming of the fifth episode of the story by the Williamsons. The title of this is 'The League of the Future." The same cast that has appeared in previous numbers is playing in this. The Joseph Hatton story "John Needham's Double" has been adapted for the screen by Olga Printzlau, and Tyrone Power will be featured in the name part of the production to be made by the Smalleys. Ernie Shields and Roy McCrae have completed the filming of a one reel comedy, "Time Flies," and Lynn Reynolds and company, composed of Myrtle Gonzalez, Frank Newberg, Val Paul, and others are filming a one reel drama entitled "Lonesomeness." F. McGrew Willis has prepared a scenario adapting the Houghton Townley novel, "The Gay Lord Warring" for the screen. This is being made by Director Harry Carter, under the supervision of Otis Turner. Jack Kerrigan is playing the name part in this subject. The William Worthing Universal Company upon the completion of the one reel drama, "After the Play," it is said, will take up the making of a serial. The title of this has not been made known, but it is stated that it will be of the nature of a mystery story with Herbert Rawlinson featured in the leading part, that of a young man who has many very unusual adventures. Change in "Graft" Serial Another change has been made in the "Graft" serial producing company, in that Hobart Henley has been transferred to the Eastern studio. Now Director Richard Stanton is to step in and play the role of adventurer through the remaining episodes. He will take the part of an attorney who is a member of the Larnigan family, and will continue to flay the various organizations of graft to avenge the death of other members of the family who have gone before. The Vitagraph company has returned from Truckee, where they made the three reel drama, "The Other Way," using snow scenes available there. In this Fred William Hillar, the German champion skiier, performed in a number of scenes before the camera. Included in the cast for this were Corrine Griffith and Anne Schafer. The Rollin Sturgeon company which has been at Bear Lake securing snow stuff for "God's Country and the Woman" for the past two months, save for a few days spent here during holiday time, arrived home the first of this week, having escaped from the mountain retreat just in time to prevent being snowed in. Should the latter have happened, the players would have had a very undesirable experience in that the hotel did not have provisions of sufficient quantity to entertain them for more than a week or two. Local papers carried many wierd tales of hardships of this party of photoplayers, but none seem the worse for the experiences. A number of extensive improvements are to be made at the new Vitagraph studios at once. These include the enclosing of the entire grounds, which consists of thirteen acres, and the building of attractive bungalows on each side of the entrance, which will serve as offices for the organization. The laboratory, cutting and assembling departments are now housed in new quarters, a building 35 x 100 feet having been erected. Work will be taken up at once on the building of another stage of the same size as the present one, 80 x 150 feet. It is the plan of Director General Sturgeon to beautify the grounds with lawns, gardens and hedges. Wing Completes Three-Reeler, "Ashes" William E. Wing has juts completed two three reel scenarios for the Vitagraph company which will be made into Blue Ribbon subjects featuring Mary Anderson. One is entitled "Ashes," and the other "Little Miss Adventure." A feud of the Kentucky type between the families of Ham and Bud served as the basis for another Ham comedy now being made. Gordon Griffith, a boy actor, was cast to play the part of Ham when a lad, and all the members of each family were represented in the fight that lasted for years. Porter Strong in this appears as the father of Ham. FRISCO BOARD OF TRADE ELECTS OFFICERS Special to Motion Picture News San Francisco, Jan. 19. At the annual meeting of the Film Exchange Board of Trade of San Francisco, held January 18, the following were elected officers for the ensuing year : President, M. L. Markowitz, California Film Exchange ; vice-president, X. K. Stout, Mutual Film Corporation ; treasurer, H. Oviatt, Pathe Film Exchange; secretary, L. D. Netter, All Star Feature Distributors. Board of Directors— Louis Reichert, Metro Feature Exchange; I. H. Lichenstein, Globe Film Exchange; M. L. Markowitz, California Film Exchange; X. K. Stout, Mutual Film Corporation ; H. Oviatt. Pathe Film Exchange. Finance Committee— John W. Allen, Progressive Motion Picture Company; I. H. Lichenstein, Globe Film Exchange; Louis Reichert, Metro Feature Exchange. Membership Committee— Robert E. Stebbins, Progressive Motion Picture Company ; D. Thompkins, United Film Exchange; Fred W. Voigt, Film Exchange Board of Trade of San Francisco. VITAGRAPH WILL OPEN NEW THEATRE IN NEW YORK Announcement has been made by the Vitagraph Company that as soon as it secures a suitable new playhouse to take the place of the Vitagraph theatre which closed Saturday night last, it will arrange to show Vitagraph films in new quarters. The company is negotiating for one of several theatres that have necessary seating capacity and equipment, modern enough to permit presentation of films in the best manner possible. The closing of the Vitagraph theatre was due to the fact that the owners would grant no more than three months' cancellation clause, which precluded the possibilities of having any alterations made. During and since the run of "The Battlecry of Peace," the theatre has played to capacity houses. It may be possible that the Vitagraph company will decide to build a large moving picture auditorium in the theatre zone, with a seating capacity of two thousand.