Motion Picture News (May-Jul 1916)

July 1, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 4051 Scenes from Selig Offerings: (Left and Right) " The Valiants of Virginia," V-L-S-E "MAUD, THE EDUCATED MULE," FROM INTERNATIONAL ON JULY 3 "A Tempest in a Paint Pot," by George Herriman and " Maud, the Educated Mule," are animated cartoons scheduled for release July 3, by the International Film Service, Inc. "Maud," in the leading "heavy" role of the latter subject, whales the everlasting daylights out of the rest of the cast, including our old friend " Si," who in due course of the narrative, is treated to a fast ride on a barrel. His career over greater New York and environs is not even slowed up by a collision with the Woolworth building, whrch crashes to ruin and desolation before the cataclysmic hoof blows of the long-eared bird from Missouri. and Kathlyn Williams in Characteristic Poses; (Center) Scene from a New Tom Mix Comedy " Susie Snowflakes'^ a Famous Players Subject Featuring Ann Pennington, Deals v)ith Musical Comedy Life ANN PENNINGTON, star of the Ziegfeld " Follies," makes her photo play debut in the title role of " Susie Snowflake," a Famous Players production released on the Paramount Program June 22. Appropriately enough, the story deals with musical comedy stage life and Miss Pennington plays the role of a young girl who rises to stardom on the stage. But her theatrical laurels fail to appeal to her very maidenly and exceedingly prudish aunts, whose knowledge of life and the world in general consists in reading the Bingville Weekly Wheeze and in seeing the congregation file past the sitting room win Three Part Broadway Star Feature, " Letitia," Heads Vitagraph List for Week of June 26 THE three part Broadway Star Feature, " Letitia," heads Vitagraph's releases for the week of June 26. "Letitia" is a drama and the program is balanced by the aid of "Losing Weight" and "The Foxy Trotters," two single part comedies. Charles Kent in " Letitia " enacts the role of Dent, an old business man who is suffering from failing health owing to the fact that he constantly broods over his misdeeds years before, when in a burst of anger, he had deserted his wife and little child, Letitia. Knowing his secret sorrow and fearing his life would be short unless the girl is found. Dent's faithful old valet introduces his daughter to his master as his long lost daughter Letitia, hoping to make the old man happy and lengthen his life. The ruse succeeds, and when, after months of happiness with his " Letitia," Dent finally succumbs, the valet and his daughter are satisfied that they have done their duty. Belle Bruce is Letitia, and others in the cast are Hugh Wynne, Gordon Gray, Thomas R. Mills, Charles Wellesley and Frank Chapman. Harry Davenport directs the picture from a scenario by Gordon Arthur Smith. George Kunkel in " The Foxy Trotters " expresses his disapproval of that popular indoor sport, dancing. When a dancing teacher, feminine gender, superlative beauty, moves in above him, Kunkel hastens to withdraw his objections to terpsichore, and soon becomes a past master of the art himself. Other Vitagraphers in the picture are Anne Schaefer, Carmen Phillips, Jack Mower, Archie Warren and Vera Rowe. Dave Smith directed the picture from George F. Burkhardts scenario. In " Losing Weight," Hughey Mack, Vitagraph's heavyweight comedian, finds his enormous girth a hindrance to him in business. While on his way to close a million dollar contract, Hughey is halted on every hand by his immense corporation. He reaches the office just in time to be too late, and decides to take a course to reduce his excess avoirdupois. After working like sin for a couple of weeks, and refraining from all of his favorite pastimes, such as drinking beer, he hops on the scales and "goes out for the count " when he sees that he has gained 1^0 pounds or so. After this sad experience, Hughey decides to revert to his former "diet" of beefsteaks, potatoes and beer, on which he is speedily reducing weight. Jewell Hunt and John Flatow are assistant laugh makers in this comedy which was written by Lawrence Semon and C. Graham Baker and directed by the former. dow each Sunday on its way to the church down the road. Susie's mother had run away from home with an actor and her spinster sisters had never forgiven her, though there were those in town who said that jealousy was the chief motive of their austere behavior. Little Susie's personal success on the stage fails to save her company from financial shipwreck and she is soon stranded. Through the efforts of an old actor who had been a friend of her mother's, Susie's marble-facaded aunts are persuaded to receive their niece at their home. Of course there are many clashes of temperament and ideas when Susie's Broadway culture is exhibited to the straight-laced ladies of her mother's household, and there are many times when the aunts are scandalized by Susie's conduct. But their greed gets the better of their Puritanical instincts when they discover that the despicable son of their landlord, a very wealthy gentleman, is regarding Susie with more than passing interest. But Susie scorns their importunities to accept the young man, for she has already found a staunch friend in a young doctor, of whom her aunts naturally do not approve. It is a local entertainment in which Susie does one of her best little Great White Way dances that brings matters to a head and puts the overbearing aunts in their proper place, while it leaves Susie to be loved by her doctor. For the theatre scenes in " Susie Snowflake," the Famous Players erected a complete replica of a musical comedy theatre in the studio. Here Miss Pennington did one of the celebrated dances which has made her the idol of musical comedy. Among those who appear in support of Miss Pennington are Leo Delaney, William Courtleigh, Jr., William J. Butler, Marcia Harris and Billie Wilson. In accordance with a new arrangement entered into with G. Schirmer, Inc., the well known music publisher, a special musical score has been prepared for this subject, copies of which are obtainable from the various Paramount exchanges.