Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

August 19, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 1059 MARTIN JOINS SELIG FORCES ON THE COAST E. A. Martin has been engaged by President William N. Selig, of the Selig Polyscope Company, and has joined the Pacific Coast forces. He will immediately begin production on the five-reel Western story, " The Light of Western Stars " from the pen of Zane Grey. The all-star cast for this feature will include Kathlyn Williams and Tom Mix. Frank Campeau has also been engaged by the Selig Polyscope Company, and will make his initial appearance in that photoplay. Half Page Magazine Mat Stories in 300 Dailies Paramount Issues Publicity Medium Fortnightly, Made Up of Special Articles by Prominent People on Subjects of General Appeal MELIES MANUFACTURING COMPANY IS NOT SUING GENERAL In view of an impression which may have arisen the Melies Manufacturing Company has issued a denial that it is suing the General Film Company. It asserts that the interests of the Melies Manufacturing Company and of George Melies are the same and that neither is connected in any way with any other concern with a similar name, reports of any sort notwithstanding. /^NE of the latest publicity mediums that has been issued in connection with motion pictures, was that which made its appearance in over 300 newspapers throughout the United States last week in the form of a half-page newspaper magazine mat story, issued in mat form by the' Paramount Pictures Corporation, in connection with the advance showings of Mary Pickford in the Famous Players production of " Hulda of Holland." The recent Pickford half-page story is a pictorial layout in seven columns, with the eight pictures surrounding it, entitled " Vot is Dot Picture Posing," in a very unique interview with Miss Pickford, in which she tells of her work in this Dutch picture in Dutch dialect. These half-page and page stories in mat form are issued fortnightly from the Paramount Publicity Bureau, and are the handiwork of Charles E. Moyer, of Paramount. Ben Schulberg, of Famous Players, John C. Flinn, of Lasky, and Pete " The Prince of Graustark " Will Be Shown by Essanay President Spoor Obtains Rights to the Sequel to George Barr McCutcheon's Famous " Graustark," Already in Pictures for the Company PRESIDENT GEORGE K. SPOOR of Essanay has obtained the rights to " The Prince of Graustark " and will produce it as a five-reel photoplay. This is a sequel to George Barr McCutcheon's famous " Graustark," produced in six acts by Essanay. Bryant Washburn and Marguerite Clayton will appear in the leading roles, with a supporting cast headed by Ernest Maupain, Sydney Ainsworth and John Cossar. Fred E. Wright, who directed " Graustark," will also produce this piece. " The Prince of Graustark " as a best seller has had such a phenomenal sale that its characters are well known to readers numbering into the millions. " With ' Graustark ' Essanay has had wonderful success," said President Spoor. " Although it has been out for some time, having been one of the first features of its length, every available copy is being shown daily. Even now, requests for additional prints have made it necessary for Essanay to manufacture more to meet the demand. That " The Prince of Graustark " will duplicate this sensational run is certain." This play will offer the first opportunity for followers of Bryant Washburn and Marguerite Clayton to see the two of them in the same feature. Each has been with Essanay for a term of nearly four years, but had never been cast together until the past few months. In several three-act pictures they appeared together and formed such popular opposites that, coupled with their suitability for the parts. President Spoor decided to cast them in the feature. Miss Clayton has appeared in three recent features, " According to the Code," " Vultures of Society " and " A Daughter of the City." Mr. Washburn's last feature was " The Havoc," but he has appeared in numerous three-act pieces since. The selection of Ernest Maupain for the part of the eccentric millionaire whose chief characteristic is American initiative, is a natural one. So also is the casting of Sydney Ainsworth as Count Quinnox. Schmid, of Morosco. This is one of the features that has been added to the department lately, and will be forwarded diligently in connection with the large publicity and exhibitors co-operative campaign which is now under way. The leading papers in over two hundred cities in the country have already contracted for these stories. One paper in each city is given the service, while the other papers in the same communities are given other attractive mediums by which they can tie up their publicity with the Paramount exhibitors in their respective communities. The stories that have already been issued in connection with this service are : " Visualizing America's Defenselessness," by Charles E. Moyer, a full page mat story, telling of the utter inadequacy of the United States Army and Navy; a signed story by Burton Holmes entitled " Every Little Bonnet Tells a Story All Its Own " ; a full page story on the " Crime of Unpreparedness," by Edward Lyell Fox, the war correspondent ; a half page story of " How Mme. Gadski Selects Screen Music " ; " Fun Factories of Film Land," by Susie Sexton ; " The Fall of New York," by Frederick Palmer, of whom former President Theodore Roosevelt said, " He has seen more war than any other American who is alive," and who is today one of the highest authorities on modern warfare ; " The Crime Against Our Navy," by Henry Reuterdahl, naval expert and " Music a Necessity for Motion Pictures," by Frieda Hempel, star of the Metropolitan Opera Company. In the near future, half page stories will be issued on " Ten Hats for a Dollar " by Marie Doro ; " Whose Hands Are These," picturing the hands of the world's most famous people, as shown in Paramount Pictographs ; and " The Master Villain of the Screen," in which there is told how a green lion was tamed within thirty minutes to perform before the motion picture camera. This is but one of the many classes of publicity that Paramount has planned in their scheme for exhibitor co-operation.