Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

1 1200 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 8 MARIE SHOTWELL JOINS THAN! HOUSER STUDIO Marie Shotwell, who recently completed a five-year contract under the management of Daniel Frohman, has gone into moving pictures. She has signed with the Thanhouser company and is now at the New Rochelle studios working in an Italian story by Emmet Mixx, in which she will be starred. Miss Shotwell is perhaps best known for her characterization of Shirley in " The Lion and the Mouse." For several years she was a member of the Lyceum Stock Company. Kathlyn Williams Signs With Morosco-Pallas Forces Popular Photoplay Star Closes Long Term Contract with West Coast Producers — To Start on First Subject Next Month KATHLYN WILLIAMS, the well known film star who has just resigned from the Selig Company, has signed a long term contract to appear under the MoroscoPallas brands on the Paramount program. One of the screenland's most talented as well as most beautiful stars, Miss Williams today enjoys a countrj'-wide popularity. Her success in motion pictures has not l)een of the " over-night " variety. Seven years ago, in company with Mary Pickford, King Baggot and Mary Fuller Leave Universal Former Preferred to Stay in New York Wlien Others Went to CoastPlans for the Future As Yet -Has Not Fonned KING BAGGOT, the sole remaining member of the original Imp company, has severed his connections with that producing company, and consequently with the , Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Mr. Baggot has not announced his future plans at this date, but it is reported that several of the feature concerns with studios in New York are bidding for his services. Mr. Baggot had the opportunity to go West with the other Universal forces but preferred to stay in New York. . Another Universal player who has not gone West with the Eastern studio forces is Mary Fuller. Miss Fuller is no longer connected with Universal. Her career has been long and varied. With the Edison Company she appeared in one of the first motion picture series, " What Happened to Mary?" and later followed this with a weekly appearance in " Dolly of the Dailies,", a series in which she played the part of a newspaper reporter. On, leaving Edison she joined Universal and while with the company appeared in some of its most successful photo dramas. Mr. Baggot was one of the charter members of the Imp organization. He was a member of the company at the time MarjPickford, Thomas Ince, Joe Smilej' and others now prominent were making pictures in the old studio in Eleventh avenue. As an actor Mr. Baggot has established for himself a reputation for unusual versatility. He also directed several of his own pictures and has many original scenarios to his credit. Perhaps the best known picture in which Mr. Baggot appeared was " Absinthe," in which he portrayed with great realism the ravings of a man under the influence of the drugged liquor. In a two-reel production released on the Universal program Mr. Baggot carried every one of its half-dozen odd parts, sometimes appearing on the screen three times at once, by means of triple exposure. He is a master in the art of makeup, an accomplishment which served him well in this novel production. Automobile Company To Aid " Crimson Stain Publicity Arrangements for the Distribution of Thirteen Overland Sixes Includes Great Advertising Campaign in Which the Willys-Overland Company Will Join EXHIBITORS in general will be interested to know of the publicity arrangement that was consummated by the Consolidated Film Corporation during the -piLSt week with the W'illys-Overland Coml)any. The Consolidated Company has purchased thirteen overland sixes, 1917, five passenger model, which they will give away in various parts of the United States in ■connection with the presentation of the six' teen episode serial, " The Crimson Mystery," which the Erbograph Company is now at work producing. Under reciprocal system arranged by S. G. Sladdin, director of publicitj' of the Consolidated Film Corporation, who was in Toledo the past week, the Overland Company, through its advertising and publicity department (which has a staff of 110 employees) has started its system working on the more than five thousand dealers throughout the country, each of whom will become an active worker for publicity, with the exhibitor in his particular town or city who books "The Crimson Stain Mystery." In addition to this the publicity facilities in force at the Overland plant in Toledo will carry stories, photographs, cuts and mats, all of which will be co-operative with the publicity campaign that is being conducted hy the Consolidated Film Corporation. O. E. Goebel, president of the Consolidated Film Corporation, in discussing this publicity proposition said : " With the arrangement tliat our company has just completed with the Wllh"S-Overland Company I feel absolutely convinced that no such advertising campaign has ever been conceived, let alone consummated, for a picture of any sort — feature or serial. " The Overland people, whose cars we have selected to give awa}^ in this big contest, have already started into motion their tremendous publicity organization. " The men connected with this company are men who know every angle of the picture business and know just what the exhibitor wants, just the sort of help he needs and exactly what to have him do in order to increase his business. Our first release will come Monday, August 28. " The Crimson Stain Mystery," w-hich is being produced by the Erbograph Company and directed by T. Hayes Hunter, is starring Maurice Costello and Ethel Grandin. Arthur Johnson, Henry Walthall, Billy Quirk and other members of the " old guard " at Biograph, under D. W. Griffith, she received her early schooling in the silent drama. Born in Butte, Mont., and educated at Wesleyan University, Helena, Mont., Miss Williams entered the theatrical profession at an early age. In dramatic stock she appeared under the managements of Belasco, Willard Mack and W illiam Morris. Kathlyn Williams On leaving Biograph Miss Williams became associated with the Selig Companj-, under whose trade-mark she appeared until her recent resignation. In the title role of " The Adventures of Kathl>-n " she starred in the first serial photoplay ever produced, a twenty-six reel subject, which resulted in adding many new admirers to her large following. In " The Spoilers," as Cherry Malotte, Miss Williams presented what is conceded to be her greatest characterization on the screen, other successes included her portrayals in " The Rosary," " The Ne'er Do Well," " Back to the Primitive," " The Two Orphans," " Thou Shalt Not Covet " and manj others. In addition to her talent as an actress the new Morosco-Pallas star has attained considerable distinction as a writer and is a member of the "Authors League." Among her offerings in this field are " Thy W'ill Be Done," " The Last Dance," "Strange Case of Talmai Lind," " Bride of Baldoon " and many others, all of which have been produced. Aliss \\'illiams will start on her initial subject for the Paramount program earlj' next month. The production has already been decided upon and it is understood displays a big theme, particularly suited to the dramatic talents of. the star. Several other big subjects are already under consideration as future vehicles for Miss Williams.