Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

1206 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 8 F. C. BURHANS IS PITTSBURG V-L S-E HEAD F. C. Burhans, assistant branch manager of the Pittsburg V-L-S-E office since May, 1915, was elevated last week to the managership of that office, succeeding E. O. Child, who had been in charge of the Pittsburg office for more than a year. Mr. Child, like Mr. Bertelson, late manager of the Salt Lake City branch of the Big Four company, has been relieved of his duties at his own request, because of ill health. Messrs. Burhans and Child started in the Pittsburg branch at the same time, and have always worked hand-in-hand. For this reason the appointment of the former to the head of the office will not affect a change in the methods of that office. Otis Turner, Tefft Johnson, Frank Lloyd, Join William Fox Acquisition of Three New Directors Gives That Producer a Staff of Twelve, Including Edwards, Buel, Vincent, Walsh, Apfel, Stanton, Davis, Adolii and Bracken WILLIAM FOX has acquired three more directors. They are Otis Turner, Teft Johnson, and Frank Lloyd. The addition of these men gives the Fox Film Corporation a total of twelve film makers. The list now includes : J. Gordon Edwards, Kenean Buel, James Vincent, Bertram Bracken, John G. Adolfi, Oscar G. Apfel, R. A. Walsh, Richard Stanton, Will S. Davis, Otis Turner, Teft Johnson and Frank Lloyd. Each of the new directors is well-known throughout the realm of the gelatines. Mr. Turner was on the stage for years, after playing every part from end man in a minstrel show to the " Where-are-those Nazimova Astonishes Director in First Camera Work 'Bom for Screen," Declares Brenon, After Filming First Scenes of "War Brides" for Lewis J. Selznick Enterprises WORK on the Herbert Brenon production of Madame Nazimova in " War Brides" went forward with a rush last week at the Ideal studio on the New Jersey Palisades. Last Monday the tragedienne stepped before the motion picture camera for the first time in her career and under the guidance of Director Brenon began the enactment of the scenario version of Marion Craig Wentworth's drama. The great revelation, according to Mr. Brenon, is the facility with which Madame Nazimova adapted her art to the requirements of the screen. " Madame Nazimova is perfectly equipped for the art of the photo-drama," says Mr. Brenon. " I knew this when I witnessed her work on the stage, characterized as it always has been by subtle grace of movement and wonderful expressiveness. But I was not prepared for the spontaneous manner in which she adapted herself to this other art, and I can say without hesitation that I have never worked with nor seen in photo-drama such a consummate artiste. She was born to the screen, and while she herself is devoted to the literary branch of the drama, I believe she will find in the filmed version of ' War Brides ' opportunities for appealing to her followers which she could never have found on the stage itself. It was with the utmost enthusiasm that I embarked upon this production, and already I find my faith more than justified." While the producing company is at work in the studio Lewis J. Selznick, head of the distributing system, has quietly completed the details for handling the Brenon productions along lines similar to the new Clara Kimball Young pictures. All the exchanges he had built up for Miss Young's pictures have taken over the Nazimova picture as well as all future Brenon Film Corporation productions. In addition Mr. Selznick last week closed two deals for the distribution of all his attractions in the far West. With A. H. Blank, head of a chain of theatres in Omaha, Des Moines, Davenport and other cities in that territory, Mr. Selznick closed for the distribution of the Clara Kimball Young and Brenon pictures in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. A new exchange has been incorporated under the name of the Mid-West Photo Play Corporation for this purpose. The second deal involves the distribution of all the Selznick attractions throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. The transaction was negotiated with M. Rosenberg, head of the De Luxe Feature Film Service, with headquarters in Seattle. This company handled the distribution in that territory of such pictures as " The Spoilers," " The Ne'er Do Well," " The Little Girl Next Door " and " Neptune's Daughter." Messrs. Blank and Rosenberg came to New York to complete the deals with Mr. Selznick and have returned to the West. Tina Marshall, Edwin Stevens and Marguerite Gale in " The Yellow Menace," Unity Serial papers?" villain, became a circus manager. By a curious coincidence, Mr. Lloyd was once the " heavy " in Turner's motion picture delegation. Mr. Turner is an Indianan ; Mr. Lloyd, a native of Glasgow, Scotland. J. Gordon Edwards has already made fourteen pictures for William Fox, among others, " The Galley Slave," "Under Two Flags," " The Song of Hate," " The Spider and the Fly," and " The Green-Eyed Monster." Mr. Edwards, who was born and educated in Canada, had his stage debut in that immortal of immortals, "Ten Nights in .a Bar Room." One of the actors became ill while the melodrama was stirring Calgary, Alberta, and Mr. Edwards, then a ranchman, volunteered for the part. Immediately preceding his directorship, Mr. Edwards was in charge of the Academy of Music and produced more than 250 plays. Virginia Pearson's first photoplay for William Fox was screened under the supervision of Kenean Buel. It was called " Blazing Love." Miss Pearson's newest picture, and Mr. Fox's latest release was also made by Mr. Buel. The intermediate Pearson picture, " Hypocrisy," was directed by Mr. Buel. Oscar C. Apfel's name is inevitably associated with that of William Farnum, as Mr. Apfel has filmed more than half of his photoplays. " The Man from Bitter Roots," " Fighting Blood," " The End of the Trail," and "The Battle of Hearts," are all Apfel-made. Besides directing " Destruction " and " A Tortured Heart," Will S. Davis was in charge of " Slander," Madame Kalich's first appearance before a William Fox camera. James Vincent, who made " Gold and the Woman " and " Sins of Men," directed the second Kalich picture, " Ambition." " The Beast," the picture of the west with George Walsh and Anna Luther in the leading roles, is the product of Richard Stanton, another newcomer to the William Fox corps. Mr. Stanton is a Philadelphian and was a professional pitcher of note. He developed his strong arm in the steel mill of a Pittsburgh uncle. After standing batters on their heads for several seasons, he left for a five-year career on the stage. Foremost among the pictures of Bertram Bracken are " East Lynne," " Sporting Blood " and " The Eternal Sapho." Under the tutelage of John G. Adolfi, June Caprice made her debut in filmland in " Caprice of the Mountains." Mr. Adolfi numbers among his productions " Merely Mary Ann " and " A Modern Thelma." The length of time which Director R. A. Walsh is taking in screening a new William Fox photoplaj' is characteristic of the Fox Film Corporation's methods. Completeness and superiority are emphasized, so Mr. Walsh is now in his twelfth month on the production, because the exigencies of the piece demand it. It was Mr. Walsh who turned out " Carmen," " Blue Blood and Red," and " The Serpent."