Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

1874 Salesmen Compete for Records Goldwyn Announces That Jts Salesmen Are in Lively Competition to Establish Speed Records in Securing New Business SALESMEN of Goldwyn Pictures Corporation throughout the country are engaged in a spirited free-for-all contest to establish speed records in closing contracts under the company's new Star Series booking arrangement. Charles R. Fay, a salesman in the Cincinnati exchange, tossed his hat into the ring several weeks ago by announcing that he had closed a Star Series contract and obtained a deposit check in just three minutes. The account of this incident was published in the form of a challenge in the Goldwyn Gold Winner, the weekly house organ of the company. Mr. Fay appointed himself the king of the speed merchants and defied all other Goldwyn salesmen to dethrone him. In the September 14 issue of the GoldII 'inner, large space is devoted to answers to Mir. Fay's challenge and numberous " come backs " are printed, among which are two from salesmen in the St. Louis and Kansas City offices. Salesman Joe Bloom of St. Louis declares he is the rightful speed monarch and recounts several of his recent experiences in closing contracts to prove his claim. Salesman W. C. Russell of the Kansas City exchange pokes fun at the challenge of his brother salesman. Russell records that while motoring through a town of 500 population he ran across a motion picture theatre, promptly drove to the entrance, tooted his horn, induced the exhibitor to take a ride around the block with him and, during the brief course of the spin obtained a contract for Goldwyn's entire output of Star Series productions. Tom Moore, Goldwyn's Only Male Star, in " Just for Tonight " Salesman Bloom puts in his claims for the honors on the common law of averages. Percentage, too, is taken into consideration and Bloom feels sure that he is the real, honest-to-goodness Goldwyn hurry-up man. Bloom's claims for recognition are supported by the following record: Visited an exhibitor in a town in Missouri and within 27 minutes booked the exhibitor for Goldwyn's entire 1917 output of pictures, monopolizing his screen for thirteen weeks of Goldwyn productions exclusively. En route to another town, Bloom saw a motion picture theatre in the course of construction, so he hopped off the train at the nearest station, drove back in an automobile, a distance of four miles, and booked the new theatre for 27 Goldwyn pictures. In addition, Bloom named the theatre for the ehibitor, calling it the New Liberty. The contract and deposit check were received and Bloom was out on the net train Motion Picture News Mae Marsh "Hidden Fires" Directed by Irving With the rapidly increasing output of Goldwyn Pictures it is a matter of concern to its executives that all the contributing factors should be recognized by the public and accorded due credit. From some sources it is learned that the direction of " Hidden Fires." recently completed by Mae Marsh, is supposed to have been in the hands of Hobart Henley. This is probably because Mr. Henley has been uncommonly successful in bringing out all the appeal of Mae Marsh in a series of Goldwyn pictures. But to George Irving alone belongs directorial honors of " Hidden Fires," and his handling of Mabel Normand's " Back to the Woods " earned for Mr. Irving this assignment. Contracts for Blue Ribbons Gain Ground Every office in the Vitagraph Distributing Organization has reported, during the last ten days, a noteworthy increase in Blue Ribbon feature contracts as the result of the statement of policy recently made by the company. A statement from the home office of the Distributing Organization declares that the branches have scored 100 per cent in the writing of new first-run accounts on a fifty-two week basis, scores of the leading exhibitors of the country having come to Vitagraph under the new booking plan. Only One Triangle a Week Scheduled Hereafter It is reported from Los Angeles that the Triangle Producing and Distributing Corporation has entered into a new agreement which provides for one feature release a week only, beginning September 15. According to report Taylor Holmes, Alma Ruben and Olive Thomas will not appear in subjects made for program release, but will continue with Triangle, producing Corporation's films to be released through other channels. Pauline Starke and Tom Buckingham. Triangle Players, in " The Atom " Metro Assembles New THE assembling of the cast of Metro's " Little Miss Moneybags " has been completed by Director Charles J. Brabin. Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne are the co-stars of this new feature, with Mr. Bushman as Van Tyne Carter and Miss Bayne as Arizona Brown, a real girl of the West. " Little Miss Moneybags " has been written by Elaine Sterne and adapted for the screen by A. S. Le Vino. Stuart Holmes plays Teddy Carter, a suave youth who tries to confiscate an estate. In motion pictures, Mr. Holmes played first with Kalem, then Biograph, then Fox, later being affiliated with Selznick pictures. Sally Crute has the role of Edith Trentoni in " Little Miss Moneybags." Some of her other recent parts in Metro productions have been in "A Wife by Proxy," with Viola Dana ; " The Avenging Trail," in which she played opposite Harold Lockwood ; "Blue Jeans," with Viola Dana, and in Nazimova's forthcoming special production, " Eye for Eye," in which she has the important role of Madame Cadiere. Mrs. Nathilde Brundage has been Bushman-Bayne Cast chosen by Director Brabin to play the part of Mr. Winthrop in the Bushman and Bayne feature. She has played for practically every company in the picture world, her first screen work dating back ten years. "Little Miss Moneybags-' is by no means her first Metro appearance. C. J. Williams plays James Carter in this, his first Metro picture. He at one time directed the present Metro star, Viola Dana. William Frederic, playing the role of " Pecos " Brown, father of Arizona Brown, and William McQuire, cast as the lawyer, Austin Hobbs, are both known upon the shadow and speaking stage. Tom Mix Completes Latest Tom Mix has completed his latest play, according to a telegram received by the Fox Film Corporation from Prescott, Ariz., where Mix and his company produced the picture. The picture was directed by Lynn Reynolds, who directed " Fame and Fortune," " Ace High," " Mr. Logan, LT. S. A.," and other Mix pictures.