Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

Motion Picture News William S. Hart, In His Weil-Known Pose Expressing Emotion or Anger, Familiar to Artcraft Patrons Sol Lesser Plans National Distributing Chain Higher standards in pictures and service and a strenuous exploitation and selling campaign constitute the main principles of the future plans of Masterpiece Film Attractions in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio, as outlined this week by Sol L. Lesser, president of the company, at San Francisco. George Jacobs is manager of Lesser's Ohio branches. He is stationed at Cleveland. Leon D. Netter still retains his interest, though he is now in the service of Uncle Sam. Lesser, youngest of state rights distributors, has taken the initial steps toward the establishment of a country-wide chain of distributing points. Twenty-five companies are now touring for Lesser in the Western and Middlewestern states with D. W. Griffith's " Hearts of the World," with central offices at San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. In New York Lesser maintains headquarters at 418 Longacre Building, with M. S. Rosenficld in charge. " Tarzan " Shows Decline of Man A positive example of the physical decline of man in comparison to previous generations is said to be given in the character of Tarzan, whose jungle training brings terror to the disciples of civilization when he is transplanted into the midst of aristocracy as the foundation of the story of " The Romance of Tarzan," soon to be released by the First National Exhibitors' Circuit as the concluding chapters to " Tarzan of the Apes." Elmo Lincoln, who portrays the character of Tarzan, was chosen for the part because of his physique and strength, in addition to his ability as an actor, and because he most perfectly represented, in the estimation of officials of the National Film Corporation, the physical type of man that would result from years of life in the open. Mabel Normand is given capital support in " A Perfect 36," her newest Goldwyn picture, said to be even funnier than the comedienne's recent vehicle, " Peck's Bad Girl." In " A Perfect 36 " Miss Normand is surrounded by players long identified with successful stage and screen productions. "Advertising past advertising" will be one of many unusual features of the exhibitor-to-thepublic publicity campaign on " The Romance of Tarzan," soon to be released by First National Exhibitors' Circuit. Bert Lytell has finished work in his fifth picture at Metro's West Coast studios in Hollywood. The story is from the pen of Lytell himself and was adapted for the screen by George D. Baker, Metro's western manager of production, in collaboration with the star. It's title will be announced later. In "Whatever the Cost," Anita King's next picture for distribution by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, the Outdoor Girl of Plaza pictures, is seen as the daughter of the leader of a gang of whiskey smugglers. She is supported by an able cast consisting of Stanley Pembroke, Patrick Calhoun, Corenne Grant, Bruce Smith, Charles Dudley and Gordon Sackville. As an indication of the success which " The Prussian Cur" is scoring, a statement by the Fox Film Corporation cites the opening of the new William Fox Liberty theatre, in Elizabeth, N. J., on Labor Day, when R. A. Walsh's great drama of the Kaiser's secret spy system in this country was the leading attraction. A race between a street car and an automobile, during which the chief characters of the story leap from one to the other, forms one of the exciting incidents in " The Room of Flames," which is the ninth episode of Universal's serial, " The Brass Bullet," featuring Jack Mulhall and Juanita Hansen. Norma Talmadge last week completed the Chinese scenes which make up the first part of her Chinese feature, " A Tale of the Forbidden City." She is now working on the second half of the picture with scenes laid in the Philippines. Reed Hamilton has been engaged to play the role of Lieut. Philip Halbert in this portion of the feature. The latest Animated Weekly release of the Universal includes big scenes from the World Series games between the Cubs and the Red Sox. The presentation of a World Series game on the screen as a news event represents one of the big achievements of the present day film production. Sessue Hayakawa's second special production, " The Temple of Dusk," made by the Haworth Pictures Corporation, for release through Mutual, is built around a story of Japanese devotion and ideals that culminates in supreme sacrifice. " The Haunted Pajamas." a farce comedy produced and released by Metro some time ago with Harold Loekwood as the star, is to be put on the stage, according to an announcement just made. The significent features of this announcement is that it marks a reversal of the usual order of procedure of adapting photoplays from stage successes and augurs well for the film taking first choice over the stage in the matter of stories. " For the Freedom of the East," the Betzwood Film Company production conceived and directed by Ira M. Lowry, has a cast of players in support of Lady Tsen Mei, the screen's sole Chinese star, distinguished for their achievements in the cinema. The new Paramount-Mack Sennett comedy, " His Wife's Friend," which is a September 8 release, is said to furnish a genuine treat for the average citizen whose mind is so distraught by the events of these parlous times. Moreover, the development of the story is said to be prolific of many delightful surprises. Essanay announces that its new Charlie Chaplin film, " Triple Trouble," has broken all booking records for that company, exceeding all the Chaplins released by Essanay, for the same period it has been on the market. Universal's Animated Weekly release for this week includes some unusual aviation scenes. They were taken at St. Louis when the AngloAmerican " Flying Circus " showed off its bag full of tricks to a " show me " crowd. St. Louis turned out in force with its proverbial skepticism and " We're from Missouri. You've got to show " frame of mind. Arthur Donaldson, With Alice Joyce in " Capt. Abe," Vitagraph Picture Nazimova's Next Picture Is " 'Ception Shoals " Mine. Nazimova and twenty-five members of her company in " ' Ception Shoals," the Nazimova superfeature now in process of production at the Metro studio, have gone to the Massachusetts coast to take important scenes in the play, which is a picture version of the H. Austin Adams drama, originally done on the speaking stage by the Russian actress. Mme. Nazimova will be presented to the screen public in this seven-act picture by Richard A. Rowland and Maxwell Karger. The party included the star ; her director, Albert Capellani ; his associate, Henry Kolker; assistant, Robert E. Stevens; the technical director, Henri Menessier; leading man, Charles Bryant; other players including Henry Harmon, Tom Blake, Nancy Palmer, Marie Grant, Charles A. Smiley, Ada Scovill, J. O'Connor, T. Morse Koupal, William Jeffrey, Amelia Burleon, Harry Weiss, Lydia Wellmore, the " boss " cameraman, Eugene Gaudio ; assistant cameraman, William Tuers ; photographer, Eugene Morin ; property man, Charles Devens ; and a working crew consisting of Daniel Carey, Charles Quinlan, Louis Onzeverdo and Frank Kishner. Chicago Likes Havakawa, Says E. H. Duffy E. H. Duffy, manager of Mutual's Chicago office, reports that bookings on the Havakawa Productions have broken all Chicago records for feature productions of Mutual. C. E. Elliott, managing director of the Zeigfeld theatre. Chicago, says: " Allow me to express my appreciation of the first Havakawa Production, ' His ♦ Birthright,' which I have run for a week at the ' Zeigfeld.' If this first picture is a criterion by which to judge his forthcoming releases, I feel that the Zeigfeld theatre has been very fortunate in securing the first run contract for Havakawa."