Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

2174 Motion Picture News Adolph Zukor Obliges British Famous Players-Lasky Studio Plans that there would be no charge except for Forwarded to England by Request to Serve as Model for British Official Studio IN response to a request from the British Ministry of Information in London, the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation has forwarded a complete set of plans and specifications of its big studio at Fort Lee, which is said to be one of the most perfectly designed and equipped plants of its kind in the country. The plans will be utilized in connection with the erection of a plant in England for the making of propaganda pictures for the British Government. Negotiations for the co-operation of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation were opened during the past Summer between Lord Beaverbrock, of the British Ministry, and C. A. Clegg, manager of the Famous Players Film Co., Ltd., of London. At Lord Beaverbrock's request Mr. Clegg cabled the New York office asking if the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation could furnish a head for each department both for the construction and maintenance of a studio for producing the propaganda films, the expenses of every nature to be paid by the British Government. President Zukor immediately cabled Mr. Clegg to advise Lord Beaverbrock that arrangements could be made to lend from the Famous Players-Lasky forces whatever department heads might be requested and the compensation of the men actually engaged, any further organization assistance necessary to be gladly contributed gratis. The request for the studio plans and specifications followed and they were duly forwarded through the British Bureau of Information in New York. The following letter of acknowledgment has been received by Mr. Zukor from Lord Beaverbrock : Ministry of Information, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W. C. 2. Dear Mr. Zukor: — I have received your cable and I wish to take this opportunity of thanking you very much for your kind cooperation. It is a great help to me to know that 1 have your organization behind me in this matter, and I have every hope that we will make a great success of it. Yours faithfully, (Signed) Beaverbrock. The correspondence, beyond the fact that it pays tribute to the organization of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation for motion picture production, serves strikingly to show the British Government's recognition of the value of films in spreading official propaganda. The contemplated action is undoubtedly the direct result of the splendid work which has been accomplished by the American Government through the co-operation of the American producing and distributing companies. National Press Club Sees Liberty Films The Treasury Department, Washington, on September 24 made arrangements for a formal showing of the Fourth Liberty Loan Motion Picture Films, before the National Press Club, on the evening of September 27, at the Central High School Auditorium, Washington. Geraldine Farrar sang on this occasion and Vice-President Thomas R. Marshall spoke. The remainder of the evening was devoted to a showing of some of the Fourth Liberty Loan Films, produced and distributed through the patriotic co-operation of a Committee of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, consisting of Adolph Zukor, chairman ; Messrs. J. E. Brulatour, George K Spoor, Marcus Loew, W. W. Irwin, Al Lichtman and John C. Flinn. In a letter of invitation the Treasury Department said : " We cannot begin to tell you how deeply grateful the Treasury Department is for the magnificent co-operation which the entire moving picture industry has given it in this great drive to raise the sinews of war. We trust that the wide use to which the Treasury Department intends to put these films will constitute abundant proof of our belief in their efficacy." Edith Koch Promoted by Select Personal Secretary of Lewis J. Selznick Is Now Manager of The Foreign Department of Select Pictures MISS EDITH KOCH, recently appointed manager of Select Pictures' foreign department, has been on a brief business visit to Montreal, the first trip which she has made in the new capacity to which she has just been elevated. Everyone who knows Louis J. Selznick, president of Select Pictures Corporation, knows Miss Koch, who, for the past year and a half has been his private secretary. During this period Miss Koch has earned an enviable reputation among the many big business men of the picture industry with whom she has come in contact for her astuteness and diplomatic tact, which have been much admired. Miss Koch will continue to act as personal secretary to the head of Select Pictures Corporation, at the same time exercising her duties as manager of the foreign department. Edith Koch, who is still a young girl, has had varied and interesting experiences in the moving picture industry. She was with Louis J. Selznick while he was vice president and general manager of the World Film Corporation. Due to the ill health of her mother, and the latter's desire to have her daughter home with her, she gave up this position and moved to California. After a few months of idleness, however. she once more answered the call of business, and eager to get back into harness accepted a small position with the Jesse L. Lasky Company at their studio in Hollywood. From this she was soon advanced to be the secretary of the scenario editor, who at that time was Harvey Thew. Presently Miss Koch was doing a little editing of her own, and also having a finger in the continuity work. This led William C. De Mille to draft Miss Koch to his staff as a writer, in which position she continued for some time. In order to return to the employ of Mr. Selznick Miss Koch had to relinquish this position. About this move she says : " I realized that I was giving up a splendid opportunity but was anxious to get back to the active and exciting end of the business. Mr. De Mille was charming when I told him I was leaving, and told me that any time I wished to come back ' the key was in the door, and all I had to do was turn the knob.' " Back in New York Miss Koch became secretary to Alexander Beyfus. who was then personal secretary to Mr. Selznick, to which latter position she shortly succeeded. Miss Koch admits that Mr. Selznick wished to put another man in this position, and took her on with doubt and misgiving and only after she had given him a thorough sales talk. How well justified was Miss Koch's confidence in her ability to please Mr. Selznick is proved by the recent advance which she has earned in the Select organization. Mutt and Jeff Cartoons Selected for Camps Testifying to the popularity of Capt. Bud Fisher's Mutt and Jeff Animated Cartoons is the. War Service Bulletin for September 1 for motion pictures selected for use in training camps of the Army and Navy. With six Mutt and Jeff cartoons on the list the Fox Film points out, Fisher's famous comic characters outstrip all other brands of humorous pictures selected for Uncle Sam's soldiers and sailors. The Mutt and Jeff cartoons listed are " The Extra Quick Lunch," " Hunting the U-boats," " Hotel de Mutt." " Joining the Tanks," "An Ace and a Joker" and " Landing a Spy." Other Fox pictures listed are Jane and Katherine Lee in " Doing Their Bit." Gladys Brockwell in "The Bird of Prey," Virginia Pearson in " The Liar " and Jewel Carmen in " Lawless Love." Goldwyn's Boston Manager Passes Away M. Ralph Camp, since last June manager of the Boston office of Goldwyn Distributing Corporation, died in Boston at 5 o'clock Monday afternoon of pneumonia resulting from Spanish influenza, epidemic in that city. Mr. Camp's illness did not take an alarming turn until a few hours before his death, and his mother, Mrs. Anna Camp, and his sister. Mrs. Charles Lafayette Jones, both of New York, were on their way to Boston to care for him when word reached the home office that he had passed away. He was thirtv-five vears old. (Complete Plan Book on page 2243) iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriimiiii!1 iinniiiiiniiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiii mi RUN LIBERTY FILMS mmm mini unimiHunniuniHiiiiiiiuiUBUiiiiuDinHi