Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

October 5 , 1 9 1 8 2199 Sherry Gunning for Big Game George Walsh, as He Prepared to Leap Overboard in '• On the Jump," a New Fox Production Special Couriers Deliver Select Pictures Due to laboratory difficulties Marion Davies' " The Burden of Proof " arrived late and first-run accounts had to be reached by special messengers. The cities that were reached in this manner by Select's special service were Louisville, Ky., Chicago, 111., Washington, D. C, and Richmond, Va. In order not to disappoint these firstrun exhibitors. General Manager Arthur S. Kane of Select Pictures decided to impress members of the home office force to act as special messengers. John Cosentino left Select headquarters in New York on Thursday, barely in time to catch the Wolverine to Chicago at 5 o'clock. Walter J. Porges, of the Home Office, left on the 11.30 Pennsylvania train Friday night, arriving in Dayton, Ohio, the next afternoon, and relayed the film to Louisville. Vivian M. Moses, Select's publicity director, took passage on the BaltimoreWashington express, and reached the capital less than an hour later than he would have had he caught the famous flier. Employees of the Washington exchange were on hand to relay the film to Richmond. " Wolves of Kultur " Will Have Trade Showing A special showing of " Wolves of Kultur," produced by Western Photoplays and released through Pathe, will be made on the New York Roof on Tuesday, October 1, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. This serial, featuring Leah Baird with Sheldon Lewis, is based upon many actual happenings of German spies working in this country, and with the exhibitors who are invited are included government officials and representatives of the principal patriotic societies. The first three episodes will be shown. " The Maid and the Man," New Strand Comedy Odd little twists of every-day life — the funny and very human things that make life worth living for people with a sense of humor — are being used to make the Strand-Mutual comedies, starring Elinor Field in happy farces. William L. Sherry Has Habit of Going Away on Still Hunts and Coming Back with a Bunch of Contracts WILLIAM L. SHERRY, he of the newly established Wm. L. Sherry Service, has long been known as a king bee of film service contractors. When his colonels and captains and lieutenants all fail to contract the Sherry Service in some certain theatre that Sherry sets his heart upon serving, then Sherry gets busy himself. He takes down his fowling piece from over the fireplace and starts out on a silent trail to bag the bucking birds. That is what Sherry is doing at the present time. He is out gunning for big game. It is an old trick of his. When he was head of the Paramount film distributing organization in New York, before he established the Sherry Service in the Godfrey Building, he had a way of disappearing for days at a time and nobody knew where he went. Then about the time that the home office began to wonder what had become of the "old man," and about the time that the "five — count them — five" Sherry daughters were in tears because father had forgotten his promise to "kick in" with five new hats, and about the time that Mrs. Wm. L. Sherry was thinking about getting a divorce because JOHN E. DE WOLF and Herman Katz, who control the affairs of Paralta, had the following to say in regard to the future plans of Paralta : " There have been so many rumors regarding Paralta's plans for future productions that in justice to the stockholders and to the company's many friends we feel that it is advisable for us to make a statement. " In about a year we have produced nearly two dozen large pictures, which are now in process of distribution here and abroad. Our pictures are doing splendidly. Our only troubles have been internal, which are now adjusted. The undersigned are now owners of a vast majority of the common stock and the control of the company is entirely in our hands. " Early in the spring we secured the advice and counsel of Mr. Benjamin B. Hampton, who went to Los Angeles at our request. Mr. Hampton found that we had built an excellent studio and had created a very valuable property. In the confusion surrounding our affairs temporarily, this valuable property was jeopardized, but we succeeded in adjusting all our matters at Los Angeles by selling the studio to Robert Brunton and his associates on a plan that has entirely settled all our Coast troubles. " Mr. Hampton has done a great piece of work for us and we are most appreciative. We knew we had a valuable property, but it was tangled up and our experience in the business was not enough to enable us to disentangle it. Mr. Hampton has assisted us materially in straightening out our affairs and now we can see our way clear to success. The company's equities in its released pictures are very valuable. she knew he had never loved her anyhow — then Bill Sherry would come back leading a captive exhibitor with a rope around his neck and a contract for film service in the Sherry pocket. And that is what Sherry is doing just now. Rounding up a few "hard ones,'' somewhere out in the woods, just over the horizon. Of course, this is no attempt to disparage the sales ability of Dan Savage, general sales manager of the Wm. L. Sherry Service, or any of his lieutenants. They are a bunch of contract hounds. On rare occasions, however, it happens that an exhibitor gets away from the entire posse and hides out in the woods. It is then that there is deathly silence and inward quaking, when the hunting crew sneaks back into the home office. Presently there comes a steely glint into Sherry's eyes. He gets up. He goes to the fireplace. He takes down his trusty fowling piece and examines it carefully. Then with a terrible look at the quaking delinquents, the "old man" starts out — alone. And that is what he is doing now. To use a bit of ecclesiastical slang, he is "hitting-the-trail." And soon we may expect Bill Sherry back to New York leadng a flock of captive exhibitors with Sherry Service tags on them, according to his office force. " We are confident that when we announce our new program of productions the announcement will be so important that it will be enthusiastically welcomed by exhibitors. Paralta's progress in the first year of its existence has never been equalled in the industry. We confidently predict that its second year will be far greater than its first." American Campaign Book is Reported Success Reports from various Pathe exchanges, through which the American Film Company has released its next Minter feature. " The Eyes of Julia Deep," declare that the premiere of this picture came as a pleasant surprise to both exhibitors and audiences. In conjunction with this report the American Film Company is informed that the so-called campaign book, a volume of diversified information for salesmen and exhibitors, has proven a great success. Some of the salesmen declare now that they could not do without it. " Hobbs in a Hurry," the first of a series of eight features made by the Russell Productions, and Margarita Fisher's picture, " Money Isn't Everything," are said to be scoring successes. " Two's Company " Is Now Al Christie Comedy "Two's Company" is the title of a new comedy just completed by Al. Christie, featuring Bobby Vernon and Clare Seymour. Paralta Owners Issue Statement to Trade