Motion Picture News (Apr-Jun 1919)

3606 Motion Picture N e w s New Managers Join Hodkinson Enlargement of Corporation's National Sales Organization Marks Era of Expansion. Will Sell Own Pictures in Pathe Exchanges THE first move of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation in its large expansion and to meet the requirements of selling its productions 'singly on the basis -of individual merit, has been to strengthen the manpower of the company, it is said, in every section of the United States. Recently announcement was made by F. B .Warren, vice-president, of a series of managerial changes in the eastern or metropolitan division comprising Boston, Buffalo, Washington ; the Southern division with changes in Atlanta, Charlotte and New Orleans. Announcement of a further development of the sales organization comes with the entry of new men into the branches : New York City Exchange : George F. Lenehan, for the past eighteen months manager of the Goldwyn Washington, D. C, office, became manager of the New York Hodkinson exchange May 19, succeeding E. A. Crane, who will be detailed to important reorganization work for his company elsewhere. Cleveland Exclwnge : C. C. McKibbin, Pittsburg manager for Goldwyn from the day of that company's organization, has been appointed Hodkinson manager in Cleveland, succeeding D. W. Phillips, who has resigned for advancement with another company. Mr. McKibbin assumes charge of the Hodkinson interests in Cleveland, May 20th, at the Pathe Exchange. Mme. Elvira Amazar, singer, in a production released through Hodkinson Corporation Minneapolis Exchange : Phil Reisman leaves the Triangle Milwaukee office and has become the Hodkinson manager in Minneapolis, where he served two years in the local Goldwyn organization. Los Angeles Exchange : Harry H. Hooks has taken charge as Hodkinson manager of Los Angeles, succeeding E. N. Silcocks, resigned. Mr. Hicks for the past year has been manager of Select Pictures Cincinnati office. Coincident with the expansion of the W. \Y. Hodkinson Corporation, its own managers and salesmen in all thirty Pathe offices, through which Hodkinson attains his physical distribution, have taken over the exclusive selling of Hodkinson-distributed productions to exhibitors. Pathe salesmen do not solicit or sell Hodkinson contracts as they formerly did. Mix Does More DeathDefying Stunts In Next C1 XHIBITORS are promised material on which to base some powerful stunt and a daredevil advertising in the William Fox production, "The Romance of Cow Hollow," now being made in California by Tom Mix, according to the William Fox Exhibitors Service Bureau. Mix is so far outdoing his best previous efforts in this picture, as to make his earlier work seem tame by comparison. "While Tom Mix," says the Exhibitors Service Bureau, "has roped man)" wild horses and cattle in his . life, this picture is the first in which he ever roped a rushing train. He performs this feat while riding on horse back on a dead run, the train travelling twenty-five miles an hour. On roping the train he swings from his horse, is bumped along the ground, pulls himself up the side of a car to the roof, runs to the rear coach, drops onto the ob • servation platform, and rushes info the train to find the girl of mystery whom he is seeking. "Another thriller, and one believed to be entirely original," the statement continues, "is that in which Mix escapes from a howling mob by roping a great chandelier from the balcony of a room in which he is cornered, pulling the chandelier to ward him and swinging and leaping sixty feet across the room to an opposite balcony. He then attempts to swing back so that he may get his horse, but falls from a height of twenty feet into the midst of the crowd. "This fall is the signal for a terrific fight in which one sees only flashes of Mix in the hurly burly of battling men, until the star finally breaks away from his assailants, rushed up the stair case, mounts his horse, seizes the Princess and creates a panic among the mob by riding downstairs at breakneck speed, scattering his .enemies in every direction." ''The Romance of Cow Hollow" is described as the story of a Western youth who suddenly comes into possession of enormous wealth, and goes forth in search of adventure like the Prince of the fairy books. His desire for romance is more than gratified, and involves the winning of a Princess, played by Junaita Hansen." "EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS" Photoplays Fifth Issue Has Interesting Subjects The fifth and latest issue of the " Photoplay Magazine Screen Supplement" contains as a headline feature a closeup of D. W. Griffith. The thrilling " Ride of the Clansman " from " The Birth of a Nation " is seen, and later while viewing the old "Intolerance" set, "The Feast of Belshazza " is visualized once more. Then comes Olive Thomas and Edna Purviance and a backyard interview with Mary Thurman, of the Mack Sennett bathing girls. " Roughhouse at the Universal Zoo " has scenes of Charlie, the elephant, picking on Joe Martin, the Monk. Rupert Julian is then seen in the murder scene in " The Fireflingers." Pictures of the Los Angeles home of Jesse Lasky, and an impromptu drama, with Richard Rowland, of Metro, versus May Allison and Viola Dana, complete the subject. Los Angeles Reviewers Praise " Rowdy Ann " Rowdy Ann, the second of the Christie Specials, was given a prerelease showing at the California theatre in Los Angeles the week of May 12. The following comments were made on the productions by the Los Angeles reviewers. Guy Price, Los Angeles Herald : " A two-reel comedy, ' Rowdy Ann,' featuring Fay Tincher, keeps the audience in an uproar throughout its presentation." Miss Gertrude Price, The Record: " Rowdy Ann, with the beloved Fay Tincher, is at the California. This week she dons chaps and runs the cow-boys ragged." Mrs. Florence Lawrence, the Los Angeles Examiner : " The grotesqueries of Fay Tincher, this feminine cut-up, are beyond description, and the nonsense of the comedy is well directed and proves amusing to the audience." Alice Brady's Next Film Nears Completion The finishing touches are being added this week to Alice Brady's forthcoming Select Picture, "His Bridal Night," in which she is being directed by Kenneth Webb. The story is by Lawrence Irving Rising. Katherine Stuart did the scenario. During the past week Miss Brady and her company have been at Allenhurst, N. J., working on exteriors on the grounds of Miss Brady's summer home. The studio interiors are practically completed, and it is believed that in a few days the last scene will have been made. Hall Leases Studio Frank G. Hall, vice-president and general manager of the Charles Miller Productions, Inc., announces that he has leased the Bacon-Backer studio, 130 West 38th Street, and that it will be the home of the production work for the Miller productions, the first of which is now nearing completion with Herbert Rawlinson, Florence Billings, Stuart Holmes and Regina Quinn in the leading roles.