Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1919)

August 2 , I 9 I 9 1081 Favorites on F. P.-Lasky Program Two favorites of the screen are starred in productions of widely divergent character which are scheduled for release July 27 by the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation. They are William S. Hart, who will be seen in the Thomas H. Ince production, " Wagon Tracks," an Artcraft release, and Dorothy Gish, whose Paramount vehicle is " Nugget Nell." In " Wagon Tracks " Mr. Hart portrays a guide in the fifties, leadnig a wagon train across the deserts and mountains toward the golden West by way of the historic Santa Fe trail. Tliere are battles with Indians, ii struggle with gamblers. ' a revenge motive, and love and adventure galore, it is declared. Jane Novak has the leading feminine role. "Nugget Nell" was written expressly for Miss Gish by John R. Cornish and as in the case of all of the star's previous Paramount pictures, Elmer Clifton directed. The story is a travesty on wild Western pictures and is said to be chock full of fun. Artistry Apparent in Hayakawa's Latest In the opinion of those who have seen the picture the latest Sessue Hayakawa film. " The Gray Horizon," is one of the most artistic photoplays ever made. All of his pictures released by Robertson-Cole through Exhibitors' Mutual have been commented upon from the artistic standpoint, but it is conceded that the latest is the best of them all. The greater part of the production was made out of doors, and it has as its background the splendor of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. The entire locale is located in the hills, and every advantage was taken of the extraordinary Hght and cloud formations that at times take place in these famous mountains. Arrow Canadian Deal The Arrow Film Corporation has closed a deal with the General Film Company of Canada, T. S. Cooper, manager, for the Western serial, "The Masked Rider." Mr. Cooper recently closed this deal in New York and states that he will use ten prints and put on a big publicity campaign. A quartet of expressional shots of Nazimova, who has started work on the screen version of " The Hermit Doctor of Gaya," which is to follow " The Brat." Herbert Blache is directing and Maxwell Karger, Metro's director general, is supervising Metro Facing a Booking Problem EXHIBITORS throughout the country are said to have already created a big advance demand for bookings* of the forthcoming Screen Classics, Inc. feature productions to be made from famous stage successes ■ and celebrated novels and distributed exclusively by Metro Pictures Corporation. , This demajid comes just when the executive organizations' in the • Metro offices at 147 Broadway have been tuned up to the highest pitch for the exploitation of these screen offerings on a scale of magnitude. Now W. E. Atkinson, Metro general manager, finds his desk deluged with letters and telegrams from every section of the country, in which exhibitors seek to book solid the entire thirty-six productions announced as the first to be made by Screen Classics, Inc., under Metro's " fewer, bigger and better " pictures policy. Metro has stood consistently for "open booking", and has advocated it in its advertising for more than a year. For exhibitors, as they now seem anxious to do, to take each and every Exhibitors' Demands Would Nullify Open Booking one of the new specials as soon as they are released, would amount in effect to a return to" closed booking. Hence the quandary in which Mr, Atkinson finds himself. He is therefore awaiting the return' from abroad of Richard A. Rowland, president of ^letro and Screen Classics, Inc., with more than his natural eagerness. The problem arising from the demand for the forthcoming super-features has assumed such proportions that Mr. Atkinson plans to make it the subject of one of his very first conferences with Mr. Rowland after the latter's arrival home from his personal survey of the European field. Metro is gratified by the remarkable response to its recent announcement of policy expansion. The announcement was deferred until all plans had been carefully matured to insure' its unqualified success. The company's studios on the Pacific coast have been several limes enlarged since the completion of tlie original plant, and Maxwell Karger, Director General, has enough material in the thirtysix plays and novels purchased by Screen Classics, Inc., to keep its stars busy for a twelvemonth. Pro4uction of three of thcss big offerings is under way. May .\llison is working in a picturization of Avery Hopwood's farce success, " Fair and Warmer"; Bert Lytell has started the Hatton comedy success, " Lombardi, Ltd." and Viola Dana is well along ir> " Please Get Married," the CullenBrovrae farce that recently suspended a six months run on Broadway for the summer interim. Metro's exploitation plan.^ arc laid on a big scale. Among other things these plans include advertising of the most liberal sort, and a tremendous advance in the arrangement and volume of press material, photographs, stunt suggestions and other advertising aids prepared by experts to make certain that every exhibitor showing the Screen Classics, Inc., specials shall reap their money-coining possibilities to the full. Goldwyn Service System Started Diaz Callahan, recently appointed manager of Realart's Dallas exchange THE recent announcement by the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation of the inauguration of an interlocking system of press and service men throughout the entire Goldwyn organization, has been followed by the appointment of fourteen exploitation and publicity men who are already at their desks in the Goldwyn branch offices. On July 28 seven more begin work, and the entire staff will be complete. The work in New York will, of course, be taken care of by the home office. All the press and service in the field will be under the General direction of Charles D. Iasacson,who has appointed Morton Blumenstock to assist him in keeping the men in the field informed of the plans of the organization and to supply them with publicity and exploitation matter for the various Goldwyn productions. According to the ideas outlined by Mr. Isaacson, the duties of the men in the field will, on one hand, bring them in personal contact with Goldwyn exhibitors, and on the other, with the newspaper and other advertising and publicity mediums in their particular districts. Besides consulting with the individual exhibitors as to the best method to pursue in exploiting a particular picture, the individual press and Fourteen Experts Are Now at Work in the Branch Offices service men will be equipped to offer to the exhibitor the experience of every other Goldwyn press man in the organization. A series of daily and weekly reports, embodying suggestions and plans has been instituted whereby the home office will receive a contsant stream of information from the branches regarding the feasibility of publicity stunts, advertising methods and other material which will be of interest to a Goldwyn exhibitor anywhere. This matter will come to Mr. Isaacson, who will pass it on to all the men in the field with suggestions for local application. In this way the press and service man will be the personal representatives of the Goldwyn office among local newspapers and magazines, and the personal advertising and publicity advisor to the individual Goldwyn exhibitor. The plan of the home departments which will take care of the men in the field is so organized that service and exploitation matter will be furnished by the present service department, un der the direction of Hunt Armstrong, who will give his material to Mr. Isaacson. It will then reach his assistant, Mr. Blumenstock for final distribution to the service and press men in the branches. In a similar way, press material arising in the home editorial office, which is under the directorshipof Ralph Block, will be sent to Mr. Isaacson, who will distribute it according to the plan outlined . In the course of a week Goldwyn expects to have the new organization in running order. Veteran of Many Wars Aids Hampton Lt. Arthur Clayton, who for nearly twenty years has been in uniform and fought in almost every war during that period, has brushed aside the sword and has been engaged by Jesse D. Hampton to assist in the production of H. B. Warner productions for Robertson-Cole, which Exhibitors ^lutual distribute. Claj-ton is giving the benefit of his knowledge of situations, the life and manners of the peopk in-the-different countries in which the Warner stories will be set.