Motion Picture News (Mar-Jun 1920)

April 10, 1920 New Publicity Agents for Universal Film Joseph H. Mayer, director of publicity for Universal is back in New York after a week's trip through Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, during which he added four new publicity representatives to the Universal forces. They are Marie C. Blanchard of Toledo, Ohio; William Danziger of Cincinnati, Ohio ; L..V. Schneider of Indianapolis, and Ann McMurdy of Milwaukee. They will represent Universal in their respective territories. 3309 To Enlarge Publicity Forces has sterted0Ae0org^n^ato RobertSOIl-Cole Miss Griffith Starts on " Gumshoes 4-B" Corinne Griffith, the Vitagraph star, has just begun production of her next picture, entitled " Gumshoes 4-B," an adaptation from the story by Forrest Crissey. This was one of the thirty stories which won prize awards in the recent O. Henry memorial contest conducted by the American Society of Arts and Sciences. A strong cast has been selected. The adaptation was written by Lucien Hubbard. Edward H. Griffith is the director and Alice Calhoun, a young leading woman who has become prominent in recent big pictures, plays an important role. Harry Weiss in Charge of New Exchange Harry Weiss, formerly associated with the First National Exchange, is now in charge of the activities of the Superior Screens Service, Inc., an independent exchange, which will operate in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa. Superior Screen Service, Inc., will have two departments — a feature department and a commercial department. Through the feature department will be released twentysix features a year. In the commercial department will be handled re-issues. organization of a publicity and exploitation force that will cover the United States like a blanket", it is stated. Each of the twenty-five Robertson-Cole branches is to have a trained publicity, advertising and stunt man who will carry out a carefully conceived and concrete campaign of promotion, so planned that the entire force will work as a unit directed from headquarters in New York City. To accomplish perfect harmony of action "a manual of instruction and duties " has been prepared that distinctly specifies what each and every member of the exploitation organization is expected to do. This manual covers every step to be taken, from the time the pictures are received from the producers till they have been shown to the maximum of attendance in the theatres. Initiative and origination will not be curbed in any direction, but the entire Field Publicity organization will work like a perfectly assembled machine. Plans have been made so that exploitation stunts can be carried out simultaneously in every section of the country without any lost motion and the utmost efficiency attained for both the exhibitor and the Robertson-Cole Company. Each branch publicity man will be a " service man " in the fullest sense Plans Effective Organization for U. S. of the terra. He will be the realization of the service and promotion helps that the Robertson-Cole organization promises to its customers. The promise of assistance made by the sales force will be redeemed in full, by the exploitation man in each branch and that exploitation man will be trained to carry out the promise with intelligence and vigorous integrity. One of the outstanding features of the Robertson-Cole exploitation force will be the advancement of the merchandizing side of each feature. The old system of playing up " hool <um " will be eliminated and the commercial attributes of each picture will be exploited; in the same manner that the distinctive features of standard articles of merchandise are played by the big, sound commercial institutions. For that reason, one of the main qualifications demanded of their branch publicity man, is advertising experience. Men who have been trained in the advertising field, have been taught to clearly discern the commercial advantages of all articles that come under their atten tion and know how to put forward these qualities in an interesting manner. As an indication of the calibre of the men that will be employed as branch publicity directors, the following is reprinted from a lettei sent to each Branch Manager by Mr. A. S. Kirlcpofrick, Vice-President and General Manager of the Robertson-Cole Distributing Corporation, specifying qualifications demanded ol the men to be employed. " Preference will be given to men who have had experience both as reporters and advertising writers. "On most papers there arc nun who handle the combination job of editor of certain departments and solicitor of the advertising of the same class. These men make ideal publicity men for the exploitation of motion pictures, They know news values and are up on exploitation. "Live wires of this classification are to be found particularly in the automobile departments and the theatrical departments of the various newspapers. " A manual will be furnished each publicity man that will thoroughly instruct him in the duties he is to perform. He need know nothing of the technique of the motion picture business. All he need know, and must know is how to write a news story." Star Leaves Via Air Route Bl^Lflf^T Thrilling Aeroplane Get-away by Billy Rhodes in " Nobody's Girl " Moranti Comedies to Make Two-Reelers Moranti Comedies, Inc., is the name given to a new California organization, which will make comedies featuring Melbourne Moranti. The company is incorporated for one hundred thousand dollars and is being financed by Los Angeles and eastern capital. The company plan to make a series of 26 two-reel comedies. Supporting Moranti in these are Helen Williams, Joe Bonner and Albert Huston. The company has been working, at a Long Beach studio. "VTOBODY'S GIRL" which the ' National Film Corporation has just announced ready for release contains a very unique and exciting get-away when Billy Rhodes, who is starred in this feature picture, is rescued from Devil's Island, the scene of the story, in an airplane. Francis Grandon, who directed Billy Rhodes in her previous National successes, " The Lamb and the Lion," "Hoop-La" and other pictures has done exceptionally fine work with this production, according to critics who have had a preview of the film. It is the belief of the producers that " Nobody's Girl " will have a wide appeal among the younger generation because of Billy Rhodes' captivating portrayal of an unloved little girl who manages to keep smiling despite her many beatings. Miss Rhodes has the support of an excellent cast, included in which are Melbourne McDowell as the bandit chieftain, Mary Alden who was featured in "Confession" and who also appears in " Parted Curtains," and Lloyd Bacon who appears as the aviator. Contrary to published reports of Joe Brandt's resignation from the National Film Corporation, and following his vigorous denial of any such slep, comes the announcement from Capt. Harry M. Rubey that Mr. Brandt has been made director general of his organization. As soon as Isadore Bernstein tendered his resignation. from National, says Capt. Rubey, Brandt was picked to take charge of National's enlire organization. Adler Gives Up "The Road" Well Known Realart Publicity Director Has Long Experience friends in the K. L. Eagon Sells Pictures in Wisconsin K. L. (Billy) Eagon, formerly special field representative for Realart, now is piloting Clara Kimball Young Productions in Wisconsin and reports business never better. Mr. Eagon also is handling the new independent productions of Olive Tell. BERT ADLER'S Manhattan film industry will be glad to know that "the road" will not claim him from now on, due to the amalgamation of his former exploitation duties with those of Associate Director of Advertising and Publicity of Realart Pictures. Mr. Adler has been connected with Realart almost since its inception and is a man of wide experience in the motion picture business. After an association with Thanhauser, Universal, and with Herbert Blache as the latter's general assistant at the producer's Fort Lee N. J.. Studio, Mr. Adler started free lancing with considerable success. Among the important accounts which he handled were those of the Inter-Ocean Film Corporation, the Educational Film Corporation, Graphic Features, United Kingdom Photoplays of London, and publicity and exploitation for the feature productions of " My Four Years in Germany," " The Better 'Ole " and " The Manx Man." His office also handled the personal publicity of H. O. Davis, J. L. Kemper, Joseph R. Miles, J. Frank Brockliss, Paul H. Cromclin, foe Brandl and other leading executives. One of Mr, Adler's best pub "Rio Grande" Released by Pathe April 25 April 25th has been announced as the release date of the Pathe special feature, "Rio Grande," an Edwin Carewe production of the famous ' s'fge P'ay by Augustus Thomas. Allan Sears and Rosemary Theby are featured. The greatest interest has been evinced by exhibitors in the production it is stated, since publication of the fact that it had been completed and was a truly representative picture of conditions on the Mexican border. Iicity stunts was staged at the time of the abdication of the Czar of Russia when he cabled the Kerensky Government an offer for the Czar's services in a film, guaranteeing a four weeks' engagement. The stunt got widespread publicity in all the New York City newspapers. As exploitation manager of Realart he was constantly out in the field, yetting much fine exhibitor comment for his " Soldiers of Fortune " campaigns in Washington, New York, Cleveland and Rahimorc.