Motion Picture News (Mar-Jun 1920)

47W Motion Picture N e zv s First view of J. Stuart Blackton's picturization of the famous stage success, " Passers-by," to be released by Pathe Blackton Release June 20 Passers Previous By " Su Works, unASSERS BY," the new J. T Stuart Blackton production, lias been scheduled for release by Pathe for June 20th. According to reports it will mark the highest point in the producer's career. "Passers By" stars Herbert Rawlinson, and was adapted from the stage success by C. Haddon Chambers. This author is probably one of the best known in the United States, for in addition to "Passers By" he has written "Captain Swift," "The Saving Grace," " The Tyranny of Tears " and "The Idlers." Effects new to the motion picture have been introduced by Commodore Blackton. Most of the action is laid in London and in the time of the year when fogs are densest. He. obtained remarkable results from his " fog " photography, which lends to rpasses Producer's Predicts Pathe the production an atmosphere as true as could have been obtained in London itself. The Blackton studio in Brooklyn was transformed into a section of London during the filming of " Passers By," and because of Mr. Blackton's knowledge of the great English city he had every detail absolutely correct. The feminine interest is maintained by Leila Valentine, Ellen Cassity and Pauline Coffyn, while considerable appeal is won by little Charles Stuart Blackton. son of the producer-director. Herbert Rawlinson, as Peter Waverton, is admirably assisted by Tom Lewis, Dick Lee and W. J. Ferguson, three highly capable character actors whose work in " Passers By " stands out as a conspicuous tribute to their art. "*t6E«T E.SMITH 1 THE ISLANDS GEGENEWION" VITA GRAPH Sub-Franchises Granted First National Exceeds Quota of Proposed Extension of Membership Texas, in response to requests from a committee representing independent exhibitors in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, that some plan be formulated whereby the sub-franchise plan could be made immediately available in that territory as a proposition separate from the previous First National affiliation there. This trip delayed the work of the Executive Committee in deciding on applications from all territories. Important first run theatres in every territory have filed requests for sub-franchises and the great majority of these have been granted and issued. The total number of subfranchises authorized to date includes a membership extension, on the new plan, to every theatre owned and operated bv the original members of First National who signed the agreements for the Associated First National proposition in Atlantic City last January. An interesting feature of the awarding has been the group applications from several territories where First National exchange managers called conventions of independent exhibitors to discuss the plan in all its details, immediately after the Chicago meeting. WITH eleven hundred and twenty-two sub-franchise applications granted, and over two thousand recommendations for additional awards before the Executive Committee of Associated First National Pictures, Inc., the first thirty day period in the extension of exhibitor membership privileges ended this week with an approximate total of three thousand theatres on record or seeking to be recorded, as part of the Circuit's cooperative market for independently produced attractions. This result, it is said, exsceeds the quota fixed by Associated First National officials at the Chicago convention of members and exchange managers, by more than one hundred per cent. The Executive Committee, composed of N. H. Gordon, of Boston, Moe Mark, of New York, and H. O. Schwalbe, secretary-treasurer of Associated First National Pictures, is expected to pass finally on all pending application for sub-franchise grants before the middle of June. Delay in official action by this committee resulted from the determination of company officials to make a ten days' trip to Dallas, Dwan Presents Strong Cast Five of Players in " A Splendid Hazard " Have Featured Formerly C\ NE of the noteworthy features w of "A Splendid Hazard," Allan Dwan's third independent production presented by the Mayflower Photoplay Corporation through the First National Exhibitor's Circuit, is said to be the appearance of an unusually strong cast. Headed by Henry B. Walthall, it consists of seven prominent players, five of whom have been featured in other productions. In the role of Karl Breitman, the man who took the greatest sporting chance," Walthall gives one of the most brilliant characterizations he has ever contributed to the screen. The feminine lead in A Splendid Hazard" is played by Rosemary Theby whose work in serials and dramatic features has brought her to the fore as a screen star. The young American newspaper correspondent, who figures prominently in the story, which was written by Harold MacGrath and published originally as a book is essayed by Norman Kerry, one ot filmdom's best known leading men. Others in the cast are Joseph Dowling whose performance as Ine Miracle Man" in George Loane Tucker's sensational success of that name, attracted much atten,!'P,n a"d who >s also featured in the Kentucky Colonel," and Ann Forrest, who has starred in a number of Western subjects produced by Universal. The supporting company includes Thomas Jefferson, son of Joseph Jefferson who attained fame m the role of " Rip Van Winkle " The former is recognized as one of the most skillful character actors on stage and in pictures and has a score of successes to his credit. Others in the cast of the Dwan production are Philo MacCullough and Jiquel Lance. "A Splendid Hazard" is scheduled for release during the early part of June. According to a statement from Mayflower, reports received from First National franchise holders throughout the country indicate that exhibitor interest has been keyed to a high pitch by the box-office potentialities of the Dwan production. Y.M.C.A. Worker Has Praise for Ray What the motion picture meant as a means of recreation and inspiration to the soldiers during the Great War is described in a letter written by a former Y. M C. A. worker to Charles Ray, thanking the first National star for his clean, wholesome plays that were a source of real service during the troubled war times. The writer, J. Franklin Candy, pastor of the Congregational Church of Geneva, Ohio, says the appeal of Charlie Ray was such that he could always count on a full house when a Ray film was showing. The veteran war worker declared further, that because of the high tone of Ray's photoplays he was glad to urge the members of his congregation to take advantage of the star's wholesome films.