Motion Picture News (Jun-Aug 1920)

1522 Motion Picture News Kelly Tells Future Plans General Manager of New Organization Still Highly Optimistic Lew Cody and )etly Blythc as they appear in " Occasionally Yo forthcoming Robertson-Cole release JAMES B. ('■ Smiling Jimmy") Kelly, who reccnLly made the aiiiiounccmciit oi the new company of which he is general manager, is still enthusiastic over his new plan. " Big irees from Little Acorns Grow," said Kelly, "although my company is far from being in 'the acorn stage,' in finances, material, exhibitor support, and greatest of all in men of ability in both business and moving pictures. Work is being rushed on our studios over in New Jersey, material is being rapidly secured, one of our comedy companies in just finishing up a knockout and as a whole -everything is simply fine and dandy. "It has been called to my attention that certain other 'proven successful ' producers have ' cheated ' a wee bit, and looked into our private ■ book of morals ' in their announce ment to the effect that they are not 'saying anything' until they are sure, because we are not going to make any final announcement, until we are ' ready to deliver,' However, this does not refer to the ' five weeks free distribution plan,' as that stands ana will be faithfully complied with. " In addition to producing and manufacturing our own pictures, we are on the market at all times for reputable productions, but only the very best, also we are building our own laboratories, will do our own distribution through twentytwo branch offices in a like number of key towns throughout the U. S., several of our branch managers and special territorial representatives, having already been selected and appointed." Joan Picture Attracting "Biggest Hit of His Career" rrediction Made by Kane of Ray s New Film After Receipt of Stills Fannie Ward in She Played and Paid " Interests State-Righters 'TpHE reported conm-sliun and ll ;iroiisc(l ■ UiL VLM-y first the rrlciisc of id " Willi l'~;.nuy assuniin^i; siicb there is talk bustle that anions buyers sine anncnncrmrnl of "She I'l.iyed :,Tid P; Ward, is said lo b( praporlions thai among llie oilieers of Joan Film Sales Co., advisability of enlarging their ofliccs. Of no small significance in ihc activity on " She Pl.n ed and I'aid " is the elaborate imss-book iliat has been prepared with ilic picture. Considerable sinprise was dcnion <>f this e;nnpai(j;n book, which was cnnsi<leied to be twice the size, and ('\'en iiinre, than many a regular releast !ri ;ili>ne a Statesrights pietiin . Si.iii s-riylits men conceded llial elletiive prcss-book went along way towards influencing the exhibitor in booking the pictureparticularly at ibis time, when the cry aniont; sbowmen is for exploitation, and mure substantial publicity mailer. The J oan exploitation staff, headed by the veteran advertising and exploitation man, Nat RothIcin, makes a specialty of press strated at the unnsual proportions book and exploitation ser\'ice. Vehicle Chosen for Allison \_ " The Marriage of William Ashe " to be Directed by Edw. Sloman ••'-p HE Marriage of William X Asbe " has been selected by Metro Picture Corporation as llie next starring vehicle for M^y Allison. Miss Allison has just completed camera work on "Arc All Men Alike?" a piclurizalion of Arthur Slringcr's novel, " The Waffle Iron," which ran as a serial in McClure's. " The Marriage of William Ashe " was probably ihc most popular of Mrs. Humphrey Ward's later novels. It ran into many editions in both the United States and England. Later it was dramatized and its sla^e success was as pronounced as its literary popii!arit\' liad been, The stage u:is produced at the Garriek t!u;iiri in New York in 1905 with Grace (.eoiKc as Kitty Ashe, the role tl)al will he played on the screen by May Allison. In the London prucluctioii the star role was played hy Eanny Ward. The plcinrizalion of "The Marriage of William Ashe" is being prepared for the screen by Ruth Ann Baldwin. This is the first picture assigned to Miss Baldwin since she became a Metro stafT writer under Bayard Veiller, chief of pro duction :il Metro's West Coast studios in Hollywood. California. Miss Baldwin was formerly with Universil and Fox and has also directed >e\eral successful produc 'TpHE first batch of "stills" from Hollywood studios of Charles Ray's new production, "Forty-five minutes From Broadway,", have been received at the offices of the Arthur S. Kane Pictures Corporation in New York; and according to reports emanating from that source, these photographs furnish "ocular evidence that Charles Ray's production of ' Forty-five Minutes From Broadway' is the greatest triumph of his career." " The stills bear witness, too," continues the statement from the Arthur S. Kane offices, " to the capable work of Joseph de Grasse as director and the clever performance of each member of the cast, for it is another of Mr. Ray's characteristics that he always surrotmds himself with players adequate to their situations, rather than weak actors with whom he would shine all the more in contrast." The Arthur S. Kane statement further states that the presentation of " Forty-five Minutes From Broadway " will mark " a whole collection of 'firsts' for Mr. Ray." [ Not only is this his initial work under the Kane affiliation, but his first as an independent producer, the first to be completed in his fine new studios, and the first for First National release. The expense of the production was far and away greater than that of any other picture in which Mr. Ray was ever before featured. " For the first time, also, Mr. Ray appears not as a small town or rural character who goes to the city but as a city youth who is to be initiated into the mysteries of village life. Become suddenly well-to-do and forced to 'dress the part,' 'Kid Burns' suffers tortures as he discards his Bowery costume for the habiliments of high society. But the I Kid' is, as chockful of human qualities as any of the Reubens Mr. Ray has ever depicted. The story teems \yith humor and pathos and those 'just natural' touches which have helped to make the young star a universal favorite.' Dead Men Tell No Tales Two scenes from Charles Ray's forthcoming '^«^^T^^''k^^S^:^jT,flt^^^^^^ affiliation wi.h