Motion Picture News (Jun-Aug 1920)

1548 M ot io n Picture N e ABOUT DIRECTORS At llic August nu'Lliiij,' of ihe Molioii Piclurc Dircclurs' Associalioii, which was well aiiciidcd for ihis season of the year, ii was announced by Director I'crry N. VekiofT that lie would iiansfcr liis nK'ml)crshi|) to the co;isl lodye, since on Sei)teinber I he is moving Iiis family and effects lo Hollywood, California, Ainonn iMr. VekroflF's recent wiirk is ilu r.tlhc serial, co slan'iii).' I' I .ml II M .iimI Siiuii't Holnus tu I i.iilr.l \.^ I hu , ;* A\nl "Cynthia of lliu Aliniilr," llt>dkinson release. Travcrs Vale, llie furmer Rex, Reliance, Bitigraph, Uiiivcrsiil, World director, is about to complete liie cutting of " Life," screen drainati/;'.lion of llie fanions play, under llic producing activilics of William A. IJrady, His next engagement lias not yet been decided upon. Jack Dillon exjiet k in \iv five weeks more on llu' \\\ -\ JnsiiiRJohnstone picture I'oi Imihuus i'layci'S, the locations liaviiit; already been filmed. Director R. William Ncill is now cutting and assembling the seventh of Constance Talmadt.;e's l-'irsl National iiiilinrs, "(iiMul KrlrrriR-rs," by I'. I l^.iili, ,mI,,|i1i.I Inr Ihc .screen li\ Domllij iMriuiiu, and at present running in fne installments in the All-Story Magazine. Vincent Coleman will he seen as Miss Talmadge's leading man, and others who have important roles are; Ned A Sparks, Nellie Parker Spaulding, Mona Lisa, Matthew L. Betz, Arnold Lucy and Dorotliy Walters. Thomas Heffron will direct the Rockett productions, for which space has been leased at Universal City, California, where the work is already under way. While visiting another studio Henry King, director for H. B. Warner, watched an aeroplane dive into a church spire. He declared he would never ask his players to take such a risk. The next morning Warner was to fight with a viUain in the sea. " Hold him under until he slops struggling!" shouted Henry to his star. Jack Dillon expects to be five weeks more on " Blackbirds," which he is directing for Famous Players, starring Justine Johnstone, supported by a carefully selected casi. John Joseph Harvey, known to his fellow directors as "Jack" has been engaged to direct a feature prndnrtion for Weiss Brolhcrs. The producers linil from Caiifoniia. "By Golly" Has Long Run Two-Reeler Stays at Theatre for Four Weeks Chas. Murray Director CHARLIE MURRAY'S success as a director under Mack Sennett's supervision, has created nuicli comnitnt among picturefolk, and his achievement in "By Golly" has developed something like a sensation. For what is claimed to be the first time in the history of motion-piclurc-niakiiiR, a two-reel comedy has reniaiiicd at the same theater for four consecutive weeks. " By Golly" acconi])lishcd that record at the Criterion and jnight have stayed on had not other bookings, previously arrauf^cd for, rendered a lotiger stav at (lie Criterion impossible. ''By Golly" is the first of what pronnscs to be a series of comedies produced by Mack Sennet t with Murray not only as star hut as director. Much sipnilicance was attached managerially to ihc fale of "By Golly," and Murray's vindication is the more important and complete since "By Golly" was ab snhitely the first motion-picture over \vliich he ever waved the mcgajjlione. Following the recent signing by Murray of a contract providing for the seventh consecutive year of his service at the Mack Sennctt studios. It was announced by Mack Sennett tha t Murray would be given a chance to sec whether he was as effective a director of screen-comedy as he used to be when he was the directing genius of the musical comedy-productions of Murray and Mack. The results betraye d by " By Golly " are proof, says Mr. Murray, that he is right when he says that directing motion-pictures is an easy job compared with directing a musical comedy organization where every member of the chorus is a prima donna out of place and tempermenfal eruptions disturb the peace uninterruptedly. Company Off for Bahamas Final Scenes of *' Fathoms Deep " Will Be Fihiied in West Indies CK. WILLIAMSON of the • Sunibarine Film Corporation left for Miami. Fla„ last Saturday night, heading a producing company of nineteen ih.u will proceed from Miami lo ihc Bahamas to complete work on tlif latest Williamson submarine feature, lenlatively and probably permanently entitled " Fathoms Deep." WilHamson was enthusiastic about the prospects for this, his latest novelty picture and said that he was sure it would develop into the best picture he and his company have over made. " Our pictures have always been financial succe^'^i'^s," '-:n(l Williamson just beinu li .u liiv Inr the south. " bec.-ii'si' i.r ilir novelty of the nntler sea si-ciies. We ha\T always managed to get somelhiiitj; " liii^L'cr :'.n ) bctlcr than ever" in <aili -lu ccssive picture. At times we have slipped upon production and direction details but in the present instance all such slips are guarded against by our director— Ralph Ince." "Mr. Incc, incidentally, regards 'Fathoms Deep' as one of the biggest opportunities he has had in the producing field. He is so confident as to the picture's success that we are all confident with him." Mr. Ince is also making the present trip. The story for "Fathoms Deep" was written by Williamson himself and its author claims that as far as under sea stuff goes be has gone himself, one, two, three. limes considerably better than ever before. Releasing arrangements for the present picture have not as yet been completed. New Company in West to Make Comedies A recently organized producing company of Los Angeles is makimr Nuart comedies, featuring Paddie McGuire, formerly of Sunshine and Sennett comedies, Production is in charge of Robert McKinzie, and the supporting pla.vers of the first subject include three-year old Fay McKinzie, who will be billed as the youngest leading woman of films; Helen Howell, who previously played in " Bill " Parsons Capital comedies; and Frank Hayes whose face is familiar in comedy. This company proposes to make comedies at the rate of one two-reel subject every three weeks which are to be distributed by the California Motion Picture Enterprises conducted by Ernest E. Gannon. Withey's Production Nears Completion Chet Withcy, who has been busily engaged in directing " Coincidence," announces that it is soon to be complete and is in the final stages of cutting and titling. Release is scheduled during the latter part of October. pirector Withey believes that this picture will make an especial appeal to those who are tired of sex and problem plays. It is taken from the Morton Macy story which appeared in the Cosmopolitan magazine, remembered for its interspcrsions of lively action, amusing comedy situations and love interest. Mr. Withcy has been meeting with success in his recent pictures, and especially so in " Romance." Director Predicts Return of Two-Reeler " In five years — I am willing to stake my reputation on it — the tworeeler will have returned to iis own in serious drama," declares Frank Borzage, director of Cosmopolitan's famous " Humoresque " production from the story by Fanny Hurst. " I do not mean that p-ctures are going to be made that will be deliberately limited to ihc two-reel length. What I do mean is that the limit will be removed citirely and the number of reels will depend upon the demands of the story — not the length of the story upon the number of reels, as it is today." Felix Orman With J. Stuart Blackton Felix Orman, a writer wellknown in magazine, newspaper and ibcafrical circles, has become associated with Commodore J. Stuart Blackton, and is located at the P.rooklyn studios of ihe Blackton Feature Pictures, Inc. Mr. Oman for years has written extensively on the thcaire, the opera and the motion picture. Robert Anderson and Dix Lamont in Universal comcdii IS directing Wm. Watson Title of Mrs. Chaplin*s Picture Announced The liile ol the new proihiclion, Marring Mildred Harris Cliaphn, is annoiiiiied ii) lie "The Woman m His House."