Motion Picture News (Aug-Oct 1920)

2062 Motion Picture News Levey in Dramatic Field Extends Production to Dramatic Features as Well as Industrials Elsie Ferguson as she appears in her role of the daughter in " Lady Rose's Daughter," a Paramount picture Walter Woods Writes Arbuckle Story Walter Woods, of the scenario staff! at the West Coast studio of Famous Players-Lasky has written an original story which will be used as a starring vehicle for Roscoe Arbuckle, according to announcement made by Frank E. Woods, supervising director at the Lasky studio. Mr. Woods has written the continuity for all of Arbuckle's pictures since he gave up making tworeelers and confined his efforts to making comedy features for Paramount. These pictures are " The Round-Up," "The Life of the Party," " The Traveling Salesman " and " Brewster's Millions." UARRY LEVEY, having launched the Harry Levey Service Corporation for the exclusive production of industrial-educational motion pictures, is now widening the field of his activities and will head a second corporation, known as Harry Levey Productions, which is to produce feature dramatic films for theatrical distribution. The producing centre is to be located at No. 230 West 38th street. The following statement has been issued by the Harry Levey Service Corporation Concerning this new phase of Mr.' Levey's production program : " It is Mr. Levey's plan to produce each year eight feature-pictures which shall represent in production and direction details the high-water mark of perfection in the feature field. In keeping with this ideal, the first release of the Agnes Ayres is Given Ann Forrest Role Agnes Ayres has been chosen to head the feminine portion of the cast of Cecil B. DeMille's current production, according to an announcement made by Mr. DeMille at the Lasky studio. Miss Ayres will assume the role left vacant by the transfer of Ann Forrest to the cast of George H. Melford's production of " The Faith Healer," from William Vaughan Moody's play of the same name. Production work has been resumed by Mr. DeMille following the inevitable delay which the transfer of roles necessitated. Miss Ayres will play opposite Forrest Stanley and Clarence Bui ton. Goldwyn Will Release "His Own Law" Soon An early Goldwyn release is the newest Hobart Bosworth picture, " His Own Law," produced by J. Parker Read, Jr., the man who produced " Below the Surface " with Mr. Bosworth in the stellar role. " His Own Law " is said by Goldwyn officials to be one of the most human, gripping and. vigorous productions of the year. Universal Names Head for Spokane Office Harry M. Berman, general manager of exchanges, for Universal announces the appointment of A. H. McMillan, as manager of the Spokane, Washington office. He is replacing Wallace Potter, who has resigned. McMillan has been with Pathe for some time in the capacity of salesman. new company is to be a motion picture version of ' Uncle Sam of Freedom Ridge,' the story by Margaret Prescott Montague, which appeared in the June issue of the Atlantic Monthly, and which President Wilson characterized as ' the greatest piece of literature that came out of the war.' The story was brought out in book form immediately following its publication in the magazine, and four editions have already come from the press, with promise of more to meet the demand. " A strong cast has been selected. George McOuarrie, William S. Sor.bett, Paul Kelly, Helen Flint, Leslie Hunt, Sheridan Tansey, and Eugene Keith play leading parts. George Beranger, long a member of D. W. Griffith's direction staff, is in charge of direction. Ernest Maas wrote the continuity, and Irving B. Rubenstein is chief cinematographer." Brinch Home from Europe Hodkinson Representative Asserts Europe Is Considerably Behind Us PN. BRINCH, of the W. W. • Hodkinson Corporation, who has been abroad for some months, returned to America' on board the S. S. Olympic which docked in New York on Wednesday, August 25th. Mr. Brinch in his travels visited Scandinavia, England, France and Belgium, and expresses himself as being pleasantly surprised at the conditions existing. " In the first place," he says, " I found but little trace of the so-called ravages of war. The battlefields of France are green with corn. The railroads and highways are brought to at least pre-war efficiency, and the towns are being rebuilt as rapidly as possible, except where ruins are preserved as being of historical interest. Even in Belgium, I found conditions to be flourishing. " As regards the conditions which exist in the film industry of the countries I visited, there is much that can be said. First of all, there is no denying the fact that American-produced pictures dominate the field. The reasons for this are as simple as they are obvious. Neither the French nor the English nor the Italian films are in any way worthy to compete with those which are produced in this country. They have a wealth of material from which to draw from over there. " The theatres are doing wonderful business and are crowded night after night, but the general run of pictures as well as their presentation, in no way approaches the standard set in America. " The average admission charges, in France for example, run from 3 francs to 12 francs, and even at the present exchange rate this must b.e reckoned as a considerable sum for the people over there, and I say that they do not get their money's worth." Fox Special on Broadway " While New York Sleeps " Opens to Big Crowds at Lyric Theatre THE Lyric theatre, New York, opened its doors last Sunday with the third William Fox production to be presented on Broadway this season. The 1920 cinemelodrama of life in the great metropolis, "While New York Sleeps," occupied the screen. The records of William Farnum in " If I Were King," and Tom Mix in " The Untamed " were equalled by "While New York Sleeps." A line of people reached from the box-office of the Lyric out to 42nd street and all the way to the corner for the opening performance, and this was repeated at each showing. Three box offices were opened to give patrons proper service and to relieve the congestion in traffic on 42nd street caused by the crowds that overflowed from the lobby. The rear exits through the stage had to be used to empty the house after the showings, and every audience that has witnessed " While New York Sleeps," was said to be enthusiastic over the production. Its story of New York as it is ; its mysteries, crimes, sensations ; its Gay White Way, lower East Side and underworld, quickly caught the imagination of the great audiences of New Yorkers who know their city. Anna Lehr in a scene from the forthcoming Whitman Bennett production, " The Truth About Husbands," to be distributed by Associated First National Pictures, Inc. De Mille Story Titled "Forbidden Fruit" " Forbidden Fruit " is the title finally determined upon by Cecil B. DeMille for his new special production for Paramount which he is now making at the Lasky studio. As is Mr. DeMille'es custom, the producer has given out little information regarding the new production beyond the fact that the story was written by Jeanie Macpherson. The cast is headed by Agnes Ayres and Forrest Stanley and also includes Theodore Roberts, Clarence Burton and Theodore Kosloff. Goldwyn's Exchanges in Two Cities Move Goldwyn's New York exchange has out grown its present quarters at 509 Fifth avenue and about September 15 will be removed to the twelfth floor of the office building at 729 Seventh avenue, between Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth streets, which already houses so many motion picture producing companies and exchanges. About November 1 the Chicago branch exchange of Goldwyn will be housed in a two-story brick building now being remodeled at Nos. 800-810 South Wabash avenue in the very heart of Chicago's film district. The building is to be known as the Goldwyn building. Singapore Travel Picture to be Released " Souvenirs of Singapore " will be released on August 29th in the series of Paramount-Burton Holmes Travel pictures. The harbor of Singapore is a world-crossroads and the town itself is a wonderful mixture of all kinds of interesting people. There is a Chinese section and a Hindoo and a Parsee section. Fox Cowboy Star Growing in Popularity Buck Jones, the cowboy star, is making great headway in popularity throughout the countrv. according to reports reaching the William Fox offices in New York. Bookings on his pictures grow steadily in volume. Tones' next picture will be " Firebrand Trevison " from the story by Charles Alden Seltzer, with Jones in the title role.