Motion Picture News (Aug-Oct 1920)

3010 Motion -Picture News Louis Baum Joins Equity Former Universal District Manager to Head Sales Department LOUIS BAUM, formerly district manager for Universal, joined Equity this week, in the capacity of sales manager. Mr. Baum left Universal last week to undertake his new position. The news of Baum's resignation from Universal and his affiliation with Equity came rather unexpectedly, as no rumor to this effect had been circulated. Many of Mr. Baum's friends are still ignorant of his new connection, but the circumstances surrounding his departure explain the suddenness of the step. Mr. Baum, besides being a veteran salesman and sales manager, has an enviable acquaintance with states-rights men throughout the country, as he has spent all of his business life in the film industry and with film exchanges, both independent' and otherwise. His career is marked by rapid strides, beginning with the position of salesman twelve years ago, and winding up with district manager for the Universal Film Co. Previous to his association with Universal, Baum was exchange manager for Selznick for two years, and made a record for popularity and service among exhibitors. Fred Meyers, new manager of the New York Independent Masterfilms, Inc. Helpful Campaign Book on Aywon Feature On " The Woman Above Reproach," the current release of The Aywon Film Corporation, Nathan Hirsh, president of the organization, announces that he has had prepared a campaign book for exhibitors that contains the sort of ideas and suggestions that exhibitors can really use. The exploitation ideas as outlined in this press book are said to be adaptable for the small theatre as well as the large while none of the suggestions entail the expenditure of any large sum of money. Big Director for Neal Hart Eddy Eckels Plans to Secure Top Notch Director for Third Picture THE third of the series of eight five-reel specials, starring Neal Hart, will be directed by a man who has made a reputation as one of the great directors of the country by putting over Douglas Fairbanks, Tom Mix and Harry Carey in their biggest successes, if Eddy Eckels, general manager of Independent Films Association succeeds in signing this director upon his arrival in California, and Eddy rarely fails to get what he's after. Before leaving for the Coast Eckels received word from Hart that the possibilities of his third pictue were so great that he felt the need of the best director money could buy, although Hart heretofore had insisted upon doing most of his own directing, ably assisted in the first of the Pinnacle produc tion, " Hell's Oasis " and " Skyfire " by Frank Messenger. Upon receipt of this message Eckels immediately left for the Glendale studios in order to secure the director and carry out Pinnacle's promise to make every Neal Hart production bigger and better. Probably by next week. the complete plans for the future direction of Neal Hart's productions will be announced, and the name of time " Skyfire," the second Neal Hart production, is reported to be director given out. In the meanin its finishing week. While at the Pinnacle studios, Eckels will witness the shooting of the first Pinnacle Comedy, " Cedarbrook Farm," but the selection of a capable director for Neal Hart is the chief object of his trip. Frank Grady Is Sales Manager of Artoia Inter-Ocean Has New Film Artola Productions, Inc., has secured the services of Frank A. Grady as their sales manager in their educational and industrial departments. Mr. Grady was formerly manager of" the Boston office of the World Film Corporation, and more recently feature salesman at the New England office of Pathe, and is the owner of the Olympia Theatre, Cambridge. " Luring Shadows," Catholic Art Production, an October Release "The Broken Gate" Is Due on Dec. List W. W. Hodkinson Corporation will release " The Broken Gate " in December. The novel from which " The Broken Gate " was picturized was written by Emerson Hough. The star is Bessie Barriscale, and in her support are many featured players, including Marguerite De La Motte, Sam De Grasse, Joseph Kilgour, Arnold Greeg and Lloyd Bacon. Paul Scardon is responsible for the direction. Dead Men Tell No Tales THE foreign distributing rights to "Luring Shadows," the latest product of the Catholic Art Association, has been acquired by the Inter-Ocean Film Corporation, according to a statement issued to the trade press the early part of the week. The production, which is said to be spiritualistic in theme was evolved by O. E. Goebel and Conde B. Pallen. The story, however, is intensified by a baffling mystery which is said to hold the spectator's attention from the very beginning. Interwoven in the plot is an abundance of love, laughter and pathos, calculated, it is explained, to cause a heart tug as well as merry chuckle almost at once. In " Luring Shadows," a man of learning and high standing in the community, tries to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a dear friend. Being of a spiritualistic turn of mind, he endeavors, through a medium, to locate the murderer. In the seance that follows, the finger of suspicion points to the butler of the dead man's household. He pleads innocence, but the result of the -application of the medium plus a mass of socalled evidence binds him tighter in the meshes of the law. Inter-Ocean announces " Luring Shadows " as an October release. All the News in "THE NEWS" Peerless Pictures Has Special Production Jerome Lewis, director of sales for the Peerless Pictures Company, a State Right organization, with offices at 117 West 46th Street, New York, announces that his company has just received a negative of " A Woman's Desire," from California, which production has just been completed. The subject is described as an unusual drama of human interest. The Peerless Pictures Company have had considerable success with their first release, " The Heart of a Woman," which cast includes Jack Richardson, Pat O'Malley, Clara Horton, George Fisher and Mignon Anderson. Territory on "The Heart of a Woman" has already been closed with 70 per cent of independent exchanges throughout the country. David Fischer Starts on New Series David G. Fischer began work last week on the first of his series of photoplays to be made by the FoxFischer Masterplays, Inc. The title of the picture is " In the Shadow of the Dome." It will deal with the dramatic aspects of life in the national capital, and Mr. Fischer is at present working on exteriors in the city of Washington, where scenes will be taken in the Capitol itself in the White House, and in many other of the government buildings. Donald Hall will play the role of the Congressman who dominates the picture. The leading feminine part will be in the hands of Dixie Lee, and William Parke, Jr., will play the juvenile lead. Interiors will be made in New York City. Children Have Roles in "The White Bottle" An interesting departure is being made by Harry Levey in the making of the fairy-tale episodes for " The White Bottle," the second of the Harry Levey Production features which is to be announced for release in the near future. A great part of the action of this story is in the form of a real, cometo-life Fairy Tale — and each role in this part of the picture is portrayed by real children. Champion, of Arrow, Returns from Trip E. R. Champion, special representative of the Arrow Film Corporation, has returned from a sales trip covering Utica, Syracuse and Buffalo. He reports excellent business and the closing of a number of contracts for Arrow productions.