Motion Picture News (Aug-Oct 1920)

3026 Motion Picture News A scene from " The Song of a Soul," a Messmore Kendall production starring Vivian Martin. It is to be released by Goldwyn Thirteen of the fifteen houses in the Lubliner and Trintz circuit of Chicago, are showing Ruth Roland in her new Pathe serial, " Ruth of the Rockies " at special Saturday matinees, reports Pathe Exchange, Inc. The serial episodes occupy the first position on the program at these children's matinees and are reported to be a signal success in swelling the box-office receipts for the week wherever it has been introduced. The theatres in the Lubliner and Trintz circuit were among the first to introduce the serial as a feature attraction at Saturday afternoon performances. The practice since then has become more general with the managers of first-run theatres in the big cities. " Ruth of the Rockies " is booked in all the houses employing the scheme, it is stated by Pathe, while "Pirate Gold," the George B. Seitz production, and "The Third Eye," in which Warner Oland is starred with Eileen Percy, are said to be well represented. Strong Cast is Seen in "Shuffle the Queens" In " Shuffle the Queens," the latest of the two-reel Christie Comedies to be released through Educational Exchanges, an unusual cast is presented. Eddie Barry is the featured player. In his support are Vera Stedman, Earle Rodney, Charlotte Merriam and Lydia Yeamans Titus. According to Al Christie, this comedy represents the perfection of Christie work. It is a straight farce, built along the lines of the "bed-room" pictures that have been so popular along Broadway, and it is .said to offer more clean laughs than aany picture of this sort ever presented. Baseball Club Selects Minter as Mascot Mary Miles Minter, Realartist, has assumed the responsibilities which go with her appointment as mascot of the Seattle baseball team the Pacific Coast League. Miss Minter was unanimously chosen to this position by the members. Demand for Serials Grows Their Popularity Shows Marked Increase in West, Says Manager COMPLETING a tour on which he visited all the key cities in his territory, Western District Manager W. S. Wessling of Pathe Exchange, Inc., in a comprehensive report to the home-office states ihat there is an increasing demand for serials in the West. Mr. Wessling says that the exhibitors in his district are flourishing and that the market for episode-pictures is more active now than at any time in hi s experience with Pathe. " Exhibitors on the West Coast,"' says Mr. Wessling in his report, " who previously have been more or less fighting shy of serials, are rapidly joining the ranks of those who include them on their programs, i These newcomers in the field of serial exhibition have every reason to be gratified with the result and are now convinced of the money-making possibilities of the episode; pictures. " That Western fans are not averse to serials of a high-class order, has been fully demonstrated by the exhibitor's reports, which, in an overwhelming majority of cases, claim that pictures of the quality of ' The Third Eye,' ' Daredevil Jack,' ' Pirate Gold ' and ' Ruth of the Rockies ' have made the serial night one of the biggest nights in the week. " ' Daredevil Jack,' in which Jack Dempsey is starred, is enjoying a tremendous popularity with the picture-goers, and in my opinion this picture has paved the avenue tor this new serial demand in the West. " The large first run exhibitor is not unmindful of this sudden popularity of the continued photoplay. Many large representative houses in this territory have booked serials as added attractions at their matinee programs. In many instances theatres of this class were compelled, by an irresistible popular demand to repeat the serial on their evening programs." Board Will Select Stories Katherine MacDonald to Star " Only in Appealing and Human Stories " TN a statement issued from the New York headquarters of the First National, the announcement is made that B. P. Fineman, vicepresident and general-manager of the newly re-organized Katherine MacDonald Pictures Corporation, has decided to present the star "only in the most appealing and human stories." All these, according to the First National announcement, are to be released exclusively by the First National organization. A scenario construction board, consisting of Miss MacDonald, J. A. Barry, Gerald C. Duffy. Reed Heustis and Mrs. A. O. Bender, has been selected whose chief duties, according to the First National, will be " to keep the stories logical and human, to eliminate bromides and rank melodrama and to analyze and dissect them so as to turn out pictures of universal interest and lasting impressions. The problems and people to be presented on the screen muse be those the world recognizes, and must appeal to the better qual ities of an audience. The male members of the board, in discussing stories, will give particular attention to men's viewpoints and the women will view the situations through the eyes of their own sex." J. A. Barry, formerly with D. W. Griffith, is to be productions manager and will act in a general advisory capacity. "The stories to be filmed by Miss MacDonald will be screen adaptations of famous plays or books," continues the First National statement, "or will be originals of an appealingly human type. While her next production is yet to be announced, it is known that it will be founded on a play whose success on the legitimate stage warrants its presentation through the medium of the _ screen. It is particularly strong in human situations, and is to contain material that will furnish Miss MacDonald with the biggest opportunity her career has yet offered." Metro Feature Progressing " Cinderella's Twin," with Viola Dana, Now Well Under Way in West PRODUCTION work on " Cinderella's Twin," a new starring vehicle for Viola Dana, is well under way at Metro's West Coast studios in Hollywood, Calif. The cast is now virtually complete, and the company, directed by Dallas M. Fitzgerald is rapidly proceeding with the camera work on several interior sets that were constructed with a special regard for the requirements of the production's unusual plot and story. "Cinderella's Twin" was written by Luther Reed, and is the first of four original stories sold by him to Metro recentlv. Another of the four, "White Ashes," is also under production with an all-star cast. The new Dana vehicle has for its theme the novel idea of a pretty little kitchen maid who is lured into a band of crooks and compelled to take part in a series of robberies quite against her will and inclination. With a kitchen maid as its "Cinderella's Twin" has a whimsical twist, which shows Miss Dana's abilities for fun 'making in the delightful piquant characterization of Connie McGill. Wallace MacDonald will be Miss Dana's leading man. Lloyd Hamilton in " The Simp," a new Mermiad comedy released by Educational Exchanges Following the news of the termination of the contract between Marshall Neilan and Marion Fairfax, the wellknown writer, comes the announcement from the Marshall Neilan studio that the producer has closed with the author for a new arrangement covering a period of years. Under the new contract Miss Fairfax will prepare the scenarios of the next four Marshall Neilan productions, which will be released by First National. After that Miss Fairfax enters into a working arrangement with Mr. Neilan in the production of Marion Fairfax Productions. These pictures will feature the work of the author and will be original stories or scenarios based on stories that have already been published in national magazines. Eva Novak Feature to be Released Oct. 25 Eva Novak, long a screen comedy favorite, has completed her first big picture, a Universal special attraction, from the pen of Edgar Wallace and directed by Stuart Paton, under the title " Wanted . at Headquarters." As its name implies, it is a crook drama. In addition to being Eva Novak's first appearance as a star, and her first big picture with Universal, " Wanted at Headquarters " marks the return to the Universal fold of the director, Stuart Paton. He long was an important figure in the Universal directorial staff, but during the past two years has occupied his time with outside pictures. The picture willl be released on October 25th. Fox Issues Press Book on "The Tiger's Cub" A sixteen-page press book for exploitation of Pearl White in " Tiger's Cub " is now being distributed to exhibitors by Fox Film branch managers. The press book is described as being especially effective and which goes a long way toward helpin.gr exhibitors put this picture over "big."