Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

1630 Motion Picture News Vitagraph Starting Special AFTER weeks of preparation, spent mainly in seach of suitable locations, and a thorough investigation of the suitabihty of the scores of applicants for the various characters, Vitagraph's special production of "The Prodigal Judge," adapted from the novel of the same name by Vaughan Kester is now under way. Not alone is the story one of the most successful novels of its day, laid in the romantic and beautiful spots along the Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers, affording a wealth of beautiful scenery, but the characters are all clean-cut types necessitating a cast of unusual merit, down to the least important "bit." Already a sufficient number of the lesser members of the cast have been engaged to begin the actual filming and within a week or ten days the cast will be complete. Jean Paige, it has been known since the picture was first planned, will have the leading role of Betty Malroy. William Wright, production manager at Vitagraph's Brooklyn studios, returned on Thursday from a two weeks stay at a small French-Canadian village on the St. Lawrence River. There has been built an exact copy of a Mississippi keel boat of the early years of the last century and a Mississippi River raft with double cabins, one at each end. These are now being taken up the river for thirty miles, avoiding the LaChine Rapids by canal. A little later several members of the company will go through the rapids on the boat and raft for some of the exciting scenes in the play. These will be among the earlier scenes taken, although they occur late in the story. No risk will be taken in having cold weather set in and upset plans. For several days past Edward Jose, who is in personal charge of the production and who will direct all the scenes, and William Dunn, casting director, have been at work on the cast and on Friday they were joined by Mr. Wright. The picture version of "The Prodigal Judge" will retain all the principal characters so clearly drawn and described by the author. After the boat scenes have been taken on the St. Lawrence River the entire company will go South where all the remaining exteriors will be made. Considerable time will be spent in South Carolina, where the earlier scenes, those around Hannibal's boyhood home at the Baronj', the homestead ot his great-grandfather, old General Quintard, will be taken, but the bulk of the picture will be made along the Mississippi River in Tennessee. "His Nibs" Premiere on Oct. 6 EXCEPTIONAL PICTURES CORPORATION announces that arrangements have been definitely made for the initial presentation of its second picture, Charles (Chic) Sale in " His Nibs." The showing is to be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Astor, New York City, on the evening of October 6. Prior to arranging its first prerelease run in a representative motion picture theatre, Alexander Beyf uss , vice president and general manager of Exceptional Pictures Corporation, has decided to have the private showing where the industry will have an opportunity of seeing this unique film, the first motion picture offering in which Chic Sale has appeared. The following statement has been issued by Exceptional Pictures Corporation in connection with the special showing of " His Nibs," on October 6 : " This performance will be looked forward to with interest on account of the expectation ' His Nibs ' has aroused in the industry and also for the reason that it will bring to the screen an artist who has made an enviable record for himself with the amusement-going public. Chic Sale has been for a number of years one of the stellar attractions on the THE SON OF WALLINGFORD Chic Sale Picture to Be Shown at Hotel Astor, New York Keith Vaudeville Circuit, besides playing in a number of New York successes. " He is conceded the foremost delineator of rural characters on the American stage today, columns having been written in the press of this country and in Canada, of the remarkable portrayals of his different types. And, yet with all the humor he puts into each one, it is always human, and true-to-life. Mr. Sale never holding any one of them up to ridicule. This quality alone has made him loved by all who have seen his work. " In his first motion picture Chic Sale has been given the opportunity of playing seven different parts "Black Panther's Cub" Sold for South ANOTHER deal that almost closes all the open territory remaining on Equity's " Black Panther's Cub" is the purchase by Adolf Samuels, of the Southeastern Pictures Corporation of Atlanta, Georgia, of eight States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Teimessee, Louisiana and Mississippi. But four territories are still open on this big picture and negotiations are now pending for the final closing of these within the next few weeks, according to Joseph Schnitzer, president of the Equity Pictures Corporation. Unusually elaborate plans for releasing the picture in the eight States purchased by the Southeastern Pictures Corporation are now under way in the offices of the company in Atlanta, Ga. which include all the people which have become endeared to the public through his stage characterizations. " As this is probably the first time in the history of motion pictures that one artist has played seven different, distinct roles in a feature porduction and because the picture itself, ' His Nibs,' is said to be a distinct and unusual departure from the accepted form of the photoplay, the Hotel Astor showing is certain to arouse keen anticipation. " Outside of these facts no inkling of the story of ' His Nibs ' has been given out and all information regarding the actual theme will be withheld by Exceptional Pictures Corporation until it is presented on the screen. " Invitations are being issued to all executives, to the friends of Mr. Sale in the theatrical and motion picture industries, and to all the trade papers, and a notable gathering is to be expected at this premier showing. New Vitagraph Special Elicits High Praise '•nPHE SON OF WAL1 LINGFORD," the new Vitagraph special production, which was written and directed by Mr. and Mrs. George Randolph Chester, was shown last week to the Vitagraph executives at the home office of that company and elicited the highest praise from the officials who attended the showing. The consensus of opinion is that " The Son of WalUngford " will prove one of 192rs master film productions. " The Son of WalUngford ' has been more than a year in the making. It is eight reels in length. Upwards of 3,809 players appear in some of the scenes "The cast includes such screen players as Wilfrid North, George Webb, Priscilla Bonner, Antrim Short, Van Dyke Brooke, Sidney D'Albrook, Andrew Arbuckle, Bobby Mack, Walter Rogers, Margaret CuUington, Martha Mattox, Florence Hart and Lyla Leslie. The building of an artificial lake near Balboa, Cal., for this picture is regarded as one of the biggest engineering feats in film history. A story version syndicated to newspapers all over the country has excited considerable comment. Elaborate exploitation matter for this production has been prepared by Vitagraph. Miss Shulsinger Active Abroad Rose Shulsinger, long connected with Cosmopolitan productions, and who went to Europe last May with the French Company Regnier, Courean, Morat, has completed a tour of England and returned to Paris. She is engaged in assembling the first film of Gabrielle Dorziat, French artiste, who will appear in the leading role of the film temporarily, entitled " L'Enfant et la Rose." A scene from " His Nibs," in which Chic Sale plays seven different parts. An Exceptional release