Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

2166 Motion Picture N ev. New Independent Distributors Organize Orbis Pictures, Inc., has been organized under the corporate laws of the state of New York to conduct business as an independent motion picture distributing organization. An announcement to this effect is made this week from the executive offices of the company at 130 West 46th street. New York City. It is the purpose of Orbis Pictures, Inc., to acquire productions for independent release, and either dispose of them to independent exchanges or else dispose of the product to the exhibitors themselves. The men behind the new enterpriseare said to be motion picture men of character and calibre. This it is declared, will insure maximum results for all producers entrusting their product with the Orbis distributing unit. ClarkCornelius Name First of 24 Releases Under their plan of twenty-four productions during the coming year, Clark-Cornelius will inaugurate their releases with "Whispering Women," a picture which is presented by James Keane. This will be followed by "The Recoil," starring George Cheesboro. The pictures will be released on the individual plan with the exception of the series of Cheesboro pictures. The Cheesboro productions are of the Northwest mounted police type and will be eight in number. Novelty Post Card Aids Sale of Arrow Picture The Publicity Department of the Arrow Film Corporation has issued a novelty post card of " Kiki," the dog star from their novelty film, "Watching Eyes," which has attracted a great deal of attention; many inquiries from exhibitors having been received from all over the country in the comparatively short space of time of one week. Monty Banks Comedies Booked by Loew Monty Banks, the Warner Brothers' screen comedian, has begun active work on a new series of tworeel funmakers at the West Coast studios of the Warner organization. This new series, it is declared, will eclipse anything in the line of screen comedy that Mr. Banks has ever attempted, and exhibitors are assured that the motto of clean, wholesome, entertaining comedies will always prevail in Monty Banks' comedies. The entire series of Banks comedies are said to have been booked by the Loew Circuit. The latest release, " Peaceful Alley," was screened at the new Loew State theatre, New York. "Barricade" Has English and Jewish Titles As the central figure in William Christy Cabanne's new production, " The Barricade," is an elderly and kindly Hebrew and as the picture will have deep appeal for those of the Jewish faith, Mr. Cabanne has arranged to have a number of prints made with both English and Jewish titles. These prints will be distributed by R-C Pictures Corporation to theatres in neighborhoods with Jewish population. Jane Novak, starring in Chester Bennett Productions, distributed by Associated Photoplays. Inc. Stimulating Effect of Foreign Films "A stiff dose of bitters" is the way Carlyle Ellis, director of "Home-Keeping Hearts," the photoplay just released by Playgoers Pictures, characterizes the so-called foreign film invasion. He adds that ^t is the most salutary tonic American picturemakers have had since Griffith woke up the world with "The Birth of a Nation." "I'm glad they came and glad we welcomed them," he adds, — "not because they are models for us to follow. They are not. They display almost as many qualities for us to avoid as for us to admire. What they chiefly do worth while is to show us — picturemakers and public — what a conventional rut we have been in. "A student may learn as much from the bad as from the good. One shows him his faults, the other his opportunities. That is why the German pictures are extraordinarily stimulating. They jar us out of our complacency and open new vistas of possibilities that they themselves only partly penetrate. I would be the last to advocate imitating any of them, but I would also be the last to say they can be ignored." Dancing Novelties in Christie Comedy Two distinctive dancing novelties are offered as incidental bits of atmosphere in Christie's latest comedy for Educational, called "Kiss and Make Up," which features Helen Darling and Earl Rodney. One of these dances is the "Sh-h!" number offered by the dancers from the Los Angeles Midnight Frolic, who were engaged for this picture. The other is a specialty dance by Dagmar Dahlgren, a dancer of considerable renown. "Sunshine Harbor" to Be Released Shortly "Sunshine Harbor," a feature production starring Margaret Beecher and released on the program of the Affiliated Distributors is being prepared for final screening and presentation. A special exploitation campaign is being launched under the direction of the PaglinDavidson Agency. A press sheet carrying a number of novel stories and exploitation ideas will be ready next week. Youthful Actor in Talmadge Film Glenn Hunter is one of the few screen artists who has been fortunate enough to skip over all the usual preliminaries and start right in playing leading roles in moving pictures from the beginning. However, Mr. Hunter's success on the stage was already an established fact, when he was engaged to play (jpposite Dorothy Gish in " Oh, Jo," a Paramount production. Thereafter he played with Constance Binney in " The Case of Becky," which Realart claim as among their best offerings. Mr. Hunter seems scheduled for a successful screen career, since he has been engaged to play the role of Willie Ainsley in Norma Talmadge's next First National production, " Smilin' Through." Bod Kerr Directs AUStar Mermaid Comedy Bob Kerr, until recently associated with the Hal Roach productions, has been engaged byy Hamilton-White to direct the latest allstar Mermaid Comedy for Educational. Work on the story, which is as yet untitled, began a few days ago at the studio in Hollywood. This will be the fifth of the new scries of Mermaid Comedies which Educational is releasing. The cast includes such well known comedy stars as Jimmie Adams, Lige Conky, Frank Coleman, Jack Lloyd and others. Park Reis is in charge of the photography. Scene from " His Handsome Budi a Broadway comedy released by An Marcus Cartoons Add to Burr Review_ Marcus, noted cartoonist artist for the New York Times the Rivoli and Rialto screen, been engaged by C. C. Burr to a few features to his novelty view. The first two releases of novelty review are now being leased and the second contains interesting sketch by Marcus. Other features of the novel view includes cartoons by McManus, creator of " Bringing Father," and the Lester R< Dixon scenic poems. Mr. Di has gone to Arizona and the V to remain there for six month order to secure suitable material Burr's Novelty Review. Ano feature of the " Review " inch a style section for ladies, in C( Is "I Accuse" Will [H:e Early Release The United Artists Corpora n announces the release early is fall of Abel Gance's production I Accuse," which created a fu "c when shown in the principal c a of Europe. It is claimed for is film that it has in it all the ^ ments that go to make a r .y great motion picture, and the ^ diction is freely made that it 11 meet with as instantaneous an :claim in the United States a it did in European countries. " I Accuse " has been endo -d by the American Legion, Dej tment of New York, because oi « wonderfully sensational stimi it will be to the theatre-going lie of this country. Monopol Pictures Have "Foolish Mothers" .A.n announcement received from Monopol Pictures Company discloses the fact that " Foolish Mothers," adapted from a story by Wycliff A. Hill, will soon be ready for distribution in the State Rights market. This independent production has a cast headed by such well-known players as Enid Markey, Edward Coxen and Jack Standing. QUALITY VAUDEVILLE AND SOLOISTS FOR MOTION PICTURE AND VAUDEVILLE THEATRES THE fALLY MAgKUS^ TANDARD VAUDEVILL ^ AGENCY ^ BRYANT 4103 1547 BROADWAY NEW YORK CITY