Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

January 7 , 1922 421 Paramount New Y ear Issues “ Lulu Bett,” Wallace Reid and Realart Pictures for January i Glbert Gable Has Record of Achievements Gilbert e. gable, president of Achievement Films, Inc., whose first picture, “ The Power Within,” is announced for current release by Pathe, is an executive with an enviable record in the promotion and advertising fields. His ability to gain and hold public interest, resultant largely from his sure knowledge of “ what the public wants,” is principally responsible for his selection as president by the financial powers behind Achievement Films, Inc. Mr. Gable’s first work was in the field of traveling salesmanship and later in the publicity field. He has also been associated with the Philadelphia Record as promotion manager. In 1918, he was appointed as Director of Publicity by the Federal Reserve Bank. In this capacity he engineered patriotic parades and publicity. For the Victory Loan, Mr. Gable produced a series of advertisements which were submitted to a National Copy Jury at Washington. Out of the 115 copies selected by the jury, 104 were written by Mr. Gable. This copy of Mr. Gable’s was given an unprecedented amount of newspaper space throughout the United States and its possessions. A scene from the new Paramount picture, “ Rent Free,” in which Wallace Reid is starred PARAMOUNT opens the year 1922 with William de Mille’s production, ‘‘Miss Lulu Bett,” and Wallace Reid in “Rent Free,” scheduled for release January 1. It will also release the Realart picture “Too Much Wife,” starring Wanda Hawley on the same date. “Miss Lulu Bett” unfolds a most interesting story of American home life. It is adapted from the successful novel by Zona Gale and Miss Gale’s own play which won the Pulitzer prize for the best stage play during the season of 1920-21. Clara Beranger was responsible for the adaptation. The title role is played by Lois Wilson, Milton Sills plays opposite her, while character roles are played by Theodore Roberts, Helen Ferguson, Ethel Wales, Mabel Van Buren, Clarence Burton and May Giracci. There are said to be a lively plot and plenty of action in the Wallace Reid picture, “Rent Free,” in which Wallace Reid is starred. Mann Page and Izola Forrester Page wrote the story of “Rent Free,” and Elmer Harris wrote the scenario from which Howard Higgin directed. Lili Lee plays opposite the star. Lorna Moon is the author of the story of “Too Much Wife,” which was written originally for the screen. Miss Moon is a former well-known newspaper woman who has recently attained notable success as a writer of screen tales. Her most conspicuous success to date is the Paramount special, “ Don't Tell Everything.” ; t the Strand Theatre this week. We have just finished a’ TRIP TO PARADISE, with Bert Lvtell ; THE FOURTEENTH LOVER, with Viola Dana; THE HOLE IN THE WALL, with Alice Lake, and THE HUNCH, with Gareth Hughes. Don’t fail to see all of the above attractions, and may add that “THE CONQUERING POWER, starring Rudolph Valentino and Alice Terry, co-stars of THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE, will be shown in your city shortly. This is considered by us the greatest picture we have ever produced. “METRO STUDIOS, “ Hollywood, Calif.” New Members of Wid Gunning Organization Wid Gunning announces the appointment of George Slater and Frank Hoyfron as Special Representatives, in charge of the Wid Gunning, Inc., Los Angeles branch. Troy M. Rodlun, formerly assistant circulation advertising manager for the Hearst magazines, has joined the Gunning organization to handle direct mail exploitation. James Englander, formerly with Vitagraph and Federated Films, and a newspaperman of wide experience in New York City, is now a member of the publicity department, doing general publicity work. Irvin C. Davis, direct from a long experience in the advertising and sales’ promotion field, and M. R. Edwards, are others who have entered the Wid Gunning publicity and advertising departments. James Cruze to Remain with Paramount RUMORS that James Cruze, the director, would serve his connection with Famous PlayersLasky at the end of the year are unfounded, declares a statement from the Paramount headquarters, and arrangements are now under way to retain his services. There is no doubt that Mr. Cruze will remain with Paramount for some time to come, it is declared. He is at present engaged on “ Is Matrimony a Failure? ” a Paramount special comedy with T. Roy Barnes, in the leading role and such well known players as Walter Hiers, Lila Lee, Lois Wilson and others in the cast. During the past years Mr. Cruze has directed some of the most successful Paramount pictures and recently completed “ One Glorious Day,” featuring Will Rogers and Lila Lee. Ban Lifted for Showing of “Conquering Power’’ Three hundred exhibitors and their wives saw a special showing of the Rex Ingram production for Metro of Balzac’s “ The Conquering Power,” on Sunday evening at the roof-garden of the Hotel Adelphi, thirteenth and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia. It was the first motion picture shown in Philadelphia in a year on a Sunday. Robert Lynch, manager of the local Metro office, obtained police permission to put the picture on before an invited audience on the ground that the exhibitors could not all manage to see it during the. week. News of the showing stirred a renewal of the agitation for an open Sunday for photoplay theatres in Philadelphia. In addition to the Adelphia showing, Mr. Lynch arranged for the simultaneous display of 150 twentyfour sheets, announcing “ The Conquering Power,” with Rudolph Valentino and Alice Terry in prominent roles opening at the Stanley Theatre, Philadelphia, on January 9. “Sailor-Made Man’’ as Holiday Attraction The Capitol Theatre of New York and the Symphony of Los Angeles, head an impressive line-up of first-run theatres across the country, which are playing Harold Lloyd’s big feature, “ A SailorMade Man,” as a Christmas week attraction. No previous Harold Lloyd production has received the tributes of praise which have greeted ‘ A Sailor-Made Man ” from exhibitors and newspapers. The fact that this is Harold Lloyd’s first comedy of feature length makes its showing doubly impressive and proves Harold Lloyd’s ' right to be viewed by the exhibitors as a star with such a tremendous public following as to justify “A Sailor-Made Man” being the big feature during one of the most important weeks of the entire year. Broadway an Exterior in Witwer Comedy Broadway had one of its greatest 1 brills last Thursday night when Harry Pollard, director for “ The Leather F'ushers,” the H. C. Witwer prize ring series being filmed for Universal with Reginald Denny as the star, paraded his company up and down the Gay White Way at the height of the theatre crowd hour, filming the crowds, the lights and “ The Leather Pushers ” principals. A battery of Sunlight Arcs provided illumination for the camera-men. It was not a publicity stunt, as the shots taken of the principals and of’ Broadway life are to be used in Round Three of “ The Leather Pushers ” series. Stern in East to Aid Century Week Drive Julius Stern, president of Century Film Corporation, has come to New York to aid in the “ Century Week” drive, during which exhibitors have pledged themselves to place a Century Comedy in every first run house in the country. Reports from the different exchanges show the idea of making Christmas week Century week has proved a popular one and that booking returns are rolling up in a most promising manner. Lee Moran, Baby Peggy, Harry Sweet and Brownie, the dog with a college education, will make new friends as well as renew old ones during the holiday period. Tie-Up on “Over the Wire” Strong Advertising and Exploitation Being Used for Metro Film ttr\V ER THE WIRE,” the Metro production of Arthur Somers Roche’s story, starring Alice Lake, is proving the season’s winner for advertising tie-ups in the newspapers. The exploitation idea, recommended in the Metro press book, of co-operating with merchants who make a specialty of sending goods on telephone order, has made a hit with the exhibitors, declares the Metro home office. Everywhere the picture has been shown there have been full-page or double-truck displays of the picture’s advertisement, along with the advertising of “ the butcher, the baker and candle-stick maker,” all running under the “ Over the Wire ” streamer head. An example of the way the tieup works is afforded by the Minneapolis Daily News, for the showing of the picture at the Strand Theatre. The “ Over the Wire ” streamer was flanked by a cut of a woman at the telephone giving her order, with a clerk in an apron at the other end receiving the order over the wire. Under the city’s collected advertising, representing many trades, are the eight-column line : “ We are always on the other end of the wire ready to serve you.” In addition, A. H. Fisher, the Minneapolis branch manager for Metro, had inserted an advertisement in a tie-up with the Western Union, using the Western Union telegram form, under the caption : “ Just Received.” The telegram read : “ Theatre Going Public, “ Minneapolis, Minn. “ We hope you will enjoy OVER THE WIRE, which is being shown