Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

January J , 1922 425 “Black Panther’s Cub” Bought by Friedman THE latest territorial sale of Equity’s “ The Black Panther’s Cub,” starring Florence Reed with distinguished Broadway cast was consummated last week by Louis Baum of the Equity’s sales staff with Ben Friedman, of the Friedman Film Corporation, of Minneapolis. The territory includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Northern Wisconsin. It is Mr. Friedman’s intention to exploit “ The Black Panther’s Cub ” in a big way and to assist exhibitors in putting this big production across in the various territor Elaborate PreViews for ‘‘His Nibs” “ His Nibs,” the Exceptional Pictures Corporation’s production, in which Charles (Chic) Sale is starred, will be released in many of the big first-run houses of the country, shortly after January 1st, and, if the pre-views are to be considered as indications of the success of the picture, ‘‘His Nibs” will be one of the greatest favorites of 1922. L. L. Hiller, President of “ His Nibs ” Syndicate, Inc., has received numerous interesting reports on these pre-views, each one lavish in its praise of the picture. All-Star Productions of Salt Lake City, exhibited “His Nibs” at a private showing at Pantages Theatre, with all of the exchange men and exhibitors of Salt Lake City in attendance, and the five-reel comedy won the instantaneous approval of the entire audience. They voted that it was a picture of unusual merits, a decided novelty ,and that Charles (Chic) Sale was a superb artist whose protean art was sure to prove as popular on the screen as it has on the stage. “Jungle Goddess” Distribution THE Export and Import Film Company, Inc., which controls the world rights on the new fifteen episode animal-jungle serial, “The Jungle Goddess,” the American distribution of which was undecided upon, have now definitely announced that this Selig chapter-play will be sold on the independent market. This decision was made following a careful survey of the state right field and only after a sufficient number of episodes had arrived in New York and passed the inspection of Mr. Ben Blumenthal, president, and L. Auerbach, vicepresident of the Export and Import Film Company. “The Jungle Goddess” has been in production for the last four months at Col. Wm. N. Selig’s studios and is now rapidly nearing completion. The concluding episode of the serial is scheduled to be in New York by February 1st. Colonel Selig is acknowledgedly one of the most experienced producers in the motion picture industry. His name has been associated with box-office successes too numerous to mention. As a producer of wild animal serials he stands in a unique position, having already made two great wild-animal chapter-plays, “The Lost City” and “Miracles of the Jungle.” The Export & Import Film Company recently contracted for Colonel Selig’s entire output for the next three years. “The Jungle Goddess” is the first of Selig’s productions under this new contract. When starting “The Jungle Goddess,” Colonel Selig is said to have been given carte blanche power to go to any means to excel anything which has ever been done in wild animal serials and thereupon placed his entire resources into the production of this serial. In making “The Jungle Goddess,” Colonel Selig has the advantage of being able to draw upon the Selig Zoo for jungle beasts, this Selig Serial Will Be Distributed on Independent Market being the largest privately owned collection of animals in the world. James Conway, who is directing the serial is making use of the numerous troupes of wild animals Selig has loaned to various circuses and which have been recalled for use in the episode drama. He has at his call a collection of over 470 animals, it is said, including tigers, lions, leopards, chimpanzees, giraffes, monkeys, crocodiles, sacred cows and myriad other jungle trib'es. Elinor Field, who is being costarred with Truman Van Dyke in “The Jungle Goddess” is a star in her own right and has just played the heroine in several Metro pictures. The story for the serial was especially written for the screen by Agnes Johnson and Frank Dazey, who have many successes to their credit. “In placing ‘The Jungle Goddess’ on the independent market,” states an official of the Export & Import Film Company, “we believe we are offering the greatest wild animal jungle serial ever made. Every exhibitor knows Colonel Selig. Every exhibitor has faith in him and regards him as the peer of wild animal serial makers. They know him from his past successes and will book this serial on his name alone. Given unlimited resources to work with, Colonel Selig has promised that ‘The Jungle Goddess’ will be his chapter-picture masterpiece.” Russell Picture Well Liked State Righters Report Fine Reception for “ Shadows of Conscience ” having to your credit a production so worthy and so masterful. “ It is safe to say that exhibitors all over the country will do big business with this feature, and furthermore, give to the patrons of their theatres that great satisfaction so necessary in the upbuilding of any business.” Negotiations have just been completed between W. D. Russell and W. T. Gaskell for the rights to “ Shadows of Conscience ” in the state of Wisconsin. It is the intention of the Gaskell Enterprises, which operate from Chicago, to “ road show ” the picture, which will have its premier in Milwaukee shortly after the first of the year. Joe Cohen, general manager of the Gaskell Enterprises, stated for Mr, Gaskell that, in his opinion, the Russell picture is far bigger and because of the wide appeal of the story and the advertising possibilities represented in the title, it represents an attraction that will go far beyond ordinary released when it comes to selling the picture to the public. TUDGING from letters received *-* at the offices of Russell Productions, Inc., Chicago, the company’s big seven-reel American classic, “ Shadows of Conscience,” is slated, from the point of booking possibilities, to be one of the biggest and most profitable investments made by state right operators during the current year. The Pioneer Corporation, which is now releasing the picture in the states of New York, northern New Jersey, Illinois and Indiana, has screened the production for a number of eastern exhibitors, “with the result that there is going forth a unanimity of praise for the feature,” states A. E. Lefcourt, president of Pioneer Corp. He further advises : “ Indications point to ‘ Shadows of Conscience ’ setting a new pace in the release of independent productions, and we are indeed happy that we procured this photoplay from you. It is just such productions as ‘ Shadows of Conscience ’ that make the independent field the favorite one with the exhibitors, and you are to be congratulated on FIFTEEN EPISODES OF ACTION AND THRILLS ................. — A scene from the Eddie Lyons comedy, “Just a Minute,” his newest Arrow release. Eddie thinks he is going to elope with the daughter of the chief of police READY FOR RELEASE PHOTOPLAY SERIALS CORP., E. S. Manheimer, Gen. Mgr., 130 W. 46th St., New York SEE IT AT ONCE