Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

January 14, 1922 519 Better Independent Films Russell Clark Believes Improved Standard Stabilizes Market Russell Clark Selling “The Two Orphans” Gratifying activity in the independent field is the word that comes from the Russell Clark Syndicate, Inc., which reports that the Edison-Films-Torino attraction presented by Frank Vallee, “ The Two Orphans,” after a mere formal announcement only, has not only created widespread interest, but that First National Exchanges, Inc., has acquired the territory of New York and Greater New York, and Turner & Dahnken that of California. First National Exchanges, Inc., has also acquired the Sascha production Lucy Doraine in “ The Love Slave,” presented by Herz Film Corporation, for the same territory, and four Margery Wilson productions in which Margery Wilson is starred. The first of these to be released is “ The Offenders.” Others in production in the order named are “ Miss Paul Revere,” “ Insinuation,” and “Woman’s Woman.” Chimpanzee to Star in Warner Bros. Comedies Jack and Sam Warner, at the west coast studios of Warner Brothers, have purchased a chimpanzee to play in the new series of Monty Banks comedies now being produced under the personal supervision of Jack Warner, it is announced. They have named the chimpanzee “ Bozo.” After “ Bozo ” proves his worth as an actor, it is planned to make him a screen luminary, in a series of thirteen two reel comedies with a supporting cast including a number of talented youngsters and a group of animals. Joe Weil Publicizing “The Jungle Goddess” Joe Weil, of the Joe Weil Service, has been engaged by the Export & Import Film Company, Inc., to conduct their campaign on the new fifteen episode animal-jungle serial, “The Jungle Goddess,” which Col. Wm. N. Selig has produced for this company and which is being placed on the independent market. Under his arrangement with the Export & Import Film Company he will drop all other work to com centrate his efforts in putting “The Jungle Goddess” over in a bigger Second Neal Hart Release Announced Neal Hart’s second release of the new five-reel feature series is now in the cutting, and William Steiner Productions have started on the third one. “Tangled Trails,” the first release, has gone over big and the franchise holders are pleased, most of whom have ordered extra prints. His second release is entitled “ Rangeland,” and is a thrilling story of the Texas cattle ranges. THE greatly improved standard of independent offerings, in the opinion of Russell Clark, vicepresident and general manager of the Russell Clark Syndicate, Inc., has already stabilized the market to such an extent that prospects were never brighter than they are for the new year so lately ushered in. As proof of his assertion Mr. Clark said: “ If you compare only the independent offerings with those of a few seasons ago you will get only half of the story and less than half of the truth. You should also compare the standing of the independents in the industry to-day with their relative position of say two years back, Then only will you realize to the full the advance that has been made. I do nbt mean that there are better men in the field — not at all — because many of the same men went through the period of which I speak — a time, it seemed, when every man’s hand appeared to be against them, and when apparently they were welcome nowhere. Yet those same men to-day rank with the foremost in the industry; in fact the word “independent” is no longer a term of reproach. “ You may be sure,” continued Mr. Clark, “ that this pleasing state of affairs didn’t just happen. If there were ever independent producers and distributors who deserved ill-treatment, it is the clean JANUARY 30th, 1922, is release date set for the first of the “ Sherlock Holmes ” series, entitled “ The Man with the Twisted Lip.” There will be one release every two weeks thereafter in the following order: “The Beryl Coronet,” “ The Resident Patient,” “ The Devil’s Foot,” “ The Dying Detective,” “ A Case of Identity,” “ Scandal,” “ In Bohemia,” “ The Noble Bachelor,” “ The Yellow Face,” “Redheaded League,” “Copper Beeches,” “Empty House,” “Tiger of San Pedro,” “Priory School” and “Solitary Cyclist.” Great enthusiasm is being shown by all exhibitors for this forthcoming release, it is stated. The Cooperative Film Exchange of San Francisco and Los Angeles are ready to release the first four subjects in January with the first run accounts numbering the biggest theatres in their district and they were compelled to cancel the bookings in view of the fact that the series would not be ready until the schedule date. The reason for the delay in the release date of the first subject was occasioned by the fact that the art work in conjunction with the titling was delayed. It is the intention of the Alexander Film Corporation to secure the best art work obtainable in conjunction with the titles. The McClure Syndicate of New York are rapidly placing the subjects in short story form in various and progressive element that has driven them out. Conditions generally the past year have helped us greatly. Splendid productions have been obtainable for the independents with ready cash, and ofher circumstances well known to all have made the exhibitors more eager to examine and to book our productions than in the old days we ever dared hope for. In the case of my own firm, we are setting a pace in releasing in the independent field four new specially reduced features, made. I mean, for the purpose. I refer to the Margery Wilson Productions, in all of which Miss Wilson is starred. The first, ‘The Offenders,’ has just been announced, and we have in production to be released in the order named, ‘ Miss Paul Revere,’ ‘ Insinuation,’ and ‘Woman’s Woman.’ We have just released a Sascha picture railed ‘ The Love Slave,’ in which Lucy Doraine stars. The reception accorded the foregoing and also my third present release, the Edison Film Torino attraction, ‘ The Two Orphans,’ is, to my mind, all the evidence needed that good pictures are to be had for cash, that they are welcomed by exhibitors, and in consequence we are preparing elaborate props and exploitation material for all our productions in anticipation of an extraordinarily successful year.” newspapers in the United States. The following is a list of newspapers who have contracted for the “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” short stories : Buffalo Times, N. Y. ; Philadelphia Bulletin, Pa. ; Des Moines Capital, la. ; Bridgeport Times, Conn. ; Moose Jaw Times, Sask., Can.; Hartford Times, Conn. ; Pittsburgh Dispatch, Penn. ; Halifax Herald, N. S., Canada; Brantford Expositor, Canada; San Francisco Bulletin, Cal. ; Wichita Falls Times, Tex. ; Burlington Gazette, Iowa ; Scranton Republican, Pa.; New York Telegram, N. Y. ; Atlantic City Press Union, N. J. ; Rochester Times-Union, N. Y. ; Bloomington Pantagraph, 111. ; Springfield State Register, 111. ; Akron Times," Ohio ; Winnipeg Free Press, Canada; Seattle Times, Wash. ; Oklahoma City Leader, Okla. ; Omaha News, Neb. ; Detroit Times, Mich. ; Salt Lake City Telegraph, Utah ; Wilmington Morning Star, N. C. ; News League of Ohio, Dayton, Ohio ; Zanesville Times Recorder, Ohio ; Indianapolis Star, Ind. ; Victoria Colonist, B. C., Canada ; Louisville Evening Post, Ky. ; Little Rock Democrat, Ark. ; Lansing State Journal, Mich.; Toledo Times, Ohio; Quincy Herald, 111. ; Greensboro Daily News, N. C. ; Charleston American, S. C. ; Cleveland Leadet News, Ohio ; Savannah Morning Star, Ga. ; Charlotte Observer, N. C. ; Nashville Tennessean, Tenn. ; Trenton Times, N. J. ; Easton Express, Penn. ; Passaic Daily News, N. J. ; Montgomery Journal, Ala. ; St. Louis Times, Missouri; Norristown Times, Penn. ; Portsmouth Star, Va. ; Boston Herald, Mass. ; Springfield Union, Mass. ; Chicago Journal, 111. ; Utica Observer, N. Y. ; Knoxville Sentinel. Tenn. ; Richmond Palladium, Ind. ; Vancouver World, B. C., Canada; Decatur Herald, 111.; Peoria Journal, 111.; Brooklyn Standard Union, N. Y. ; Portsmouth Publishing Co. ; Springfield Republican, Mo.; Fort Wayne News, Ind.; Danville Press, 111. ; Kalamazoo Gazette, Mich. ; Duluth Herald, Minn. “ The Four Seasons ” Has Universal Appeal Harry J. Shepard, of the Kineto Company of America, was discussing this week “The Four Seasons” and the many inquiries that have been made about it from persons in all walks of life. “ A very unusual question about ‘The Four Seasons’,” he said, “is to ask just what it is in this picture which gives it such a human appeal ; which .creates in so many different types of persons a genuine sense of satisfaction ; helps them to take away something from viewing that picture which they did not have before they saw it. “The logical answer, as I see it, is that ‘The Four Seasons’ speaks the universal language. It is a pictorial account of something with which everyone is dimly familiar, yet something we never have seen in its continuity. ‘The Four Seasons’ tells the story of a whole year of Nature.” Manheimer Sees More Interest in Serials That the renewal of interest in serials is not due to any change in the taste of the public, but that present business conditions have enabled the exhibitor to measure the drawing power of different kinds of pictures, and the serial has thus been brought back into its own, is the conclusion of E. S. Manheimer who, as General Manager of Photoplay Serials Corporation, is experiencing exceptional success in the distribution of the new Ben Wilson and Neva Gerber serial, “ The Mysterious Pearl.” “Just as there has been no let-up in the use of continued stories in the magazine and newspaper field,” says Mr. Manheimer, “there has been no change in the attitude of the story-loving public toward the chaptered photoplay. It would seem plausible that present conditions are responsible for the definite growth of interest in the serial during the past few months ; that, now that the public is shopping, exhibitors again have a chance to note the increase in business which follows the showing of a serial.” Rialto Reports Many Comedy Sales Lou Rogers, president of the Rialto Productions, Inc., reports a number of sales on the Funny Face Comedies and Marcus Cartoons for territorial rights. Harry Chanas, Standard Film Service Company has closed for his four offices, namely Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Detroit. Joe Friedman of the Celebrated Players Film Corp., closed for Chicago and Milwaukee offices. Marion Kohn of the Federated Film Distributors, Inc., has closed for San Francisco and Los Angeles. “The Price of Youth’’ Is New York Drama Neva Gerber in the Arrow-Ben Wilson drama, “ The Price of Youth,” heads a very strong cast which includes Spottiswood Aiken, Jack Pratt and many others prominent on the silver sheet. Release Date for Series “ Sherlock Holmes ” Stories to Be Ready Jan. 30, States Alexander