Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1252 Motion Picture New . Assd. Exhibs. Closes Big Foreign Contract THE foreign expansion of Associated Exhibitors is revealed in a statement from that organization to the effect that arrangements have just been completed for the distribution of its entire product in Australasia for a period of three years by Alec. B. Helmrich of Sydney, Australia. It is understood that Mr. Helmrich will operate an organization similar to that of Associated Exhibitors in the United States. He has already opened offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and is leaving immediately to complete an exchange system throughout Australia and in Auckland and New Zealand. Exhibitors Are Asked to Aid in Campaign Goldwyn Pictures announces that every exhibitor in the country is being requested to take part in the selection of the girl to whom will be given a year’s contract and expenses to and from the Goldwvn studio on the Coast. This arrangement, as announced in last week's News, is a part of Goldwyn’s campaign to introduce “ new faces ” on the screens of the country in the Goldwyn product. The campaign, which goes under the name of the New Faces Opportunity, is being conducted by Goldwyn and Photoplay Magazine. The exhibitor who is responsible for the successful girl’s participation in the screen try-outs will be suitably rewarded, according to an announcement from the Goldwyn headquarters. Hughes and Bessie Love in Big Special Louis Burston announced from his headquarters in Hollywood this week an entirely new series of special productions to be made during the coming year. The first special is now in production with the romantic Garreth Hughes, of Barry’s “ Sentimental Tommy” fame, and the wistful Bessie Love in the leading roles. The picture is as yet untitled, it being an original story by Henry R. Symonds and John B. Clymer, with the continuity by Clymer. Mr. Burston has selected for his director W. S. Van Dyke. In the picture will be seen “ Queenie,” familiarly known as “ the miracle dog of the screen.” A capable cast has been selected in support of Hughes and Miss Love. It includes Irene Hunt, well remembered for excellent work in numerous Griffith pictures ; William Machin, seen recently in Jackie Coogan’s “My Boy;” Otto Lederer, Helen Gilmore, Mollie Thompson, Hal Wilson and Aggie Herring. No releasing channel has been decided for the Louis Burston Specials, Mr. Burston said, although the David Butler Productions which he makes are handled by Western Pictures Exploitation Company of Los Angeles. The cast for “ Beyond the Rainbow,” a William Christy Cabanne-R.-C. picture. Those standing, from left to right are: Walter Miller, Charles Craig, James Harrison, George Fawcett, Edmund Breese, Harry Morey, Macey Harlam, Huntly Gordon and Gardner James. Seated, from left to right are Diana Allen, Lillian " Billie ” Love, Helen Ware, Virginia Lee and Marguerite Courtot. Clara Bow is on the floor Paramount Names Releases “ Her Own Money ” and “ Love’s Boomerang ” Are PARAMOUNT announces two pictures to be released on February 19, “ Her Own Money,” starring Ethel Clayton, and the first John S. Robertson Britishmade production, “ Love’s Boomerang,” with Ann Forrest and David Powell. The story of “ Love’s Boomerang,” which is an adaptation by Josephine Lovett of Dion Clayton Calthrop’s well-known novel, “ Perpetua,” centers around the love of Brian McCree, an artist, for “ Perpetua,” supposedly an orphan, whom he has adopted and brought up from a child. The girl, grown to womanhood, meets her father, an English rogue, and Sayville Mender, heir to a fortune, in Brian’s studio. Mender, a drunkard and tool of her father, falls in love with her and begs her to marry him to save him from drink. Urged on by her father, Perpetua consents and many exciting incidents follow only to bring Brian and Perpetua, the true lovers, to a happy ending. The photoplay is rich in beautiful exteriors, having been filmed in France and England, the locale of the original story. The cast, in addition to David Powell and Ann Forrest, who have the leading roles, includes Geoffrey Kerr, John Miltern, and Amy Willard. In “ Her Own Money,” Ethel Clayton is seen as the self-sacrificing wife, a role of great appeal. Mildred Alden, by practicing the strictest economy, manages to save enough money to buy a home. Her Set for Feb. 19th husband, Lewis, who is very extravagant and irresponsible, wants $2,000 to hold an option which he thinks will be very profitable to him. Mildred arranges to lend her money to him through Harvey Beecher, a neighbor. Beecher’s jealous wife understands the communication between her husband and Mildred and creates a scene. Lewis hears of it and leaves home in a rage, thinking Mildred was afraid to lend him the money direct for fear he might not pay it back. Things look stormy for a while but the blackness is all cleared away and everything ends happily. Mark Swan wrote “ Her Own Money,” which is a play adapted to the screen by Elmer Harris. Warner Baxter plays the lead opposite Miss Clayton, and Clarence Burton, Mae Busch, Jean Acker and Charles French complete the cast. Paul Powell to Direct Agnes Ayres Jesse L. Lasky has assigned Paul Powell to direct Agnes Ayres in her next Paramount picture, “The Ordeal,” by W. Somerset Maugham. Conrad Nagel will appear opposite Miss Ayres and Clarence Burton will have the chief heavy role. Others in the cast chosen are Edna Murphy, Edward Sutherland. Adele Farrington, Claire DuBrey, Lloyd Whitlock, Eugene Corey, Ann Schaefer and Shannon Day. The adaption is by Beulah Marie Dix. Educational in Force in Greater New York THE week of February 11 was a great week for | Educational Pictures in i the New York Metropolitan area. At the New York Strand, “ Free and Easy,” a Mermaid comedy with Lige Conley and Jimmy Adams, was the comedy number on the program. The Brooklyn Strand at the same time was showing “ The Vagrant,” a Mermaid Comedy featuring Lloyd Hamilton. “Torchy’s Frame-up,” a comedy featuring Johnny Hines, went into its second week at the Criterion Theatre in New York. “ Just Por Fun,” one of the series of Sketchografs by Julian Ollendorff, showed at the Rialto in New York “ The Love Egg,” a Punch Comedy featuring Louise Fazenda, Chester Conklin, Baby John Henry, Jr., and “ Teddy,” the dog, began on Loew’s Greater New York Circuit. In Newark Loew’s new State Theatre had the Christie Comedy “ A Pair of Sexes,” featuring Neal Bums. Making Film by Author of “For Pity’s Sake’’ Remember that really funny i sketch in vaudeville, “ For Pity’s Sake,” which has run for nine | years, and made even London | laugh? Everett Shinn, noted artist and decorator, wrote it ten years | ago. Well, Everett is doing it i again. Up at the William Fox studio in New York, Shinn is busy | filming another screening burlesque , called “ The Prune Hater’s Daughter.” When you learn that the plot | has to do with a man who invents a machine to take the pits out of I prunes, and a villain who invents another machine to put them back again, you gather something of the | burlesque possibilities. Members of “The Dutch Treat Club,” an organization of artists and writers, I compose the cast. It is being made to put on at the ' annual dinner of the club next I month, and at present is for private showing only. But just as “ For | Pity’s Sake ” reached the stage , though at first intended for private I showing, it would not be surprising to see “ The Prune Hater’s Daughter” flashed on the screen of theatres throughout the country. Fox to Film Novel by Author of “The Sheik’’ William Fox announces the purchase of the motion picture rights to “ The Shadow of the East,” by E. M. Hull, the English novelist, before the novel has been published in this country — where it is expected to be one of the best sellers of the year. E. M. Hull is the author of “The Sheik.” William Fox has not announced whether it is to be made by one of his stars or as a special production.