Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1922)

December 30, 1922 3389 Comedies, Short Subject^ & Small Short Subject P rogramT ried Out Canadian Exhibitor Enjoys Big Week with Use of Novelty Bill Stern Bros. Buy Rights to “Buster Brown’’ JULIUS and ABE STERN announce the purchase of screen rights to the use of Richard F. Outcault’s celebrated cartoons known as “Buster Brown,” as the basis for a series of Century Comedies. These rights, it is reported, have been eagerly sought by several companies and in having secured screen rights to these widely known and popular drawings, Stern Brothers are living up to their declaration of releasing an unusually strong program for the coming year. The Outcault cartoons were first published in the New York Herald and then were widely syndicated all over the world. They were immensely popular not only with the children but also with their parents who laughed at the pranks of Buster and his dog Tige. On the screen the part ©f Tige will be taken by “Brownie,” the Century Wonder Dog. The part of Buster has not been filled yet, and the Stern brothers are at present in New York looking for a boy to play the part. Novelty Two Reeler Wins Much Praise “ Man vs. Beast,” the Educational Pictures Special, which records the hazardous adventures of a scientific expedition into Darkest Africa, and which met with instant success in the New York showings at the Rivoli and Rialto theatres, is continuing its popularity in other exchange centers. In San Francisco, Roth and Partington ran “ Man vs. Beast ” for a week at the California theatre. “ One of the short subjects on the screen is really more interesting in a way than the feature picture," said the San Francisco Bulletin in reveiwing this program. “ It is ' Man vs. Beast ’ which records some of the adventures of Louis Shuman in a hunting and scientific trip through Africa.” Two Reeler Completed *and Given Main Title Work on the Mermaid Comedy special for Educational in which Louise Fazenda is featured, supported by Jack Ackroyd, Harry Gribbon, and a big cast of comedy stars, has been completed. This two-reel laugh subject has been titled “ Pest of the Storm Country.” It is being prepared now for release, and probably will be on Educational’s schedule for February. In addition to her pig-tails and spit-curls, Miss Fazenda has added a pair of hip boots to her make-up for “ Pest of the Storm Country.” OPENING to more business than on the biggest, features, the Cum Bac theatre in Toronto, of which “ Bill ” Bailey is manager, enjoyed the patronage of almost unprecedented crowds during the three-day run of a Short Subject program made up of Educational Pictures. The best Saturday matinee record ever made by the house, which was set with Charlie Chaplin’s “ Shoulder Arms,” was smashed by the Short Subject program, which Bailey styled “ The Movie Follies,” and which has set a new figure both in attendance and in receipts. Having a vision that responds to a “ live ” idea, Bailey introduced the All Short Subject program into his theatre after reading a trade journal editorial which pointed out THE leading feature of the Pathe program of ten subjects announced for release on Dec. 31 is the Hal Roach kid and animal two-reeler in the Our Gang Comedy series, called: “A Quiet Street.” The sarcasm of the title goes without saying. At the start the police are hot after “ Red Mike,” who has held up and robbed a citizen. Meantime the urchins composing “ Our Gang ” are up to mischief which causes them to believe that they are objects of all the police activity. It is only when “ Red Mike ” quits in a mixup with a bulldog that the boys discover themselves to be heroes instead of culprits. Paul Parrott, ably assisted by Jobyna Ralston, is the hero of the one-reel comedy, “ Fire the Fireman.” All the other firemen are “ fired ” because they don’t keep step with the new recruit — besides, the money is needed for a new municipal pool room. Thereupon the hotel landlord decides to burn down the place for the insurance money to pay his income tax with, but his daughter calls the police, which arrives with the one-man fire department as the flames burst forth. The Pathe serial, “ Speed,” with Charles Hutchison, reaches an exciting eleventh episode in the mining regions. “ Sammy in Siberia,” the onereel Harold Lloyd re-issue, in which Bebe Daniels and Snub Pollard appear. In Screen Snapshots No. 16 many favorites are shown in interesting scenes. Pathe Review No. 188 illustrates Longfellow’s Poem, “ The Brook and the Wave,” shows deft fingers making life-like birds, and that a Short Subject bill, properly advertised and exploited, should prove advantageous to any exhibitor. The results exceeded his most optimistic hopes. The opening night was as big as the Cum Bac has had on the biggest features. The second night was better than the first. Saturday night prices were slightly raised, but this did not deter patrons from endeavoring to get in. Mr. Bailey prepared a special one-sheet to announce his program. So much attention was attracted by this successful Short Subject program, that the Educational Exchange has received many inquiries about similar programs for other theatres and several such programs are now being arranged. among other features, presents an astonishing chemical novelty called the “Fire Snake.” Pathe News Nos. 2 and 3 and Topics of the Day No. 53 are released in this program. Also the Aesop’s Film Fable called “ The Two Trappers.” Artist Model Theme for Baby Peggy’s Next Baby Peggy’s next Century Special Production will have as its theme the life of an artist’s model. A story of Balzac’s is said to be its inspiration, but in order to bring it up to date the tiny star will pose as Mary Pickford, Mae Murray and Gloria Swanson. She wears the rags of Pickford, the bizarre boudoir costume of Swanson and the jazzy dancing costume of Mae Murray. The story is the joint work of Baby Peggy’s father, J. T. Montgomery, and Herman Raymaker, who will direct it. It is being filmed in its last stage and will be ready for the cutting room shortly. Babe London Signs for Christie Comedies Babe London, the big girl with the happy smile, who has appeared in a number of Christie Comedies and who is also remembered for her part with Charlie Chaplin in “ A Day’s Pleasure,” has been signed up by a regular contract for Christie Comedies. She has just finished a supporting part with Neal Burns in A1 Christie’s comedy of life in a shirt waist factory ,and has gone with Christie to Honolulu to be Henry Murdock’s leading lady in “ A Hula Honeymoon.” Loew Books Lloyd and Rogers Pictures PROMINENT in the news of “ Dr. Jack ” bookings is Pathe’s interesting statement of a happy program solution connected with showings of Harold Lloyd comedy feature under contracts just made with the Loew Circuit. Loew, the statement says, booked Will Rogers in the three reel screen drama of humor and pathos, “ Fruits of Faith,” to play all over the circuit with “ Dr. Jack." The Rogers picture is announced for the Rialto for the week of December 31. Following this engagement, the Loew theatres will play the Lloyd-Rogers program uninterruptedly for a total of 110 days. The forthcoming Loew Circuit Lloyd-Rogers program combination is understood to be based on the conviction that the two pictures, and the two stars, are about as perfect foils to each other as exist in current productions. “Our Gang” Comedies Acclaimed by Reviewer Just as Pathe announces a second series of six Hal Roach “ Our Gang ” comedies with kids and their animal pets, James W. Dean, film reviewer for the Newspaper Enterprise Association of more than four hundred daily papers, saw “ A Quiet Street,” announced for release on Dec. 24, and was moved to add the following to what he has previously printed about these two-reel novelties. “ The ‘ Our Gang ’ Comedies were probably designed to amuse the kids. They are just about the best entertainment for grown-up boys that I have seen. “ Freckle-face Mickey Daniels, ' Sunshine Sammy,’ tow-headed Jackie Condon and Jackie Davis, form just the sort of a desperate gang that every fellow belonged to, or feared, when he was a rag-tag and bob-tailed worry to his mother. I laughed more heartily at them in ' A Quiet Street ’ than I did at Chaplin in ‘ Easy Street.’ ” “ Abraham Lincoln ” Released by Vitagraph Quite appropriately, as we are approaching the anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, Vitagraph is releasing the Urban Popular Classic, “ Abraham Lincoln, Memories of America’s Greatest Statesman.” This one-reel production, recorded by James A. FitzPatrick, gives in motion pictures a brief but splendidly connected story of the life of the “ Savior of His Country,” beginning with his birth on Feb. 12, 1809, to his death at the hands of an assassin. Pathe Dec. 31 Program Ready Ten Subjects Listed for Release Include Two New Comedies