Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1922)

21S4 Motion Picture N e w i Resume of Latest News Weeklie First Run Theatres Acclaim “Baby Peggy’’ Century Comedies officials report being duly gratified by the growing popularity of “ Baby Peggy ” and assert that bookings prove that prominent exhibitors of first run houses now regard Baby Peggy as representative of the highest type of short subject entertainment. The increasing demand for Baby Peggy ordinary releases has warranted the more pretentious productions, beginning with “Little Red Riding Hood,” which are now being prepared and made. In a letter to Art Schmidt, sales manager of Universal, New York, Dave Bershon, of the West Coast Theatres, wrote regarding “ Little Red Riding Hood ” and “ Peg of the Movies ” : “I wish to congratulate the organization in having productions of this kind, as short subjects of high quality are very necessary for high class houses. These two productions will make ‘ Baby Peggy ’ one of the biggest bets in the business.” New Booklet Describes Urban Classics An interesting example of the progress being made by producers toward intelligent sales advertising is the booklet just off the press describing the “ Urban Popular Classics.” This series of fifty-two onereel features, produced by Charles Urban, and released by Vitagraph, is proving one of the most popular of short subject novelties. This booklet in question, with its slogan, “ To entertain and amuse is good ; to do both and instruct is better,” wins the distinction of giving its readers a clear understanding of each of the fiftytwo subjects. The current release is “ Roving Thomas on an Airplane,” a travelogue of the air, with some views of New York City and environs. Washington Approves “ Mirror” Events THE MIRROR, the novelty reel of outstanding events filmed in past decades, and now being released by International, through Universal, recently made a great hit in Washington, when it was shown in Loew’s Columbia for two solid weeks, according to Universal. The Mirror (No. 1) which contains shots of McKinley’s inauguration in 1895, and comparison shots of Wilson’s inauguration, and finally, Harding’s inauguration with Wilson and Harding riding together, was received with great enthusiasm by the Washington public. Woodrow Wilson is a regular Saturday night patron of the B. F. Keith Theatre in Washington, so on the first Saturday night after the release of the picture, Loew’s Washington manager loaned the film to the Keith house as a matter of courtesy. The audience applauded the film and accorded Mr. Wilson a reception as prolonged and profound as if he were still President. Fox News, Vol. 4, No. 3: — New York City, 15,000 young Americans in Safety Week parade; West Point, N. Y., Cadets welcome American Bankers Ass’n delegates; Wichita Falls, Texas, 100,000 acres of arid land in irrigation project; Fishkill, N. Y., man builds miniature railroad; Columbus, Ohio, thousands of women parade for hospital funds; Kansas City, Mo., Priests of Pallas hold night parade; Cartersville, Ga., first woman U. S. Senator ever appointed; New York City, Edward Payson Weston completes 495-mile hike; Philadelphia, Pa., world’s largest shipyard is demolished at Hog Island; Washington, D. C., 13-year-old boy youngest American college student; New York City, S. S. Winona first ship to arrive in U. S. from Smyrna; St. Louis, Mo., spectacular “veiled prophet” parade viewed by thousands; Aberdeen, Md., latest war equipment demonstrated by army ordnance association; Washington, D. C., Mrs. Lion presents gift to national zoological park; Yakima, Wash., horse dives into tank of water 10 feet deep; Newsettes, other exclusive news features. Fox News, VoL 4, No. 4: — First and exclusive pictures of Turkish army entering Smyrna; New York City, foreign veterans arrive to attend American Legion convention; New York City, old speedway turned over to motor traffic; Venice, Italy, historic annual regetta draws thousands; Spezia, Italy, 16,000 tons of guit powder struck by lightning; New York City, monkeys hold afternoon tea at Zoo; Washington, D. C., Snow Leopard makes ends meet; Hampton Roads, Va., exclusive pictures of cadet drill for navy day exercise; The Tatler; other exclusive news features. Selznick News No. 2082C: — Seattle, Wash., every yellow pup in Seattle, Wash., had a place in a celebration held for pet animals; Cleveland, Ohio, freshmen and sophomores enjoy annual bag rush; New York, N. Y., Jackie Coogan, “The Kid,” reminds you that 1,054 children were killed in accidents in New York last year; Aberdeen, Md., powerful new guns exhibited by the army at Aberdeen, Md. ; Woman’s Supplement, what the fair sex is doing; New York fashions, by Sally Milgrim, America’s foremost fashion creator; Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Vassar begins year with “ No Hazing” order in effect; Cartersville, Ga., Mrs. W. H. Felton, age 87 years, first U. S. woman senator; St. Andrews, Scotland, Prince of Wales plays himself in St. Andrews Club; New York, 200,000 fans pay over half million to see world series games in New York; Delavan, Cal., duck season in the west. Selznick News No. 2083C: — Los Angeles, Cal., million dollar fire destroys oil plant; Phoenix, Ariz., Mr. and Mrs. Gay and the Gay family; San Diego, Cal., army aviators break world’s record for endurance flight; Estampes, France, France wins famed speed air test, held at Estampes; Prague, Bohemia, 200,000 attend Catholic meeting in mid-Europe; athletic events are also a part of program; Washington, D. C., $50,000 worth of “real stuff” bagged; San Francisco, Cal., 38 rescued from shipwreck on West Coast; Woman’s Supplement, what the fair sex is doing; New York fashions, by Sally Milgrim, America’s foremost fashion creator; Hastings, England, Battle Abbey is girl’s school. Graphic No. 2543 — Educational: — Lunch time in mad Manhattan, when the gong strikes in Trinity churchyard on lower Broadway, food for the face and food for the soul, etc.; making moonshine while the sun shines — the Graphic’s cameraman drops in on a North Georgia booze plant and finds it running full blast; American champions. Miss Adeline Gehrig, who for two years has been America’s foremost woman fencer; and as Ollendorf sees it, Who’s Who in the Human Zoo. Kinograms No. 2188: — West Point, N. Y., West Point cadets drill for bankers; American ends convention with visit to military academy; New York, open drive to save lives of children, “Safety Week;” Mineola, N. Y., woman flies from west to east coast; Aberdeen, Md., see big guns that guard our coast; New York, saved 2,000 at Smyrna; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, men and mounts of four nations try skill, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay in jumping competition; Fontainbleau, France, the king’s grapes are sold at auction ; New York, Giants victors in the world’s series; Washington, Legion of Valor meets at capital; Hog Island, Pa., famous Hog Island shipyards are scrapped; Medford, Mass., the jam season, football is now open at Tufts; New York, Edward P. Weston, veteran walker, now 84, honored by police escort as he finished 500-mile hike from Buffalo; Washington, D. C., Ulric Hale is this year’s youngest college student, he enters Catholic University at age of 13; Rye, N. Y., Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen play golf “ World’s Series,” Sarazen, though ill, wins; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sailors of eleven lands match oars. Kinograms No. 2189: — Cartersville, Ga., she’s first woman to be U. S. senator— meet Mrs. Rebecca L. Felton, appointed to succeed the late Senator Tom Watson; Paris, Paris stars frolic in fete for charity, 500 actors of stage and screen in a merry athletic meet for retired artists’ home; Egypt, Mass., Tom Lawson’s fine home up for auction, “Dreamworld,” financier’s big estate, to be sold to satisfy his creditors; Philadelphia, America hastens relief to Smyrna; New York, parading cops say “ Don’t Get Hurt;” Safety Week has Police Day; Jennings, Mich., pick up town and move it 11 miles; Jennings, Michigan, disappears from the map when 400 houses are taken by motor truck to Cadillac; New York, hero veterans of seven nations here; New York, open famous old speedway to autos; Tuxedo Park, N. Y., Smart Set shows prize bow-wows; Dogdom’s elite on view here for annual competition. Pathe News No. 83: — Smyrna, Asia Minor, in the wake of the Smyrna catastrophe; Stockholm, Sweden, Sweden votes itself “wet;” Fire Prevention is Good Citizenship! (Cartoon); animated diagrams show appalling losses to life and property resulting from fire, by Bert Green; Venice, Cal., milk your cow to music; Pitt River, Cal., open mammoth power plant, engineering feat harnesses one billion gallons of water for generation of electric power; Washington, D. C„ “Immediate relief for Near East” is keynote of annual Red Cross Convention of delegates from all parts of the country; Observe “ Navy Day,” the people of America join Secretary of the Navy Denby in honoring the Navy, the bulwark of the nation’s safety; Wichita Falls, Texas, utilize vast tract of arid soil; huge irrigation project is launched to reclaim 100,000 acres of arid land. Pathe News No. 82 : — Aberdeen, Md., formidable war machines exhibited at army tests; Vashon Island, Wash., “Best time for camping is in the fall,” declare 1,200 Camp Fire Girls who enjoy autumn vacation on picturesque site; Mudania, Asia Minor, Greek army in retreat; In the Limelight, first woman in U. S. Senate, Mrs. W. H. Felton is named by Gov. Hardwick of Georgia to succeed late Senator Watson; New York City, Edward Payson Weston, 84 years old, veteran walker; St. Andrews, Scotland, Prince of Wales is initiated as captain of Royal and Ancient Golf Club; Oklahoma City, Okla., Keys sisters, Mona, Roberta, Mary and Leota, live quadruplet, each 7 years old; Haileybuty, Canada, forest flames sweep northern Ontario, 50 die and 5,000 homeless; Kansas City, Mo., “ Priests of Pallas ” celebration features city’s Fall Festival Week; New York City, New York Giants clinch the pennant of 1922 series. Selznick News No. 2081-C: — Norfolk, Va., twelve U. S. destroyers are rushed to Turkish war zone in Near East; presence of American ships needed to protect neutrals in scene of latest disturbance in Europe; Napa County, Cal., Old Man Pipe, of Pipe Rock, enjoys first real smoke; Norfolk, Va., aerial fleet gives battle to warships on Atlantic coast; aeroplanes with torpedoes are used in war manoeuvres in waters near Norfolk, Va. ; fighting ’planes can lick battleships many times their weight — with the help of torpedoes; this blimp doesn’t have to stop to let passengers on and off; New York, animated headlines in the news; cartoon of Rockefeller; Giants conquer Yanks in opening game of the world series; 38,000 see New York Americans defeated by New York Nationals in thrilling game at the Polo Grounds; among the many notables present were General Pershing, Mrs. Landis and Judge Landis; the Mountbattens come to America for wedding trip; Lord Louis, cousin of Prince of Wales, marries Edwina Ashley, said to be the richest girl in England; Fannie Brice passenger on Doard the “Paris;" a glimpse of George Sutherland, new justice of the Supreme Court; “Doug” Fairbanks on his arrival in New York, gives Mary Pickford a lesson in archery; and, in return, she teaches him how to makeup for the camera. Top-Notch Talent in Trimble Comedies Accompanied by Robert J. Trimble, president, Frederick G. Becker, producing a series of two-reel romantic fantasies starring little Arthur Trimble, arrived in New York last week to make releasing arrangements for the entire series. Mr. Becker brought with him three completed films, which will be shown to interested distributors during his stay in the east. In a statement issued from the Yale Club where Mr. Becker is residing, he said : “ In addition the actors, unlike those in many other offerings in two-reelers, are all top-notchers in our productions, chosen both for their abilities and their drawing power. Anyone who has seen Arthur Trimble in ‘Remembrance ’ and ‘ Fink Gods ’ knows that he promises starring power. Bessie Love heads the principals in the cast of all three pictures, which includes Roy Coulson, Charles Belcher, Gilbert Clayton, Jack Carlisle, Fred Peters and others.” Topics, Weekly Reel, Praised by Showmen Wit and humor gems culled from leading publications of this country and Europe called “Topics of the Day,” distributed by Pathe, are the subject of letters received by the producers, Timely Films, Inc., from which the following expressions are quoted: “‘Topics of the Day’ is one of the finest short reels on the market.” “We are using ‘Topics of the Day ’ in all six of our houses, and consider this one of the very best short reel subjects on our programs.” Topics ’ gets more laughs than some of the comedies I know.” “ ‘ Topics ’ is an asset to any program,” writes another exhibitor. Famous American Poet Praises Short Subject Carl Sandburg, noted lyricist, recently wrote an article for the Chicago Daily News in which he praised educational subjects, defending motion pictures against unjust criticism. He referred to the Fox subject, “Alligator Hunting and Farming,” using it as an example of the kind of entertainment from which the spectator may gain a broader knowledge of varied industries, and stated that he would be interested in seeing more educational subjects such as the Fox program may boast of. Second Burr Comedy Is Near Completion The second of the “ All-Star Comedies ” being produced by C. C. Burr for nation-wide release by the W. W. Hodkirison Corporation is rapidly nearing completion. Temporarily titled “Her Rich Uncle,” this two-reeler presents the veteran comedy star Charlie Murray with a role that is said to give him every opportunity to display his most versatile self. Ray McKee and “ Sunshine ” Maty Anderson also have unlimited opportunity to give highly creditable performances that are reputed to be laugh-producing in every respect.