Moving Picture Weekly (1915-1920)

4 THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY JLast of ^'Tke Full H ouse Five" Is An A ce 'J'HIS is a picture of the crowd of eager youngsters gathered in front of the Harrison Avenue Theatre of Butte Montana, of which Mr. Wm. Woolpill is manager, anxiously waiting for the theatre to open its doors to the showing of the first episode of "The Dragon's Net," the serial "that travels as it thrills." This is the last serial of "The Full House Five" issue and it is an ace of a chapter play in every respect, more particularly because most of its scenes were filmed in foreign countries, China, Japan and the Philippines, the Universal having fitted up an expedition of actors, directors, cameramen and business executives for the specific purpose of making this serial in the Orient. The other four serials in this series are "The Lion Man," "Elmo the Fearless," "The Moon Riders," and "The Vanishing Dagger," all of which have gone on record as splendid serials full of suspense and thrills. "The Dragon's Net," the last of the series, features the daring blonde actress, Marie Walcamp and she has for her leading man the handsome Harlan Tucker. Children patrons of Harrison Ave. Theatre, Butte Montana, waiting for episode one of "The Dragon's Net." Muck Attention Paid To Serial Production pOR the year 1921 Universal is planning a series of serials which will outrival anything that the company has produced heretofore in the way of chapter plays. So great has been the success of "The Full House Five" that the serial issue for the -forthcoming year will be a bigger and better one yet. Eddie Polo, Elmo Lincoln and Eileen Sedgwick are the three stars who will be featured, and each of these is now at work on the first of their big chapter plays. Polo is starring in the gorgeous and &uspenseful serial of circus life entitled "King of the Circus," the mighty Elmo is astounding thousands Vrith his herculean stunts in his new serial, "The Flaming Disk," and the dauntless, adorable Eileen will dazzle moviegoers in "The Diajnond Queen." Each of these stars will probably make two serials for the forthcoming schedule. The serial movie is leaping steadily ahead. It is no longer merely "the schoolboy's thriller." It has developed into a consistent, intere.sting depiction, and is to the screen fan what the serial adventure story is to the magazine fan. An interesting letter came to the Universal Exchange in Kansas City some time ago, so interesting a letter, in fact, that it is w^orthy of reproduction. Excerpts of it read as follows : "It is seldom, indeed, that any film company delivers the goods up to the standard indicated by the avance advertising. Universal has not only accomplished the rare but also the so-called impossible in the case of 'THE FULL HOUSE FIVE SERIALS.' "I am running 'Elmo the Fearless,' 'The Moon Riders' and 'The Vanishine Dagger' now. Have already booked 'The Lion Man' and 'The Dragon's Net,' thus handling the entire lot of 'The Full House Five.' "Every one of the above named serials has increased my business from 30 to 50 per cent. Why? Because each and every one is different in nature, yet contains all the essential points required in a successful serial. "I believe that eventually there will be no house or theatre too large or exclusive to run two or three serials. "If I can ever recommend any serial you have to any one in this vicinity I will glady do so; and what's more, if they are from Missouri, I can show 'em." WILLIAM PARSONS, Pershing Theatre, Joplin, Mo. If Mr. Parsons can write so feelingly of his success with "Th^ Full House Five," he will certainly rejoice with what Universal has to offer him in the way of serials for the forthcoming year.