Motography (Jul - Dec 1915)

220 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIV, No. 5. new theater, the Irwin, which he will open in Bloomington early in August. He made arrangements to take the Paramount and Metro programs while in the city. J. Albert Goldman of the Standard Motion Picture Company has under negotiation the producing of a five-reel feature for a local playwright, which it is expected will be handled on a staterights basis. A. H. Sawyer of the Cort Film Company will give a private showing of his company's pictures at the Hamilton Club. It is a special invitation affair by request. George L. Cox has entirely rewritten the scenario on Joe Howard's wellknown play, "The District Leader," which will be in four reels, with a prologue of one reel, or a total of five. From present plans, it is expected that Mr. Cox and Mr. Howard will take a company to California to produce this picture. The moving picture department of the Chicago Tribune seriously contradicted itself a few days ago, one day having panned the picture "The Rosary" and the following day giving it a very pleasing review. Newspapers all over the country are going to make grievous errors if picture departments are not handled by a person of balance and judgment. The criticism of a moving picture production is just as serious a task as the criticism of a play, and the critic should be well founded in the fundamentals of manufacture, production, with some slight knowledge of photography and an intimate knowledge of what constitutes the limitations of pantomime work in moving picture productions. The trade is not supposed to take the newspaper reviews seriously. Fred Linick has been promoted to the position of sales manager of the Photoplay Releasing Company and is making quite a name for himself in this capacity. The whole Linick family is going into the picture business, as his nephew, Max Linick, is now salesman for the Picture Playhouse Film Compaq', also in the Mailers building. Our old friend Claud Plough is getting to be quite a theater magnate. His string at present consists of the Casino, Clark and Kinzie; the Liberty, 3705 Fullerton avenue; the Starlight, at Michigan City, Ind., and two others. NEW YORK ITEMS Joe Engel and Richard A. Rowland took a few days' trip down to Atlantic City last week, partly in the interests of Metro and the rest in the interests of pleasure. The fact that "Cabiria" no longer graces Broadway does not by any means signify suspended action on its part.. Harry Raver's last trip South disposed of much territory in that direction. The only districts not yet invaded by this spectacular production are to be found in Canada — and they have to be found quick, as "Cabiria" is as wonderful and magnetic there as it was in the United States. E. A. Wilson, director of the destinies of Day and Night Screens, Inc., visited Chicago last week, and closed a deal with Frank L. Hough whereby the George Kleine people will hereafter handle their product. F. O. Neilsen, of Chicago, is one of the biggest states rights buyers in the Middle West, is by this time enjoying the baths (sun, mud and water) and the other side-pleasures of West Baden, Ind. Mr. Nielson spent over five weeks in New York City preparing some big things which will soon be ready for announcement. His first intention in visiting New York was to help Mrs. Nielsen enjoy a honeymoon which had been delayed nineteen years, but business intruded so often that he gave practically all of his time to it and postponed the honeymoon until their arrival in West Baden. Harry E. Aitken, Adam Kessel, Charles O. Baumann, and a few others left last week for the Pacific Coast studios to confer with the Sig trio. They are expected back within a short time. During Mr. Hodkinson's absence the affairs of the Paramount Pictures Corporation went on smoothly under the able generalship of Jane Stannard Johnson, who, in addition to the little task of managing Paramount, also edited the two progressive Paramount magazines, and looked at pictures. Mr. Hodkinson was expected in New York about the middle of the week. Although it has not yet been formally announced Miss Rumor has taken particular pains to have it known in and about Universal's office that Agnes Kessler, the author of many clever articles signed "Mile. Chic," and Alan Watt, assistant director to Henry MacRae, and who accompanied Homer Croy on his trip around the world, are engaged. Bill Barry and Brighton Beach are synonymous these warm afternoons. Nor has Bill been patronizing the ocean waves and breezes for nothing. He has turned from a white man to one of copper hue, and can lick tracks through a couple of miles of salt water without any special training. During the mornings Mr. Barry is a grave advertising man in the offices of the Nicholas Power Company whose Cameragraph 6A graces some of the best ads in the motion picture industry. Julian M. Solomon, director of advertising and puublicity for Bosworth, Inc., spent last Saturday at his home in Philadelphia, and went from there to Atlantic City on Sunday to attend the outing given by the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Philadelphia. The only program outlined for the day was "good time." All were at liberty to search for it where they thought that it could be found in the largest quantities. — oh, yes. A good time was had by all. It is rumered that Alice Joyce and Tom Moore may soon be seen in the Pacific Coast productions of a newly formed producing company with headquarters in New York City. Much has been said about the distinct class in the copy posters and advertising novelties used by Universal in their late campaigns, but the names of the men behind this advertising have not yet broken into print. It is not a secret. They are Nat Rothstein and Ray Cavanaugh, and they are batting one thousand every day. The task in hand at present is comprised of the Broken Coin, Broadway Features, and program pictures campaigns. B. P. Schulberg, director of Famous Players advertising and publicity and writer of many of their scripts, finished vacationing down on the Jersey shore last Sunday, and was back at his desk on Monday. A little fellow who answers to the name of Seymour Wilson and is not yet old enough to sign Schulberg did as much to keep B. P.'s time filled and interesting as did the ocean and its proverbial breezes. J. L. Kempner, of the Radium Gold Fibre Screens Company returned to New York early this week after a busitrip through the Middle West, during which he established a Chicago office and visited the Jones, Linick & Schaefer theaters in several of the largest of which he has recently installed screens. Mr. Gulotta, general manager of the Metropolis Film Manufacturing Company, which is producing Chaplin impersonations featuring Minerva Courtney', made a business trip through New Eng-land last week, returning to New York Tuesday morning. A new^ motion picture theater costing about thirty thousand dollars and seating 1,200 people will be erected in the center of Broad street, business district of Waverly, N. Y., and will probably open some time in November. NOTES FROM ALL OVER _ A new song, based on the great continued photoplay in chapters, "The Diamond From the Sky," is making a widespread hit in cafes and vaudeville circles the country over. The title of the piece is "Like a Diamond From the Sky." Leo Bennett wrote the music and Leo Wood the lyrics. It is published by The Cadillac Music company, New York. A striking picture of Lottie Pickford, heroine of "The Diamond From the Sky," together with a reproduction of the famous trade-mark, adorns the cover. E. H. Calvert and his company of Essanay players, after three months of picture work in the Tennessee mountains, have completed the work there and returned from the Chattanooga studio to Chicago. Dorothy Gish and Ralph Lewis are featured in the two-reel Majestic "Victorine," which is adapted from "The Goings On of Victorine," by Julian Street, the novelist. Work upon "Victorine" is in full swing at the Reliance-Majestic studios, under the direction of Paul Powell. Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia territory for the Standard Program has just been acquired iby the well-known Pittsburgh exchange owner, H. A. Lande. It has not yet been decided by the Metro officials in what play they will present Martha Hedman, the Swedish beauty, and star of renown. It is likely it will be "The Butterfly on the Wheel," a play that had considerable popularity in New York a few years tack. The Itala company promises a private press showing of its newest New York