Motography (Jul - Dec 1915)

October 9, 1915. MOTOGRAPHY 757 Brevities of the Business PACIFIC COAST NEWS By Captain Jack Poland New things continue to occur in motion picture fields of this glorious Golden West — California. The latest announcement is that the New York Motion Picture Company, headed by that prince of producers, Thos. H. Ince, has purchased another large tract of some eleven acres of land at Culver City, midway between Los Angeles and Santa Monica, and will erect thereon in the immediate future a handsome group of studio buildings, stages, etc., for the better convenience of their five hundred players. The location is ideal and the new site is in the heart of electric car transportation on the main automobile boulevards between the city and the beaches. The Inceville studios will be retained and used for open locations and special scenic conceptions. Static Flashes, the newsy little paper which has been published for almost a year under the direction of The Static Club of America, as a motion picture paper and publicity organ, was discontinued last week for purely financial reasons, much to the regret of many friends of the club and cameramen. Officers of the club state that the paper will be published now and then when something special occurs. Cameramen of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Pacific Coast studios, are elated over the fact that the Big U organization, showing its appreciation of the better class of photography, has announced that in future the names of deserving cameramen will be disployed in the cast on Universal programs. This is an ambition that has beat in the heart of every representative artist-photographer and will result in better work and higher class photography in Universal pictures. This was one of the real objects of the publication — Static Flashes — recognition of the efficiency of cameramen. With this prestige ever before him, the cameraman of ability and intelligence will strive for better things and to advance the cause of his employers, his director, and the industry, and will endeavor on all occasions to make the best pictures possible. Several of the large and representative producing companies have already taken this step of recognition of the work of their cameramen and the idea is growing. One of the entertaining social events of the early fall in motion picture circles was the marriage last Friday of Miss Laura Oakley, a talented actress and chief of police of Universal City, and Milton M. Moore, cameraman and assistant director of the J. Warren Kerrigan Company, whose work on Universal program pictures during the past few years has won substantial recognition. On the return of the happy young couple to the studios at Universal City friends, including everyone from heads of departments, stars, players and cameramen, extended royal greetings, bands played. Indians and cowboys danced and pranced, felicitations were exchanged and gladness and happiness wished upon the newlyweds. Both will continue as permanent specialists with the Universal Company. Mabel Normand, known as "Queen of the Movies" in comedy life, star of Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Company, and a popular favorite among her associates and fans everywhere, came very near making her last appearance as the result of an accident at the studios about ten days ago, when she was struck on the head by some heavy object thrown during the making of a wedding scene — a Keystone comedy. For nearly two weeks Miss Normand has lain at the point of death, for several days being unconscious. News from her bedside, coming direct from her physician, states that she Ruth Roland, of Balboa, and her chauffeur, whom she says is "a bear.' has passed the danger point and is now on the road to recovery. The apartments of the dainty little comedienne have been deluged with floral offerings and notes of inquiry, as well as letters from friends, all wishing for her quick restoration to health. Miss Kathryne Arbuckle, the talented daughter of the Hon. James Graeme Arbuckle, Knight of the Royal Order of Film Market Quotations and Financial Gossip Supplied by R. D. Small of A. E. Butler & Co., Chicago Bid Asked American Film Manufacturing Co 85 95 Bionraph Company 47 .56 Colonial Motion Picture Corp ll 4i General Film Corp., pfd 43 4S_ Mutual Film Corp., pfd 5li 55 Mutual Film Corp., com 50 54 North American Film Corp., pfd. .... 65 North American Film Corp., com 64 78 New York Motion Picture Corp 69 73* Thanhouser Film Corp 1$ 23* Triangle Film Corp 9 9j* Universal Film Mfgr. Co 150 Vosue Films, Inc 105 World Film Corp 3j >3* * Par $5.00 Vogue Films, Incorporated — Is the latest manufacturing company to enter the motion picture field. The company was organized to supply the production of comic films under a contract with the Mutual Film Corporation and which are to be distributed through the Mutual. The work is to be done at Los Angeles and the first releases will be made in December. The company was organized on a hyperconservative basis of $100,000, all common. Only a small amounc of stock was allowed to reach the public and this was all absorbed in about two or three hours' time. A premium of five points is now bid for the stock and there is none offered on the market. Triangle Film Corporation — Made a new high record in sales at 9% during the week ending September 25. The first releases were shown at the Knickerbocker theater in New York City to a crowded house. World Film Corporation — Sales have been made as low as 3% and the market seems to have lost some of its buoyancy. New York Motion Picture Corporation — After being quiet for about a month and a half, was fairly active during the past week with sales at between 69 and 72. Mutual Film Corporation — The preferred has again come into activity on reports of increased business and a policy based on the building up of a substantial surplus account before any probable distribution to the common stockholders. American Film Corporation — Is in good demand, although difficult to obtain. If plans at present in embryo are carried out, this company will shortly be the largest in the world in point of output, with one of the cleanest records, in the matter of earnings and dividends, of any in the .United States.