Motography (Jan-Jun 1917)

1228 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XVII, No. 23. Booking Records Broken All existing booking records of V. L. S. E. were broken on the week ended May 19, when the branch office returns showed an excess booking of six thousand dollars more than any previous week. This is in face of the fact that V. L. S. E. now is distributing only the productions of Greater Vitagraph and has not the advantage of the combined footage of four manufacturers as was the case when the company was first organized. The booking business now being done by V. L. S. E. is accounted for by the officials of the company by the fact that all departments of the organization are working in harmony and are pulling together. The production department is working with the advertising and publicity departments which in turn are co-operating in every way with the sales department and the branch exchanges. The most recent rule put into effect that every request received at headquarters from a branch exchange manager must take precedence over everything else has had the effect of bringing the branch exchanges very close to the fountain head. Officials of V. L. S. E. attribute the increase in business which has been very steady for several months also to the intensive sales methods as well as to the fact that exhibitors have been assured that they will get nothing but Greater Vitagraph products at V. L. S. E. exchanges. Two Cameras for Fairbanks Two cameras will hereafter photograph the Douglas Fairbanks screen thrills, Harry Thorpe having been engaged to work in conjunction with Victor Fleming, who photographed the initial Fairbanks-Artcraft release, "In Again — Out Again." Mr. Thorpe has had considerable experience as a cinematographer with some of the better known studios. He has already started cranking his camera alongside Victor Fleming's Bell and Howell photographing apparatus. James Warrington, until recently with the Triangle-Fine Arts Studio, has been selected to look after the Fairbanks "still" pictures and, equipped with his new graflex, started work very enthusiastically. The Douglas Fairbanks photographing staff now includes Victor Fleming, his assistant Glenn McWilliams, Harry Thorpe and James Warrington. Surprise in Chaplin's Next Charlie Chaplin's new picture, soon to be announced, tilts the lid on cachinnation. When Charlie meets up with the Merry Maiden in the cabaret and makes Chaplin eyes at her, there ensue simpers, smiles, smirks and grins, because it is easy to figure out, even at this early stage, that the comedian is up to his old tricks, but nobody can be prepared for what actually follows, and since it contains the elements of complete surprise as well as the grotesque of vivid contrast, Mr. Chaplin's forthcoming contribution to the gaiety of nations may be said to be a screech. Those who are prepared to laugh moderately at the eccentricities of the Mutual 's $670,000 a year funny man, proceed, instead, to hug themselves, roll about in their seats, slap each other, roar, guffaw, shout, titter, snicker, crow, chirp and cackle, according to their various dispositions, at this newest ebullition of merriment, jocosity, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry and wit of the world's funniest farceur. Oh, well ! What use are mere words ? Chaplin never uses any. What really matters is that Charlie has landed an idea of essential comicality. Given that kind of an idea, the rest is jam tart for Chariot. Big Eric Campbell, as the waiter, is a blue-bottle in the butter so far as Chaplin's plans for unrestrained joy are concerned. He is always butting in and making himself unhappy over other folks' love affairs, and as usual in his encounters with the high-priced star, he suffers severely. Miss Edna Purviance, who sits opposite Chaplin in the restaurant when the "ragtime stuff" steals seductively through the portieres, enters into the spirit of the latest jest with amazing vigor and infectious enthusiasm. Charlie Chaplin's new play will be worth going a hundred miles to see. Stars on Song Covers A means whereby the Greater Vitagraph Company will receive nation wide "fan" publicity has been effected by the news service department of the home office. They have recently reached a tentative agreement with the music publishing house of Witmark & Sons, one of the largest disseminators of popular songs in the country, whereby they are to supply Witmark's with illustrations for cover designs, with due credit given Vitagraph and the players who pose. The illustrations require special posing and the pictures already used for covers are models in photographic art, their effectiveness being greatly enhanced by the artistic coloring which they receive before they are used as covers. A striking example of their unusual attractiveness is the photograph which was used to illustrate a popular military air entitled "Goodby, Little Girl, Goodby," for which Corinne Griffith, the beautiful southern society belle, and Walter McGrail are the models. The Witmark company now possesses additional illustrations from Vitagraph which are in the process of being colored and will be ready for release in about two weeks. One is a beautiful scene with Irish setting depicting Adele DeGarde as a captivating daughter of Erin going to a well. This picture will be used for a spirited Gaelic melody called "Somewhere in Ireland." The Witmark company emphatically predict that this number will score one of the greatest hits of any popular song ever placed on the market. The other cover design was posed for by Eulalie Jensen, Harry Morey and Mary Maurice, and is a picture of intense appeal, which will be used for a rousing patriotic melody named "For Your Country Needs You . Now." Fatty Comedy Goes Fast With the second Paramount-Arbuckle comedy, "A Reckless Romeo," still but a week old, there has been reported to Paramount Pictures Corporation, by its exchanges, an increase of over 35 per cent in contracts over the first two-reeler made for Paramount by the comedian who is "worth his weight in laughs," "The Butcher Boy," which was issued one month ago. These two-reel comedies are being released by Paramount to all exhibitors on the open booking plan. W. W. Beaudine has under production at Universal City a one-act comedy entitled "We Have the Papers."