Motography (Jul-Dec 1917)

1094 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XVIII, No. 21. Three scenes from Vitagraph's "I Will Repay, which is based on one of O. Henry's stories, are featured. Freuler Corporations Pay Dividends Three Subsidiaries of Mutual Film Corporation Make Substantial Returns to Their Stockholders -THREE of the Mutual Film Corporation's subsidiary and allied corporations have declared important dividends and stock redemptions involving large sums in profits paid over to stockholders in these Freuler enterprises. The Lone Star Corporation, the concern which produced the Mutual-Chaplin comedies, through the office of John R. Freuler, president, announces for November 10, the redemption of ten per cent of the preferred stock outstanding at 110 plus the preferred stock dividends at seven per cent accrued to date. This means that approximately two-thirds of the preferred stock has been redeemed by the corporation, including the payment of the 10 per cent redemption premium and the payment of the 7 per cent dividends. Meanwhile the Mutual-Chaplin comedies have a long period in which to work and take profits. "The marked success of the MutualChaplin project has contributed largely to the present sound position of the Mutual Film Corporation," observed Mr. Freuler. Another subsidiary, the Lincoln Film Corporation, the corporation financing the production of the Helen Holmes serial entitled "A Lass of the Lumberlands," has redeemed ten per cent of the outstanding preferred stock at 110, plus the accrued 7 per cent dividends. The serial continues booking at a satisfactory rate. The States Film Corporation, the subsidiary concerned with the Helen This Is What He Thinks of MOTOGRAPHY The following letter reached us this week from the manager of the Auditorium Theater, Marblehead, Ohio: "What the Picture Did for Me" is well worth alone the price of your magazine. That is what made me subscribe for it. No exhibitor can do without it, especially the small town exhibitor. If he will be governed by it he will never sting his audience with a poor picture. (Signed) George J. Eberwine. Holmes serial "The Girl and the Game," first of her Mutual efforts, announces the payment of a two per cent dividend on the common stock, all of the preferred issue having been long since redeemed. M rs. William Desmond Dies West in Mrs. William Desmond, wife of the Triangle star, and sister of Nance O'Neil, the famous actress, died at the Desmond home in Hollywood, Cal., last week, after a period of invalidity lasting several years. Desmond has just returned to Culver City from Santa Barbara, where the remains were interred. Mrs. Desmond was an actress before her marriage about twelve years ago, and was well known both as a brilliant woman and a talented stage favorite. She made her sta?e debut at the old California Theater, in San Francisco, her native city, and subsequently played leading holes in "Blue Jeans," "The Ruby," and "Sporting Life." She met Desmond while they were olaying in Ella Wheeler Wilcox's play, "Mizpah," at the Burbank Theatre in Corinne Griffith, "Mother" Mary Maurice and William Dunn Los Angeles several years ago. When Desmond went to Australia, she accompanied him, and it was at the time of his stage debut there that she was injured by falling down a flight of marble steps. At first it was thought that one of her limbs would have to be amputated to prevent blood poisoning. The case baffled physicians and surgeons of tw continents, and for some time she was under the care of specialists of Johns Hopkins Institute, in Baltimore. About three weeks ago she suffered a nervous breakdown brought on by the discouragement which met her efforts to regain health, and friends say that a growing despondency probably hastened her death. Mrs. Desmond's mother. Mrs. Lamson, who has also been a confirmed invalid for years, has made her home with her daughter since the Desmonds moved to Hollywood. Is This a New Ford Story? Mai St. Clair, Keystone-Triangle comedian, purchased a Ford. He initiated the new flivver by driving it to Venice, Cal. He parked the car and when he returned a few hours later, was chagrined to find a score of the same familiar make where he had left his new toy. "Slim" isn't sure that the car he now has is the same one he drove to Venice. Storm Wrecks Grecian City in New Jersey Icy Blast Topples Goldwyn Settings for Mary Garden's "Thais" — Rebuilding Begins at Once THE icy blasts and downpour of rain that struck Manhattan Island one recent morning not only destroyed property there, but over on the Jersey side blew down an entire Grecian city that had been erected at the Goldwyn studio, atop the Palisades, for Mary Garden's forthcoming production of "Thais." This "city" had been built at considerable expense on a plot of ground measuring nearly half an acre. At one end was a temple with six sixty-foot columns surmounted by an elaborately ornamented pediment, constituting the front elevation, and a wide and deep portico which formed a splendid pocket for the wind. At left was the public market, with room for five or six booths of merchants doing business there. At right was the dwelling of Thais herself. And in the foreground was the well. What the storm did was cordially ap preciated when, at the first cessation ofthe hurricane a veritable army of workmen appeared to repair the damage. The entire "city" had to be rebuilt. The wooden part was virtually all intact, and this was speedily "shored up" to its original position. But fresh stucco was required in many places, and not a little brushing up with paint in others. All this time an army of extra people, in costume of ancient Greek priests, civilians, dance-girls and so forth, was kept waiting; and their pay represented a very considerable item in the bill of costs. The principals were able to continue their work with some of the interior scenes under artificial light on the enclosed glass stage. Miss Garden, who has become thoroughly imbued with the spirit of motion picture work, felt as keenly disappointed when she heard of the destruction of the set as the director himself.