Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

1084 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIX, No. 23 Goldwyn to Move Studios to California President Goldfish Reveals News in Los Angeles, Where He Is Now Making the Necessary Arrangements GOLDWYN will move its studios to California. Impressed by the wonderful advantages of the West Coast state, President Samuel Goldfish is now making the necessary arrangements in Los Angeles. In fact this is the principal object of his western trip. News that Goldwyn plans to move was revealed in the Los Angeles Morning Tribune by Monroe Lathrop, a special writer. Mr. Lathrop's story follows: "Samuel Goldfish, head of the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, arrived at the Alexandria hotel bubbling over with en first move after its organization was to send Cecil de Mille here with $20,000, which constituted a larger percentage of our available capital than I care to think about at this late date. " 'From the day that I organized Goldwyn I have intended to come out here to attain our fullest expansion and to bring with me many of the able and brilliant men and women associated with Goldwyn. ' 'You will soon have with you in Los Angeles, for example, Rex Beach, one of our country's most popular authors. ,, ■ r r~ Vr v • , . -j Where the previous policy has been to thusiasm for California, which he said F f j _ make one or perhaps two Rex Beach he purposed to put into concrete form. The mission of this executive head of the largest eastern motion picture producing concern is to arrange for the purchase or erection of a great studio in Los Angeles and the removal of all the company's stars and producing activities to this coast. "Goldwyn is the last picture plant of the first magnitude left in the east. Its capitulation — for such it is — to the superior advantages of California, is expected to be followed by the few remaining holdouts until practically all the movies of America are California made. In confirming the reports of the early advent of the Goldwyn forces, Mr. Goldwyn said: " 'You will recall that when I formed and conducted the Lasky Company my productions annually, there will be hereafter a series of Rex Beach productions a year — four to six of them. " 'During the coming year Goldwyn will make six productions with Geraldine Farrar, whose first entry into pictures marked a new epoch in the elevation of the screen art. It was my pleasure to persuade this brilliant artist to enter pictures. " 'Still another star of nation-wide popularity has linked her destinies with our own and we shall have eight of her productions annually. She is Pauline Frederick, whom I consider the ablest emotional actress of the screen. " 'Mabel Normand in the coming year will be starred in eight Goldwyn productions even more striking in character than those with which she has scored such fine successes since becoming one of our stars. " 'Madge Kennedy, a native California girl, who has relatives and many friends in Los Angeles, will also make eight Goldwyn productions. Through her refreshing personality she has become a national favorite. " 'We shall also make eight pictures in the next twelve months with the wonderful little artist, Mae Marsh. " 'And I have a man star whom I am not now at liberty to name. " 'So you see from this that Goldwyn can forecast more than forty productions next year of its own making; and there are likely to be still more in addition to worthy independent productions which we will distribute for other concerns, as we are equipped to distribute any productions of a high standard. " T am sure that the majority of our pictures will reflect the wonderful California sunlight and the beauties of the California scenery and environment.' " Giant Airdome Opened At the new government powder works, located in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, one of the largest open-air theatres ever erected in the South is now in operation for the showing of motion pictures. The seating capacity is 5,000, with standing room for additional thousands. A monster screen has been erected and pictures are shown every night to a great army of workers. A record was made in building this theatre, the entire structure, including seats, stage, screen and other facilities, being put in complete working order in the short period of two days. The rapidity of the work resulted from the employment of a big force of men. First-class pictures are shown, both comedies and dramas, with the comedy films having the preference. Star Finishes "The Soap Girl" Gladys Leslie, . most diminutive of Vitagraph stars, last week finished work on "The Soap Girl," under direction of Martin Justice, the fifth Blue Ribbon feature in which she has been featured since joining Vitagraph. This week she will start on another feature, the title of which is to be "The Rebel." Billie Rhodes freezes up in her new Mutual-Strand comedy, ''What the Wind Did." Honor for Virginia Pearson Rumor has it that Virginia Pearson, Fox star, is to be associate head of the Boy Scouts division being organized in Italy in recognition of her material aid in the recent Liberty Bond drive. Miss Pearson was responsible for the sale of $6,000,000 worth of bonds.