Moving Picture World (Dec 1917)

1506 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 8, 1917 Theodore C. Deitrich. Deitrich Forms New Company Former Publicity Manager of International is Now President of De Luxe Pictures. THEODORE C. DEITRICH, who retired last week as advertising and publicity director of the International Film Service Company, Inc., announces the formation of De Luxe Pictures, Inc., a $200,000 concern, which will produce high-class feature photoplays with Doris Kenyon as the star. Miss Kenyon is at present with Pathe, starring in the new serial, "The Hidden Hand." She will sever her connection with Pathe about the first of the year, upon the completion of the serial. De Luxe Pictures, Inc., was incorporated at Albany on Nov. 1. At a meeting of the stockholders the following day, Mr. Deitrich was elected president -and general manager; William L. Chilvers, vice-president and secretary, and Edward V. Goerz, treasurer. Mr. Goerz was for many years prominently connected with the foreign department of the National City Bank of New York. He is a member of the famous Goerz family of lens manufacturers. The board of directors consists of the officers and D. M. Kenyon, of this city, and Assemblyman Raymond Kenyon, who represents Essex county in the State Legislature. He is a brother of Miss Doris Kenyon. The new concern is now fitting up executive offices at 516 Fifth avenue, which will be ready for occupancy on December 1st. In outlining the policy of De Luxe Pictures, Inc., Mr. Deitrich said : "Miss Kenyon and I have decided that there is a growing demand for clean, wholesome, artistic, human interest pictures. We have reached this conclusion after watching and carefully weighing the reports from exhibitors all over the country. We purpose to make this kind of pictures in five, six and seven reel features exclusively. Miss Kenyon will appear as the star in all of the first productions of our company. It is our intention, however, to take other stars as rapidly as possible and present them in the same manner as Miss Kenyon will be presented. "W e have many splendid stories in hand, which I have been collecting during the past two years. Some are book adaptations, some original scripts. I have also commissioned two of the best known authors before the public today to write original stories for Miss Kenyon. One of these scripts will include a part for a famous actor who will shortly sign a contract with us. "We expect to start making pictures in February or March, but we will not start until I am fully satisfied with my stories. My long experience in newspaper and magazine writing and editing, and more recently my film experience fits me, 1 believe, to judge the quality of stories the public wants. Titles will be given the most serious consideration, and no picture will be released until the title is satisfactory. Doris Kenyon. "We are negotiating now for one of the best-equipped studios in the East, although some of our work will be done either in Florida or California. "We are not yet ready to announce our releasing plans, as negotiations with several concerns are pending. "I believe that Miss Kenyon is one of the most popular stars in motion pictures today. She has an enormous following, despite the fact that in many of her pictures she has been poorly cast. Heading her own company, Miss Kenyon will have much to do with the selection of her roles and the cast. She is possessed of all the things essential to great success — youth, beauty and marked dramatic ability. One of the foremost directors of today recently declared she possessed the greatest emotional talent of any star now before the public. We shall endeavor to place her in roles that will afford her every opportunity to demonstrate her ability. "We propose to secure the best directors obtainable and we will endeavor to combine top-notch direction with a great star and supporting cast, splendid stories and the necessary funds for adequate productions." Dave Morris Joins L-Ko IMITATION that was so flattering that it was taken seriously by George M. Cohan served to give Dave Morris his real start in show business and his progress has finally landed him in L-Ko's forces, after many seasons of increasing success on both the stage and screen. It was in the Great Northern Theater, Chicago, during an engagement of the Four Cohans, that Morris, through the connivance of his brother, a stage hand, made bold to do an imitation of the "Yankee Doodle Comedian," and made so good that George M. took him on immediately as understudy, after shaking hands with his imitator in full view of the surprised and much amused audience. The adventure at the Great Northern was the dividing line in Morris' career as an entertainer — he had "stuck in the grooves" and had hard sledding up to that time — but thereafter his progress was easier. Morris came honestly by his showmanship, for he was born while his parents were traveling fl and performing with Barnum & Bailey's circus. At fourteen he jj§ was doing a trapeze 5 number with Ringling ■ Brothers' show, adding a dancing turn in the concert. After his season as Cohan's understudy, Morris went into vaudeville — doing a Cohan imitation. While he was playing an engagement in musical comedy stock at the Olympic, Los Angeles, covering three consecutive years, he was induced to try pictures by Billy Carrol, then with the Biograph. For some time Morris played opposite Charley Murray, in Biographs, until Murray went over to Keystone — and that gave Morris an opportunity to become a principal comedian. But there were a lot of good straight parts for Morris with the Biograph, and playing these added vastly to his store of experience. Three years ago he joined Keystone, then going to Kalem and later joining the Fox studios. Finally Morris became a comedian with the Universal, making his latest change to L-Ko for appearances in a routine of comedies to start with "Bullets and Boneheads" for release Dec. 19 as a special L-Ko with Morris the star. Dave Morris. CONSTANCE TALMADGE TO GO WEST. Constance Talmadge, whose debut as a Select Pictures star was so successfully made with her current release, "Scandal," the play directed by Charles Giblyn from Cosmo Hamilton's serial of the same name, will soon leave for California, where some of her future productions will be filmed.