The Moving Picture Weekly (1920-1921)

THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY 'S CARL LAEMMLE TALKS Tells Eastern Division Managers, at Cleveland, wkat TLey May Expect From Universal 'J'HE eastern division Exchange managers of Universal were assembled in convention in Cleveland, Sunday, June 13, to hear Universal's sales and production plans for the coming season. Carl Laemmle, president of Universal, and H. M. Berman, general manager of exchanges, addressed the meeting. The principal reason for the convention was Mr. Laemmle's desire to assure his lieutenants personally that Universal is planning an unusual series of big pictures for the fall. "Before I take my vacation and go to Europe," he said, "I want you men to know that you can go to your exhibitors with full confidence and tell them they are going to get pictures better than Universal ever produced before and of such a quality and high standard of story and production, they can come to look on a Universal picture as a sure and surprising investment. CHICAGO COMMISSION Exchange In Windy City Follows Example Set At Universal City. COMMISSION form of government has spread to Chicago. As a result of the recent convention in that city, it was decided to adopt the commission form as a substitute for the prior form of management. It was put into effect without delay, with three high commissioners. This situation has nothing to do with Mayor Thompson or the recent Republican convention, but is the outcome of the recent convention in that city of the middle west exchange managers of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Organization management by commission, inaugurated early this spring in Universal City, Cal., and later adopted in the home office of Universal, has proved so successful that it is being spread to the larger branch exchanges of the big film company. Chicago is the first exchange to be placed under the new type of management. The three commissioners are Louis Baum, district manager of the middle west territory for Universal; Louis Laemmle and I. L. Leserman, formerly the sole manager of the Chicago Exchange. The commissioners were inaugurated into office personally by Carl Laemmle, president of "We have been sparing no money to obtain wonderful stories for our pictures. We have lined up an array of stories that are unequalled for their screen value. The same degree of earnestness will be exercised in their production. I am determined our pictures shall not give place to any brand." In the evening a testimonial dinner was given to Mr. Laemmle. The other two guests of honor were Mr. Berman and Louis Baum, formerly manager of the Cincinnati Universal exchange and now district manager for Universal's middle western offices. Among the exchange managers and their assistants present were A. A. Schmidt, eastern district manager; E. J. Smith, Cleveland; Herman Stem, Pittsburgh; Ralph Abbett, Indianapolis; Cleve Adams, Cincinnati; Billy Bein, Cincinnati; M. A. Chase, Buffalo; J. M. Sitterly, Buffalo; W. D. Ward, Detroit. the film corporation, who journeyed to Chicago to attend the managerial convention. Among the others assembled in the Windy City were Harry M. Berman, general manager of exchanges for Universal and one of the home office commissioners; Louis Baum, Louis Laemmle, I. L. Leserman, Edgar B. Haines of the Des Moines office, Joe Roderick of Minneapolis, George Levine of Milwaukee, J. C. Calvert of Kansas City, H. F. Lefholtz of Omaha and Sam Benjamin of Oklahoma City. A MODERN GOLDILOCKS Little Kittens Reichert Playing A Real Live Fairy TaJe for the Industrial Seven JF anyone told Kittens Reichert today that "you can't mix business with pleasure" she would look at you with amazement, and tell you that for a little while, at least, she can't un-mix them. For Kittens is revelling in an opportunity that doesn't come often to small ten-year-olders — she is in the midst of living an actual fairy-tale ! Miss Reichert has been chosen to enact the role of Goldilocks in a motion picture showing the wonderous adventure of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The picture, which is now in process of making under the super vision of Hari-y Levey, Manager of the Educational Department of the Universal Film Company, is to be known under the title "A Modern Goldilocks" and anyone who knows his "once upon a time" thoroughly, knows too, what a wonderful adventure this is, not only of Goldilocks, but Kittens as well. A regular little fairy village has been built in Fort Lee for the making of this picture. A corps of architectural experts — and only those who, like "Peter Pan" still believe it fairies, were put to work studying the old fairy-tale classics, and the result is that the house of the three bears has actually come to life. The big bear, the medium-sized bear, and the little tiny bear are there; the big bed that is too hard, the medium-sized bed that is too soft, and the Uttle tiny bed that is "ji^ tight" are also there, built to the piroper dimensions that every child knows by heart. "The utmost care had to be taken in arranging the settings for this picture," says Mr. Levey. "For children are the most critical audiences in the world, and this picture, of course, is made for a special appeal to the youngsters. There probably isn't a youngster who doesn't know to the fraction of a square inch just how big and how small the house and its furnishings ought to be — and they are going to want it just right. Every one of their illusions must be kept intact when they see this picture. So you see, we had a double responsibility." As for Kittens, she says there isn't any responsibility about it at all — she's really living Goldilocks, and having a most wonderful time. This picture is the first of a series of fairy tales that are to be made under Mr. Levey's supervision. CINEMA COMPANY ACTS IN REAL CLOUDBURST One of the most terrific storms that has ever lashed the South Pacific into fury was utilized in the filming of "Under Crimson Skies," the Universal photodrama now playing at the Theatre. Under the spur of a northwest gale, the usually docile Pacific plunged wildly off the Southern Pacific coast and sent pyramids of water shattering into the rocks along the shore. Rex Ingram, directing Elmo Lincoln in the romantic Universal-Jewel photodrama, decided that it was a fine night for ducks. Nevertheless, he thought, it was exactly the kind of a night that the Universal camera should record for "Under Crimson Skies." Ingram took his entire Universal company to the beach and had the players enact their roles in the midst of the storm.