The Moving Picture Weekly (1916-1917)

20 THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY New Program Arranged by Subject, Not Brand George Cochrane, Director, and Thomas Jefferson, Star. GEORGE COCHRANE FINDS THAT IT'S A SMALL WORLD. <*JT is a small world, after all," remarked Director George Cochrane to a group of friends at Universal City a few days ago. "A number of years ago I was mining and ranching in Montana and made my headquarters in Butte. "One day Thomas Jefferson came to that city and I was introduced to him, and troti this introduction a friendship grew up between us that lasted for years. Eventually, I went on the stage myself and finally drifted into the moving picture business. "I accepted an engagement to direct at Universal City and asked who was to play the featured lead in my company, and you can imagine my astonishment when I was told he would be Thomas Jefferson. "And, mind you, Jefferson had had no inkling that I was to be his new director. So you can see in this instance there is no question of harmony between director and star." PIVAR'S PATENTED PROGRAM. J^ORRIS PIVAR, who arranges the order and selects the subjects from the available supply for the Universal program, has devised a program which more nearly meets the desires of the officers and directors of the Universal and the exchange managers. After a correspondence covering some period, he has come to the conclusion that the majority of the exchanges are in favor of identifying certain types of subjects with various brands, rather than identifying the stars with these brands, which has been the practice in the past. This is the basis on which the new Universal prograui is selected. Beginning with the week of July 17th, this change will go into effect, and several of the brands will be switched about in conformity with the plan. Following is the schedule which will be followed hereafter in branding the various subjects: Red Feather Features. — Weekly five-reeler will be released under this brand. Nestor. — Parlor comedies. Gold Seal. — Weekly three-reeler will be released under this brand. Victor. — Comedies or comedydramas will be released under this brand. L-Ko. — Slap stick comedies. Animated Weekly. — Topical subjects. Big U — Rural, costume, sea, light western and juvenile dramas. Laemmle. — Refined society dramas will be released under this brand. Powers. — Novelties, such as cartoons, manikins, juvenile comedies and educationals. Imp. — Melodramas, detective, mystery and underworld dramas. Rex. — Refined societjy dramas. Bison. — Western, mountain, Indian, railroad and animal dramas. Joker. — Slap-stick comedies will be released under this brand. In the week of Juli' 17th, which is shown on Page 41 under the caption. "The Week After." it will be noticed that the following changes have been effected: The Tuesday Victor takes the place of the former Imp. The Wednesday Laemmle takes the place of the former Victor. The Thursday Victor takes the place oi' the former Laemmle. The Friday Rex takes the place of the former Victor. The Saturday Laemmle takes the place of the former Powers. The Sunday Imp takes the place of the ion er )le. Standing orders for the Tuesday Rex will be automatically discontinued after the week of July 10th. Standing orders for the other brands which are affected by the change will be automatically transferred to the new brands which take their places. BILLIE RITCHIE SCORNS ' THE USE OF A DOUBLE. DILLIE RITCHIE'S talents as a fun-maker can scarcely be overemphasized, but Billie himself has never laid any particular stress, and neither have his L-KO directors, on having him perform any of the dangerous feats which are such a contributing factor to the humor of L-KO Komedies. However, in a two-reel comedy soon to be released under the L-KO brand, under the title of "A Bold, Bad Breeze, Ritchie was called upon either to do some extremely daring "stuff or to have some one double in his place. It was the first time such a suggestion had ever been given Ritchie, and he repudiated it with a scorn. "I certainly can do an>i;hing that anybody that looks like me can, so here goes." What followed gave Bill the run of his life, and he was mighty glad to accept a three days' vacation to recuperate. He did not even care to see the picture run off before he went, but trotted down to the exposition at San Diego like a little lamb. Heartened by the success of "A Bold Bad Breeze," the L-KO is planning now to put on a steamer picture in which they will blow one boat to atoms and sink another one. Some doings at the L-KO. Universal Regular Service and Red Feather Features will put any theatre on Easy Street. Yes, it's Billie Ritchie as a stunt puller in "A Bold, Bad Breeze," Lko. I