The Moving Picture Weekly (1917-1919)

THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY 29 Serial Insurance for 1920 UNIVERSAL EXCHANGES SELL FIVE SERIALS— 52 WEEKS — AT ONE TIME. NEW DEPARTURE IN THE SERIAL FIELD— M. D. MOTTA, OF BROOKLYN, CLOSES FIRST YEARLY CONTRACT. WHO SAID BROOKLYN WAS SLOW? A Year of Serial Insurance BOOK "The Lion Man" "Elmo the Fearless" (Elmo Lincoln) "The Moon Riders" "The Vanishing Dagger" (Eddie Polo) and "The Dragon's Net" (Marie Walcamp) TODAY AND GET INSURED |^|R. M. D. MOTTA, of Brooklyn, during the past week, has closed with the Big U Exchange the largest serial contract ever made by an individual exhibitor. Mr. Motta has the 3rd Avenue Peerless and the Colonial. He has contracted to play in them the following five serials: "The Lion Man," with Kathleen O'Connor and Jack Perrin, "Elmo The Fearless," with Elmo Lincoln, "The Moon Riders," with Art Accord, "The Vanishing Dagger" with Eddie Polo, and "The Dragon's Net" with Marie Walcamp. That is looking pretty far ahead. It stamps Mr. Motta as a man of vision. What he has done is to take out for himself and his theatres Serial Insurance for the new year. He is fixed for 1920. He should worry. The negotiations with Mr. Motto were carried on by George Hoffman, of Mr. Uffner's staff. Mr. Motta said to him: "Let's see what you've got." Mr. Hoffman showed him "The Lion Man." "As for the rest," he said, "you may wait till they come in or you may judge from their past performances and UniversaPs promises." Mr. Motta decided to judge from the past performances and UniversaPs promises. And so he closed. He's fixed. He has Serial Insurance for 1920. His example is passed on to the exhibitor-world for judgment. Mr. Uffner, however, points out that this is no bargain sale. It may be cheaper to buy Eddie Polo now than when he comes out some months from now, but no one should get the impression because five serials are being sold at once that an exhibitor can get something for nothing. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Well, anyhow, Mr. Motta has started something. This booking of five serials at one time is due to the foresightedness first of the production department of Universal city, and second to the action of the general manager of exchanges who conceived the idea of the huge booking plan whereby five serials could be sold at one and the same time. Any number of exhibitors will be tickled to death to be assured of serial prosperity for the entire year without any effort on their part. The serials overlap in such a way, that in booking them all they cover just fifty two weeks. Or, if the exhibitor cares to they will cover ninety weeks. "The Lion Man" is the current serial and is proving a tremendous winner wherever shown. "Elmo the Fearless" stars Elmo Lincoln, the great star of "Elmo the Mighty" and is next on the docket. It is more than half finished under the guiding genius of J. P. McGowan. "The Moon Riders" stars Art Accord and Mildred Moore. It too is more than half completed as is "The Vanishing Dagger" in which Eddie Polo is the star. It looks like his best serial to date. Jacques Jaccard is directing. Marie Walcamp is filming her serial "The Dragon's Net" in Japan, China and India. Henry McRae is directing. Eight episodes have alreadv been shipped. SERIALS JAMES J. CORBETT in 'The Midnight Man" with KATHLEEN O'CONNOR Directed bv JAMES W. HORNE "The Great Radium Mystery" with EILEEN SEDGWICK ROBERT REEVES CLEO MADISON Story by FREDERICK BENNETT Directed by ROBERT HILL "The Lion Man" with KATHLEEN O'CONNOR JACK PERRIN Based on the novel, "The Strange Case of Cavendish" By RANDALL PARRISH Directed by ALBERT RUSSELL ELMO LINCOLN in "Elmo the Fearless" with LOUISE LORRAINE Story by HENRY ARTHUR GOODEN Directed by J. P. McGOWAN "The Moon Riders" with ART ACORD MILDRED MOORE Story by WILLIAM PIGOTT and KARL COOLIDGE Directed by REEVES EASON EDDIE POLO in "The Vanishing Dagger" with THELMA PERCY RAY RIPLAY C. NORMAND HAMMOND Story by JOE BRANDT Directed by JACQUES JACCARD MARIE WALCAMP in "The Dragon's Net" with HARLAND TUCKER WADSWORTH HARRIS OTTO LEDERER Story by J. ALLAN DUNN Directed by HENRY McRAE