Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1915)

July 10, 1915 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 311 Screen Club to Give "Public Reel" First Public Show of New York Screeners to Be Something New and Pleasing — Many of the Best Players in Country Belong to Club. £t"T) UBLIC REEL" is a thing that no one has yet seen; \~ the Screen Club is now at work on the first of them and it promises to be a brilliant event that, followed by others in the coming years, will be a shining milestone in American theatrical history. It is not in any sense going to be a "Gambol" or a "Scamper" or a "Rehearsal," but a "Public Reel," something quite different and new. Members of the Club have felt that something of the kind should be attempted and ever since the Club's beginning groups seated in the smoking room or about the diningtables have discussed it. The need of putting a fresh punch into the club life set the idea germinating at a recent meeting of the Board of Governors and a general meeting was called to discuss the matter. This was held in the roof garden of the club house, Friday evening, June 25, and several schemes were outlined for an unique and distinctive show. Among these, one that seemed to win most favor, was a plan by William Quirk, of the Vitagraph Company. The final working out of the matter was left in the hands of a committee of the Club's members, who are directors. A call for volunteers to serve the Club with such powers as each brother had from Heaven and with the things that each could do, brought a ready and enthusiastic response — many of the Club's most talented members declared they were willing to scrub, carry on a trunk, lift scenes, take tickets, or do anything at all that was required of them. It showed the spirit of true brotherhood. Among those present were: King Baggot, Bill Bailey, Jack Noble, James Kirkwood, Bill Haddock, Paul Scardon, Frank Holland, Billy Quirk, R. M. Smallwood, Thurloe Burge, Peter Lang, Glen White. Maurice Costello, Tom Moore, Guy Coombs, Darwin Karr, Mitchell Lewis, John Harvey, Sam Spedon, Harry Spingler, Harry Morey, Arthur Housmann, Arthur Leslie, Jay Bee, Leo Singer, St. George Harden. "Wid" Gunning, Arthur Vaughn, Jud Langill, A. B. Travis. Sam Ryan, Hugh Hoffman, E.' Mason Hopper, James W. Morrison, Edward Middleton, Fred Nicholls, Joe Gerard, Samuel Harrison, Charles W. Seay, George Lessey, Dave Wall, William Bechtel, Hurbert Prior, Albert Roccardi and others who did not take time to register. Telegrams answering the solar plexus letter composed by Arthur Leslie came from absent members offering their help in the movement. Among these was one from Carl Laemmle and one from Adolt Zukor. Marshall Farnum sent word by Edgar Lewis that he, too, wanted to be of assistance in any way the Club could use him. Metro Will Fly Flag Will Swing Huge Banner Across 42d Street July 4. THE Metro Pictures Corporation on July 4th will unfurl in Times Square the largest national flag in the world. On a steel cable, strung between the eighteenth floor of the Heidelberg Tower, in which building the Metro offices are located, and the nineteenth floor of the Times Building, an American flag, measuring one hundred and seventy-five feet in length and ninety feet in width, will be unfurled after a dedicatory speech, either by Mayor Mitchel or Borough President McAneny, promptly at two o'clock on Independence Day, and all becaus.e President Richard A. Rowland of the Metro Pictures Corporation believes July 4th to be his lucky day. This huge flag, undoubtedly the biggest in the world, was made by a New England cotton mill and measures one hundred and seventy-five by ninety feet. The total weight of this flag is twenty-six hundred pounds and in order to safely sustain it, two steel cables, each one inch in circumference, are required. The cables will stretch across Broadway and 42nd street and will be anchored on reinforced "dead men" in the respective buildings. The flag will remain hanging all day until Monday, and late Monday evening it will be packed and shipped to the Metro headquarters at San Francisco where, on July 15th. which is to be Metro day at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Francis X. Bushman will unfurl the flag on the Exposition grounds. Special committees of various civic and patriotic organizations will atend the unfurling in Times Square. WORLD FILM DECLARES DIVIDEND. World Film's Board of Directors has declared a dividend of 3 per cent, on the capital stock of the Corporation and payment will be made to holders of record on July 15th. Screen Favorites on Spoons National Stars Corporation is Distributing Handsome Souvenirs— Broad Advertising Campaign. THE National Star* Corporation has launched a plan for the distribution of souvenir spoons bearing the likenesses of screen favorites, which should appeal strongly to exhibitors. It is inexpensive, simple in operation and certainly worth trying as a means of pleasing patrons. The officers of the National Stars Corporation, C. F. Pritchard, vice president, and J. W. Young, general manager, have secured the exclusive rights to reproduce on spoons the photographs of the most prominent photoplay stars. Anita Stewart was the first and at intervals of about two weeks others will follow, the public being allowed the deciding voice in selecting the players to be included in the collection. Spoons bearing the image of Mary Pickford and a few other favorites, certain to be named in any voting contest, have been made already, but in subsequent selections, the National Stars' officers will be guided by the votes of motion picture patrons. To reach enthusiasts throughout the country, advertisements are being run in the Photoplay Magazine and the Motion Picture Magazine, each containing a coupon requesting that the reader cut it out, designate his choice and mail it to the National Stars Corporation. This is but one feature of a publicity campaign which includes the trade papers and in time will be extended to the general magazines with the largest circulations, for the plans of Messrs. Pritchard and Young are national in their scope. The spoons .will, be distributed solely through picture theaters by means of coupons. A representative of the corporation visits a house manager, supplies him with coupons and assists in arranging the details of the campaign, including a spread advertisement in the local paper, paid for by the National Stars concern. There is never any difficulty in finding a redemption station in some store near the theater, usually a drug store. Here the spoons are kept and one may be secured by any person presenting a coupon and fifteen cents, which is in reality a good deal of a bargain, for the souvenirs represent exceptionally fine workmanship. They are made by the International Silver Company with a base of pure white metal heavily coated with silver. Each one bears the imprint of William Rogers and Son and is accompanied by a guarantee. The sculptured reproduction of the star is at the top of the handle and below it is the name, woven into an artistic design utilizing the flower of the month in which the player was born. The floral design is continued on the back of the handle, where the name of the month is given. Each issue of spoons will be unlike any of its predecessors. To aid exhibitors in working up public interest in the souvenirs, the National Stars Corporation supplies a lobby display presenting a picture of the star whose spoons are in circulation at the time, all the needed information about the redemption of the coupons and two spoons in a case, that people may judge of their attractiveness by examining the designs on the handles, front and back. Of fine quality and expert workmanship a set of these spoons will be well worth having. SELIG PLAYERS AT SAN DIEGO. As a motion picture center, San Diego, California, daily becomes more popular and it is predicted that in a short time it will be as well known as a place for the production of pictures as any section of the country. Miss Bessie Eyton, one of the most popular screen favorites of the Selig Company, has visited San Diego with a company of players, and is engaged in the making of a three-reel Selig Diamond Special entitled "The Whisper." Other than Miss Eyton, considered the most athletic of motion picture actresses, the players visiting San Diego include Lloyd Carleton, director; Edwin Wallock, Alva Blake, Jane Keckley and Edward Lyttel. UNIVERSITY PLAYS KLEINE PICTURES. Brown Ayres, president of the University of Tennessee, last week closed a contract with the George Kleine Atlanta Office, whereby the university will show "Julius Caesar," "Quo Vadis?". "The Lion of Venice," "Antony and Cleopatra," "The Last Days of Pompeii." and other great Kleine features. The subjects will be exhibited during the month of Jul}', when the program will be used in connection with the summer school for teachers held each year by the university.