Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

March 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1225 BREESE APPEARS IN RAVER'S "THE MASTER CROOK." Edmund Breese, Who Plays Mysterious Cracksman, Also Appearing in "Why Marry?" One of Season's Successes. HARRY RAVER'S newest production, "The Master Crook," which he is about to launch for distribution to state rights buyers, signalizes the return to the silent drama of Edmund Breese, the well known "man of many faces," whose success in stage characterizations has been noteworthy. Co-incident with his picture appearance in Mr. Raver's production, Edmund Breese is appearing at the Astor theater, on Broadway, in "Why Marry?", one of the successes of the year. Devotees of the theater will recall the memorable nation-wide tour of Mr. Breese in the famous play, "The Master Mine," and in the late Charles Klein's plays, "The Lion and the Mouse" and "The Third Degree." Among Mr. Breeze's picture triumphs, perhaps his best work was done in "The Spell of the Yukon," "The Walls of Jericho," and "The Master Mind." He was selected by Harry Raver for the unique role of "The Master Crook" because Mr. Breese wrote the story, and therefore created a role for himself unlikely to suit any other actor. Heading Mr. Breese's company of players in "The Master Crook" is Alma HanIon, of the famous Hanlon family of pantomimists, "who for twenty-five years presented "Fantasma," "Superba," and "Voyage en Suisse." Alma Hanlon's recent appearences in pictures include "The Whip," "The Libertine," "The Public Defender," and "Pride and the Devil." She has appeared in nine recent productions under Harry Raver's management. Special Room for Out-of-Town Buyers Hoffman Again Visits Exchanges. M. H. Hoffman, of Foursquare Pictures, left recently for a trip which will take him to nearly every one of the twenty-one exchanges of this organization before he again returns to New York. It is Mr. Hoffman's fourth visit to the branches within the past four months, but he is a believer in giving personal co-operation to his managers. "The fairest treatment to an exchange head," said Mr. Horfman, "is to get out and work with him in developing his organization. It seerns to me that the head of an institution should be willing, as well as able, to ler.d active assistance that will yield business. It is all very well to supervise from the home office, but there is nothing like being on the ground and putting a shoulder to the wheel. Foursquare Pictures has found its clientele and is doing its utmost to deserve its patronage. When we sell a picture to an exhibitor our work is just begun. From that moment on we continue to aid in getting the greatest amount of business for it that is possi'ble. To keep our exhibitor-patrons satisfied is our first thought. "I am looking forward with keenest interest to the success of 'The Eagle's Eye' and 'The Cast-Off,' the six-part Thomas H. Ince feature in which Bessie Barriscale is starred. I have said that I looked for a revival of business, and Foursquare indications are that it is close at hand." Frank Hall Reports Good Business. Frank G. Hall, president of the U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation, advises that the business being done with "The Belgian" is exceeding their expectations, and that it has been booked for entire week-runs in a number of houses in various sections of the country, including the Olympic theater, Boston. He further states that numerous letters and telegrams indicate that their other productions, "The Zeppelin's Last Raid" and "Those Who Pay," are doing splendid business. General Enterprises Provides Headquar Right Ti:E latest idea to be placed into effect by Sawyer and Lubin, of General Enterprises, is the renting of a special room adjoining their suite of offices, which is to be fitted up especially for the convenience and use of visiting film men and out of town state rights buyers. The room will contain all of the appointments necessary for the conducting of business, and a stenographer will be provided to handle correspondence, write contracts, and attend to the other details which enter into the buying of state rights pictures. Complete information relative to hotels, theaters, and the location of the various film offices will be at the disposal of the out-of-town exchangemen, and Messrs. Sawyer and Lubin desire the entire field of territorial film men to know that the room has been designed especially for their convenience and use. In addition arrangements are being made for the construction of a projection room adjoining the General Enterprises offices, which is to be used not only for the screening of their particular feature films, but "will be at the disposal of visiting state rights buyers who must witness the productions of various film companies during their stay in New York. In order to lend the proper atmosphere to the projection of the General Enterprises, Inc., features, which include "The Warrior," "Mother," "The Liar" and "The Crucible of Life," a piano will be placed in the screening room. This may be used for the interpretation of musical-cues, in order that the buyers may judge of their value. ters for Convenience of Visiting State Men. rector of the production and the author of the story. The cast supporting Miss Lee includes William Sherwood, Phyllis Beveridge, Grace Hamel, Hassan Mussalli, Percy Standing and a large number in minor roles. The photography is from the camera of Otto Brautigam. The orchestral score was arranged by Don Richardson. Showing of "King-Bee" Comedies. Thursday, February 21, the King-Bee Films Corporation will show to the trade reviewers and the board of censors the four latest Billy West-King-Bee comedies that recently arrived from the studio at Hollywood, entitled "The Rogue," "His Day Out," "The Stranger" and "The Orderly." The showing will take place at the Miles Projection Rooms, 220 West Fortysecond street, New York. Trade Showing for "Triumph of Venus." After several months of preparation, Edwin Bower Hesser's mythological spectacle, "The Triumph of Venus," is ready and will be shown to the trade on Tuesday morning, February 26, at the Strand theater. It is said a surprise is in store for motion picturedom in this feature. The star is Betty Lee, a beautiful southern girl, who plays the role of Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. The solution of the problem as to how the Venus de Milo statue lost its arms is part of the story, which has to do with both the heavenly loves and the earthly wanderings of the deities of Mount Olympus. Swimming scenes of beauty are included in one portion of the spectacle. Seven states were visited in filming the production, ranging from the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the sandy shore of Florida, to find the necessary outdoor settings for each of the seven hundred scenes. To get views on the very tops of mountains, it was necessary for the company to camp far above the timber line, "where they went through a four days' storm during which their tents were ripped to pieces and even their food swept away by a sixty-mile-perhour gale of wind. The swimming scenes were taken amid the icy waters of northern Maine, and such risks as swimming over waterfalls and through dangerous rapids became of every-day occurrence. Edwin Bower Hesser was both the di Directors of State Right Distributors to Meet. On February 21, the Board of Directors of State Right Distributors, Inc., will hold a meeting in New York, when a number of business matters will be taken up, including the mapping out of a further campaign for progress and enlargement of the policies of the organization as suggested by President Sol. Lesser, who has fully recovered from the effects of his recent operation, and is back in harness with his usual indomitable energy. On this trip the directors will also act as a buying committee in selecting additional pictures to be released following "Carmen of the Klondike," and General Manager C. Mell Simmons has arranged for a number of pictures to be shown for their examination. It is expected that the following directors will be present: Sol. L. Lesser, of the Ail-Star Feature Film Co., San Francisco, president; Louis Hass, of Pioneer Film Corporation, New York, secretary; C. Mell Simmons, general manager; L D. Netter, of Masterpiece Film Attraction, Cleveland, secretary; H. Dollman, of DollVan Co., Indianapolis; Harry Grelle, of Supreme Photoplay Productions, Pittsburgh, and J. J. Allen, of Famous Players Film Service, Ltd., Toronto. Steiner Talks of Trip. William Steiner, of the Jester Comedy Company, featuring Tweede-Dan, stated that he was surprised to see how many of the exhibitors throughout the United States had adopted a policy of seeing before buying. A great number of the larger houses have installed special projection rooms for private screenings, and in many cases engage the services of a critic. Mr. Steiner said the smaller exhibitor either attends the regular performances at the big theaters, or has the pictures shown after his regular night show, and it is not an uncommon thing to find exhibitors at their theaters at twelve, one and two in the morning, looking over pictures. The exhibitor is getting more educated as to what constitutes good pictures. He is getting closer to his audience and knows what they want. While this works a hardship on the exchange and salesmen, the result will be that the producers will learn "what is needed, and manufacture accordingly. Exhibitors are demanding good, clean, wholesome pictures with a touch of comedy and a thrill. In the comedy line, comedies that work fast and full of stunts are much in demand, but they do not want those that are suggestive or offensive. Each day sees a greater demand for pictures that constitute good, clean, and wholesome entertainment. Program of Producers and Exhibitors Affiliated. The Producers and Exhibitors affiliated plan to release their first offering, "The Passing of the Third Floor Back," starring Forbes Robertson, early in March, and advise the second picture will probably be the Harry Rapf production, "The Struggle Everlasting," with Florence Reed, while the third will be the Rialto Film Corporation's "The Woman Opposite," a mystery story.