Moving Picture World (Dec 1920)

606 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 4, 1920 In the Independent gJField Celebrated Players Secures United States Rights to Sunkist Comedies with Alice Howell as Star JL. FRIEDMAN, president of Celebrated Players Film Cor• tion, Chicago, has closed with George B. West, general manager of the Snnkist Comedy Company for the entire United States rights to the new series of one-reel Alice Howell comedies. These comedies have met with the highest praise. They were directed by Dick Smith and present the comedienne in roles in which she excels — unadulterated slapstick. The Sunkist Company is making a series of fifty-two single reel comedies. The first to be released with Miss Howell starring will be “Boulevard Profiteers.” This will be followed by “Who Chose Your Wife?” Lubin Announces Sales on “ Honeymoon Ranch Bert Lubin, who is state righting “Honeymoon Ranch,” the five reel Tex O’Reilly Western, in which Allene Ray is starred, returned from Boston yesterday after having sold the New England rights for the picture to George Fecke of the Motion Pictures Distribution Corporation. Other sales closed by Lubin during the week included Colorado, Utah, South Idaho and Wyoming to the C. C. McDermond .Theatre Amusements Co. of Salt 'Lake City and Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, and North Carolina to the Reliance Film exchange of Washington, D. C. Mr. Lubin reports very favorable business on this feature. “With some of the crowd howling about ‘bad business’ and others announcing sales, it seems to me,” states Lubin, “that conditions are not at all as bad as some would have us believe.” Ford Sterling Finishes First Comedy for Special Ford Sterling this week completed his first independent com.edy production made under his •new contract with the Special Pictures Corporation at the Special Pictures studio in Hollywood. “A Ballroom Romeo” will be the release title. Reggie Morris, production chief of Comiclassics, personally directed Sterling in his first production, which is to be a Comiclassic special. Charlotte Merriam, a star in her own right, played opposite Sterling. In the supporting cast are Eddie Baker, Margaret Cullington, Jay Belasco, Will Sloan and others. Sunrise Pictures Will Open N. Y. Exchange Pending the closing of deals whereby Sunrise Pictures Corpor ation of 220 West Forty-second street will distribute several large features, New York and New Jersey territory will be retained by the company, and exchange headquarters opened within a short time. President Carnot announces this step is being taken on account of the excellence of the pic With offices in suite 1209 Times Building, Harry P. Diggs and Hopp Hadley have launched an organization for independent producers presenting several new angles. Producers Service Company is the name and also describes the scope of the new organization. As soon as a production is finished, the service can be taken advantage of or at any stage during the life of the subject. If complete service is desired, the producer makes the Producers Service Company offices his New York address and ships it his sample print. Posters, photographs, press books and advertising accessories are prepared, an advertising and publicity campaign launched and a trade W. D. Russell, general manager of the Capital Film Company, announced work has been started on “The Ranger and the Law,” the second five-reel western drama starring Lester Cuneo, who is supported by Francelia Billington and a competent cast. Miss Billington is a valuable addition to the Cuneo company. She appeared as the doctor’s wife in Von Stroheim’s “Blind Husbands” and was starred in “The Day She Paid.” She has also appeared in Griffith, Reliance, Majestic, Universal and American productions. Capital announces “The Ranger and the Law” will be one of the most splendid westerns ever produced and that its faith in the Joe Brandt, president of C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation, returned Monday from a flying sales trip with a bunch of contracts, for Hallroom Boy comedies to the Standard Film Service for Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan; also to Crescent Film Exchange, Kansas City, for Kansas and Western Missouri; Nevada, Arizona and Hawaiian Islands; and to Supreme Photo tures which the company will distribute direct to the exhibitor along a new idea. Innovations ir press books and exploitation material will also be introduced by Publicity and Advertising Director Nat Dorfman, who has had considerable newspaper experience. showing given. A sale of state rights territory is then conducted if desired, or the distributor can call upon the company for as much of the service as he wishes. The name of the organization and its officers are to be kept in the background. All advertising and publicity space is considered the property of the producer. “Just how much of an advantage the organization is, especially to a studio in Los Angeles,” according to Harry Diggs, “is illustrated by the action of one producer who arranged four weeks ago for the service. Another well known director has delivered stills and working-script, with full instructions, and his next duty will be to read the reviews after the showing. independent field is so strong that every effort is being put forth to make this an incomparable box-office attraction. Capital also reports the following sales : “Witches Lure,” a story of oil fields, to Salley Films of Atlanta and Apex Pictures, Pittsburgh; Fritzi Ridgeway tworeel westerns to Supreme Photoplay Company of Denver and Greater Productions Company of Des Moines; Helen Gibson tworeel westerns to Supreme Photoplay Company for Seattle territory, and A1 Jennings pictures for same territory. The ninth, tenth and eleventh Ridgeway films are “Trial of the Buzzards,” “Flirting with Fate” and “Polly and the Bandit.” plays of Denver for Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Star Ranch Westerns have also been sold to Standard Film Service for Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan; to Crescent Film Exchange, of Kansas City, for Kansas and Western Missouri; to Consolidated Film Corporation of San Francisco for California, A DROP TO FREEDOM Billy West in “Service Stripes,” a new Joan comedy Nevada, Arizona and Hawaiian Islands. The new series of Hallroom Boys comedies have also been bought by the Merit Film Corporation for New York City and Northern New Jersey; Masterpiece Film Attractions, Philadelphia, for Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey; Exhibitors Film Exchange, Washington, D. C., for Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia; Columbia Film Service, Pittsburg, Pa., for Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia; Specialty Film Corporation, Dallas, Texas, for Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas; Celebrated Players Film Corporation, Chicago, 111., for Northern Illinois and Indiana; and Consolidated Film Corporation for San Francisco and Los Angeles for California, Arizona and Nevada. Star Ranch Westerns have also been acquired by Specialty Film Company, Dallas, Texas, for Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas and Fontenelle Feature Film of Omaha, Nebraska, for Iowa and Nebraska. Still Another Series Is Announced by Reelcrafi In addition to the five new series which Reelcraft recently announced would be added to its program, still another has been added. This is said will involve over half a million dollars. The new series will include twelve two reel mystery dramas, founded on well known stories, a series of two reel comedies released every second week, two single reel weekly comedies, one a slap-stick and the other featuring a well known comedian; a series of reissued comedy one reelers and a scenic series. The scenic series will be released beginning December 1. Hadley and Diggs Form Company to Handle Independent Productions Capital Names Sales and Reports Cuneo Has Started on New Feature Joe Brandt Returning from Trip Makes Announcement of Many Sales