Moving Picture World (Jul 1921)

July 23, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 425 Big Demand for Christie Comedies Leads to New Educational Contract After eight months of practical •experience in selling Christie Comedies, E, W. Hammons, president of Educational Film Exchanges, Inc., has contracted for twenty-four tworeel Christie pictures a year for a term of several years. During the last year Christie made, besides the short pictures for Educational, three longer feature pictures. The success of the tworeelers, however, has been so exceptionally good that Mr. Christie has decided to put every effort of the Christie staff into the production of the shorter pictures exclusively and in the coming year he will make none of the longer type. A1 Christie occupies a unique position in the motion picture field today. In spite of the undisputed appeal in many quarters of the slapstick type of comedy, Mr. Christie has held firmly to the policy of making only the very highest class of ■“dressed up” comedy, each picture being built primarily on a humorous story rather than on individual rough-and-tumble situations. Due to the public’s desire for something new in the comedy line continually, many brands of comedies have flourished and died since the Christie Company was organized five years ago. There has been only one other comedy company in the United States that has been able to exist as long. Yet Christie Comedies have been of such consistent quality and have shown such a steady growth in direction, casting, photographic quality, story selection and general interest, that instead of facing a smaller market, the Christie Comedies are now selling more generally than ever before in their history. When Educational took over distribution of the Christies with the completion of the Educational branch organizations about eight months ago, arrangements were made whereby virtually twice the amount that had previously been spent on each comedy was expended. Exhibitors have realized that with Educational’s co-operation much more expensive and much better pictures were being made, and the result has been that the gross receipts on the pictures have jumped 100 per cent. Before work was begun on the new year’s series of two reel comedies, Mr. Hammons visited the Christie studios in Los Angeles and spent considerable time discussing with directors, actors and photographers just what the exhibitors were seeking in the way of the Christie type of picture. The first three pictures made under the new contract have not only shown the customary advance, but have gone a great stride further, setting a distinctly new mark in short comedy. “Nothing Like It,” which will be the first Christie Comedy released in the new year, and “Oh Buddy,” also to be released in August, are called features in themselves. “Nothing Like It,” featuring Dorothy Devore with Eddie Barry, Earl Rodney and an all-star cast, brings to film comedy something new in the way of costuming and is an elaborate production. Dorothy Devore, playing Cleopatra, is seen in costumes that would make even the Queen of the Nile envious. Helen Darling and other members of the cast are costumed accordingly. “Oh Buddy,” featuring Neal Burns with Vera Steadman, is one of the fastest comedies ever produced. “In For Life,” the third of the series, has just been completed. week’s run. This is only single reel subject that Tally’s has ever booked second run. Have three prints booked solid until middle of August.” Walsh Gives Credit to Men Aiding in Making Next Picture Technical men of the highest calibre helped Director Thomas B. Walsh to make his first independent production, “Shams of Society.” It is scheduled for early release by R. & C. Pictures Corporation. Mr. Walsh has no hesitancy in giving full credit to his chief cameraman, Jack Stumar, and his manager of production, Bernard Siebel. Where some directors are prone to take all the laurels themselves and keep their expert aides in the background, Thomas B. Walsh steps right out with the announcement that his lieutenants had almost as much to do with the success of his production as he did himself. “Co-operation,” said he, “is the keynote of success in everything where the work of more than a single individual is involved. The director who gets his various aides working with him heart and soul is the one who gets winning results. Every man has his own part to do. If he does it well it shows creditably on the screen.” “Shams of Society” is the first independent production made by Mr. Walsh under the firm name of Walsh-Fielding Productions. Included in the cast are such wellknown players as Barbara Castleton, Montague Love, Macey Harlarn, Julia Swayne Gordon, Lucille Lee Stewart, Anne Brody and Edwards Davis. The story was written originally by Walter McNamara as a novel and called “Shame of Society.” It was adapted by Miss Mary Murillo. “The Flirt” Is Re-Issued Comedy “The Flirt” is the second of the series of re-issued one-reel comedies starring Harold Lloyd. It has been scheduled for release by Pathe during the week of July 24. The comedy not only boasts of having Harold Lloyd as its star, but also features Bebe Daniels — now a promising star in her own rights — and “Snub” Pollard, now featured in the Hal Roach comedies, is Lloyd’s running mate in the cast. Badger Trapping Shown in Film “The American Badger” is the next of the series of the “Adventures of Bill and Bob,” showing the exploits of Bill and Bob Bradbury, this time concentrating on the badger. It is for release by Pathe during the week of July 24. Besides the intense “humanness” contributed by the two small boys and their dog, “Rags,” remarkable scenes of the actual capturing of the little animal are shown, it is stated. Mayo, the young English girl who falls in love with the half-savage Arab chieftain who has kidnapped her. As painted by the author, E. M. Hull, in his sensational novel, this character is said to be ideally suited to Miss Ayres, and Mr. Lasky is confident that she will score fully as great a success as she did in the leading role in Cecil B. DeMille’s “Forbidden Fruit.” Mr. Lasky also spoke enthusiastically of Elinor Glyn’s “The Great Moment,” in which Gloria Swanson is starred, and paid a tribute to the star and the director, Sam Wood. “There may have been doubts as to how Miss Swanson would succeed outside of Cecil B. De Mille’s productions, but if so, that doubt is now dissipated,” said Mr. Lasky. “In my opinion it is one of the best pictures ever produced by this company and the work of Miss Swanson is admirable in every respect. I cannot give too great praise to all concerned.” Agnes Ayres to Be Featured Opposite Rudolph Valentino In an announcement concerning Paramount production matters made at the Lasky studio in Hollywood recently, Jesse L. Lasky stated that Agnes Ayres, pending the completion of the preparations for her first Paramount starring picture, would be featured opposite Rudolph Valentino in George Melford’s special production, “The Sheik.” Miss Ayres will have the role of Diana New Sort of Part for Betty Compson Betty Compson, the young screen actress who leaped into international fame with her acting of Rose in “The Miracle Man” and then went into production on her own account, appearing in the Goldwyn-released picture of “Prisoners of Love,” is not satisfied to play the same sort of part in picture after picture. In her new production, “For Those We Love,” adapted from a story by Perley Poore Sheehan, she acts the part of an unsophisticated young girl in a small country village who makes of herself a target for the suspicion and gossip of the eighborhood by befriending a gambler who has saved her from death. New Hatton Film “Desperate Chances” is the title of the newest two reel Star Ranch western for C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation. C. Edward Hatton is the star. Success Greets “Runaway Train” Lyman H. Howe’s “Famous Ride on a Runaway Train,” recently released by Educational Film Exchanges, is meeting with exceptional success in first run bookings all over the country. This remarkable single-reel feature was the only short subject ever brought back to the Capitol Theatre in New York for a second showing. “I think it is the best short subject I have ever seen,” wrote S. L. Rothafel of the Capitol. “Runaway Train” meeting with wonderful success here,” says a telegram from the Los Angeles exchange. “Now running first run Kinema Theatre. Open Tally’s Broadway Theatre, Sunday, for Look Into Them! That’s what WID’S DAILY says about the HALLROOM BOYS COMEDIES featuring SID SMITH Read this from Wid’s '•The HALLROOM BOYS are growing better and funnier with each performance. * * * You can certainly depend upon them to tickle your audience * * * if you are anxious to get some new, sure fire laughs, look into them.” JL THE BEST BETS OF THE SEASON FROM