Moving Picture World (Sep-Oct 1925)

188 MOVING PICTURE WORLD September 12, 1925 Ambitious Schedule for 1925-26 » Announced by Century Film Corp. THE Century Film Corporation, producer of Century Comedies, is just entering upon the most ambitious release program ever projected in the history of that comedy company. The 1925-1925 release schedule, just approved by Julius and Abe Stern, president and vice-president respectively of the corporation, marks a great advance over any previous year’s output. In planning the 1925-1926 comedies, the Stern Brothers took several radical steps. In the first place, following a long and careful survey of the comedy field, they determined to make outstanding improvements in stories, in studio facilities, in production personnel and in the quality of the players and supporting casts. Another innovation was a distinct grouping of the season’s output in star series, the pictures made by each star, such as Wanda Wiley, Edna Marian and the others to be considered as a separate brand of pictures. This was decided upon when returns early this year conclusively proved that Miss Wiley and Miss Marian had built up for themselves a strong clientele and that their comedies, as such, were in unusual demand. Thus the star series plan is expected to be of great advantage to exhibitors, by reason of the fact that the Century stars have varying box-office values in different theatres. A third innovation v as the acquisition of the screen rights for a novelty series of tworeel comedies. This is the Buster Brown Comedy series, being made from the celebrated newspaper cartoon comic of the noted artist, R. F. Outcault. The Century Company is making these pictures as straight comedies, not as animated cartoons. The result is a high class brand of two-reelers which already have won a place for themselves on the first-run screens, although only two of the series have been completed so far. The Century schedule for 1925-1926 shows a contemplated release of 52 comedies, one a week during the period from August 5th. 1925, to July 28th, 1926. In addition, there will be a Century Special production, “'Little Red Riding Hood.” This is a novelty tworeeler made with Peter the Great and Baby PeggT Baby Peggy plays the role of Little Red Riding Hood, of the fairy story, and Peter the Great the role of the wolf. This two-reeler is partly in hand color film. The fifty-two Centuries consist of a series of twelve Buster Brown-Century Comedies, a series of twelve Wanda Wiley-Century Comedies, a series of twelve Edna MarianCentury Comedies, six comedies featuring Eddie* Gordon, six featuring A] Alt and four featuring Charles King. The Buster Browns are being made by Charles Lamont. Little Arthur Trimble has the role of Buster, Doreen Turner plays Mary Jane, and Pete, the comedy dog, plays Tige, Buster’s famous canine companion. The two Buster Brown comedies already completed are ‘‘Educating Buster” and ‘‘Buster Be Good.” They have been pre-released in such big first-run houses, as the Granara in San Francisco, in the Forum Theatre, Los Angeles; the State Theatre. Minneapolis; Loew’s State Theatre, Cleveland, and Ohio Theatre, Indianapolis. They are characterized as one of the biggest type comedy offerings on the market this year. The twelve Wanda Wiley comedies stand out as a distinct addition to the comedy field. Made under a new and improved production policy, they are being offered as a series which can be featured. Included in this series are such comedies as "Won by Law,” “Cupid’s Victory,” “A Winning Pair,” “A Speedy Marriage,” “Going Good,” “Her Lucky Leap” and “Yearning for Love.” Many of these have been pre-released in New York and other territories and are proving excellent drawing cards. The Edna Marian comedies also form an exceptionally promising series for the coming months. Miss Marian has jumped into popularity during the last half-year. She now has a definite box-office standing of her own, and her series of twelve comedies for 1925-1926 are being widely booked, H. M. Herbel, sales manager for Century, reports. Miss Alarian is developing into such an excellent comedian, the Century Company recently loaned her to Universal to play an important role in a forthcoming Universal Jewel picture. Among the Edna Marian Comedies tvhich already have reached the screen pre-release, and which have been well received, are “After a Reputation,” “Stranded.” “Uncle Tom’s Gal,” “Nursery Troubles,” “Eighteen Carats,” and “Honeymoon Squabbles.” Among the Eddie Gordon Comedies ready for the market are “Crying for Love,” “Officer 13,” “A Taxi War,” “Captain Suds.” and “Crowning the Count.” A1 Alts tworeeler Centuries now being booked are “Paging a Wife,” “Piping Hot,” “Scandal Hunters,” and “Helpful Al.” Scenes in “The Tower of Lies,” directed by Victor Seastrom from Selma LagerloPs novel, “The Emperor of Portugallia,” for Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer, with Lon Chaney and Norma Shearer starred.