Moving Picture World (Sep-Oct 1925)

338 September 26, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD Storey Victory Campaign, Comedy Contest Successful THE Storejr Victory Campaign and the Special Two-Reel Comedy Contest conducted by Pathe Exchange, Inc., have been brought to a successful close, resulting in the greatest summer business for a given period on record. As an incentive to better business, Pathe instituted a selling campaign, named in honor of Assistant General Manager J. E. Storey, then general sales manager. This campaign started on April 19 and was continued for sixteen weeks. At the same time a special Two-Reel Comedy Contest was started and run coincident!}' with the Victory Campaign. Every employe entered actively into the spirit of the drives and results have been better than were ever anticipated. To add zest to the campaigns the various branch offices were arranged in groups and given the names of military divisions. The winners follow : In the Infantry Division of the Storey Victory Campaign Boston took first place at the start and never relinquished it once during the entire period. Boston Branch Manager Ross G. Cropper kept his staff at top speed on to victory. New York, under the management of William E. Raynor, grabbed second place the fifth week and pushed the Bostonians right hard to the finish but could not edge them out of the lead. In the TwoReel Comedy Contest this situation was just reversed. Boston held the lead the first seven weeks with New York second. The eighth week, New York forged into the lead, maintaining it to the end, while Boston dropped to second place and finished there. In the Artillery Division of the Storey Victory Campaign Detroit stepped right out at the start. Branch Manager Oscar Hanson and his staff held first place the first week and never left it. In the Artillery Division, Two-Reel Comedy Contest, Detroit took the lead the first week and San Francisco the second. Then in the third week Dallas stepped into first place and held it to the finish. In the Cavalry Division of the Storey Victory Campaign Manager Oscar Kuschner and his Milwaukee branch held first place for twelve weeks. Then Los Angeles, under the managership of William Jenner, jumped into first place and held the position until the close. In the Cavalry Division, Two-Reel Comedy Contest, Atlanta looked like the winner by holding first place for ten weeks. Then Milwaukee took first the eleventh week, only to be replaced by Atlanta the twelfth. But Milwaukee came back to first the thirteenth week and finished in that position. In the Engineer Division, in both the Storey Victory Campaign and the Two-Reel Comedy Contest, New Orleans, under the managership of Paul Schmuch, made a record that will long stand as something to shoot at. They won both contests in their division. In the Storey Victory Campaign, Des Moines stepped into first place the first week and held it right up to the twelfth. In the thirteenth week, New Orleans forged into first and maintained its leadership right up to the end. In the Two-Reel Comedy Contest, New Orleans held first place continuously through the entire period, being hard pushed by Des Moines, which maintained second place all the time. In the Aviation Division of the Storey Victory Campaign, Salt Lake City, under the managership of W. G. Seib, started things off by taking first place first week and holding it until the fourth, when Memphis, under the managership of A. J. Cary, took the lead. Memphis held on in first until the eighth week, when Salt Lake City came back into first and finished that way. In the TwoReel Comedy Contest, Butte, under the managership of W. A. Calkins, held first the initial two weeks and then relinquished the lead to Memphis, which held top place until the end. Since the close of the contests there have been changes of managership in two winning branches. Walter S. Wessling replaces William A. Jenner at Los Angeles and R. V. Nolan replaces Oscar Kuschner at Milwaukee, but since both Messrs. Jenner and Kuschner were in charge of winning exchanges during the contests, they are credited as winners. Wanda Wiley, the delightful star in Century comedies, released by Universal. Pathe Has Harry Carey New Contract by Elmer Pearson and Charles R. Rogers for Series Pathe will release a series of Western features starring Harry Carey, according to the terms of a contract just signed between Elmer Pearson of Pathe Exchange, Inc., and Charles R. Rogers producer of the Carey films. It is announced that the same organization that has been making Harry Carey pictures for Hunt Stromberg during the past two years will continue to produce his pictures. Charles R. Rogers associated with Stromberg in the previous Carey films, will devote his personal attention to production activities, which will center at Universal City. An adaptation of the story “Buck Up,”' written by Basil Dickey and Harry Haven,, will be Carey’s first feature Western for Pathe. Scott Dunlap who directed Carey in three recent successes, will continue to direct. “A Misfit Sailor” Billy Dooley will make another sailor character famous at the Christie studios. His first comedy, “A Misfit Sailor,” has been completed and he is again appearing in a blue jacket character as “A Goofy Gob.” William Watson, who directed “A Misfit Sailor,” is directting the latest Educational-Christie Comedy. Natalie Joyce plays opposite Dooley in the new picture. Walter Hiers Injured Walter Hiers suffered a serious injury to his hand while on location making one of his Educational-Waiter Hiers Comedies. He is confined to his home, having stopped work on the picture temporarily. A large iron pipe nearly severed one of Hiers’ fingers, which has been saved by skillful surgery. Del Lord Remains Del Lord, who has made thirty-two comedies released by Pathe and produced by Mack Sennett during the past two years, has just signed a new contract with the noted comedy producer. STARS IN CENTURY COMEDIES Here we see, left to right, Eddie Gordon, A1 Alt and Charles King, stars in Century comedies released by Universal.