Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

256 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 22, 192? HERE'S handing a big bouquet of happiness and good wishes to “Uncle Carl” Laemmle, who celebrated his Diamond Jubilee on Monday, Jan. 17, at Universal City, attended by the ■feasting and rejoicing of his great organization. Sixty years young, with more than one-third of his active and useful life spent in service to the motion picture and its progress and development, “Uncle Carl,” as he is everywhere affectionately called, must look back over the years with supreme satisfaction. May they rest lightly upon him and that many more years, equally useful and equally active, may await Universal’s president, will be the wish of all in the industry. * Canon Chase, who ever strives to be the tack that elevates the motion picture industry, whenever it wants to settle down, is at it again. The good Canon is still chasing the motheaten and out-worn will-of-the wisp of Federal Censorship for the motion picture, but he’s getting somewhat out of breath. The best reason he can now assign for governmental supervision of films is that “commercially it (the movie) has succeeded in bringing America into disrepute” among foreign nations. The hell it has, Canon, and you know it, quite as well as we do. The motion picture is selling and proclaiming the superiority of American goods in every part of the world and this is the real reason for the “disrepute” to which you refer. Other nations may object to this, but it hardly calls for Federal censorship. As usual the worthy Canon has missed fire. His ammunition is all wet. Our suggestion would be for him to load up with something else than the movies next time. He is getting to be appreciated here less and less. Maybe the British might like to hire him? * Frank Pope radios that “over 600 actors in The King of Kings will be pensioned for the rest of their lives by Cecil B. De Mille.” We were about to send out a hurry call to some of the hungry “extras” we see daily in our peregrinations along the Main Stem, to jump a fast freight for Hollywood, when we read the rest of the message. The “600 actors” are pigeons, so we’ll just add another “birdy” to Frank’s score and let it go at that. Every one in the trade is commiserating with Jim Beecroft, New York manager, for Exhibitor’s Herald, who a fortnight ago, fell on the ice near his home in Mamaroneck, N. Y., and broke his hip. Jim has a host of friends and as he is apt to be laid up for several weeks, it may not be amiss to suggest here that those who read this notice sit right down and write him a letter. It is notable that this is the fourth accident of the same nature to occur in the Beecroft family in past years, Jim’s father, mother and elder brother, Judge Edgar Beecroft, all having suffered from similar injuries. Our best hope is that Jim will be back at his office at the earliest date possible for the doctor to get him in shape, and if good wishes would do anything for broken hips, his would have been healed already. * Francis X. Bushman, at the A. M. P. A. luncheon, must have made a lot of ears burn among our esteemed, in a manner of speaking, newspaper film critics. He said, in effect, that they really ought to learn something about how movies are made, so that they might occasionally offer some really constructive suggestions, instead of alleged “wisecracks” or knocks. In doing it Frank may have invited the lightning to strike in his locality, but all the same he will have a lot of sympathy^ when the storm breaks. Incidentally, it is interesting to note that Francis X. looks as fit as we ever saw him and as ath letic as he was in the days he first starred for Metro, when they took him away from Essanay, oh, ever so long ago. This tip is for the benefit of some young and lusty critic, who might be tempted to take him on, otherwise at close quarters. It may prevent vain regrets, or save some city editor the trouble of getting a new movie critic. Any one who says “Whoops, my dear!” to Bob Welsh better have his running shoes on. As a juvenile ailment, whooping cough doubtless has its place in fireside conversation, when some of the family is so afflicted. As a piece of persiflage, around the office, however, though it may go well enough for a couple of days, it is apt to get tedious in time. That time is now past, as far as Bob is concerned, we are given to understand, and this warning is posted herewith, for the public safety, Bob’s “whoops” have faded and all is quiet at Universal. So don’t start anything. * “The Man With The Mop” might be the title of Arthur G. Whyte, the extremely modest, but important executive, who has been re-organizing ProDisCo’s activities at the New York end. In his long career in the film business he has had more unpleasant, and for the ordinary man, distasteful, tasks wished on him than most, but he has invariably performed them with an efficiency and an ability, that has been noteworthy. Where the average busy film executive, plays — say — two or three hours a day, Arthur Whyte allows himself hardly more than a half hour of relaxation. For all that he isn’t a mere machine, but a regular fellow. Ask any of his golfing associates at the Rye Country Club. * Bob Kane, after assigning Joe Boyle to direct, and Ernest Haller to photograph, “Night’s Playgrounds,” his next feature for First National, now under way at the Cosmopolitan Studios, decided that he must have some really eminent authority on the subject, to write the adaptation. So he borrowed Forrest Halsey from Famous Players. Now Bob’s all set, for as an authority on “Night’s Playgrounds,” Forrest knows his groceries. Adolph zukor has talked. over the trans-Atlantic telephone to Famous Players’ British representative, John Cecil Graham, in London, and Robert Lieber, president of First National, through the same medium has addressed the annual convention of his company’s sales executives of the United Kingdom, also held in the British metropolis. Photographs of both executives at the telephone were transmitted by wireless and reproduced in London a few hours afterward. It may not be long now before we shall see the premiere of some great motion picture tak ing place simultaneously in New York and London, while the machine, which is projecting the picture, is being operated in Hollywood. These are great days. * Virginia Morris, who aims to keep J. M. Bachmann and his Famous Attractions in the Public Eye, as much as possible, and suceeds very well, as nearly as we can find out, has returned from a trip to Atlanta and New Orleans. She had a most enjoyable outing and, according to report, only went to New Orleans to sleep. She is back, thoroughly rested, without having had even one sasserac cocktail or orange blossom. Whether she had hoped tosee Earl Carroll while in Atlanta is not known, but, if so,, she must have been disappointed. Virginia says she is going to make the tour next year, however. * Harry Hershfield, president of the Cheese Club, has been made an honorary member of the A. M. P. A., a graceful gesture by President Walter Eberhardt and the A. M. P. A. directors in recognition of Harry’s many services and friendly co-operation to the organization. Somebody ought to have thought of wishing it on him long ago, for Harry has been the “Covered Wagon” of the Ampas for a long time, always a surefire after-lunch attraction, and the band-wagon of the Ampa’s “Big Parade,” when ever they have craved real entertainment. Congratulations to both.