Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

278 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 22, 1927 Artclass Couples Up Kahles’ Cartoons With “Laugh Month” Novel Effects Employed For Felix the Cat The first Felix the Cat animated cartoon coined} to be released by Educational in January contains some of the most novel effects and most unusual fade-outs ever used in a cartoon comedy. This release, titled "Felix the Cat Dines and Pines,” pictures in cartoon animation the nightmare which this black cat goes through after eating food to which he is unaccustomed. The rapidity with which the various creatures Felix encounters during his nightmare transform into different characters is breath-taking, according to the preview critics. Laugh Month To Become An Annual Event L) ESIDES the stimulus given short subjects in every particular, National Laugh Month, now ending its third week, has shown results that of themselves make it rank with the biggest showman ideas in the motion picture industry. Not only has Laugh Month promoted the advertising by exhibitors of short subjects; not only has it developed special comedy periods for theatres, but it has caught on with exhibitors, press and public alike to a point where it must now be reckoned as an important annual event. Big Exploitation Laugh Month accessory dealers report that orders for exploitation aids this year far exceed those of last year. While no definite figures are as yet available it is estimated by the Laugh Month Committee that upwards of 4,000 theatres, will have participated in the celebration this year. The eve of the fourth week of January finds the National Laugh Month Committee in receipt of scores of entries in the Laugh Month exploitation campaign. These entries include modest campaigns put over in the smallest of small towns as well as elaborate plans promulgated by bigger theatres in key cities. Fifteen of the biggest and most powerful radio stations in the country have broadcast or are broadcasting special Laugh Month programs. It is estimated that the radio audience alone that is hearing about Laugh Month numbers upward of 20,000,000. ONE OF THE FACTORS in the success of “Laugh Month,” has been the efforts of the Artclass Pictures Corporation to intelligently support this movement in connection with their various series of one and two-reelers. Bert Ennis, representing this company, secured a direct tie-up to promote “Laugh Month” through the co-operation of C. W. Kahles, creator of the newspaper strip, “Hairbreadth Harry” by having Kahles draw a special Laugh Month strip which has been published in one hundred newspapers through the Public Ledger Syndicate. The same artist also prepared a cartoon on “Laugh Month” and his newspaper character for the use of exchanges and exhibitors. A contest also suggested by Ennis was placed in operation, whereby exhibitors asked their patrons to submit the best jokes they had heard during this month, with resultant prizes and presentation of the jokes on the exhibitors’ screen. Artclass Pictures Corporation provided all of its exchanges with special advertising material for the use of exhibitors in promoting “Laugh Month” and appointed several of the exchanges to serve as executive members of the committees formed in various territories to interest exhibitors and public in this campaign. j “Wedding Yells ” SCENES from “Wedding Yells,” starring Johnny Arthur with Anita Garvin in the leading feminine role. As the stills indicate, “Wedding Yells” is a picture full of fun. Arthur Rankin Will Support Charles Puffy Arthur Rankin, stage and screen juvenile, has been signed by Universal to play a prominent role in the current series of two-reel comedies starring Charles Puffy, on which production began last week. The series will consist of ten two-reel comedies, based on stories written especially for the rotund star by Octavus Roy Cohen. Harry Sweet will direct. Rankin has played leading roles in a number of well-known film productions, and recently completed a stage engagement in Los Angeles, playing the juvenile lead in “Cradle Snatchers.” He is a kinsman of John Drew, Sidney Drew and S. Rankin Drew, of stage and screen fame. Hamilton’s Support Two comedy favorites who have played leading or supporting feminine roles in one and two-reel comedies appear in support of Lloyd Hamilton in his latest Educational Hamilton Comedy, “Peaceful Oscar,” which is ready for Laugh Month showings. “Toy” Gallagher, who has been featured in several Cameo Comedies this season, plays the role of the pretty maid while Blanche Payson is cast as the wife of Lloyd. Brothers Together Wallace Lupino, brother of Lupino Lane, again appears in one of the principal supporting roles in “Howdy Duke,” the latest Educational-Lupino Lane Comedy. “Verme,” the baby sister of Mary Kornman, punishes a birthday cake as a member of Hal Roacbe’s “Our Gang” for Pathe.