The Moving picture world (May 1925-June 1925)

208 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 9, 1925 Century Announces Ambitions of Comedies for Next Season THE Century Film Corporation, makers of two-reel Century Comedies, released through Universal, has projected the most ambitious program of comedies for the 1925-1926 season ever contemplated by that corporation. As announced this week by Abe Stern, vice-president of the Century Company, who has just returned East from the coast, there will be 52 Century Comedies, one a week, released during the period from August 5, 1925, and July 29, 1926. This weekly release schedule, which has been budgeted to cost more than $500,000 will include a series of twelve comedies starring Century's leading comedienne, Wanda Wiley; twelve starring another topnotch Century star, Edna Marian, and a series of twelve Buster Brown Comedies. There also will be two series of six each with Eddie Gordon and Al Alt, and a series of four featuring Charles King. The feature section of the forthcoming Century program is expected to be the Buster Brown Comedies. These comedies will be made by special arrangement with R. F. Outcault, the cartoonist creator of the popular boy character. Buster Brown will be played by young Arthur Trimble, a boy actor of exceptional talent. The Buster Brown comedies will be released one a month. Charles Lamont, one of Century's most trusted directors, will make them. George McWilliams has been engaged to put the comics into story and continuity form. Concerning the Wanda Wiley and Edna Marian comedies for next season, Abe Stern comments as follows : "In making twelve comedies starring Wanda Wiley, we are endeavoring to give to the exhibitor a continual supply of firstrate two-reelers with this young comedienne, who has built herself up, during the past six months, into a real box-office asset. Reports from the Universal exchanges indicate that she has definitely established herself as a comedy star. Her comedies are in demand. "The same is true of Edna Marian. We regard her as a find. Her comedies this winter and spring have been eye-openers to us." The six Eddie Gordon comedies will be clean, wholesome comedies of the slap-stick variety. The same will be true of the Al Alt two-reelers. These two men have proved their worth in this type of comedy, for which, by the way, there is a widespread and a surprisingly large demand. "The four Charles King comedies will be special two-reelers of high box-office drawing power. King is a newcomer to Century ranks, but he is well known in the film world and has proved to us that he is as good in comedy roles as he is in leading man parts in dramatic pictures." Next for Talmadge "Twenty Years After" is the working title of Richard Talmadge's next action melodrama for F. B. O , work on which began at the F. B. O. Studios this week. The story by James Bell Smith, is based on Dr. Samuel Johnson's story "The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia." Carl Laemmle, president of Universal Pir tures Corporation, and Charles Puffy, who has just signed a contract to make a series of comedies for Universal Laemmle Returns from West with Plans for Fall Season WHEN Carl Laemmle left New York in January to set the fall and winter season pictures, to procure the necessary vehicles and the artists to make them and to reorganize the production staff at Universal City, he undertook a big job in a characteristic way. On Saturday, April 18, he returned to New York, The thirty Jewels contemplated for next year are all purchased and the great majority of them have been placed in production at Universal City. Twenty-three directors are busily at work completing the tremendous schedule, fully 30 per cent, greater than any other schedule ever contemplated by the Universal. With thirty Jewels, twenty-six Blue Streak westerns, six Adventure stories in fifteen to eighteen episodes each, twelve two-reel Gump comedies, fifty-two Century comedies, fifty-two Bulls Eye comedies, fiftytwo Mustang westerns, ( two International News releases a week, Universal will have a total releasing power of between 700 and 800 reels of pictures. Among the directors on Universal's list are Rupert Julian, Dimitri Buchowetski, Clarence Brown, Charles Brabin, Edward Sedgwick, Svend Gade, King Baggot, Edward Sloman, Hurry Pollard, Herbert Blache, William Seiter, Lawrence Trimble, Edward Laemmle, Maurice Tourneur, Clifford Smith, Henry McRae, Francis Ford and several new directors just signed, among whom may be mentioned Frank Griffin, Robert North Bradbury, Al Rogell, Travers Vale and Harold Shumate. Mr. Laemmle announced the signing of several new people to go into stock. They include Louise Dresser, Jason Robards, Marion Nixon, Lola Todd, Prince Youcca Troubetzkcy, Marceline Day, Josie Sedgwick, Margaret Quimby, Cesare Gravina, Georgie Grandee and Charles Puffy, the European comedian whom Mr. Laemmle expects to be a sensation. Neal Burns in scenes in the Educational-Christie Comedy, "Why Hesitate?" (The stunning beauty is Vera Stedman!)