Moving Picture World (Jul 1916)

July 22, 1916 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 641 Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Stars, Plays, Editors and Other Important Adjuncts Being Gathered About Great Combination THAT the merger of the Famous Players Film Company and the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company into the $12,500,000 Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was one designed to gain instant increase in productive activities by these leading producers for the Paramount program is clearly indicated by the first announcement emanating from the newly formed concern. The engagement of Robert E. MacAlarney, city editor of the New York Tribune and president of the New York City News Association, as editor of the Lasky scenario department which followed closely on the heels of the engagement by the Famous Players of Shannon Fife, John A. Moroso, Izola Forrester and Forest Halsey to assist Harry R. Durant in that company's script department, shows that the stories in which the concern's great aggregation of stars is to be presented will receive the most careful attention of trained experts. The record-breaking offer by the Famous Players of $100,000 for one hundred photoplay ideas is unaffected by the merger and the new corps of scenario experts will devote a large part of their attention to the technical perfecting of those scripts which are accepted under the offer. Add to this material the five new plays and the amount of material which is being piled up by the producers becomes apparent. As a further indication of the projected activities of the combination it may be stated that a series of special Mary Pickford subjects is now being planned. John Emerson, who made his debut as a motion picture star with the Famous Players and has since acquired an enviable reputation by his remarkable success as a director of photoplays, has been engaged to direct Miss Pickford in these productions. Del Henderson, one of the best known motion picture directors in the business, has been added to the Famous Players staff, and is now at work on "Rolling Stones" in which Owen Moore is being starred. The first stars to be engaged since the merger are Maurice and Florence Walton, the internationally celebrated dancers, who are soon to appear in a Famous Players production. The moving of the Lasky scenario department, under Hector Turnbull, from the west coast to New York augurs closer co-operation between the two companies at once, and a desire to concentrate the scenario work. Still another indication of the get-together spirit, the office of Adolph Zukor, president of the new concern, will be moved from the Famous Players Studio in Fifty-sixth street to 485 Fifth avenue, the address of the Lasky Company. The publicity departments of the constituent companies will also make their headquarters at the Fifth avenue address. One of the great advantages of the merger is the fact that the placing of the executive responsibility upon the shoulders of Adolph Zukor, Samuel Goldfish and Arthur S. Friend, respectively president, chairman of board of directors and treasurer, will give Jesse L. Lasky opportunity to devote a far greater part of his time to the actual producing of pictures, and of coming in even more frequent personal contact with the stars and directors. Picture Trip Around the World by Auto C. Post Mason Will Exhibit and Arrange State Rights for "Greater New York By Day and By Night" LEAVING New York the early part of August C. Post Mason, traveling by automobile, will commence a trip that has for its intinerary the principal countries of the world. He will stop at the principal cities en route from New York to Frisco, exhibiting his production, "Greater New York by Day and by Night," and disposing of territory. From Frisco car and driver will take steamer for Honolulu, where a ten days' stay will be made, then on to New Zealand and Australia. From Australia, the Far East, including Japan, China and India, from thence to Egypt, Italy, Spain, France and England. In addition to exhibiting his production of "Greater New York by Day and by Night," Mr. Mason will take a series of pictures throughout the entire route which he intends to exhibit on his return to New York. Mr. Mason has spent -the last fifteen years in traveling on the continent and through the Far East and has already accomplished some very big motor tours. He holds the thousand-mile-non-stop-run record of Australia, and his last trip, some six months ago, was a tour of 2,400 miles through Queensland with a company of six performers, under the patronage of the Belgium Consul at Queensland and in aid of the Belgium Fund. Mr. Mason's production "Greater New York by Day and by Night" has been made with the official sanction of the municipal authorities. The Commissioner of Parks, the Commissioner of Bridges, the Immigration Department ,and General Manager Headley of the Interborough, all granted special permission for this production. The statistics given in the titles for the production are all authentic and were furnished by the various commissioners to be used in this production. Every scene of note in New York including its world-famous buildings, bridges, transportation systems, drives, boulevards and streets are all shown. The State rights and the bookings for local exhibitions will be done from Mr. Mason's New York office, Candler Building, 220 West 42d street. Mr. Mason is a well-known identity in the theatrical world internationally, having been associated with several international tours and events of note, having been general manager of the great six-day bicycle races at Sydney and Melbourne, where a world's record for attendance was created, there being over 65,000 people at the finish of the Sydney six-day race. C. Post Mason and His Touring Car — Mrs. Mason, Who Will Accompany Her Husband, Is in the Car. It will be Mr. Mason's endeavor to make this picture of New York as educational as possible and he will lecture on same. A trade showing of this subject will lie given at the Sun Photoplay projection rooms, 218 West 42d street, at 3 o'clock Thursday, July 13.