The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

January 24, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 569 Laemmie and Berman Reach Chicago; Universal Has Big Plans for 1920 HM. BERMAN, general manager of Universal exchanges, arrived in • the city Monday, January 5, after a five weeks' trip throughout the Far West, during which Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Tacoma and Seattle were visited. Butte City, Salt Lake, Denver, Kansas City and Minneapolis were also included in the itinerary. The main object of the tour was to investigate conditions at the various points and to look over superproductions recently finished at Universal City. Three of these have just been completed and will be released in the near future. "Ambition," recently finished by Allan Holubar, will press "Heart of Humanity" hard for first place in the estimation of exhibitors and the public, Mr. Berman believes. It has a great heart appeal and a compelling story, and Mr. Berman confidently predicts a phenomenal success for it. "The Devil's Pass Key," directed by Eric Von Stroheim, who also directed "Blind Husbands," is another of the completed superfeatures. This is a modern picture, based on a romantic Parisian story, which has been very delicately handled by the director and well acted by a strong cast. The settings are exceptionally fine, Mr. Berman assured me. "The Breath of the Gods" is another of the big pictures just finished. Mme. Hayawaka is the star, and she is ably supported by a worthy cast. This picture lends itself particularly to fine accompanying music during its presentation, Mr. Berman says. Completing Fourth Big Picture. The fourth superfeature is now receiving its finishing touches. Priscilla Dean appears in the principal role and, when completed, Mr. Berman holds that it will prove one of the most powerful pictures yet produced at Univer.sal City. "The Beautiful Beggar" will be the title for this. The cost will be over the $200,000 mark. Extra special care has been devoted to the selection of the cast and the direction is in the care of Todd Browning, who has had directorial charge of all the Priscilla Dean pictures. Another big production under way is "Overland Red," a Harry Carey, western superfeature, in which that actor is said to appear at his best. In the cities visited, Mr. Berman met all the prominent exhibitors. He found that each was enjoying a prosperous business and looking forward to a record year in 1920. Without exception all these big exhibitors are demanding super-productions. The picture theatre going public have become educated in this respect and demand the best, and are willing to pay advanced admissions. Seattle impressed Mr. Berman as being the most lively of all the cities visited, and he found that really great pictures are in high demand there. "Lying Husbands" Plays to S. R. O. , While in Los Angeles, Mr. Berman was fortunate enough to view a presentation of "Lying Husbands" at the California Theatre, now managed by S. L. Rothapfel, the Belasco of moving picture presentations. During its run the picture played to S. R. O., without exception. Eugene Roth, owner of the Imperial and California theatres, San Francisco, informed Mr. Berman that "Lying Husbands" had played to capacity for two weeks at the Imperial. Jensen & Herberg, owners of a circuit of theatres in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and Butte City, also reported tremendous business for the "Right to Happiness" and "Blind Husbands" in all their houses. Laemmie Arrives in Windy City. Mr. Berman referred, in gratified manner, to the cordial and hospitable way in which he had been receiv^ed by the prominent exhibitors of the Pacific Coast. He summed it up all in the words, "I had a' very pleasant time." Just by chance Carl Laemmie, presi rlliiiliiiiiitiiiiiiiiiriitiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiitiiiii dent of Universal, arrived in Chicago from Los Angeles on the same day that Mr. Berman came in. They left for New York, on the Broadway Limited, Tuesday afternoon, January 6. Mr. Laemmie was seen for only a moment, but found time to say that he had spent ten days in Los Angeles. "I saw two of our finished, big productions and part of another, and they were very wonderful — even beyond my expectations," he said with enthusiasm. "We have made some very big pictures in the past; but what we will do in 1920, will outshine anything we have ever done. I mean this seriously, and again repeat that Universal, during the year 1920, will beat any picture ever made by it previously — or by anybody else." Dwelling for a moment on "Ambition," he said : "The story of 'Ambition' has a world-heart appeal that will make it a triumph wherever shown." Don't Trust Him, Alice. Jack Gilbert was beating Alice Lake two minutes later as the villain in Metro's great picture, "Should a Woman Tell?" Capital Film Company Moves Into Spacious New Offices THE Capital Film Company has moved its quarters from the sixth floor of the Consumers Building to the second floor, the entire space of which, comprising 12,00 square feet, is being used for executive offices. These, when completed, will rank with the finest in the country. The new q-uarters will be completed about the middle of this month. B. J. Dasent, Capital's recently appointed head of the department of publicity, informed me that the new offices were necessitated by the extraordinary increase in the company's business, which has had a remarkably rapid growth. S. L. Barnard, president, and E. C. Eckels, general manager of the company, left for New York Sunday, January 4, and will return early next week. While the object of their trip was not divulged, it is understood that it has to do with important matters connected with the company's interests, the details of which will be announced on their return. Buying for London. Last week, John MacKenzie, sole buyer of Amerfcan films for the Clune Productions, for distribution in the British Isles, spent two days in Capital's Chicago office, looking over the product of the company and making selections for distribution from his London office. Capital's western pictures, of two-reel length, and other western subjects were especially favored by the Londoner. Work Begun on Capitol Theatre. Work on the great modern picture theatre (already named the Capitol) for Balaban & Katz, at State and Lake streets, began Monday, January 12. The building on the site is owned by five difl'erent estates, and the first of the