The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

S62 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 7, 1920 Dr, Cyrus Townsend Brady, Vitagraph Scenarist, Dies Victim of Pneumonia VERY unexpectedly Dr. Cyrus Townsend Brady died at his home on Park Hill, Yonkers, Saturday morning, Jan. 24. He was stricken with pneumonia only two days before and despite the best medical attention died surrounded by members of his family before they fully realized the danger. Dr. Brady was in his fifty-ninth year, having been born in 1861 at Pittsburg. When he was a boy of ten his family moved to Leavenworth, Kan., where the youth subsequently was graduated fiom high school and was admitted to Annapolis. When he was graduated from the Naval Academy the prospects of promotion were negative and he, therefore, turned his attention to other pursuits than sailoring for Uncle Sam. Brady was first employed in railroad work, and married in 1883, the year of his graduation from Annapolis. Clarissa Sidney Guthrie was Dr. Brady's first wife, and three children resulted from the union. Mrs. Brady died while her iiusband was rector of an Episcopalian •church in Crete, Neb. From Railroad Man to ClerffTman. Dr. Brady's studious nature had re"volted at prosaic railroad work and he had undertaken a course in theology under Dr. Worthington, Bishop of Nebraska, with Dean Gardner of the •Cathedral in Omaha as his tutor. The parish in Crete was his first charge. From Nebraska Dr. Brady moved to Sedalia, Mo., where he was rector of -the Episcopalian church, when he married Mary Bartlett, of Sedalia, who, with three children resulting from the union, survives him. St. Mark's, Denver, was Dr. Brady's next assig^nment and he later became archdeacon of Kan-vania. It was while he was rector of a church in Overbrook, Pa., that Dr. Brady turned his attention to literature. "For Love -of Country" was his first book; followed by "The Grip of Honor" and "For Free-dom of the Seas." Since 1897 more than a hundred novels, juveniles and works •on history and religion have been the fruits of Dr. Brady's authorship. In the Spanish-American war Dr. Brady served with the First Pennsylvania Volunteers as chaplain — thus attaining the record of serving his country in both army and navy. Returning from the war Dr. Brady decided to make New York his home, but after living here a short time he was called to Trinity Church, Toledo, and then to St. •George's, Kansas City. Serves in Both Army and Navy. Dr. Brady's last fixed mission as an Episcopalian clergyman was in Mount Vernon, N. Y., although he has continued to preach and do missionary -work in Episcopalian churches and Y. M. C. A.'s in and around New York. He was, indeed, conducting a series of Sunday afternoon missions in St. Stephen's Church, New York, in his last days of life. Six years ago, after two of his scenarios had been produced by other firms. Dr. Brady signed a contract to write for Vitagraph and has since been ex•clusively employed in turning out feature and serial stories for Vitagraph presentation. His first Vitagraph was "The Island of Regeneration." His other Vitagraph feature included "The Chalice of Courage," "The Little Angel of Canyon Creek," "Hearts in the Highway," "The Hero of Submarine D-2" and "The Island of Surprise." The last feature Vitagraph produced from Dr. Brady's pen was "By the World Forgot." While these works were going through the process of production there were several serials in which Dr. Brady collaborated with A. E. Smith, president of Vitagraph, in preparing and presenting. "The Fighting Trail" was done in 1917, putting Vitagraph "on the map" as a serial concern. Six Years as Film Scenarist. "Vengeance and the Woman," "A Fight for Millions," "The Iron Test," "The Perils of Thunder Mountain," and "The Invisible Hand" were subsequent Brady-Smith serials that have made money for showmen. There is still in Vitagraph's hand, to be produced, another serial at present unnamed. "The Invisible Hand" and "By the World Forgot" are cited as the last serial and the last feature done in Dr. Brady's life. The degree of L.L.D. was conferred upon Dr. Brady by St. John's College, Annapolis, and other signal honors had come to him because of his ability and devotion to militant churchmanship. His funeral was conducted by Bishop Burch, of the Diocese of New York, at St. Stephen's Church, and the remains were interred in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Tarrytown. Colonel Jasper Ewing Brady, editor of Metro's scenario department, and Mrs. L. C. Ashbrook, Mitchell, Neb., a brother and sister, are the only immediate relatives other than fhose previously named, surviving Dr. Brady. Minneapolis Exhibitors Protest as *'Flu* Threatens Dark Theaters Minneapolis, January 28. GUARDS were stationed today by Dr. E. E. Harrington, Minneapolis Public Health Commissioner, in front of all motion picture houses with strict injunctions to disperse all lobby crowds as a preventative measure against the influenza epidemic. Ticket sellers were warned against issuing any tickets after houses were filled. Theodore Hayes, president of the Twin City Scenic Company, was appointed by the Exhibitors' Protective League as chairman of a city committee to co-operate with city health authorities following a meeting to-day of thirty Minneapolis rnotion picture exhibitors with Dr. Harrington to protest against the proposed closing of theatres as announced by the city health department. Dr. Harrington was informed that if theatres here were closed exhibitors would see that every business of the city was also closed if the fight had to be taken to court. Other committee members are A. E. Parks, New Franklin Theatre, secretary; W. A. Stefles, Northern Theatre; Clyde Hitchcock, Princess Theatre; Burton Meyers, Pantages, and Henry Green, New Lake. The Minneapolis committee will meet this week with a committee from St. Paul headed by A. E. Braddock,, of the New Liberty Theatre, to devise measures for co-operation between the Twin Cities next week during the Northwestern Automobile Show, when more than 50,000 out-of-town visitors are expected. All theatres have special attractions for the week. Finkelstein and Ruben, owners of more than twenty-five houses in the Twin Cities, ordered all newspaper advertising dropped to-day for a week because of Harrington's orders. It is estimated that guards will cost exhibitors $5,000 daily in business. Mr. Parks issued the following statement to-day: "Influenza epidemic is not serious. Less than 1,000 are ill in Minneapolis out of a population of 400,000. Exhibitors are tired of being singled out for persecution in every calamity. If theatres are closed, we will see that every depart ment store in the city is closed. Theatres are fumigated and are more santary than crowded street cars, building elevators and basement stores. I favor a permanent committee to uphold exhibitors' rights in the future. Harrington's action has united ex libitors as nothing else has done." The Exhibitors' Protective League today took up the question of assisting North Dakota exhibitors to purchase 100-foot trailers for 300 houses in the State, to carry propaganda against Sunday closing. Secretary H. L. Mitchell announced that league members will confer February 3 with A. J. Kavanaugh, Ruby Theatre, Jamestown; Joseph Isaacs, Strand Theatre, Grand Forks, and Sam R. Cornish, Strand, Fargo, representing North Dakota exhibitors, as to means for helping in the fight to reopen the State for Sunday theatres. Harris Secures Injunction. An opinion was handed down Wednesday, January 28, by Justice Platzek in the New York Supreme Court( Special Term, Part 1) granting an injunction to restrain the production of ik motion picture, "East or West," by Carlyle Blackwell. Application for injunction was made by William Harris, Jr., producer of "East Is West" at the Astor Theatre, and Samuel Shipman and John B. Hymer, authors. Justice Platzek said in his opinion : "It is apparent that the two titles in this case are so similar as to create confusion. Plaintiff's title is fanciful and so is defedant's. Of course there can be no monopoly in the use of such words as 'east' or 'west.' Anyone may use them as part of a descriptive title. But the fanciful combination 'East Is West' is entitled to protection against another fanciful title so nearly like it as 'East or West.' The motion for an injunction is granted." Reviews printed in Moving Picture World are written with authoritv by experienced craftsmen; written from the production exactly as it will be presented on the screen of your theatre.