The Moving picture world (February 1920-March 1920)

March 27, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 2131 Margaret Dale Makes Screen Debut. Margaret Dale, well-known legitimate actress, is making her motion picture debut in a new production, featuring Alma Rubens, now being made for Cosmopolitan Productions at International Studio, 127th street and Second avenue. New York, under the direction of Robert G. Vignola. Considerable secrecy surrounds the character and theme of the production, but it is said to be particulary timely and one of the most desirable pictures Vignola has made. Finish First Fox Production with Vivian Rich in 18 Days EIGHTEEN days of actual working time is the record set by Vivian Rich, the new Fox star, in completing her first production for William Fox at the California studios. The previous record for completion of a production of this nature and length was established some time ago — also by a woman star — and totaled twenty-one working days. Miss Rich's progress in her first film for this producer, under the direction of Scott Dunlap, is a notable one. The name of her first picture as a star is "Would You Forgive?" It is a drama of domestic life and furnished the actress a role that puts her ability to a much severer test than that which she met so successfully in appearance under the Fox banner — in the melodrama, "The Last Straw," which introduced Buck Jones as a screen star, and in which she was his leading woman. The story, written especially for Miss Rich, is from the pen of Julius G. Furthman, one of the four writers recently added to the Fox scenario staff on the west coast. There are but four principals in the story, and the entire picture was filmed within the walls of the studios in Hollywood without loss of time on location work. Supporting Vivian Rich are Tom Chatterton, Ben Deely and Lilie Leslie. Winter Weather Just Suited "Law of the Yukon" Company CHARLES MILLER and his company have arrived in New York City after three months spent at Port Henry, N. Y., where camera work on "The Law of the Yukon," his first production for Mayflower Photoplay Corporation, was practically completed. Director Miller voiced an emphatic paean of praise for the winter that is passing. • The blizzards which had worked suffering and great financial losses in various cities had been of incalculable value, Mr. Miller said, in obtaining the "frozen North" and Yukon effects which he desired. He recounted numerous experiences through which the company had passed, suffering few hardships despite the rigorous weather and passing through a severe influenza epidemic in Port Henry without one case of sickness in the company. Mr. Miller's company left New York City on December 17. About seventy actors and actresses made up the company. Port Henry's solitary hotel was taken over entirely. Work was held up for the fiist ten days by the failure of the lights to arrive from New York City. But a start was made on the Alaskan village that was erected on location and when the lights finally arrived work started with a rush. Snow and plenty of it arrived at about the same time. "From the standpoint of weather conditions," Mr. Miller said, "most of the members of the company were satisfied they were in the 'frozen North.' The village we had built was snowed under. We had to put runners on the front trucks of our automobiles and wear snowshoes." InterOcean Starts Big Advertising Campaign in American Trade Papers THE first important step in the development of Inter-Ocean Film Corporation's plans for educating the American motion picture producer in general and the independent producer in particular to the value of placing their productions in the hands of an export house specializing in the distribution of American films in foreign territories, got under way this week in the first of a series of advertisements which are to be carried in American trade journals throughout the coming year. This is in line with its policy recently made public through the trade press of inaugurating an extensive and far-reaching advertising and publicity campaign in behalf of the American motion picture export company, and to emphasize the advantages to be derived from the producer's association with such an organization. It is wholly apart from Inter-Ocean Film Corporation's regular advertising and publicity campaign which is now being conducted in the various foreign trade mediums. This is declared to be the first time in the historj' of the motion picture industry that a large American film exporting concern has attempted such a campaign in the American trade press. That it will be instrumental in producing the desired results both to the American producer and to the Inter-Ocean Film Corporation is a conclusion which Inter-Ocean officials have no hesitancy in affirming. Time for Campaign. "That the time is ripe for an educative campaign of this nature among American producers is commonly known in the industry," said an Inter-Ocean official, commenting on the company's new plans. "It has remained for the Inter-Ocean Film Corporation, however, to take, the initiative and start the ball rolling. "While the campaign will involve a large expenditure on the part of Inter-Ocean, we are appreciative of the reward it will bring in good will and increased business later on." The campaign will be conducted by A. L. Feiman, who will also continue in charge of advertising and publicity in foreign trade mediums. When the Heavyweight Becomes "A Lightweight Lover." In Fox's Sunshine Comedy — P. S — The 800-pound weight in the foreground weighs exactly three and one-half pounds. Fairbanks Keeps Secret Nature of His Stunts in His Next ''Big Four' Picture FOR the first time since he entered upon a screen career Douglas Fairbanks has taken steps to prevent advance information from reaching the outside world as to the nature of his activities in his studios. With his return from Arizona this week, together with the hundred members of his company who had been on location in the desert filming a number of the more important and thrilling scenes for "Mollycoddle," the next Fairbanks production for United Artists, the order was issued by the star to see that no loitering be permitted about the grounds of the plant and that every "set," whether on the stage or otherwise, be hidden from the view of outsiders. The precautions are due to the fact that there are so many novelties being intro duced in "Mollycoddle," which will cause even greater comment than the nightmare and flood episodes of "When the Clouds Roll By," and these two innovations to the screen have mystified the most hardened critics throughout the world. Robert Fairbanks, manager of the productions of the organization, has followed his brother's instructions to the letter and things have been camouflaged to such perfection that even the eyes of the trained army aviators who continually fly over the film colony in Hollywood arc deceived. According to word which came to Hiram Ahrams at the United Artists headquarters from JTohn Fairbanks, general manager of activities on the Coast, it will be a miracle if Doug comes out alive before "Mollycoddle" is completed.