The Moving picture world (April 1920-May 1920)

824 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 8, 1920 Educational Describes Chester Studios Now N earing Completion in Los Angeles LATE dispatches from Los Angeles announce the practical completion of the physical organization of C. L. Chester Productions, Inc., whose entire product will be released through Educational Films Corporation. Only the laboratory and permanent offices remain to be finished before the entire plant will be in operation. Mr. Chester is in personal charge of ill the activities on the West Coast, havin,? offices for the present at 6372 Hollywood Boulevard. Here also are located Katherine Hilliker, whose work on the titles for Chester Outings is so well known and who will do the title work for all the Che3ter offerings, and Arthur W. Loomer, director of art work. Until the new Chester laboratory is completed, the cutting and projection rooms are located in the William Horsley Laboratories at 6060 Sunset Boulevard. Here Joseph LaRose, who is so well known as production manager for the Rialto and Rivoli Theatres, New York, is located. Mr. LaRose is assembling and editing the comedy and travel productions under the direct supervision of Mr. Chester. The Chester Studios, where the comedies are being produced, are located near Lincoln Park, not far from the Selig Zoo. William S. Campbell, who has had long experience in handling productions in which animals participate, is in charge li activities, with Harry Burns as his assistant and Lee Garmes as cameraman. Adjoining the studios is the Chester Zoo, which afYords unusual facilities for the production of animal scenes. Animals figure as prominently in the second of the Chester Comedies, now nearing completion, as they did in "Four Times Foiled," the initial production, which recently had its pre-release showings in New York. The Chester Zoo offers a variety of animal actors, including the lion family of six, headed by Leo and Queenie; Meatsie, a leopard, and her two cubs; a puma, an anteater, a pair of raccoons and an African vulture. There are some twelve breeds of the monkey family, including Alexander, who took the hero's role in "Four Times Foiled." There are in addition to the domestic animals, including the horse and dog that showed such intelligence in the initial Chester comedy creation. Before leaving Los Angeles the ChcstcComedies will be ready for the exhibitor. There also the Chester-Outings ami Screenics will be edited and titled, the film being dispatched to Los Angeles by the five Chester cameramen who are "scat-tcred to the four winds." Educational will announce a definite release schedule for the Chester prodi-ct within a few days. Ample exploitation material on each release is being prepared. Theatre Publicity Manager Complains of Poor Quality of Exploitation Materials Editor Moving Picture World: THERE is a subject vital to the promotion of the popularity of the motion picture that is seemingly overlooked by all except the one responsible for the publicity for the individual or chain of theatres devoted to first runs in the larger cities. This is the inadequate supply of suitable stills for publicity purposes in the metropolitan newspapers or other publications wherein stills may be "planted" providing they are of a sutiaitable nature. Why is it that seeming care is given to the smooth working of the departments of the producing company with the exception of that department which can be counted as one of the most important of all — the publicity? That is, as far as the tools with which to work, in this instance such tools being suitable stills for publication purposes. It is said that the average cost per still to the studio is 45 cents and that the aggregate cost of such material is far out of proportion. Still if this is a fact, why do the producing studios insist in foisting upon the exchanges for publicity distribution a bunch of junk that is apparently useless by those upon whom such publicity distribution depends. Complain as to expense and then willfully cast their money to the "four winds of Heaven." A pretty girl can always get attention from the press and can top the layout. Those engaged in the work of theatrical publicity know this and work to this end, but if one does attempt to gain good-looking stills of the more popular stars from the exchanges there is always an appalling lack of such and in their places is an inconsequental collection of stills which mean nothing and in most instances non-publishable except where a figure is blocked out here and there. This occurs even when it happens that you are the first man to handle the run. Either the stars do not wish to become popular (and I do not certainly believe that this is the case) or else the producing companies are fearful that their stars may become too popular. Anyway in the long run, it is only working injury upon the producer. HOWARD O. PIERCE. Publicity Manager, John H. Kunsky, Inc. Zukor Will Produce British Stage Successes in England FILMING of British stage successes in England for distribution in this country, England and on the Continent will begin at once by a Famous PlayersLasky British producing company, it was declared by Adolph Zukor, president of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, upon his arrival in New York City from abroad, last week. The plays include all of Sir James M. Rarrie's successes, including "Peter Pan," "What Every Woman Knows" and "The Little Minister." A new play being written by Henry Arthur Jones and the Drury Lane spectacle, "The Great Day," also are among the British stage successes which will be converted into motion pictures under the direction of Jesse L. Lasky, producing head of the corporation. Hugh P'ord, a director, is already on his way to London to open the new Famous Players-Lasky studio in that city with the production of Marie Corelli's novel, "The Sorrows of Satan." These plays, Mr. Zukor stated, will be enacted by British casts in British settings, and more than anything else will serve to bring the Old World cioser to -America. While in London Mr. Zukor conferred with several leaders of British ufe and he says he received many indications that the British people are greatly pleased because American motion picture producers will film British plays in British settings for .American consumption. "When I was in England," he asserted, "I received letters by the score congratulating me and my associates on our enterprise. The British people like American photoplays, which are having a tremendous success throughout the British Isles as well as on the continent, but, naturally, they want to see photoplays in English settings, and with our new London studio we are in a position to supply tl.em. "Nearly all the comment I heard while in England was to the eflfect that motion pictures made in England and distributed in America would have a most salutary effect in uniting even closer the two nations in the bonds of friendship and understanding." Effects of a Telegram: No. Paramount's "Mrs. Temple's Telegram' '^''•'K'a" Coming, Sir; No. 2— Ju»t Before Its Arrival; No. 3— After Reading It. shows Bryant Washburn getting temperamental while pretty Wanda Hawley endeavors to console nlm