The Moving picture world (May 1920-June 1920)

962 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 15, 1920 Humoresque' Will Appeal to All; Countrywide Advertising Campaign Planned ••» Meed the Money." Says Sid Grauman to Al St. John, Warner Brothers' star, just after the comedian received a watch as a token for having appeared at Grauman's Theatre. Lucille Lennox a Pathe "Find." A new star is approaching the film firmament, according to the calculations of George B. Seitz and others connected with the production of Pathe serials, who have given such enthusiastic accounts of the talents and beauty of Lucille Lennox, a winner in a recent beauty contest with no previous stage or screen experience, to Paul Brunet, that the vice-president and general manager of Pathe has signed her to a contract to play parts in serials. Miss Lennox is now doing a part in the serial "Velvet Fingers," which Mr. Seitz is producing in the New York studio. Lucille Lennox, it appears, is a Pathe "find." Schussel Made Assistant Head of Realart Exchange THE promotion of Seymour R. Schussel to become assistant branch manager of the New York City office of Realart Pictures Corporation has been announced by Lester W. Adler, manager. Mr. Schussel has been sales representative in the New York office since its organization last fall. He has won for himself an enviable record as a salesman in Manhattan territory and his promotion comes as a result of this, according to Mr. Adler. Schussel's rise in the motion picture industry has been rapid and steady, showing business capacity of a high order. His first position was with the Triangle Film Company in 1915 as poster clerk. Within a short time he became bookkeeper and then was appointed cashier of the company. He has a large acquaintance among exhibitors throughout New York City and State, who will be pleased to hear of his promotion. The increased business done at the New York office in recent months made it imperative for Mr. Adler to have an assistant and Mr. Schussel was immediately picked for the post because of his ability. Tri-Star Signs Claire Whitney. Claire Whitney, who has been starred in numerous film productions in the past few years and is almost as well known on the legitimate stage as in the silent drama, has been signed by the Tri-Star Pictures Corporation to be starred in a series of feature productions, under the direction of Directors Joseph Byron Totten and Joseph W. Smiley. Miss Whitney is the second star to come under the TriStar banner. IN announcing to exhibitors Cosmopolitan Productions' latest release, "Humoresque," a Fannie Hurst story directed by Frank Borzage and featuring Alma Rubens, Henry M. Hobart, vice-president, calls particular attention to the phases Df greater interest to exhibitors — the exploitation and box office phases. " 'Humoresque' is one of the biggest things Cosmopolitan Productions has turned out since its organization," said Vice-President Hobart. "It is a story of rare emotions, of transcendent mother love, of superb characterizations, a story of tears and of laughter, of human heart throbs, of everyday life that you know and I know and everybody else knows. It is not a story of war and the war does not enter into it, but it is a story of after the war. It is the sort of a story that you cannot forget because it is unforgettable. Will Appeal to the Masses. "We have unbounded faith in 'Humoresque' because it has every quality of success. It has that superlative breadth of appeal, interest for the great masses. Realizing the story's potential value as a box office magnet even before production was begun, we determined to turn it into the very best picture that money and human ingenuity, genius and science could produce. Accordingly, we assigned Frank Borzage to make it. "Then we gave the story an all-star cast of players, featuring Alma Rubens. For the difficult role of the mother we engaged Vera Gordon. Others in the cast are Dore Davidson, Gaston Glass, Sidney Carlyle, Ann Wallick, Maurice Lavigne, Edward Stanton, Maurice Pecker, Ruth Sabin, Louis Stearns, Bobby Connolly and Miriam Batista, the lovable tot who is the hit of 'Florodora' in New York today. Extensive Publicity Campaign. "'Humoresque' will be released by Paramount-Artcraft on June 6. We have surrounded it with an extensive advertising, publicity and exploitation campaign. A string of big daily newspapers stretching from coast to coast will carry full page, half page and quarter page advertisements daily tying up with the local exhibitors in every possible way. Special publicity stories have been arranged for with these newspapers, and special exploitation ideas and plans have been entered into with several national business institutions which will give 'Humoresque' a large amount of the best sort of publicity. "Exhibitors will find . 'Humoresque' a rare and ideal subject for exploitation. It lends itself admirably to artistic lobby and stage displays, and it presents many phases that permit of the most lavish and unusual kind of local exploitation." Madge Kennedy Begins Making "The Girl with the Jazz Heart" GOLDWYN has started work on its third eastern production starring Madge Kennedy. The vehicle is "The Girl with the Jazz Heart," from the story by Robert Shannon which first appeared in Munsey's Magazine. Miss Kennedy recently finished the picturization of "The Truth," taken from the famous play by Clyde Fitch. "The Girl with the Jazz Heart" is regarded by officials of the Goldwyn organization as a certain money-maker. Although cast along diflferent lines, it possesses the same universal appeal which distinguishes "The Truth." It gives Miss Ken nedy every opportunity to display her humorous and emotional talents. "The Girl with the Jazz Heart" will be directed by L. ,C. Windom, who directed "The Truth." Joe King is playing opposite Miss Kennedy. The rest of the cast is being selected while Miss Kennedy and Mr. King are working together. Hodkinson Announces "No. 99" as Kerrigan's May Production THE W. W. HodVinson Corporation announces for late May release the seventh in J. Warren Kerrigan's series of Robert Brunton productions, "No. 99," prints of which have been received from the Brunton Studios, Los Angeles. "No. 99" is one of the most colorful and entertaining comedy-dramas this engaging star has ever produced. It is a fast moving story of New York society life from the original magazine serial by Wyndham Martyn, the well-known English author. "No. 99," directed by Ernest C. Warde, who supervised the production of all Kerrigan-Brunton vehicles since the amalgamation of star and producer, contains enough concentrated action, suspense and original, serio-comic twists for the making of three successful pictures. Impelling, bomb-shell situations follow close upon each other with dash and rapidity. Kerrigan is supported by Fritzi Brunette, Emmet King, John Steppling, Lilie Leslie and Roy Laidlaw. Jack Cunningham is responsible for the screen adaptation of the Wyndham Martyn serial. Elmer Harris to Adapt "Miss Hobbs." Elmer Harris, author of many original musical comedies, plays and scenarios, and collaborator with Oliver Morosco on two musical plays, "Canary Cottage" and "So Long, Letty," was chosen to undertake the task of scenarizing Jerome K. Jerome's play, "Miss Hobbs," Wanda Hawley's first starring vehicle for Realart. By many it is believed that "Miss Hobbs" vvill be the best of Mr. Harris' many motion picture adaptations. Donald Crisp is directing the production. Chamberlain on Exchange Tour. F. V. Chamberlain, general service manager of the distribution department. Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, is on an extended trip on which he will visit ten of the Famous Players-Lasky exchanges. The following offices are included in the itinerary: Kansas City, Denver, St. Louis. Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., Seattle, Minneapolis and Chicago. Mr. Chamberlin's purpose is to study the conditions in the respective territories, with the idea of bringing the service system up to the highest point of efficiency. Six Republic Films Book Fast. Six Republic productions, "The Gift Supreme," "Trilby," "The One Way Trail," "The Blue Pearl," "Twelve-Ten" and "Romany, Where Love Runs Wild," according to Sam E. Harris, general manager of the Republic Distributing Corporation, are bemg booked with rapidity by scores of exhibitors. Mr. Morris stated that three, four and five day bookings on the productions are common in the latest reports received from the various Republic Branch offices. A good press agent should be a combination of George Washington, Annanias, P T. Barnum and Victor Hugo. That's the prober combination. Come as close to it as you can.