The Moving picture world (May 1920-June 1920)

June 12, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1463 Famous Players' Production Policy to Provide Striking Special Attractions NOT content to begin the new season on September 1 with twenty-five pictures already completed and in the exchanges, the production department of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, under the direction of Jesse L. Lasky, first vicepresident, has laid plans for production next season which will carry on even further the high standard of motion picture art which was evidenced in such highly successful pictures as Cecil B. DeMille's "Male and Female," George Loane Tucker's "The Miracle Man," George Fitzmaurice's "On with the Dance" and other big pictures which this season set new high-water marks as box-office successes. The plans for production laid out by Mr. Lasky for next season call for the making of specials in a ratio of two to every four Paramount pictures released. As an earnest example of this policy Mr. Lasky points to the specials already set for release — George Fitzmaurice's "The Right to Love," Roscoe Arbuckle in George Melford's production of "The Round-Up," William S. Hart in "The Cradle of Courage" and Cecil B. DeMille's new picture, "Something to Think About," all of which have already been completed. Striking' Production Opportunities. It is Mr. Lasky's intention to devote a large part of the energies of his world-wide organization to the production of specials, as in the year now closing these were found to be most profitable .for exhibitors and immensely popular with the public. With increased studio facilities in Hollywood, Long Island City, London and in India, the production department finds itself in a unique position for the production of any type of picture. The new $2,000,000 studio in Long Island City is rapidly nearing completion. Accommodating eight companies on its huge stages, this studio, during the coming year, will house all of the eastern production activities of the corporation. It is Mr. Lasky's plan to exchange stars and directors between Long Island City and Hollywood. In London and Bombay. The London studio, now ready to begin on the first special production, under the di Jesse L. Lasky First vice-president of tlie Famous PlayorsLasky Corporation and also in charge ot production. rection of Hugh Ford, the veteran director, will introduce a new phase into American screen products, as all the pictures to be made in London — and they are all to be special productions — will be enacted by British casts in British settings. The new studio in Bombay, India, to establish which Frank Meyer and Tarkington Baker are now on their way to India, is expected to turn out its first production by Christmas. In the making of special pictures Cecil B. DeMille, William DeMille, George Fitz Adolph Zukor. President of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. iiiriiiiiiiliiliiiriiitijiniiiitiiiiitiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMMiiiiiiiiti iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiKiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiniii maurice and George H. Melford are expected to take a leading part. Cecil B. DeMille will probably make four big pictures, as will George Fitzmaurice. William DeMille is scheduled for five specials and George Melford for six. Four DeMille Pictures. Cecil B. DeMille, director general of the corporation, who recently signed a five-year contract to remain with Famous Players, will probably make four big pictures during the coming season. Mr. DeMille, whose "Male and Female" and "Why Change Your Wife?" set high-water attendance marks all over the country this season, already has completed "Something to Think About," the first of his special productions for next year. Upon the signing of his new contract Mr. DeMille returned to Los Angeles and went immediately to work on his next big production, to follow "Something to Think About." One of the DeMille specials scheduled for next season is from an original story by Hector Turnbull. George Fitzmaurice, who has completed "The Right to Love" and is now working on "Idols of Clay" as his third Paramount special, will produce as his fourth a big special from an original story by Ouida Bergere, who wrote the scripts for "On witli the Dance," "The Right to Love" and "Idols of Clay." George Melford Productions. George Melford, who has just finished "Behold My Wife," from Sir Gilbert Parker's famous novel, "The Translation of a Savage," will next do "The Jucklins," a picturization of the well-known book by Opie Read. Later he will do "The Faith Healer," the widely known play by William Vaughan Moody, and "The Old Homestead," Denman Thompson's classic of the American stage. William DeMille, who is completing "Conrad in Quest of His Youth," with Thomas Meighan, from Leonard Merrick's famous novel, will probably next do "His Friend and His Wife," from a recently published novel by Cosmo Hamilton. William S. Hart will make four pictures this year for Paramount release. He is now nearing the completion of "The Cradle of Courage," his third special production for Paramount under his new contract. Six Arbuckle Pictures. Roscoe Arbuckle, who recently signed a long-term contract to star in feature pictures for Paramount, will be seen next season in six big productions of this type. Mr. Arbuckle, who recently completed "The Round-Up" under the .direction of George H. Melford, is now at work on "The Life of the Party," from the well-known Saturday Evening Post story by Irvin S. Cobb. His next picture, it is expected, will be "The Traveling Salesman," James Forbes' great play, in which Maclyn Arbuckle starred on the spoken stage for a number of years. John Barrymore, whose remarkable picture, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," is proving a photoplay sensation of the year, will be starred in two pictures next year. "Amos Judd," a well-known novel written by John Ames Mitchell, the late editor of "Life," has been purchased as a vehicle for Mr. Barrymore, and upon completion of that he will be starred in another famous play which will be announced later. Upon her return from Japan, whither she has gone on a three-month vacation, Elsie Ferguson will begin work in Hollywood on the first of four pictures in which she will be starred next year. Several plays and stories have been purchased as vehicles for Miss Ferguson. One of her pictures next year will be "Sacred and Profane Love," .\rnold Bennett's play in which she starred this spring on the speaking stage. Under her contract which she just re ii(IIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIilli1iiiiiiMiiiiiiiiii:;iiili1iliiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiii<iliiiiiirMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiililiiriiluiminB Al Lichtman Who is general manager of the Famous Players-Lasky Department of Distribution.