The Moving picture world (September 1920-October 1920)

September 11, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 203 First Wireless Concert on Pacific Stunt for a Motion Picture House HAND it to Roth and Partington, managing directors of the California, Portola and Imperial theatres, San Francisco. The first demonstration of the transmission of music by wireless telephony on the Pacific Coast was under their auspices and once more they have demonstrated that pictures lead the way. Although for several months Marconi and others have been working the wireless telephone for the transmission of sound waves without wires, this is the first demonstration in the West and it cleaned up enormous spaces in the daily papers as pure news. For the Soldiers. The stunt was carried out a week ago Sunday when the regular Sunday morning concert at the California, in itself a noteworthy affair, was transmitted to the soldiers in the Letterman General Hospital at the Presidio. This, R. M. Klein, of the Lee De Forrest Wireless Corporation, declares to be the first transmission of a public concert for the delectation of any large gathering. The other demonstrations have been of an experimental nature and confined to a few persons gathered about the amplifier, but the soldiers heard the entire concert through, and the sound was audible everywhere. In the e-xperiments during the installation, the sounds were heard by experimenters at St. Paul, Minn., Seattle and San Diego, and some 1,500 miles out to sea, and Messrs. Roth and Partington can claim the BARBARA BEDFORD. who plays the feminine lead in Maurice Tourneur's first Associated Producers' subject, "The Last of the Mohicans," by J. Fenimore Cooper, Inherits her father's professional ability, that of designing. She paints all her gown creations for her modiste. The cast of "The Killer," now being made from the Stewart Edward "White novel by Benjamin B. Hampton under Director Howard Hickman, includes Jack Conway, Claire Adams, Will Walling, Frankie Lee, Tod Sloan, Edward Piel, Milton Ross, Frank Campeau and Tom Ricketts. i'Her Beloved Villain," Wanda Hawley's third Realart feature, has been completed, Including cutting and titling. Harold Lloyd has just begun a new comedy under Director Hal Roach, called "Wrong Number." "Love. Honor and Behave," Mack Sennett's new five-reel comedy, features Charlie Marray, Phillis Haver and Ford Sterling, with Charlotte Mineau, Kala Pasha and Eddie Gribbon in supporting roles. Sidney Ainsworth has been added to the cast of "Canavan." the Tom Moore picture now in the making at Goldwyn. Jack Conway, who has directed five productions for Benjamin B. Hampton, has returned to acting and will play the leading role in "The Killer," a Ben Hampton feature being directed by Howard Hickman. "The Curse of Capistrano," by Johnston McCulley, will be the next Douglas Fairbanks play, and Fred Niblo will be the director. "Rings and Things," from the story by John A. Moroso, will be Viola Dana's next Metro production. One of the most charming ingenues of the screen appears in Irving V. Willat's production "Down Home," which Hodkinson is most widely spread deadhead audience on record. So carefully were the preparations made that the concert passed off without a single hitch, the entire program being heard as clearly in the hospital as in the auditorium of the theatre, where a large audience had gathered. So perfect was the transmission that the applause of the actual audience came over the wires to mingle with the cheers of the soldiers after each selection. More Than Press Work. Instrumental and vocal numbers were equally clear and Eugene Roth's opening speech was recorded perfectly. This, of course, was primarily press work, but it is a great deal more than that, for it links the motion picture to this newest discovery and it will go down in history that the first practical use of the invention was to transmit the concert given by a motion picture house. This would be possible only in the West, where the California offers each Sunday morning a symphony concert which is attended by lovers of real music. The California orchestra is one of the largest in the West, the soloists are concert stars, and these morning performances take the place of the symphony concerts such as are offered in the East by the leading musical organizations in New York and Boston. It was perhaps only natural that the California should have been selected for this exper'iment, but it is none the less a feather in the caps of Roth and Partington. E. W. S. shortly to release. Her name is Leatrice Joy, and she brings to the role of Nance Pelot beauty, charm and an intelligent appreciation of dramatic value. Owen Moore, in his latest Selznick picture, "The Poor Simp," is supported by .Nell Craig, Harry Hattenberry, Vera Lewis, Herbert Prior, Lassie Young, Tom Kennedy and Douglas S. Carter. Victor Heerman directed. The cast for the screen adaptation of Rupert Hughes' novel "Canavan" was completed recently. It is to serve Tom Moore as a stellar vehicle. In his support are Sylvia Ashton, Naomi Childers, Bertram Grasby, N. E. Stimson and Sydney Ainsworth. E. Mason Hopper is directing this picture and has already started work on the production. Politics play a big hand in "The Figurehead." a Selznick picture starring Eugene O'Brien. Mr. O'Brien plays the part of a "silk-stockinged Willie" who is made the tool of a gang of politicians. Other members of the cast include Anna Q. Nllsson, Ora Carewe, Edwin Stevens, Joseph Girard, Frances Parks and Kate Price. One of the biggest of stage successes, the screen rights of which are controlled by Goldwyn, is ready to go into production at Goldwyn's Culver City studios. It is Herman Bahr's comedy "The Concert," which served Leo Ditrichstein as a starring vehicle for two seasons under the management of David Belasco. Victor Schertzinger will stop directing Mabel Normand pictures long enough to see that "The Concert" is properly translated into the films. When Maurice Tourneur asked for Indians to play in his initial Associated Producers subject. "The Last of the Mohicans," by J. Fenimore Cooper, so many real Indians answered that his studio was swamped. Many of the redskins act at the studios as French, Egyptian, Mexican, Spanish, Italian, Syrian, Turkish, Chinese and Japanese characters, and one old ex-chief once appeared a.s an Eskimo. Edward Nolan, who is cast as "Martin Doover" in Irving W. Willat's first independent production, "Down Home," which Hodkinson will release in October, was at one time amateur boxing champion of the Atlantic seaboard and is an all-round athlete. Olive Thomas' latest Selznick picture is "Everybody's Sweetheart." Miss Thomas plays the role of an inmate of the poorhou.se. She is supported by William Collier, Jr., Joseph Dowling, Aileen Manning, Martha Mattox, Hal Wilson and Bob Hick. Because he designed and built a cozy home, Floyd Meller, art director for Maurice Tourneur. just had to sell it the other day to an admiring purchaser. This is the third house he has built this year and sold at a handsome profit. Henry Woodward, playing Major Heyward in Maurice Tourneur's first Associated Producers subject, "The Last of the Mohicans," by J. Fenimore Cooper, is a swimmer of note, having won the eight-mile race across Hampton Roads during the Jamestown Exposition. The cast for Douglas Fairbanks' new picture, "The Curse of Capistrano," includes Marguerite de la Motte, Robert McKim, Charles Mailes. Hamilton Revelle, George Periolat, Tote DeCrow and Claire MacDowell. "Hunger of the Blood" will be Franklyn Farnum's next picture for Selig. T. Roy Barnes, who was one of the principals in the Christie film "So Long Letty," will play one of the leading roles in "See My L:iwyer," a coming Christie special. Jane Novak is the feminine lead in "Kazan." the James Oliver Curwood story now being filmed at Selig. "Midsummer Madness" is the new title for William De Mille's picture \vhich was made from the Cosmo Hamilton play "His Friend and His Wife." Buster Keaton has completed his third comedy, which is called "The Scarecrow," for Metro. Gladys George will be leading woman for Tom Meighan in "Easy Street," his current Paramount production. Rosemary Theby will play the lady heavy in Louise Lovely's new Fox production, "The Little Grey Mouse." Department of Agriculture Has New List of Subjects THE Department of Agriculture has more than 460,000 feet of film at present available for distribution. In fact all of this film is in circulation almost constantly. It is estimated that during the last twelve months, more than 700,000 persons witnessed showings of one or more of these films, one hundred and twelve of which are agricultural subjects. They are furnished free of charge, except for transportation, which the borrower Is required to pay; and application for films should be made as far in advance as possible, and should Indicate, if practicable, several choices of subjects and periods of time, in the order of their preference. Periods of loans should be made as short as practicable. Schedules of proposed showings should also accompany applications. An official report which has been sent out, slates, in addition to the above, that the films produced by the Department of Agriculture, are intended primarily for the use of extension and field workers of the department, and of offlcially cooperating Institutions. The nurnber of copies of these films which the department la able to supply is at present inadequate to meet the deluanils from other sources. The following list contains some of the new films made by the D( partmcnt in 1920: Clip and Paste For Photoplay Editors and Theatre Programs