The Moving picture world (October 1920)

October 9, 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 805 Camera Work Except Explosion Scene Finished for "Dead Men Tell No Tales Audience Revels im "Peggy Rebels" J. Cutler of the Lakewood Theatre, Detroit, reports that "Peggy Rebels" played to big business during its recent run there, and that the audience was well pleased with this "Flying A" production, in which Mary Miles Minter, does an excellent piece of acting. Some of the recent bookings that are coming in for several day runs in Class A theatres include the Hamilton and Regent of New York City; the Victoria of Rochester; and the Knickerbocker of Cleveland; the Colonial of Galesburg, 111.; the Idle Hour of Kansas City; the Palace of New Orleans; the Alps of Fort Worth; the Rex of Dallas; the Zoe of Houston, Texas, and the Hippodrome of Portland, Ore. Levey to Produce Picture on the Uses of Electricity The Harry Levey Service Corporation has undertaken to produce an educational feature showing the entire story of electricity— its uses and adaptations, and the manner in which it has been turned into the channels of progress in every corner of the globe. The feature is to be released in the form of a series of ten one-reel pictures, each one complete in itself and dealing with a separate and distinct phase of the story of electricity — and yet, each picture will tie up with the next one in such a way as to follow a consecutive and logical idea. They are to be released at the rate of one picture a month. Every feature and use of electricity is to be shown in this series, for the making of which Mr. Levey plans to send directors and cameramen all over the world. Everything electrical and the power from which it is derived, will be carefully depicted, and, according to a production schedule that has been drawn up, it is planned to photograph more than five hundred industries, to show three hundred thousand different articles, and to enlist the services of fifty thousand persons engaged in the production or mechanical ends of these industries. Work was begun this week on this feature, for which many unusual effects are being achieved in the matter of lighting and photography. Plans are being completed to send these pictures all over the world. They will be shown in picture theatres in all parts of the globe, and foreign distribution will be directed from the foreign offices of the Harry Levey Service Corporation in Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Bolivia, Belgium, Argentine, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, France, China and Japan. In addition to this, they are to be used in schools for purposes of instruction. Governor Cox Sees Players W ork at Bessie Love Studio Governor James M. Cox, democratic candidate for president, was a visitor at the Bessie Love studios, Los Angeles, last week and witnessed the shooting of the first scene of Miss Love's latest production, "Penny of Tophill Trail." Andrew J. Callaghan, producer of the Bessie Love productions which are being released by the Federated Film Exchanges of America, was chairman of a committee of motion picture members who met Governor Cox and escorted him through the studios, introducing him to the various stars. Governor Cox showed a familiarity with motion pictures by discussing with the various stars the different productions in which they had appeared recently. He posed for news weeklies with Miss Love and wished her every success with the picture she was just starting. VITAGRAPH has completed the camera work on "Dead Men Tell .No Tales," the Tom Terriss special production based on the story by E. W. Hornung, with the exception of the scenes showing the burning at sea of the "Lady Jermyn" and its destruction by gun powder. As the big sailing vessel, purchased by Vitagraph especially for use in this production, may be. blown up but once. Director Terriss is making haste slowly in filming this final scene. The ship is at anchor in Gravesend Bay awaiting suitable weather before being taken out beyond the three-mile limit where the Navy Department will see that it is completely destroyed and all danger of its becoming a derelict and a menace to navigation removed. Although the big fire-and-explosion scene is yet to be made, the film is undergoing the process of final editing and assembling, and will be shown in seven reels. The company engaged for the production, headed by Catherine Calvert, Holmes E. Herbert, G. V. Seyffertitz, Percy Marmont, Roy Applegate and Walter James, finished their part of the picture more than a week ago. Executives who have seen "Dead Men Tell No Tales" are agreed that Tom Terriss has done splendid work. The scenes were made within twelve weeks. The big company traveled pretty well all over the East for locations and atmosphere. Ship Scenes Difficult. The ship scenes offered the most difficulties. For this purpose Vitagraph purchased a sailing vessel more than 200 feet in length. The fire at sea, as described by E. W. Hornung, the author, took place at night, and to secure exactly the correct lighting these scenes were taken at night. The ocean was found a little too rough for perfect camera work, so the newly renamed "Lady Jermyn" was taken to a point of the Hudson River. There for nearly two weeks, the company worked at night with powerful lights supplied from a big float equipped with a generator, VIVIAN MARTIN IN "THE SONG OF THE SOUL," A GOLDIVYN RELEASE. Little ivaif, <with arms enfolded, looking out at you and me; Looks as though she has been scolded by the censor ivho can't see.