The Moving picture world (October 1920)

826 MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 9, 1920 poem by Robert W. Service, and "The Deep Purple," the stage success, directed by R. A. Walsh. Realart's first year's output included twenty-two star pictures and four super specials. Five thousand theatres in the United States have bought its star franchises. In One Year Realart Picks Six Stars and Turns Out Twenty-Six Productions THE industry is noted for the rapid strides it has made. The public appreciates achievements in any line, and the record of Realart Pictures Corporation, gained in little more than a year, in establishing and popularizing its six stars, is out of the ordinary. The company was founded with two popular stars, Mary Miles Minter and Alice Brady, as a nucleus. Both had been screen favorites for several years and Miss Brady also had played stellar roles on the stage. Of entirely different types, both had large followings. In the year that has passed since its organization, the company has added four other stars. The first was Constance Binney, who had charmed New York, Chicago and Boston for two years in her first starring stage vehicle, "39 East." She had never been featured in a photoplay but "Erstwhile Susan," her first Realart picture, went over the top with exhibitors and the public. "The Stolen Kiss," her second one, was equally successful. And now "39 East," with most of the original cast, just released, is gaining more laurels for Miss Binney and Realart. A Contrast in Types. The executives of the new company went to the Pacific Coast for Wanda Hawley, a vivacious young woman who had played opposite several male stars in a number of successes. She is pretty and attractive, with charm and personality. The reception accorded her first picture, "Miss Hobbs," has been the talk of the industry. Quite the opposite in physical type but equally fascinating is Bebe Daniels. Miss Daniels, who Spanish type of beauty was admired when she had prominent parts in Cecil DeMille's "Why Change Your Wife?" "Male and Female," "Everywoman" and others, was put to the acid test of stardom in "You Never Can Tell," her first Realart picture, just completed, and her ultimate success is assured. In picking its sixth star, the Realart Company chose a novel method of procedure. A list of tentative stars was submitted to a jury of twelve professional men. Without a dissenting vote, Justine Johnstone, hailed by some as "the most beautiful girl in America," was chosen. William D. Taylor's Success. Miss Johnstone has had an interesting stage career. Realart first gave her "Blackbirds," a crook play by the late Harry James Smith which was successful on the stage. The advance reports indicate that the picture will launch Miss Johnstone's starring career in fine fashion. Special productions also feature in the Realart releases and these have been manifestly popular. William D. Taylor, the man who made "Huckleberrv Finn," "Mile a Minute Kendall," "Captain 'Kidd, Jr.," "The Tale of Two Cities," "Johanna Enlists" for Mary Pickford, "Anne of Green Gables" for Mary Miles Minter, and many other productions, is the producer of these special films. "The Soul of Youth," the first oi this series, was considered a revelation in masterful directing and a classic in its portrayal of youth. The second Taylor picture. "The Furnace," has just been completed. Other Special Features. During its first year, Realart also produced such special features as "The Mystery of the Yellow Room," an Emil Chautard production ; "Soldiers of Fortune" and "The Luck of the Irish." Allan Dwan productions; one by Charles Miller, "The Law of the Yukon," taken from the famous Vitagraph Exchange Moves Into Its New Quarters in Dallas Vitagraph has taken formal possession of its new exchange building at 1801-3 Commerce street, Dallas, thus marking the opening of one of the largest and most completely equipped offices in the South and Southwest. The Vitagraph office was formerly housed in the exchange building at 1900 Commerce street. The change to the larger and more modern quarters was made necessary by the greatly increased business handled in the area tapped by the Dallas branch. More floor space, greater facilities and finer equipment were needed to carry on the rapidly growing volume of trade on the Vitagraph standard of efficiency. Construction on the new Vitagraph Building was begun seven months ago, and the finishing touches were put to the structure last week. Since that time, the office force has been busy supervising the removal of records and paraphernalia from the old to the new branch. H. J. Bayley is branch manager. The new branch is a two story, reinforced concrete building, with a fifty foot front and extending back a hundred feet. It is 100 per cent, fireproof, has the last word in sprinkler systems, and has its own steam heating plant. Nothing has been omitted from the building that might add to the comfort or efficiency of the working force, or the facilitation of business. There is a splendidly furnished waiting room, steel film vaults, and an elaborate projection room as some of the features. Many Request Use of Strand Prologue for Ray Feature The news that the presentation of Charles Ray's "Forty-five Minutes from Broadway" in the Strand Theatre, New York, was attended with the staging of a highly effective prologue has brought upon Joseph L. Plunkett, the Strand's managing director, a deluge of requests for directions for the dressing of the scene that scored such a hit there and subsequently at the Brooklyn Strand. Sol Lesser, of Los Angeles, wrote early to Mr. Plunkett for details respecting his prologue. A similar request came to the offices of Arthur S. Kane Pictures Corporation from Seattle, Wash., C. S. Jensen and J. G. von Herberg, manager of the Greater Theatres Company, Inc.-, which operates the Coliseum, Liberty and Mission in Seattle and many other theatres. Tom Moore wrote to Mr. Plunkett seeking suggestions for the presentation in his Rialto Theatre, in Washington. D. C, and among other requests for information was one from the Wilmer & Vincent Theatre Company, which expects to use the prologue in each of its houses in which the picture is shown. In scores of theatres 'a young woman will appear outside a representative of the New Rochelle station while "Mary's a Grand Old Name" is being sung, and just before the appearance of the first scene the audience will catch a glimpse of her standing on the rear platform of a departing train, waving her handkerchief to the accompaniment of "So Long Mary."