The Moving picture world (October 1920)

Ictober 16, 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 985 Fox s 'While New York Sleeps" Plays to Record-Breaking Business in New York WE'LL AGREE. SOME CHANCE! \Scene from "The Wonderful Chance," starring Eugene O'Brien, to be released by Selzntck. Marry Levey Gets Medal from French Commission [A bronze medal has been presented to Barry Levey, President of the Harry Leiey Service Corporation, producers of inlustrial-educational motion pictures by the rrench Economic Mission as an expression If appreciation. 1 In November, the French Economic Mislion visited New York City with the other |elegates to the International Trade Con|erence, and Mr. Levey requested the privilege of showing the making of industrial {notion pictures, and, to show them how jhe big industries and educational progless of America are shown to the world jhrough the medium of the films. I The members of the Mission, about sixty n number, expressed deep interest, and were taken to the Capitol Theatre, where jhey were shown on the screen the making |f many of America's industrial products. Following this, the party was taken to the motion picture studios, where these industrial films were made. Finally he photographed the members of the Mission itself, and showed them how they looked n the films. This week he received the bronze medal bearing on one side a figure of France, and the words "Republique Francaise," and pn the other the name Harry Levey engraved at the top, with a representation of the fleur de lis, and, in raised letters, the words '^Mission Francaise aux Etats Unis, beptembre-Octobre, 1919." Qeraldine Karma, Exotic Dancer, Seen in Federated Film When the Monty Banks comedy "Nearly Married" is released by the Federated Film Exchanges of America, Inc., a new dancer (will be discovered in the person of Geralidine Karma. Miss Karma is a Los AnIgeles society debutante, who is distinguished as an exotic dancer who made such success in amateur theatricals that she was besieged with offers to go on the Stage or enter the motion pictures. I She was prevailed upon by J. L. Warner, of Warner Brothers, producer of the Monty Banks Comedies, to have a test film made and so successful was the test that she was immediately engaged to appear in support of Monty Banks in his comedy, "Nearly Married." Said by those who have seen Miss Karma dance, she is very clever. Production Closes Ten Weeks' Run Greeted by Capacity Audi Springfield, Detroit and Lo WITH a title that has been the talk of the town and with a novelty in plot and presentation which has swept audiences off their feet, "While New York Sleeps" has closed its tenth consecutive week on Broadway and departed from the "White Light" district, taking with it a series of record-breaking attendance records. From the initial presentation at the Lyric Theatre, where it followed the first Fox special for this season — a screen adaptation of Justin Huntly McCarthy's "If I Were King" with William Farnum as Villon — "While New York Sleeps" each week drew capacity business to that theatre. While running on a continuous performance plan at the Lyric, William Fox, president of the concern which bears Ws name and which produced this film, concluded arrangements with the Messrs. Shubert for presenting "While New York Sleeps" at the Astor Theatre on Broadway at Fortyfifth street. Here it opened also on a continuous performance plan, and for two solid weeks drew capacity business there without effecting in the least the amount of business done at the Lyric, just three blocks below. Eight Weeks at the Lyric For eight weeks "While New York Sleeps" ran day and night at the Lyric, and for two weeks at the Astor simultaneously with the sixth and seventh weeks at the Lyric. During this time this production was introduced to Providence and Boston audiences for runs respectively of one full week and four full weeks. In Providence the picture was shown at the Providence Opera House and repeated in a way its New York success from the opening night to the closing — establishing an attendance record for that house and that city and adding no small amount of free publicity, which has spread throughout Rhode Island, creating a state-wide interest in the Fox special. The Boston engagement, however, at the Boston Opera House, a theatre seating over 3000, offers a more striking comparison with the record established in New York. In Boston, conservative as to taste in motion picture entertainment, "While New York Sleeps," primarily a melodrama, drew crowded houses not only from the city but from the suburbs. The newspapers in Boston and Providence echoed the metropolitan dailies in their unanimous verdict as to the merit of this film, and lavish praise was accorded the direction by Charles J. Brabia in the staging of the three episodes. Goes Big Everywhere "While New York Sleeps," on leaving the Lyric Theatre, was placed at once on the program of the Academy of Music in New York. This house, under the management of William Fox, has since its use as a picture theatre been run on the split-week plan or two feature films per week. For the run of "While New York Sleeps,' however the usual plan was changed and, for the first time since pictures had been shown at the Academy, one feature occupied the screen a full week. At the Audubon Theatre, in upper Manhattan, the production also was booked for a full week, for presentation with a special stage setting picturing the skyline of New York at dusk. Ben E. Jackson, at Two Big Broadway Theatres — ences in Providence , Boston, s Angeles — Bookings Heavy manager of this house, enthusiastic over the possibilities of the film, arranged at once to stage a brief prologue in keeping with the atmosphere and theme of the play. For one week this picture also drew crowded houses at the Fox Theatre in Springfield, Mass., until with the final counting at the close of the engagement it was found that at no time, with any feature or special entertainment of any description, had this theatre done such a big business. Added to these records is the three weeks in Los Angeles, where it won high praise on every side; ten days in Detroit, to standing room only; and now, with the regular season just beginning, it is being booked by many of the country's largest theatres for runs of from one to four weeks. John Fleming Wilson Enters the Moving Picture Field The forthcoming picturization of "The Man Who Came Back," one of last year's greatest dramatic stage successes, marks the entry into the motion picture field of another well known author — John Fleming Wilson. Mr. Wilson is one of the best known writers of sea stories of the present day and for the past ten years he has been a steady contributor to most of the leading publications. Announcement is made by the Picture Trading Corporation, 1402 Broadway, New York, which is representing Mr. Wilson in the motion picture field, that arrangements are being completed for a series of John Fleming Wilson productions which will be released through one of the important distributing companies. Some of Mr. Wilson's recent novels such as 'The Salving of John Somers," "Number 100," "Night Signals" and the "Strange Adventures of Capt. Henry Hale" will be included among the early releases. Mr. Wilson has always been a writer of sea stories, for the reason that early experience and constant study have made that setting natural. Most of his stories have to do with the Pacific and always he weaves into his tales a strong love interest that affords possibilities for good motion picture material. "GIRLS DON'T GAMBLE" Starring DAVID BUTLER The (Jroatest Comedy-Drama Attraction on the Market. D. N. Schwab Productions, Inc. 1(;00 Hro>dway New York, N. Y.