The Moving picture world (October 1920)

October 30, 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD Meighan Given Ovation in Richmond Lyric, New Theatre of Wells Interests ^T-HOMAS MEIGHAN, Paramount star, J[ was given a riotous welcome on the occasion of his personal appearances at the opening of the Lyric Theatre, Richmond, Va., which was recently converted into a first-class motion picture house by the Wells Theatre Company. Incidentally, it was Richmond's first experience in entertaining a motion picture star and the traditionally hospitable city on the James made the most of the occasion. Mr. Meighan was accompanied to Richmond by Frank V. Chamberlin, general service manager of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation; W. E. Smith, district manager, Philadelphia, and Lester Rosenthal and Herman Phillips, respectively branch manager and exploitation representative at Washington. Arriving in the city in the morning, the party was driven to the Hotel Jefferson, escorted by 400 Boy Scouts, whom Mr. Meighan treated to ice cream and cake as well as a stirring talk that made the youngsters believe that he really did wish he could renew his boyhood as one of them. At luncheon Mr. Meighan was the guest of the Kiwanis Club at the Business Man's Club. A dense crowd had gathered at the Lyric for the afternoon performance at which the star was scheduled to speak, after which he was the guest of honor at an AllVirginia at the Richmond Inn. At the first evening performance the theatre was packed to the doors, and when the star passed through the lobby on his way out, shaking hands right and left, there were at least 2,000 persons clamoring for admittance. A special police escort was provided as the party went by automobile, immediately to the train. The picture attraction at the Lyric was Mr. Meighan's first starring vehicle, "Civilian Clothes," which, according to the newspaper accounts, brought many ecstatic expressions of approval of the star's work. Bertram Bracken Finishes "Kazan" a Selig Special With the production of "Harriet and the Piper," "The Confession," 'The Mask," "Parted Curtains" and "Kazan" to his credit during the past year, Bertram Bracken has forged to the front as one of the industry's foremost dramatic directors. BERTRAM BRACKEN He came to pictures from the stage, where he had a long and thorough training as a stage director and producer, and has applied his knowledge of the drama and his appreciation of theme construction and situation-building to the broader field of the cinema. His screen version of "The Confession," starring Henry Walthall, is said to be proving to be one of the big moncv-makers of the year. After directing Mr. Walthall in several pictures, he went to the Selig studio where he produced Arthur Hon. blow's "The Mask," a mystery drama to be released shortly. Upon completing "The Mask," Mr. Bracken was chosen by Louis B. Mayer to direct the production of Kathleen Norris' "Harriet and the Piper," which originally ran as a Pictorial Review serial but which is now published in book form. Mr. Bracken has just completed "Kazan" as a Selig special. It is a picturization of the famous wolf-dog story by James Oliver Curwood. "The Modern Aladdin" Is Name Given Levey Feature The big educational feature showing all the uses and adaptations of electricity, which is being prepared by the Harry Levey Service Corporation, is to be known as "The Modern Aladdin," it is announced by this company. 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 different phase of the story of electricity, but each will have a logical connection with the next. Each part of the feature will be given a separate name, similar to ♦he system used in releasing serial motion pictures, but this latter name will be in the form of a title used in conjunction with the main title. "Electricity is the modern genie of the world," says Mr. Levey. "Just as, in the days of Aladdin, the genie of the lamp made all the wonders appear and disappear, so today it is that great modern' force, electricity, that is the power and force of progress." ' Incidentally, not content with the scope of his activities in directing the work of his film producing companies, Mr. Levey has undertaken a new line of endeavor — that of originating wedding anniversaries! He has calmly designated that the fourth wedding anniversary be known henceforth as "The Electrical Wedding Day," in one of the scenarios for his feature production on electricity. "Electricity is rapidly becoming one of the greatest powers on earth," he says. "I believe that time is not far off when the young woman who is married four years will be the recipient of all sorts of electrical household appliances, to keep pace with ihe modern, time and energy saving spirit." C/ift Directing British Film Denison Clift, scenario writer and director of several Fox features, who went abroad in August for a vacation, is now in London directing a picture for the Ideal Film Company. The story is De Maupassant's "Diamond Necklace." Clift did not go abroad to do any work but after a trip to Ireland and Scotland was induced by the Ideal company to make a picture for them. Clift says in a letter he will be back in America in N'ovcmbcr and will go back to Los Angeles.