The Moving picture world (November 1920)

216 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 13, 1920 Chicago News (Continued from page 211) and is always in high demand to make installations for the special showing of celebrated pictures. David Wark Griffith never fails to utilize his services when pictures like "Birth of a Nation," "Intolerance" and "Broken Blossoms" are about to receive their first showing in Chicago. Rice Leaves Universal Harry Rice, widely known and liked in film circles, has just resigned from Universal to take the first vacation he has ever had since he was fifteen years of age. He joined the Chicago forces of Universal about two years ago. Eleven months of that time were spent in the new York office as director of publicity and exploitation, and the balance was spent in the Chicago office in similar work. Notwithstanding the dearth of vacations in the career of Mr. Rice, he will seek rest in the gentle art of ploughing on his 640 acre farm in Yeddo, Ind. Heavy chore work, in addition, will be indulged in occasionally, so as to vary the monotony of his diversion. While undecided as to his future work in the film business, it is known that Mr. Rice has under consideration several propositions from producers in the West. "Trumpet Island" Closes "Trumpet Island" closed its second successful week at the Ziegfeld on Saturday, November 30. Manager Kinzie states that the volume of business with this Vitagraph feature greatly exceeded his expectations and regrets that definite bookings to follow made it impossible to extend the run. Admissions for "Trumpet Island" were 66 cents and $1.10, including war tax. Call for Peoria Convention A call has been mailed to all Illinois exhibitors by Illinois Exhibitors' Alliance to attend the state convention to be held at the Hotel Jefferson, Peoria, Thursday, November 18, at 10 a. m. Important business vital to the life of every moving picture theatre in Illinois will be brought before the convention. While the Springfield convention was held specially for exhibitors in southern Illinois, the Peoria meeting is intended for all Illinois exhibitors, including those in Chicago and northern Illinois. Appropriate Acts Exhibitors who desire appropriate musical acts in connection with features, can now be supplied by the First National Booking Association which recently opened national headquarters in the Masonic Temple. Harry Segall, president, and Arthur Esburg, vice-president, have had extensive experience by long association with theatres and booking agencies. AN army of exhibitors who used to buy Moving Picture World from the newsstands have sent in their subscriptions to receive it direct. As the price is now 25 cents a single copy and the subscription price is $3.00 a year, it's a wise thing to do. i The needs of the small theatre owner, whose business warrants only a simple type of entertainment, such as a medium-salaried singer would offer, will be carefully supplied as the orders of the big circuit managers who wish to stage elaborate acts. In case the exhibitor is unable to decide exactly what type of an act would best fit WORD that a single set for an educacational feature being produced by the Harry Levey Service Corporation, cost $2,000, brings new proof, if any be needed, that the educational film has become a very important part of the motion picture field. This point is made especially clear by reason of the fact that the particular scene referred to is said to be non-essential to the real educational value of the film, and was interpolated for the purpose of enhancing its artistic and entertainment value only. The scene is a Chinese set used in the big educational film' showing all the uses and adaptations of electricity, which the Levey Company is to release in the form of a series of ten one-reel pictures. "This scene, typifies the place the educational film has won today," said Harry Levey in commenting upon the expenditure of so large a sum for a single set. "The educational motion picture has come into its own quite recently. Developed Gradually "Just as the 'feature dramatic photoplay' developed from something cheaply put together, with cheap settings, cheap players, done in a cheap way, and shown cheaply for cheap people, into something that has made possible the Capitol Theatre and 'Way Down East,' so the educational film had to develop. "The first educational films were very crude — elementary travel pictures, animal pictures, how a flower grows — the most elemental subjects were used, unadorned and simple, giving just such bare facts as were most easily photographed. "But people did not take kindly to this type of motion picture. 'An educational picture? Who wants to see anything like that? Come on, let's go somewhere else!' people would say when they saw these films advertised. "Gradually, however, came the combination of the two and the educational film of today came into being. Show What Entertains "Things that people really want to knoware shown on the screen today," says Mr. Levey. "Foreign lands, customs of other people, how the wonders of the present day came into being, what is back of the many commodities in daily use. "More of the real entertainment value is being woven in, and some definite background is given to the educational subject. Real stories are prepared, real actors with established reputations are secured, and sets are used as elaborate and as expensive as those for the best feature dramatic productions. A Modern Aladdin "It is possible to do this because a real demand has been created — and the demand exists becaus. this care is taken to foster it. "The Chinese set in our electricity picture is only one instance of this. We called the film 'A Modern Aladdin.' A definite and entertaining story under the title 'A Modern Aladdin' was prepared for the making of this picture, presenting oppor in with the feature, the association is ready to advise and if necessary make special arrangements with artists on short notice. It is not the intention of the association to infringe in any way upon the province of the moving picture. On the contrary, its aim is to book only such acts as will increase its drawing powers. tunities for a logical working in of every use of electricity throughout the world. "The motion picture offers the greatest opportunity for teaching. And, because this is true, everything that is to be done in this respect should be fitting and proper, no matter what trouble or expense is involved, if the educational motion picture is to reach the heights for which it is intended." Broadway Strand Features Two Educational Films Phil Gleichman, president of the Broadway Strand Theatre, the long run house of Detroit, is specializing lately in short subjects. On his current bill, which is now in its second week, Educational Exchanges supply the only pictures used in addition to the feature, "Something To Think About." These are "Nonsense," a Mermaid's Comedy featuring Jimmie Adams, and "The Art of Diving," the single reel special in which Annette Kellerman illustrates the feats that made her one of the most famous women in the world before both the standard motion picture camera and slow motion. Soon to Make Screen Debut One of the brightest feminine spots in the Greenwich Village Follies is Helen Lee Worthing and now comes the news that this young beauty will shortly make her debut on the screen. Miss Worthing won the beauty contest conducted early this year by the Motion Picture Classic in Boston, but when she arrived in New York City she happened to meet John Murray Anderson, who was then putting on "What's In A Name?" As a result, she made her professional debut in this show. AN ORIENTAL SCENE Taken from "A Modern Aladdin," an Educational picture on electricity, made by the Harry Levey Service Corporation Harry Levey Company Spends $2,000 to Depict One Scene in "A Modern Aladdin