The Moving picture world (February 1920)

848 MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 12, 1921 In the Independent^Field Shepard Heads Company Screening Clever Items Published in "Life" The mystery which has surrounded the rumored connection of the magazine "Life" with the motion picture field has been dispelled by the announcement that the Key Holding Corporation, a new company composed of men long identified with the amusement business, will offer one reel a week, titled "The Good Things of Life," which, it is announced, will bring the good things oi "Life" to the silver sheet. The filming of this material will be under the direction of Ashley Miller, a pioneer director who has made features for Edison, Pathe, Famous Players, Vitagraph and other companies, and it is promised that the manner in which it will be handled will constitute something really new. The president of the corporation is Harry J. Shepard, who is also associated with the Charles Urban industries and was for three years general manager of W. H. Productions, in which capacity he handled the unique and highly successful exploitation campaign for "Mickey." The treasurer of the company is Arthur Bergh, who is director of recording for the Emerson Phonograph Company and who for six years was director of the municipal concerts for New York following engagements at the Metropolitan and with the New York Symphony. Mr. Shepard has already inaugurated a unique exploitation campaign on this one reel feature, which will include a publicity tieup with "Life," and announces the following artists and authors will contribute to "The Good Things of Life": Charles D. Gibson, James Montgomery Flagg, Thomas L. Mason, Oliver Herford, Carolyn Wells, Wallace Irwin, Walt Mason, George Ade, Irvin S. Cobb, Don Marquis, Meredith Nicholson, Dr. Frank Crane, Maxfield Parrish, Eliot Keen, Coles Phillips, Montague Glass, and others. Reelcraft Reports Two Large Sales George West, territorial salesman for the Reelcraft Pictures Corporation, closed negotiations in Boston for the distribution of the entire Reelcraft program releases through the exchanges of Samuel V. Grand for the New England states territory. Another sale announced by Reelcraft is the "Romances of Youth" series, the Paragon comedies featuring George Clarke, the Royal Comedy series and the "Bud and His Buddies" series to Harry Lande, of the Quality Film Service of Pittsburgh, for his territory. Film Market Offers Feature Which Emphasizes the Spiritual in Love Robert W. Priest of Film Market, Inc., announces a new picture, "The Grand Passion" for immediate release on the state right market. The story is described as being based squarely on the proposition: "Is a woman loved for beauty of body or beauty of soul?" and the treatment is such as to emphasize the pure and spiritual in love. It is stated that although the theme deals with the primitive as well as the spiritual in man and woman, it is a picture that will appeal to the best in mankind and will pass any censorship. It is the result of the collaboration of two well-known authors, Robert McLaughlin, author of "The House Without Children," and Charles T. Dazey, author of "In Old Kentucky." Florence Dixon is the star and to her is given the demonstration of the precepts of the theme. She is described as being one of the most beautiful girls before the camera and her work is said to bring out the deeper significance of the spiritual quality inherent in the soul of a true woman. Mr. Priest announces it is his intention to schedule this picture at such a valuation as to give every buyer a chance to turn his money quickly. "It is the first picture I have seen in several months," says Mr. Priest, "that has what the state right buyer demands and still is not a strong sex problem likely to irritate the censors of various states. The story is so clean and pure and elevating that none can find fault with it; and yet the box office appeal is tremendous." Arrow Announces "Cyclone Bliss " as Title of New Hoxie Feature The second Jack Hoxie five-reel Western feature is entitled "Cyclone Bliss" and is now being released by Arrow to the Independent Exchanges. It is said to be full of action and thrills and to give Hoxie an opportunity of displaying his horsemanship and fighting qualities. The third Jack Hoxie feature is under course of production and will be delivered to Arrow within the next two weeks. L. F. Kennedy Forms Producing Unit and Announces First Film Lem F. Kennedy has completed the organization of his own company, Lem F. Kennedy Productions, and the first offering, an adaptation of the successful stage play, "The New Minister," is already under way at the Victor Studios, New York. Mr. Kennedy is directing the picture with Walter R. Sheridan as his assistant. A series of special pictures is planned, and the second will be started soon after the first is completed. Mr. Kennedy announces his reason for the selection of "The New Minister" as the initial production was due to the success achieved this season by rural dramas depending on deep heart interest. All of the exterior scenes are complete, and work is progressing on the interiors. Walter R. Sheridan, the minister in "Way Down East," will have the title role, while Muriel Kingston appears as the girl. The camera work is in the hands of Willard Van de Veer, formerly with Harry Levey Productions. P. B. Dana, sales manager of Arrow, states that nearly all of the territory on this series has been sold and he has received a number of telegrams from the Independent State Rights buyers praising the first Hoxie feature, "A Man From Nowhere," and asking for more like it. The Arrow Film Corporation reports a number of sales during the past week on the two Rubye de Remer features, the Spotlight Comedies and Sport Pictorial. The publicity that has been given the Sport Pictorial through the New York daily newspapers is said to have been responsible for the sale of several additional territories on these one-reel pictures. "The Making of Man-handlers" is the last Sport Pictorial released and played recently at the Capitol Theatre, New York, and the Brooklyn Strand, where Manager Eddie Hyman put on a special prologue for it. M. Switow Building M. Switow will build a $125,000 picture house in Fourth street. Louisville, Kv. It will seat 1,000. The $1,000,000 Rialto Theatre building will be completed by April 1. It will seat 3,500. Arrow to Release a Feature a Week W. E. Shallenberger, president of the Arrow Film Corporation, has gone to Los Angeles to spend a week securing several new productions for the coming season, as Arrow plans to release at least one feature a week during the remainder of 1921. A great deal of this product, it is said, has already been contracted for and in many cases these productions will consist of series of features. Jack Hoxie has finished two of his four five-reel features and they have been released by the Arrow. The third feature is now under course of production and will be delivered about February 10. Both of the two Rubye de Remer features, "The Way Women Love" and "Luxury" have been released by Arrow. Dr. Shallenberger expects to have eight features made for him by Morris R. Schlank, the first one to be delivered March 15. It is expected that Dr. Shallenberger will bring back with him a number of special productions. Bert Lubin Makes Five Big Sales With his second offering, "West of the Rio Grande," Bert Lubin believes he will be able to even eclipse the rapid sales made on Honeymoon Ranch." Already he announces the sale of five territories: eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey to Twentieth Century Film Company of Philadelphia; District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina to Reliance Film Exchange of Washington; Iowa and Nebraska to Fontanels Feature Film Company of Omaha; Colorado, Wyoming, Vtah, southern Idaho and New Mexico to the C. t McDermond Theatre Amusement Company of Salt Lake City; and Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas to L. C. Baxley Attractions of Dallas. Lubin reports that Mr. Baxley after viewing the film pronounced it one of the best westerns of the year.