The Moving picture world (April 1921)

478 MOVING PICTURE WORLD \ April 2, 1921 Zena Keefe Does Some Quick Thinking and Makes Rapid Trip to Fill Vaudeville ZENA KEEFE, Orleanian by birth and Selznick star by occupation, recently returned to the place of her nativity and received a welcome that not only gave her reason to feel proud but gave the Selznick publicity staff an opportunity to tell all about her reception and her popularity in the Southern city. It came to pass that the headliner billed for a certain week at the New Orleans Orpheum fell down on the job and Martin Beck, manager of the Orpheum circuit, who knew Miss Keefe's ability by reason of her having been in vaudeville before she became a screen star, asked her to run down to New Orleans to "fill in." Miss Keefe's business acumen is on a par with her histrionic ability so it cost Beck a pretty penny before she gave her consent. However, it was worth it, as it was a herculean task Miss Keefe undertook, as she took the job on five days' notice and within that time had to hustle down to New Orleans, and on the way make up the part that she was going to play. Garnered Much Praise But so well did she succeed in accomplishing all she set out to do that the New Orleans papers eulogized her in a way that surpassed the praise they usually give to stage or screen celebrities (New Orleans' critics, being very critical, indeed) and it wasn't because she was a native, either, that she garnered so much praise. "Bill" Keefe, sporting editor of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and who is Miss Keefe's uncle, started the ball rolling when he met her en route, and wired some advance stories into New Orleans. Being a sporting editor. "Bill's" stuff was naturally snappy, and it created a good opening for the stories that were to follow. Miss Keefe lived up to her advance notices when she walked out on the Orpheum boards, gaily telling the audience of her experience in pictures (this being the plan of entertainment she had thought out on her trip on the train) and the other New Orleans' newspapers were quick to follow "Bill" Keefe's lead and give their meed of praise to the little star. Her friends, too, were not backward in acclaiming her, and her appearances at the Elinor Glyn, who needs no introduction to the public, broke into print recently in the New York Globe declaring that Douglas Fairbanks' recent production, distributed by United Artists Corporation, "The Mark of Zorro," was in her opinion the most delightful photoplay she has ever seen. "There is a tide in the affairs of all arts and industries as well as in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to victory," said Miss Glyn in part. "And now is the author's moment — in the moving picture business — since the mechanical side seems to have almost reached perfection, but what has hitherto militated against this perfection's gaining its full appreciation is because the stories have so often been so inadequate, so wanting in knowledge of life or the laws of psychology. "But each month better stories seem to show in the pictures released. Such productions as 'The Faith Healer,' for instance, Orpheum were in the nature of gala events, her admirers crowding the boxes and orchestra seats. Miss Keefe will play a brief Spring tour over the Orpheum route and then come back to Fort Lee to make more pictures for Selznick enterprises. Until she began her vaudeville whirl she had, fo» the previous few weeks, been making personal appearances in conjunction with displays of her latest Selznick picture, "Red Foam." Leave for New York The state convention of the Illinois Exhibitors' Alliance, which was scheduled for Chicago on Tuesday, March 22, has been postponed for the present, owing to a telegram which Joseph Hopp, president, received Wednesday, March 16, from Sydney Cohen, requesting him to delay the convention and to attend a conference in New York the week of March 20. W. D. Burford, member of the executive committee of the M. P. T. O. A, received a similar message, and both left on the Century, Friday, expecting to return by the middle of next week. The new date for the Illinois convention, which is for the purpose of electing delegates for the big Minneapolis convention in June, as well as for discussing ways to defeat the new bills affecting the industry which will soon be presented to the state legislature, will be announced soon. Australia Is a Large Buyer of Exposed Film Twenty-six million feet of moving picture film were exported during the month of January, according to statistics compiled by the Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C. Shipments abroad during the month included 7,790,899 feet of unexposed film, valued at $159,368, and 18,742,607 feet of exposed film, valued at $843,028. The field for unexposed film is still limited, only ten countries making imports during January. France was the most important customer, importing 6,289,603 feet, valued at $108,019. Japan imported 951,109 feet, valued at $30,422, other totals being Brazil, 184,515 feet, valued at $7,843; Canada, leave nothing to be desired, and I think "The Mark of Zorro' (Douglas Fairbanks) is the most all-round delightful play I have ever seen. It carries one away with its romance. And I believe that romance truly portrayed will hold the world-interest to the end of time. Whatever other type of story has its day, those treating of love in an adventurous spirit, which in the rendering is yet true to life, must stir the pulses of the human beings of all countries. "A really stirring love — Romance 1 Can anything be more fascinating? It makes the old young and the young exalted, even in this modern work-a-day matter-of-fact world — that I, for one, shall stick to this theme in my writings for the screen, only that my stories shall be told with truth and not imaginary details. Love has its profound psychology as well as any other subject, and to portray it with psychological correctness should be the object of all writers who touch upon it. Date 165,525 feet, valued at $4,802; England, 87,879 feet, valued at $3,307; Italy, 1,500 feet, valued at $100; Spain, 1,883 feet, valued at $25; Mexico, 54,285 feet, valued at $3,185; Cuba, $49,600 feet, valued at $1,465, and British Guiana, 5,000 feet, valued at $200. Our most important market for exposed film during the month was Australia, which imported 3,292,138 feet, valued at $146,681; England imported 2,541,378 feet, valued at $123,205; Canada, 1,483,013 feet, valued at $89,298, and Argentine, 1,259,993 feet, valued at $57,679. Thirty-eight other countries also imported American films during the month, in amounts ranging from $36 to $39,950 in value. Exhibitors Chartered The promoting of social intercourse among the motion picture exhibitors of New Jersey, the securing of mutual business protection and co-operation and bettering the motion picture industry of New Jersey are the objects of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New Jersey, Inc., which has been chartered in the office of the secretary of state to do business at 125 Ellison street, Paterson. The incorporators of the organization are John T. Collins of Rutherford, David J. Hennessy of Newark and William C. Hunt of Haddon Heights. Alliance Dissolves The Alliance Film Corporation has definitely ended activities. Harley Knoles, who directed the production of "Carnival," the only film made by the company, is bringing a show print to the United States. Some other American members of the contingent are remaining in London. Want Higher Tax A special committee investigating new sources of municipal revenue has reported to Mayor Peters, of Boston, recommending actions which would add $1,500,000 to the city's income. Increases in the Hcense fees of theatres, picture houses and other places of amusement were included, the committee pointing out that theatres now pay "only" $100 a year to the city. A local retail sales tax was also suggested. To Make Westerns Newcastle, Wyo., is to enter the picture producing industry and produce Western dramas. Local capitalists will back the Continental Pictures Corporation, which has been indorsed by the Newcastle Commercial Club. Edward LaZar, a former Vitagraph company man, will direct the project. Blackmon Changes Places George Blackmon, formerly with Universal and Dooley, is now a member of the Buffalo First National sales force. He has many exhibitor friends in Western New York and Branch Manager Eddie Hayes expects him to do a big business. Now in Westerns Word comes from William Lord Wright, in charge of two-reel Westerns at Universal City, that Louise Lorraine has been definitely signed up to support Jack Perrin, leading man for one of Universale Western units. "Mark of Zorro" Most Delightful Film She Has Ever Seen, Says Elinor Glyn