The Moving picture world (April 1921)

482 MOVING PICTURE WORLD April 2, 1921 Alice Duer Miller Joins Group of Goldwyn Authors Alice Duer Miller, one of the latest additions to the roster of prominent authors under contract to write original stories for Goldwyn Pictures, left last week for the Goldwyn studios at Culver City with the first draft of a script on which she has been working for the past month. Mrs. Miller was accompanied by Marion Frances Lee, associate editor at the New York scenario department, who is writing the continuity for the story. Mrs. Lee will remain on the West Coast as a member of the continuity staff at the studio. Masons at Showing Arthur L. Skinner, manager of the Victoria Theatre, Buffalo, invited his brother Masons in Mystic Arts Lodge to attend a special performance on Wednesday eveningf March 23. Mr. Skinner is a former Master of the lodge. This Kineto Review Is Perfect Riot of Babies Doing Delightful Things BABYHOOD" is the subject of the Kineto Review that is to be released through the National Exchanges of first week in April. Although only one reel in length, the picture made a great hit when shown at the Capitol Theatre in New York recently. "Babyhood" is a perfect riot of babies. For fifteen minutes the screen is filled with babies of every size, color and type, doing all the delightful things that babies have done since Cain and Abel cooed and gurgled and chewed their toes outside the gates of Eden. As a study in baby-expression the picture is full of interest. For the infants, with a lack of self-consciousness that many a star might envy, register all the emotions known to their age. No need to label a picture "hunger" when a kiddie wants its bottle. Nor is any interpretation needed Industry Unites to Combat Agitation Seeking to Dye Pomona an Indigo Hue of the bliss written all over the countenance of a baby spashing in its tub. Parade and Derby The baby parade is an interesting feature of the reel, with its close-ups of the blueribbon winners. And the derby — in which the maximum age limit seems to have been six months — is full of thrills (to the proud mothers at least) and amusement. And there is a proud moment when the "Lollypop Twins" have the screen to themselves. Mothers will gasp at the sight of infants being put through "stunts" that would almost "feaze" a seasoned aviator. Turned upside down, swung hither and thither until the onlooker's head reels, the babe is seemingly unaffected and comes through the performance with stolid calm. This Kineto Review is the first of a series on "Childhood," "Girlhood" and "Boyhood" in which the delights and woes of each will be portrayed. THE proposed blue laws to be voted upon at Pomona, Cal., on April 4 has precipitated action on the part of the motion picture and theatrical industry of Los Angeles. A tremendous campaign is being prepared against the proposed Sunday closing laws, and both sides predict that the outcome will have a big influence on the future of blue law legislation in Southern California. The theatre owners, exhibitors, managers and producers have combined their forces for a campaign, which will continue until the day of the voting arrives. Pomona is regarded as one of the leading literary and educational centres of the United States, and boasts thirty-three churches. The city has a voting population of 7,000 persons, and from now until election day each voter will receive semi-weekly a letter of facts regarding the picture industry. The First Step A first step in the campaign, which is headed by Gore Brothers, Adolph Ramish and Sol Lesser, a firm in control of fortytwo theatres in and around Los Angeles, was taken last week, when a committee consisting of Benjamin B. Hampton, representing motion pictures in general; Sol Lesser, Harry C. Arthur, general manager of the West Coast Theatres Corporation ; Glen Harper, secretary of the Los Angeles Thea "Way Down East" Turns Its Four Hundredth Show D. W. Griffith's photographic spectacle, "Way Down East," turned its four hundredth performance at the Forty-fourth Street Theatre, New York, with the matinee on March 21. With one exception this is the record for moving picture consecutive performances on Broadway. The longest run was that of Mr. Griffith's other famous spectacle, "The Birth of a Nation," which ran for 670 performances at the Liberty Theatre from March, 1915, to February, 1917. Owing to the larger capacity of the Forty-fourth Street Theatre "Way Down East" has been seen by nearly as many people during its 400 presentations as saw "The Birth of a Nation" during its first run here and the receipts have been correspondingly that much greater in proportion, the weekly average for "Way Down East" being $3,000 over those of the older success. tie Owners' Association, and several others holding important posts in the film industry, obtained an audience with several of Pomona's leading business men who are interested in the closing laws. Notable Speakers Speakers who will address Pomona voters from the stages of the theatres of that city during the campaign are Rupert Hughes, Gouverneur Morris, Benjamin B. Hampton and other volunteers. In addition to this slides will be run in all the theatres; editorials in newspapers on the blue laws will be reprinted in pamphlet form and distributed, and where the arrangement can be made, speakers will address the voters from the pulpits of the churches. Oscar Morgan to Work Directly Under Shauer Emil E. Shauer, assistant treasurer and director of the foreign department of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, announces the promotion of Oscar A. Morgan to an important position in the foreign department of that company. Mr. Morgan is one of the oldest employes of the organization. He started as advertising manager in Philadelphia. He was gradually promoted to the positions of head salesman, assistant sales manager and assistant branch manager of that office. Later he was made manager of the Washington, D. C, branch and assistant general sales manager at the home office. Mr. Morgan will work directly under Mr. Shauer. FOUR V IT A GRAPH EXECUTIVES "ON THE LOT" AT THE COMPANY'S WEST COAST STUDIOS John M. Quinn, general manager of distribution ; W. S. Smith, manager of the California studios; Albert E. Smith, president of the company, and George Randolph Chester, production editor, comprise the quartette