The Moving picture world (June 1921)

June 4, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 499 Keeping in Personal Touch WHILE everybody in the film indus- try was wondering what information Adolph Zukor would give out about his European trip, Mr. Zukor apparently had other thoughts, on his arrival home last Friday on the Aquitania. The Aqui- tania docked Friday night, and Saturday morning Mr. Zukor was in his office bright and early for a series of conferences. As soon as these were out of the way, how- L-ver, he left immediately for his country place where he spent the week-end playing golf. This was the first chance he had to play golf since he left, and he plunged into his game Saturday to make up for lost time. * * * A demonstration of visual instruction as used in teaching geography, English and hygiene took place last week in the audi- torium of the Museum of Natural History. It proved conclusively the aid derived from motion pictures in conjunction with school work. A class from a Brooklyn school went through an illustrated lesson on the Pana- ma Canal. Another class from the Wash- ington Irving High School gave a lesson on the circulation of the blood and pic- tures appertaining to Longfellow were pre- sented during the English lesson. Ernest L. Crandall, director of lectures and visual instruction in the Education Department, said: "Edison knows a lot about electricity and moving pictures, but he knows little about teaching. Showing is not teaching any more than telling. We have come to realize that motion pictures can be of great assistance in teaching, but visual instruc- tion is only an adjunct to the classroom work." Only about 10 per cent, of the schools, he said, had motion picture booths, and 40 per cent, had stereopticon machines, while there should be a motion picture ma- chine in every school. "I want you," he said, "to agitate for' funds to obtain motion picture machines for all the schools. Bombard the Board of Education for them if you are satisfied that the visual method of instruction is a success. That is the only way to get a sufficient appropriation for this object." * * * A most unusual, bizarre and thoroughly useful exhibitors' service book on "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligary" has been issued by Goldwyn. The brochure is in perfect at- 'mosphere with the unique foreign film. It was edited by Si Spitzer, who deserves un- stinted praise for a difficult piece of work. * ♦ * Al Lichtman and Oscar Price, of Asso- ciated Producers, are leaving for the coast within a few days. * * ♦ There has been a rumor, that will not down, going the rounds of the industry to the effect that Jack Meador has been slated for the position of production man- ager for Famous Players-Lasky, Jack and everybody concerned deny the rumor, but we are just about skeptical enough to take the denials with a grain of salt for the time being, or at least until somebody else is appointed to the position. * ♦ * Why do not the daily papers get their information concerning the motion picture industry correct before they publish stories about it. Invariably when a woman figures sensationally in the news they jump By FRITZ TIDDEN at the chance to call her "a motion picture actress," when the person in question has never really appeared before the camera, or perhaps, once as an extra woman. It is the mark of the most sophomoric cub reporter to think that such a statement dresses up a story or adds in any way to its value as reading matter. Then the New York Sun published a long, front page story headed "Wave of Price Cutting Falls on Moving Pictures at Last," which was conspicuous for its in- accuracy. * * * John Barrymore is to sail for Europe in two weeks' time, immediately after the run of "Clair de Lune" terminates at the Empire Theatre. It is said he will make at least one picture while abroad. * ♦ * Harry Reichenbach has gone to Chicago in the interests of "Dream Street." Be- fore he went he remarked that he would put the Loop on the map, the way he did our own Forty-third street. * * * E. T. Peter, of Dallas, C. C. Griffin, of Oakland, Glenn Harper, of Los Angeles, Henry H. Lustig, of Cleveland, Sam Bullock, of Cleveland, C. W. Gates, of Aberdeen, S. D., and C. E. Whitehurst, of Baltimore, were among the out-of-towners in New York this week for an important commit- tee meeting in the offices of the M. P. T. O. A. * * * Mae Marsh is not to desert the screen next- season as has been variously an- nounced in some of the daily papers. This statement was made at the time a story was sent out that the popular film star had been signed on a long-time contract to appear in stage plays under the manage- ment of John D. Williams. It was said that the first play had been chosen for Mae. But we learned that she expects to work in pictures simultaneously with her stage work. * * * Mrs. M. L. Fulton, executive secretary of the Children's Matinee Association, Inc., rises to remark that she considers slap- stick comedies have a bad influence on children, and that the matinees she ar- ranges for the little folks every morning at Town Hall will not include them. Mrs Fulton states that "rough slapstick com- edy brutalizes children," and that they un- The rich American cut glass punching bag is awarded this week to Max Linder for devising the only Edison questionnaire that rings the bell in the moving picture industry. The same is as follows: 1. Who invented the motion picture? Why? When? 2. If they had not been started then, what would the population of Hollywood be today? 3. Describe a scenario writer in detail. 4. What is the specific gravity of raw stock; of finished prints'' 5. State percentage of actinic light rays in California. What is their weight worth in gold? 6. How long is film? 7. Describe process known as "blue-pink tone green tinted yellow with silvered high-lights," and if so, why? 8. Give annual rainfall in Los Angeles by months, weeks and days 9. Guess value of Fatty Arbuckle's cellar and name highest Droof goods, if any. ^ 10. Name picture in which Mary Pickford appeared as a little girl 11. What is the weight of cold cream per cubic yard? Where does it come from and where does it go? 12. How many directors pose for "straight" pictures with hat and puttees on? 13. Describe a film stretcher. How many feet can a single reel storv be stretched to? ^ 14. Who is Charlie Chaplin? Where is H. O. Davis? 15. If the cameraman cranks 14 and the projectionist turns 12 what is the apparent relativity of increase in normal movement of figures on the screen at 128-foot throw, screen angle 2%, lens elevation 33 feet'' (Note- Use plenty of scratch paper.) 16. If a set is promised at nine in which 400 extras are to work and it is not ready until eleven, what is the temperature, proportion and quality of words between director and art director? Samples not required' 17. State freely your views on censorship and when you think they will start propaganda against pool halls, horse-racing, gambling, open districts m closed towns, sensuous novels, shimmy dancing and other things much worse than so-called wicked motion pictures. 18. Who first used the expression "super special"? 19. Who discovered the "statement"? ^ 20. Bound an important announcement to the trade. 21. Analyze the difference between "in conference" and stalling. Why?