The Moving picture world (June 1921)

June 4, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 531 Close-Ups In and Around Central New York Friends of Al. Sardino, owner of The Hippodrome, Syracuse, who recently organized a film distribut- ing company in this territoo', are besieging his home with inquires as to his condition. A few days ago Al was overcome with nervous prostration due to overwork. His brother, Frank, is looking after the Hippodrome, and another brother, Jack, is watching his interests in the film distributing company. Al. is very popular up this way and his friends were delighted when the physicians attending him announced that all he needed was absolute rest. * * * And now Mike Kallett, of the Madison Opera House, Oneida, has gone and "expanded" some more. As a big stockholder in the Rome Theatres Amusement Co., Inc., he has acquired the Carroll and the Regent, Rome. Mike's brother, Joe, is running the Carroll. Among those interested in the new venture are C. D. Blessing, who formerly man- aged the Carroll; Joseph Schwarz- walder, Tony Graeco, Lou Gardner and J. Gardner. Good luck to you, Mike. * * * E. H. (Cuckoo) Arnold has al- lied himself with Associated Pro- ducers and is working under Tom Brady. Cuckoo took Tom to Oswego from Syracuse in his new car the other day. Tom said it was just like taking a canter in the park. * + * Harry Lux, of the .'Mhambr-=, Utica, who is known as one of the best showmen and exploiters in the central territory, is completing his convalescence from a recent illness by working on a farm. Harry bought the farm, which is on the outskirts of Utica, for the purpose of leading an outdoor life. He says he is accomplishing his purpose, all right. Harry says exploiting a field of potatoes is a whole lot harder job than putting over a big picture. * * * Speaking of farming. Proprietor Sheldon, of the Sheldon Opera House. Hamilton, says it's a great life to give an exhibitor an inspira- tion for good pictures. Mr. Shel- don declares he gets his best "hunches" for pictures while work- ing on his farm outside Hamilton. * * * Manager Burnham Belyea, of the Hippodrome, Utica, and William Ottmore, his assistant, went fishing the other day and came back with a big mess of trout. * * * Frank Martin, house manager of the Robbins - Eckel, Syracuse, is packing 'em in these days. And Frank knows how to do it, because he's an old-time showman and is jerry to every angle of the game. * * * Having invented an automobile signal device. Manager John Gris- wold, of the Savoy, Syracuse, now is working on his own theory as to what caused the recent magnetic storm. » * * Proprietor Huxford, of the Hux- ford Theatre, Skaneateles (pro- nounced Skan-e-a-tel-is, with every syllable accented as in Szyzygy). has offered a prize of $5 to anyone who can find a rhyme for Skane- ateles. We submit the following: Let any man whose battle is Hard in Life to win. Go straight to Skaneateles, A place devoid -of sin. * * * J. S. Burnham, who owns two theatres in Cortland, has found "the champion hard luck guy of New York State" in one of his patrons. This man sold his farm last fall and went to work in Cortland. He had a bird dog, which along about November began yelping for a hunt. The man asked for leave of ab- sence. It was denied. He went hunting anyhow, was "fired" and has been out of a job ever since He told Mr. Burnham the bird-dog cost him just $1,200 worth of idle- ness. Cortland is near Homer, the home of David Harum. * * * "Buck" Taylor and Earl C. Crabb are running the System Theatre, Syracuse (formerly the Palace), as a second run house and doing a big business. Mr. Taylor formerly was a Pathe manager in Buffalo and Mr. Crabb managed the Strand Theatre in the same city. They know the picture game from the ground up. JUDGING BY •'APPEARANCES" This scene from Donald Grist' s Paramount Britisli production of that title indicates that a domestic catastrophe is imminent Brunton Praises Kipling Tales as Source for Film Production Robert Brunton usually can be induced to talk only briefly unless the subject seems to him worth while. Mr. Brunton thinks Rudyard Kipling as a motion picture author a worth while subject. He spent last week in New York, arriving from Los Angeles barely in time to deliver to Paul Brunet the first print of "Without Benefit of Clergy" and enable the president of Pathe to see it projected before sailing on his annual visit to Eu- •■ope. Mr. Brunet, it is said, found the picture itself ample justification of his personal enterprise in bringing the English novelist under a Pathe contract. Mr. Brunton was induced to pro- ceed, in effect as follows: "In pic- ti:res, Rudyard Kipling, of course. is an unknown quantity. He is new, different. All depends on atmo- sphere and treatment. The pro- ducer finds his familiar tools in- adequate, his familiar opportunities lacking. For example, in the story of 'Without Benefit of Clergy' there are character, atmosphere and beauty, but no 'conflict,' no 'sus- pense'—those elements ordinarily so necessary in a picture; perhaps I should say, necessary in an ordinary picture. " 'Without Benefit of Clergy' is not an ordinary picture, and was not to be made by using ordinary methods. We had to invent new ones—at least, a new sort of gen- eral treatment. But I can assure you that the result spells Kipling. Lovers of Kipling's books will like it. Zenith Features Begins on Film A new production company to be known as Zenith Features, Inc., has leased space at the Louis B. Mayer studios and engaged Theo- dore Wharton to direct the first feature, "The Besetting Sin," from an original story by Leota Morgan The plans include the making of four big productions a year. They will be adaptations of the best sto- ries obtainable and will be filmed with all-star casts. Mr. Wharton is now making ar- rangements to start work on "The Besetting Sin" and it is expected that the actual shooting of the pic- ture will begin in about a week The director has selected several exterior locations for the first week's activities and the Mayer studio forces are already busy on the construction of four of the in- terior sets. Ii is understood that Zenith Fea- tures, Inc., has the film rights to others of the author's stories as well as to several well known books and plays. More Praise for Marion Davies I. Rothenherg, owner of the Pic- torium Theatre, New York City, lias sent the following telegram to Cosmopolitan Productions : " 'Bur- ied Treasure' did splendid business for me at my Pictoriutn Theatre. Consider Miss Davies at her best in this release. Altogether compelling and gorgeous box office attrac- tion." "Buried Treasure" has had en- thusiastic reviews and excellent comment from exhibitors in every vify where it has played to date. Marion Davies has made in this pic- ture a triumph, according to the reports from theatres. It is even gxediter than Jiappiness devolion Vf-> Tfatch for it.'