The Moving picture world (August 1921)

August 6, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 609 In the Independent Field 3d) c.s. sewell Sonora Obtains Mae Murray to Star in Feature More Exchangemen Big Foreign Film pn me( ji by Her Own Organization ara Films Corporation reports Visit Arrow Film Sonora Films Corporation reports ~ ^ <=>' The steady flow of independent the receipt of advice from its Euro- A staff of experts have been re- mount, is manager of productions: exchangemen from all parts of the pean representative that he has se- tained by Mae Murray who became Charles Cadwalder, art director; country who have visited New York cured another high class feature of an independent producer with the Bob Leonard who directed _ Miss an intensely interesting and awe- organization of Tiffany Productions, Murray in "The Gilded Lily" and inspiring dramatic type, adapted Inc. The company has begun pro- other of her productions, director- from a famous European novel, duction of a series of features, the in-chief; Roland Marsh, camera- This production features a star first of which, "Peacock Alley" is whose work has already been praised in its sixth week at the Amsterdam in this country. Several of the cast studios in Forty-fourth street, that appeared in the Sonora produc- The studio organization is com- tion, "Tradition," which was pre- posed largely of men who spent sented at the Hipprodrome, appear years in the employ of Famous in this production. Players. Roland Edwards, Para- Irving Lesser Will Distribute Series Starring Lester Cuneo Irving Lesser, general manager Billington, Fanny Miderley, Bert „ ___ . _ . O i T»1 '1 . t T-» 1 1V1U111C AJIUC IS »_Ct3l d3 lilt I ICUltUUJ of Western Pictures Exploitatton Sprotte and Phil Gastrook, Robert youth who eventually learns the Company, who recently returned to K ^i. lev directed. , virtue of loyalty from his wife. Los Angeles from a three months' f Cuneo , has a f°«°wing on both The sets are unusuall lavish . i^os Angeies irom a tnree monins stage and scree n. On the stage he Robert z Leonard is directine the trip to New York and other ex- appeared with Olga Nethersole in Leonarcl ,s erecting tne change centres announces he has Carmen, Camille, Sapho and other , closed with the Doubleday Produc- classic dramas and was also leading tion Company for the distribution man in stock companies in Chicago rights to a series of eight five-reel and Winnipeg. On entering pictures pictures starring Lester Cuneo. he appeared with Selig playing op- The first production, "Blue posite Kathryn Williams and was Blazes," is by Henry McCarty and later with Harold Lockwood and Leo Meehan in which Cuneo appears May Allison in Metro pictures and as a champion prize fighter. The with Wanda Hawley in "Food for supporting cast includes Francelia Scandal." during the past few weeks in con- nection with attractions for their respective territories are a healthy sign and point to an early return to Joe Darrell, head of scenic normal conditions. For instance, Arrow Film Cor- construction and carpentry depart ments and Marcel H. Wallenstein, in charge of publicity department. Geo, the central character of "Peacock Alley," is a character which will recall Sonia of "On With the Dance." She is a Norman peasant girl who has become the darling of Paris. The Champs Elysees and the cabarets of New York enters the production. Scenes shift from a small Western town to Paris, then to New York. Monte Blue is cast as the righteous poration reports the presence in its offices of the following prominent film men during the past week: Hirsch of Lightning Photoplays, Boston, to arrange for personal ap- pearance of Jack Hoxie in that city; W. H. Bradley of Pearless Pictures, Boston; Michael Lessey of Screen- art Pictures, Philadelphia to ar- range for "The Blue Fox" serial; Dave Segal of Royal Pictures, Philadelphia, handling the Curwood series; Leo Garner of Reliance Film Exchange, Washington; Ben Fried- man of Friedman Film Corporation of Minneapolis, and A. Weiland of Standard Film Exchange, Pitts- burgh. Urges Exhibitors to Experiment Pictures, Inc., resulting from an advertising campaign inaugurated a few weeks ago and which will be rr\i -m jt i in full swing by the middle of Au- 1 krOUghOUt Independence MOnth gust, President Franklyn E. Backer ° reports he finds a strong revival of September "Independence Month" your programs, yourself. Give every buying in the state right field. 4s one of the finest opportunities angle a chance, of course using the After making a study of summer the exhibitors have had, the op- same degree of exploitation and conditions in the industry for sev- portunity for experiment, for the advertising you have been doing. eral years and taking into effect exhibitor to try out something new —^—^—— and test what it will do for him, says Joe Brandt, president of the C. B. C. Film Sales Corporation and Independent Producers and Dis- tributors Association. "This is the golden opportunity for the exhibitor. I have always advocated the policy of open play dates and believed that it was short- sighted for an exhibitor to tie him- self up so that he had no room for booking independent productions of merit. "If exhibitors will use 'Independ- ence Month' wisely, they can do so to their everlasting good and prove just what they are doing and what they are overlooking," says Mr. Brandt. "Play independent subjects during this month, keep accurate records on the basis not only of cost but of actual profit over and above expenses. Try an all-short-subject program; make this a month for trying different combinations and different kinds of pictures, to try out your theatre, your audience, Backer Reports Big Revival of Buying in. State Right Field Based on the many inquiries the rapid growth of the industry, from almost every section of Mr - Backer came to the conclusion ... . , , tt that war conditions had thrown the the country received by Horizon industry into what was bound t0 be Here's Co-operation On page 587 is an article which will interest you whether you are an independent producer, distributor, exchangeman or exhibitor. It gives the details of a plan inaugurated by the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, with a membership of four hundred and twenty theatres, by which they are co-operating with twenty-two Philadelphia exchanges, including both state rights men and companies with national ex- changes, to boost the independent movement and par- ticularly "Independence Month." A "Committee on Independence Month" has been formed, consisting of representatives of exchangemen and exhibitors who will conduct a vigorous campaign, backed by publicity and exploitation, the object being to get exhibitors to pledge fourteen days booking for independent films during the campaign, as many as possible to be in September. Read it. normal summer conditions sooner or later. He reasoned by the middle of August when Broadway is humming with activity with the rehearsals for new stage plays, would see every- one with an investment in the mo- tion picture business getting ready for the next season. He laid out his advertising campaign accordingly so as to work up to a drive about the third week in August. Part of the campaign was the lit- tle novelty note books presented to thousands of film men. The results were small at first and he resolved not to check up but to withhold his judgment until the middle of Au- gst, however he announces that to his surprise, six weeks after begin- ning his campaign he received in one day as many inquiries as he expected over a term of weeks. Calculated Wrong He now states his calculations were wrong but says he still believes Jhe middle of August is the logical "time for renewed activity marking- the opening of the new season. Not- withstanding the depression talk state right men, says Mr. Backer, have come to the realization that they must get busy to be ready for the rush of Fall business. He con- siders the big response to his cam- paign to be due to the result of ad- vertising a good product and the sudden revival in the state rieht market.