The Moving picture world (August 1921)

624 MOVING PICTURE WORLD August 6, 1921 Paramount Announces Seven Fall Productions for Block Booking Arrangements have been com- pleted whereby exhibitors will be enabled to book in block and at an early date seven of Paramount's biggest fall releases, according to an announcement just made by S. R. Kent, Famous Players-Lasky gen- eral manager of distribution. The productions selected by Mr. Kent for this offering are "The Affairs of Anatol," "Experience," "Peter Ibbetson," "Ladies Must Live," "The Great Moment," "Don't Tell Everything!" and "At the End of the World." "We are making this unusual offer," said Mr. Kent, "in recogni- tion of the extraordinary period of dullness which has pervaded the exhibiting end of the business for the past many weeks and is likely tu continue in greater or lesser de- cree throughout the month of August. With the advent of Paramount Week and the new season, starting the first Sunday in September, there is every indication that there is going to be a decided change for the better. Strongest of Firm's Pictures "So we have picked out these seven productions, all of them among the strongest box-office attractions of our fall releases, and are giving ex- hibitors the opportunity of showing them successively, without regard to the scheduled release dates, provided they, book all seven of them together. "These seven pictures are among the very best, from the box-office standpoint, ever released by our or- ganization. The people of the en- tire country are impatient to see Cecil B. DeMille's 'The Affairs of Anatol,' with its twelve stars, namely Wallace Reid, Gloria Swanson, Elliott Dexter, Bebe Daniels, Monte Blue, Wanda Hawley, Theodore Roberts, Agnes Ayres, Theodore Kosloff, Polly Moran, Raymond Hatton and Julia Faye. Strong Cast "George Fitzmaurice's produc- tion, 'Experience,' adapted from George V. Hobart's famous and sensational stage play, unfolds one of the most fascinating stories ever flashed upon the screen. Richard Barthelmess is featured in the role of Youth and the cast of thirty per- sons includes such favorites as Marjorie Daw, Betty Carpenter, Nita Naldi, Joseph Smiley, Sybil Carmen and Robert Schable. "George Du Maurier's immortal story, 'Peter Ibbetson,' also directed by George Fitzmaurice, presents three stars in the persons of Wal- lace Reid, Elsie Ferguson and Elliott Dexter, while the support- ing cast includes such notables as George Fawcett, Montagu Love and Dolores Cassinelli. The photog- raphy in this production, by Arthur Miller, is simply marvelous and in- cludes nearly four hundred double exposures, a feat hitherto unpar- alleled in picture-making. Miss Compson in Lead " 'Ladies Must Live' was pro- duced by George Loane Tucker, who made The Miracle Man' and pre- sents in the leading role Betty Comp- son, who leaped with Thomas Meighan into fame and stardom via that former Tucker masterpiece. Who could ask for surer box-office insurance ? " 'The Great Moment' is 'Glorious Gloria' Swanson's first Paramount starring picture and it was written by Elinor Glyn, author of 'Three Weeks.' It was directed by Sam Wood and is already exceeding our greatest expectations in the pre- release houses where it is now being shown. " 'Don't Tell Everything I' is another three-star production, pre- senting Wallace Reid, Gloria Swan- son and Elliott Dexter. It is by Lorna Moon and has now reached an advanced stage in the making at the Lasky studio, under Sam Wood's direction. Milton Sills in Lead "Last, but by no means least, on the list is 'At the End of the World,' in which Betty Compson makes her debut as a Paramount star. It was directed by Penrhyn Stanlaws, the renowned artist, who adopted pic- ture-producing as his profession a year and a half ago. Milton Sills is Miss Compson's leading man and Mitchell Lewis has a prominent role. "There they are, and in offering them in block, to be booked in quick succession, I believe we are per- forming a real service not only for exhibitors, but for the entire indus- try. For here, surely, is some gen- uine backbone-stiffener, and that's what the industry needs right now." Has Begun Casting Casting has begun for R. A. Walsh's next production, "Kindred of the Dust," from Peter B. Kyne's novel of the Northwest logging country. Miriam Cooper will play the leading role of Nan Brent while Lionel Belmore has been chosen for the important part of old Hector McKaye, the Laird of Port Agnew. It will be a First National Attrac- tion. Plans New Company Lloyd Ingraham, who recently finished directing Carter DeHaven in "My Lady Friends," adapted from the stage comedy which enjoyed a long run at the Comedy Theatre in New York, is reported to be busy on the plans for his own producing company. Many R-C Films Shown in First Run Houses of Large Cities R-C Pictures are being shown in a large number of first run houses in many of the large cities. This fact, it is said, is an indication of the increasing popularity of R-C Pictures and starts with the theatre- going public, and as box-office at- tractions for exhibitors. Charles R. Rogers, general man- iger of distribution for R-C Pictures, announces, "There is a demand for independent productions of the first class. Good productions can always find their way readily into the first big run houses throughout the coun- try. R-C Pictures have had excel- lent results in their drive for first- run bookings. A most gratifying result are the letters from these first-run exhibitors testifying to the box-office and audience values of the pictures played." Among the first-run of R-C Pic- tures during the past two weeks is the booking of Sessue Hayakawa in "Where Lights Are Low," at the Capitol Theatre on Broadway, New York. Four first-run houses in Atlanta recently played R-C Pic- tures during the same week. The California Theatre in Los Angeles recently played two, while the Cali- fornia Theatre in San Francisco played three. In several other cities they also have met cordial receptions in the first-run houses. 0land's Leaving Causes Surprise The fact that Warner Oland was to leave Pathe at the expiration of his present contract, which will be about the first of October, was a sur- prising bit of news to the motion picture industry. Mr. Oland has been with the Pathe concern so long that his name has practically be- come synonymous with Pathe serials. Under his own trade mark, Mr. Oland plans to produce a series of features each year for one of the big releasing companies. "The Kid" Premiere Attraction at Opening of Mobile Theatre event was regarded was evidenced by the fact that the Mobile Register printed a six page section celebrating the opening. At Work on His Tenth Production Charles Ray has started work on his tenth production for First Na- tional release. The title of Mr. Ray's latest photoplay is "Gas, Oil and Water" from the story by Rich- ard Andre. Charles Van Deroef, casting di- rector at the Ray studios, and Mr. Ray have chosen the following artists for important parts: Charlotte Pierce, Otto Hoffman, Robert Grey, William Carroll and Bert Offord. But down in Mobile, Ala., J. D. Webster opened a new theatre, the Bijou, in the middle of July. He doesn't find business dull because he is enterprising and knows that it is possible to lure people to a theatre in the sultriest of weather—if one knows how. He knew—he ran "The Kid," Charles Chaplin's First Na- tional attraction, for three days. And the box office records kept him smil- ing for the three days. Mr. Webster is president of the Bijou Amusement Company, which operates the theatre, H. W. Fowler, vice-president and Miss Marguerite Luckel is secretary and manager and treasurer of the house. The new palace of entertainment was opened Monday, July 11, with impressive ceremonies which included addresses by prominent residents of the city. Attending as guests of the management were Mayor Pillans, the city commissioners, officers of the civic associations, Rotarians, Kiwan- ians and many others. Thousands of handsomely engraved invitations had been sent out inviting the elite of the city to take part in the festiv- ities. The theatre seats more than 1,400. The importance with which the Has Gone to Film Northern Scenes David Smith, Vitagraph director, has again taken his company north for special exteriors on "Flower of the North," which he is filming from James Oliver Curwood's novel. Henry B. Walthall of "Birth of a Nation" fame, is playing the male lead in this rugged story and Pau- line Starke, who starred in "The Courage of Marge O'Donne," and other big specials, plays the title role. Building Sets Oriental sets of. unusual mag- nificance, it is said, are going up at the Brunton studio for the forthcom- ing production of Richard Walton Tully's "Omar the Tent Maker," which will be released through As- sociated First National Pictures, Inc. The work of designing the sets and their construction is under the sup- ervision of James Young, who will direct the picture, and of Wilfred Buckland, art director. Semon Plays Day and Date The latest Larry Semon comedy, "The Fall Guy," a Vitagraph film, played both the New York Strand and the New York Rialto, day and date, during the past week. The film is receiving much recognition all over the country. Two Stars Visit Snapshot Office Sigrid Holmquist, known as the Swedish Mary Pickford, and Eleanor Painter, star of the New York musical success, "The Last Waltz," were recent visitors to Screen Snapshots offices to view scenes filmed for this screen maga- zine in which they appeared. While it was no new experience for Miss Holmquist to see herself on the silver sheet, it is said to be the first appearance of Miss Painter in films, and she expressed herself as being delighted.