The Moving picture world (November 1921)

662 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 10, 1921 Monty Banks Films Meet with Exhibitor Approval All Over The three latest Monty Banks comedies, "Fresh Air," "Squirrel Food" and "Cleaned and Dry," are said to be meeting with unusual favor with exhibitors because of their wholesome and entertaining screen qualities. "Fresh Air" presents Mr. Banks in an up-to-the-minute fun fest, and is said to contain a surprising number of original gags to keep it going at top speed to the final fade-out. "Squirrel Food" has met with favorable trade press reviews, and is declared to be a very entertaining story with rapid-fire action and a number of stunts that are new to comedies. According to Exhibitors Trade Review : "It is censor proof and highly hilarious." "Cleaned and Dry," the latest Banks FederatedWarner releise, will furnish considerable entertainment for golfers, artists, and other allied arts. It is said to give the diminutive star every chance to cut loose with the particular brand of tom-foolery which has endeared him to thousands of his admirers all over the world. Graf Arrives and Speaks of San Francisco's Chances to Become Producing Center Use Copy Given in Press Sheets of Gunning, Inc. The value of the advertising copy in the press sheets which Wid Gunning, Inc., is issuing on their new pictures is shown in the wide use being made of it by exhibitors and the fact that they are using extra space when they get the Wid Gunning mats. Among Mr. Gunning's ' first instructions to his publicity and advertising department were : "Cut out the fluff. Give the exhibitor real showman's ads., not pretty piffle dreamed out by copy writers and art directors who know nothing of theatre problems." The result has been a chorus of unsolicited praise from exhibitors in every part of the country who write in voluntarily to say : "You've hit the right angle. Your service is real service. We can quit worrying about our advertising problems when we book one of your pictures." Max Graf, head of the Max Graf Productions, is in New York City and when not actively engaged in his missions that brought him to the east he can be found any day in the lobby of the Astor Hotel telling about the possibilities in the future for the city of San Francisco as a movie producing center. Mr. Graf's first production bearing his trademark is "White Hands," starring Hobart Bosworth and directed by Lambert Hillyer. "White Hands" is an original story from the pen of C. Gardiner Sullivan. The picture was made at the San Mateo Studios in San Francisco and Mr. Graf, who is the first producer to start production in that city is elated over the possibilities of Frisco as a big producing center. When speaking of Frisco Mr. Graf said: "The populace in general have received us with open arms. Every possible bit of cooperation and help has been afforded us by the official executives and banking interests of the Golden Gate metropolis. At this date I will not say that Frisco will surpass Los Angeles as a producing center, but it will make Los Angeles sit up and take notice and it will make Los Angeles realize the importance of motion picture production and the advantages that it has placed at the disposal of the commercial value of Los Angeles. We are going ahead with our second production at the Pacific or San Mateo Studios and I hope to see the second product ready to shoot on the silver sheets of the country within four to six weeks. I can safely urge all independent producers to move their stakes to Frisco and they can rely upon full co-operation from every source." The cast of "White Hands," his initial production made under the Graf banner, includes such well known screen celebrities as Bosworth, Robert McKim, Freeman Wood, Baby Muriel, Elinor Fair, Al. Kaufman and many others. Mr. Graf contemplates a stay of three weeks in New York City, after which he will return to San Francisco and resume the leadership of his enterprises. Success of Films Proves Worth of Metro Exploitation Experts Sharing credit with the appeal of the pictures themselves is the fact that Metro is sending out with all its biggest productions special exploitation forces. This has been the case with the Rex Ingram productions, "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" and "The Conquering Power," and with Nazimova's modernized version of "Camille." Metro has not only delegated special orchestras and, in many instances, players to enact atmospheric prologues to these great photoplays, and so presented the attractions to their best advantage on the screen, but has been rendering no less support to the exhibitor in the box-office by the assignment to territories throughout the country of expert exploitation and publicity men. So successful has the practice been of working shoulder to shoulder with the showman that it is understood Metro will continue the policy in all forthcoming productions whose importance warrants it. "Turn to the Right," the Rex Ingram production of John Golden's stage success, a play by Winchell Smith and Jack Hazzard, and the young director's present work, "The Prisoner of Zenda," based on Anthony Hope's novel, fall into the class of great photoplays meriting extraordinary exploitation. to "Distress." A pre-view of the picture was given at LaPetite Theatre, Ocean Park, recently, and according to reports from the coast, was very favorably received. Christie Now Producing Two January Films That the new Christie Comedies to start the 1922 season will likely top Christie's offering of the past month is evidenced by two comedy productions which are now nearing completion, for release in January through Educational exchanges. These pictures are "A Barnyard Cavalier," featuring Bobby Vernon, and "One Stormy Knight," featuring Dorothy Devore. Both of these are specials from a production standpoint, but very different in nature and with different stars. "A Barnyard Cavalier," which has just been completed under the direction of Al Christie, was written by Frank Roland Conklin and is a series of romantic adventures in France which the hero later tries industriously to carry out in real life on the farm. Viora Daniel appears as the princess in the romantic and adventuresome episode and as the farmer's daughter in the down-toearth part of the story. In addition, W ard Caulifield, Victor Rodman and Henry Murdock have prominent parts. "One Stormy Knight" is being directed by Hal Beaudine under Christit's supervision. The story, by Walter Graham, is farcical with Miss Devore as a knight in armor. The role of her husband is played by Jay Belasco, who was specially engaged for this picture and one more to follow. Alice Maison and Earl Rodney also have prominent parts. A life-sized prize fight, staged in an arena with real scrappers, is one of the features in this comedy. Christie's December releases are already completed. They are "Kiss and Make Up," featuring Earl Rodney and Helen Darling, and "No Parking," a novelty house-moving story featuring Neal Burns, with a clever baby and dog. s-i o • £ r^* r^'i Marcus Loew Opens Coogan Series of Five Films 3000-Seat Theatre to Draw $15,000,000 Receipts in Brooklyn, N. Y. "Man 'sHome " Opens Theatre in Miami For the short time it has been in circulation, Selznick's "A Man's Home," is establishing a reputation for opening new theatres. The Boulevard, Baltimore, opened with the picture for its first public showing and since then several theatres throughout the country have used the Ralph Ince feature as an opener. The latest is the Fairfax Theatre, Miami, Fla., to be soon opened by Carson Bradford. Manager Bradford came to New York to pick his premier offering and from the numerous features screened for him he chose "A Man's Home" as possessing the dramatic qualifications and box-office value necessary to start his new theatre on its way successfully. * During the various discussions pertaining to the distribution of the five Jackie Coogan productions, some interesting figures have been brought to light. Careful figures show that on the five pictures there will be over $15,000,000 in receipts and that the rentals will run close to the $5,000,000 mark — all in a period not exceeding twelve months. It seems strange that a little 6year-old boy could be the target for an expenditure of $5,000,000 by exhibitors and an amount three times that by an admiring public, but it is tiue. In little more than a year, little Jackie Coogan will be the proud possessor of a fortune. So will his producers. "My Boy" being finished an about ready for distribution, Jackie is hard at work on his next story under the direction of Jerome Storm. The new story is a plumbing yarn laid in the tenement district of New York City. Jackie will still wear his old ("tatters") that he introduced in "The Kid" and that he has on in "My Boy." Sol Lesser, vice-president of the West Coast Theatres, Inc., remains in New York working on the national distribution angle for the entire Coogan series. When closed, this deal will represent one of the biggest in the history of the motion picture business. Mr. Lesser expected to be at his desk in Los Angeles by Thanksgiving, but urgent business affairs has kept him in Manhattan. He plans to return home early next week with contracts on the Coogan matter signed, scaled and delivered. Titled "Distress" The title of the latest EducationalMermaid comedy, originally called "The Panic's On," has been changed With the November 21 opening of the Gates Theatre, Gates avenue and Broadway, Brooklyn, N. Y., Marcus Loew added another 3,000 seat picture-and-vaudeville house to his extensive circuit. The Gates Theatre is spacious, comfortable and safe, beautifully decorated and handsomely appointed. The opening night was graced by the personal appearance of Mayor John F. Hylan, of New York; Borough President Reigelman and a host of film stars, including Hope Hampton, Will Rogers and Mae Murray. Pictures are not subordinated to vaudeville in this new house : the overture by combined orchestra and organ, with the play of the colored light combinations, and close following of the Power's-projected piclures by the musical conductor, being notable features of the entertainment.