The Moving picture world (May 1922)

44 CONSIDERABLE friction has developed in the congregation of First Baptist Church at Nashua, N. H., because of the failure to appear on Sunday evening of Virginia Pearson, well known screen artist, who had been widely advertised to make an address from the pulpit on how the screen could be the medium through which ideas of the finer things of life can be disseminated. The church was crowded, and prominent in the audience were large delegations of Odd Fellows and Daughters of Rebekah. As the hour for Miss Pearson's appearance came and passed, and the pulpit remained empty, there was much fidgeting and many expressions of impatience. Finally the pastor of the church, the Rev. A. J. Archibald, entered the pulpit and announced that the screen artist would not speak. It appears that Miss Pearson had accepted from the clergyman a bona-fide invitation to speak, and all went well with the program until it came to the attention of the deacons of the church. They raised their hands in holy horror that such plans had been made and expressed the opinion that to permit a screen actress to occupy their pulpit would be in direct opposition to the best ethics of church conduct. Protests to the effect that there would be much disappointment, if Miss Pearson failed to appear as scheduled, had no efTect upon the deacons and at the end of a heated discussion, an usher was sent to notify her that she would not be permitted to talk. While that dictum applied to the church, it did not prevent Miss Pearson from expressing her opinion at the hotel, ^'Freckles" Visits the President "Freckles" Barry, star of "Penrod," had eight whole minutes of the Chief Executive's time all to himself on Monday, April 24, when President Harding laid aside the nation's business for that period of time, and devoted himself entirely to the freckle faced star. When "Freckles" departed from the Executive Mansion, he left behind him an autographed copy of the Freckles Barry edition of "Penrod," for the President's library, and a basket of special California oranges, the tribute of Mayor Cryer and the City of Los Angeles to the Chief Magistrate of the American people. MOVING PICTURE WORLD where the message from the church reached her. Among other things, she said : "It certainly is not my fault that I will not speak at the church tonight. I was invited to speak and then the invitation was withdrawn. No reason was given for this withdrawal, but it apparently is the work of a bigoted and narrow-minded class of people who think that actors and actresses are damned forever, and are met by the devil with his crooked tail, when they die. "I have appeared on the same platform with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and in leading churches in New York, Cleveland and other large cities. I have been married to Sheldon Lewis for eleven years and our life is called ideal, for all that we are in the acting profession." Robert Lieher Re-elected First National President First National franchise holders meeting the past week at West Baden, Ind., re-elected all officers, as follows : Robert Lieber, Indianapolis, president; James B. Clark, Pittsburgh; vice-president, Harry O. Schwalge, Philadelphia, secretarytreasurer. The executive committee was re-elected with one exception, E. V. Richards of New Orleans succeeding N. H. Gordon of Boston. Those re-elected are: Harry O. Schwalbe, chairman; A. H. Blank, Des Moines ; Sam Katz, Chicago ; Moe Mark, New York City. Indications are that the First National will have sixty pictures for fall release. Neilan Defendant in Suit for $100,000 by Associated Producers An action instituted in the New York Supreme Court by the Associated Producers, Inc., against Marshall Neilan, was filed in the county clerk's office just before the close of business on April 25. As only the summons in the action was filmed by Nathan Vidaver, counsel for the Associated Producers, the cause of the action is not disclosed, except that it is an action to recover $100,000 from Neilan. The summons also discloses that Barbara K. Cobb, of Mr. Vidaver's office, served the papers in the case on Mr. Neilan as he was boarding a steamer for Europe on April 22. Mr. Vidaver said there are two causes of action, one for money due on subscriptions by Mr. Neilan to stock of Associated Producers and the other for alleged failure to live up to the terms of his contract and deliver a certain number of films within a specified time. May 6, 1922 WILLIAM COLVIN Shipman Signs Colvin to Manage Production Work "Billy" Colvin, who has recently returned from Italy with the negatives of "Sant Ilario" made in Rome under the direction of Henry Kolker, has proved so satisfactory as business manager of the Italo-American organization, that Ernest Shipman has signed him to a long term contract as supervising manager of productions. Mr. Colvin left Monday for Ottawa to arrange business details in connection with Ottawa Film Productions, Ltd., "The Man From Glengarry" and "Glengarry School Days" will be the summer offerings of this Canadian producing unit. From Ottawa Mr. Colvin will go to Sault Ste Marie to arrange for the production of "The Rapids" in that cit>'. February Exports Total $16,000,000 Feet of Film More than 16,000,000 feet of films were exported during February, according to statistics which have been compiled by the Department of Commerce. Exports of films during the month included 5,150,924 feet of sensitized unexposed film, valued at $126,872; 715,021 feet of exposed negatives, valued at $61,941, and 9,653,609 feet of positive film, valued at $419,173. Our most important market for sensitized film, the department's figures show, was Japan, to which country 3,476,199 feet, valued at $84,701, were shipped. In negatives England was the largest importer, taking 281,554 feet valued at $20,591, while Germany imported 78,448 feet, valued at $18,812. The most important market for positives was Canada, whose imports totaled 1,301,291 feet, valued at $64,495. Argentina was a close second with 1,441,746 feet, valued at $63,446, while Australia imported 1.288,773 feet, valued at $55,516, and England took 1,035,135 feet, valued at $52,727. Deacons Veto Minister's Request That Actress Speak from Pulpit; Big Congregation Waits in Vain