The Moving picture world (May 1922)

56 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 6, 1922 Boasherg Joins R-c Pictures Parumount Reports Second Block Nat. G. Rothstein, advertising and publicity director for R-C Pictures, announces this week the appointment of Albert Boasberg to the exploitation staff. Mr. Boasberg comes to R-C after extensive experience in exploitation, advertising and publicity. For the past year he has served as field exploitatioij man for Pamous Players-Lasky Corporation. of Seven for '^Revival" Programs New Series Under the specifications of a contract just made with Jack Cohn and Lewis Lewyn, Pathe will distribute a new series of "Screen Snapshots" of a quality and general interest calculated to give them the importance of a periodical Review devoted to the professional doings and personal acticities of popular screen favorites. The contract calls for twenty-six one-reelers, to be released one every two weeks, the date of the first release to be announced shortly. Ernest Hilliard to Play "Heavy" With the engagement of Ernest Hilliard as the "heavy," the cast of Linda Webster Campbell's latest production for Vitagraph, starring Corinne Griffith, is now complete, and work on the interior scenes will begin at the Brooklyn studios. Arranges for Wide Publicity "The Sheik of Araby," the H. B. Warner feature to be released by R-C Pictures May 15, will R-C Pictures says, be assured of wide publicity by means of the tie-ups arranged with the publishers of the song of the same name and the phonograph record manufacturers. The series of seven productions recently released in block by Paramount, constituting a "Revival Week" program, has proved so popular with exhibitors and public that it has been decided by Sidney R. Kent, general manager of distribution, to issue a similar block of seven hiore of the biggest Paramount and Artcraft successes. The second block will consist of the following features : Cecil B. DeMille's productions, "Why Change Your Wife?" "The Woman God Forgot" and "We Can't Have Everything;" Mae Murray in "The Gilded Lily," the Paramount-Artcraft special production, "The Woman Thou Gavest Me;" the William A. Brady production, "Little Women," and Elsie Ferguson in "Barbary Sheep." These pictures are now available for bookings under the same conditions as the previous. Block and play dates may be arranged as soon as the new prints are distributed to the exchanges. "The success of our experiment in releasing in block 'The Miracle Man,' 'Male and Female' and the other big pictures that played for a week with daily change at the Rialto Theatre, New York, has induced us to (continue the policy^" says ai Paramount statement. "Scores of leading theatres have already played them and exhibitors without exception are reporting unusually heavy business. Our contention that any picture is new until it has been seen is being vindicated daily at the box offices. "Cecil B. DeMille's production, 'Why Change Your Wife?' the first of the seven features comprising our second revival block, is one of the best box-oflfice pictures we ever had. It was written by William de Mille, W. F. Tilford Says Production Is on Increase in the East Production activities in the East are beginning to show a marked increase, according to a statement issued by Walter Ford Tilford, president of the Tilford Cinema Corporation, which took over the studios at 332-334 West 44th street, formerly the Tiffany Studios, on the first of the month. The Tilford company, which does all its work on a definite contract "basis, completed "Destiny's Isle," for W. P. S. Earle and J. Stuart Blackton, Jr., a few days ago, and built the sets and handled all of the studio work on the Arthur Housman feature just completed at the Biograph studio and this week it is busy with contracts for three new big productions. The first of these covers the settings on Mae Murray's next picture for Metro, "Broadway Rose," which is presented by Robert Z. Leonard. It is also handling in its entirety, the production now being made by Holtre Productions, Inc., with Irene Castle as the star, for Hodkinson release. The picture is tentatively titled "Don't Weaken," and is being directed by Alan Crosland. At the Biograph studios it is also producing the next Triart picture, starring Mary Astor, based on the famous painting, "Hope," which is being produced under the direction of Legaren A. Hiller. 'The Tilford company also expects to begin work on the first William Nigh independent production within the next week or ten days, and it is Mr. Tilford's opinion that production in the East is beginning definitely to speed up with every indication of a return to normal between now and summer. Stem on His Way to Europe Abe Stern, secretary and treasurer of Century Comedies, has arrived in New York from Chicago, where he has had a conference with mid-western exchange men. Mr. Stern will stay in New York about two weeks and has booked passage on the Aquitania for Europe, where he will arrange for European bookings of the Century stars : Baby Peggy, Brownie the Wonder Dog, Harry Sweet, and Lee Moran. With him goes Bert Sternbach, Century's casting director. with scenario by Sada M. Cowan and Olga Printzlau, and is one of Mr. de Mille's interesting series of married life dramas. The all-star cast includes Thomas Meighan, Gloria Swanson, Bebe Daniels, Theodore Kosloff and Sylvia Ashton. " 'The Woman God Forgot,' also directed by Mr. De Mille, presents Geraldine Farrar as its star, with Wallace Reid playing opposite. Others are Hobart Bosworth, Theodore Kosloff, Raymond Hatton and James Neill. It is from an original story and scenario by Jeanie Macpherson. "Mae Murray scored a sensational success in 'The Gilded Lily,' in which she was directed by her husband, Robert Z. Leonard. Clara Beranger wrote the story and scenario and Lowell Sherman, Jason Robards and Charles Gerrard are seen in Miss Murray's support. "William A. Brady's production of Louisa M. Alcott's delightful novel, 'Little Women,' proved immensely popular when first released and may be well classed as a prestige picture. Harley Knoles directed from a scenario by Anne Maxwell and the cast includes Conrad Nagel and Henry Hull. "Hall Caine's story, 'The Woman Thou Gavest Me,' was adapted for the screen by Beulah Marie Dix and directed by Hugh Ford. Katherine MacDonald. Jack Holt, Milton Sills, Theodore Roberts and Fritzi Bru 'Silent Call" in 10th Week Last Sunday "The Silent Call," the photodrama with a canine star, began its tenth week at Miller's Theatre, in Los Angeles, and is expected to complete a twelve weeks' run before it is taken oflf. "The Silent Call" is a First National attraction presented by H. O. Davis and directed by Laurence Trimble. "Strongheart," a Belgian police dog, is the "star" of the production, and it is his "acting" which is responsible for the success of the picture in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Fred A. Miller, of Miller's Theatre, has sent the following telegram to First National: "Here is something you would like to hear. Sunday, beginning of tenth week, your picture, 'The Silent Call,' had line nearly block long. This week will break all records on coast for continuous runs. Am convinced that this picture will establish record for the whole country to shoot at." nette are seen in this picture which is especially distinguished by magnificent photography. "Cecil B. De Mille's 'We Can't Have Everything' is another which was foreordained for success by its wonderful cast and story. Rupert Hughes was the author and William de Mille the scenarist, and the cast includes Kathlyn Williams, Elliott Dexter, Wanda Hawley, Sylvia Breamer, Thurston Hall, Tully Marshall, Theodore Roberts, James Neill, Charles Ogle and Sylvia Ashton. "Elsie Ferguson achieved one of the triumphs of her career in 'Barbary Sheep,' from the famous story by Robert Hichens. Charles Maigne wrote the scenario and Maurice Tourneur directed, while the cast includes Pedro de Cordoba, Lumsden Hare and Macey Harlam." Is Capitalizing Public Interest Capitalizing the public interest aroused by the announcement that ''The Masquerader," the famous stage success, has been picturized and would soon be released as a First National attraction, a number of metropolitan newspapers have made arrangements to publish the novel serially, it has been learned. To date the Chicago Daily News, the Detroit Journal and the Toledo Blade have been granted the right to publish the novel serially. French Village Built in Studio An entire French village of the sixteenth century, complete in every detail, it is said, was built this week at the Famous Players studio in Long Island for Cosmopolitan's "When Knighthood Was In Flower" which Robert G. Vignola is making. This. Famous Players says, is probably the largest set ever put up in the interior of a studio. It was designed by Joseph Urban. Tully Returns to Los Angeles Elated by the successful reception of "The Masquerader" in New York, Richard Walton Tully has just returned to Los Angeles from that city, whither he went with the negative and master print of his first film production, starring Guy Bates Post. "First National officials," said Tully, "were delighted with Mr. Post's artistry in this picture." First National Picture Finished Marshall Neilan's latest production for First National, suggested by the Saturday Evening Post story, "Her Man," by George Pattulo, was completed last week. In the leading roles are Matt Moore, who has appeared in various Neilan pictures, including "Don't Ever Marry," and Leatrice Joy.