The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 20, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 297 Lloyd Hamilton to Make Six Specials for Educational During the Coming Season A short time ago, James W. Dean, reviewing "The Rainmaker" for the Newspaper Enterprise Association Service, in an article headed "Lloyd Hamilton Slated for Niche in Comic Hall of Fame," said: "Lloyd Hamilton is hereby nominated for a place in the hall of comic immortals. Chaplin, Lloyd and Keaton must crowd up a bit to give him room." The nomination has been seconded and Hamilton has been elected, Educational says. During the coming production year, Hamilton will make six big special comedies under his own name. The Hamilton Comedies will be released by Ixlucational Film Exchanges, through which the Mermaid Comedies in which Hamilton has been featured have been distributed for the last two years. The production company is to be considerably enlarged. The pictures will be made under Hamilton's supervision and will be directed by Hugh Fay, who has directed the later Mermaid Comedies in which Hamilton has starred. Irene Dalton, who has played opposite Hamilton in each of his pictures in the current year, will continue as his leading lady. Jack White, who has supervised the production of the Mermaid Comedies in the current year, will supervise a new series of Mermaids with all-star casts. There will be twelve pictures in this Mermaid series. Production of the Mermaid Comedies and also of the Hamilton Comedies will begin in June and the first picture of each group will be ready for release in the early Fall. Production work will be carried on at the United Studios, where the later pictures of the current Mermaid series have been made. Ingram Will Make ' Toilers of Sea" on East Coast Rex Ingram will make "Toilers of the Sea," the first of six pictures he soon will undertake for distribution by Metro, in the East. He will come to New York ia about a month, bringing with him the unfinished print of "Black Orchids," his most recent photoplay, the Story of which he wrote himself. The cutting and the titling of this picture, the only one he has done since "The Prisoner of Zenda" will be performed in New York. Following the final task of preparing the print for exhibition, Mr. Ingram will begin Victor Hugo's "Toilers of the Sea." He plans to have the marine episodes enacted on the coast of Maine. For his interiors, a studio in New York doubtless will be obtained, possibly the Metro studios in Sixty-First street. Newspaper Lauds ''Fair Enough'* and "A Rag Dolls Romance'' by Educational The Chicago Tribune devoted half a column in its issue of April 29 to praising two short comedies Mary Pickford Starts Her Picture Revival of '*Tess" Actual camera tests of the costumes and scenes to be used in the elaborated version of "Tess of the Storm Country," in which Mary Pickford will star for a second time, have been made preparatory to starting the filming of this notable production, which will be released by United Artists in the fall. Miss Pickford and her supervising company will do their initial work on this re-creation of one of the first great classics of the screen at Another George Arliss Picture for Release by United Artists The success of the current George Arliss photoplay, "The Ruling Passion," has caused its producers, 'Distinctive Productions, Inc., to engage the same producing staff for the forthcoming Arliss production, entitled "The Silent Voice." which will be released by United Artists this fall. This is an adaptation by Forrest Halsey of the stage play by Jules Eckert Goodman, in which Otis Skinner registered one of the greatest successes of his brilliant career. Mr. Halsey adapted "The Ruling Passion" for Distinctive, and Harmon Weight directed it. Mr. Weight is directing "The Silent Voice" and Edwin W. Morrison, Clark Robinson and Harry A. Fishbeck, respectively assistant director, firt director and photographer, of "The Ruling Passion" are officiating in these same capacities on the new production. The producers state that "The Silent Voice" had been selected for Mr. Arliss because of its suitability to that star and also because of its great success on the speaking stage. "We have been looking for a long time and at the request of many Arliss admirers," said Henry M. Hobart of Distinctive, "for a stage play of high repute, but the rub has been to find one that made for vivid motion picture translation. " 'The Silent Voice' has universal appeal where many stage plays have only class appeal. But the theme is distinctive. There is pictorial value in the play, too, which I cannot describe as well as the finished photoplay can show. That pictorial side is always worth keeping in view when judging the screen possibilities of stage plays." Ann Forest has been selected for the leading female role in support of Mr. Arliss. Miss Forest is best known to motion picture fans for her work in "Dangerous Days" at Goldwyn, and in "Love's Boomerang" and "The Great Impersonation' for Famous Players. "The Silent Voice" witnesses the return of Effie Shannon to the screen. Mr. Hobart has been anxious to use this talented actress in a Distinctive picture ever since the inception of Distinctive Productions, but Broadway theatrical contracts would not permit her engagement. Edward Earle has the leading juvenile male role and Ivan Simpson, of the legitimate stage, is another featured player. Chatsworth Lake, where a complete fishermen's village, similar to the one described in Grace Miller White's book as located on the lake opposite Ithaca, N. Y., has been built with unusual care. Every piece of material used in the construction was selected because of its naturally aged appearance and condition. A large crew of searchers have been scouring all Southern California for several weeks to assemble gates, doors and whole houses which show the wearing and disintegrating effects of time and weather. All this material has been transported to Chatsworth Lake and re-asscmbled there. Although the plot of the novel will be followed closely, the new scenario calls for a marked elaboration of the story and it is said eight reels may be required for unfolding it. The present plan is to release the picture under the oneword title of "Tess." Miss Pickford personally selected the cast. , L'oyd Hughes will portray the character of Frederick Graves, the role in which the late Harold Lockwood won his first fame-begetting success. Gloria Hope will do Teola Graves while Elias Graves will be characterized by David Torrence. The others are Forrest Robinson. Jean Hersholt, Danny Hoy, Robert Russell and Mmc. Bodamere. The production will be under the direction of John S. Robertson, who was engaged especially for this one picture. recently released Film Exchanges. The pictures which were spoken of so favorably were "A Rag DoU Romance," a Campbell Comedy, and "Fair Enough," a Christie Comedy. " 'A Rag Doll Romance' is one of those clever animal comedies," says the Tribune, "that William Campbell directs and will delight the heart of your child and your own as well. Prominent members of the cast are a dog and a monkey, who busily serve the little boy and girl, who boss them. There's considerable of a plot to 'A Rag Doll Romance' ; lots of laughs and many surprises." "Fair Enough" features Dorothy Devore and Earl Rodney. Most of the action takes place in and around a jail. The Tribune says, "You'll like 'Fair Enough.' " "Hands of Nara" Due in New York Within Fortnight Within a fortnight the home office of Metro Pictures Corporation in New York expects the first print of "The Hands of Nara," starring Clara Kimball Young, to arrive from Hollywood. Production was finished recently, and within a week its director, Harrv Garson, counts .upon having rompleted the titling. Except in New York and Norththern New Jersey, this will be released through the Metro exchanges. The date upon which it will be available for bonking has not as yet been definitelv fixed, but the understanding is that exhibitors will be able to schedule Miss Young's most distinctive photoplay for showing late _ in the summer. The nicture version was produced by the Samuel Zicrler Photoplay Corporation. ''Ballad of Fisher's Boarding House" Playing in Best Houses Springfield Lyric Books Many Films Pathe reports that the point expected to be made with its one-reel screen version of Rudyard Kipiling's "Ballad of Fisher's Boarding House" has been realized with emphasis. The results achieved within a few weeks after release are declared to prov econclusively that leading exhibitors have rid themselves of the idea that length necessarily is the measure of a special feature. A big idea brilliantly executed in a compact drama with "a beginning, a middle and an end," in the language of the dramatists' axiom, is the essential feature standard, irrespective of length. Whether on Broadway, New York, or at any of the first run theatres in the other principal cities of the United States already playing the "Ballad of Fisher's Boarding House," Pathe says that the verdict is the same — the Kipling short but powerful melodramatic classic measures fully up to the feature standard — actually beyond it, for its very brevity is an element of electrical interest which the longer photodramas necessarily miss. "Associated Exhibitors attractions .suit my patrons." declared H. E. Waters, as he signed a pile of contracts calling for the early showing _ of several features of this organization in his Lyric Theatre, Springfield. III. The pictures included in the list are: "Woman' Wnke Un." "Don't Doubt Your Wife," "Marry the Poor Girl" and "Handle with Care." In the same collection were two Playeoers features. "Woman Who Wait" and "Discontented Wives," and a Pathe feature, "The Power Within."