The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

314 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 25, 1922 Changes Name and Broadens Activities Widely hinted at in the industry for many months, the expansion of Distinctive Productions, Inc., into a broader field of production has come about with the official announcement from 366 Madison Avenue of the change of the corporation's name to Distinctive Pictures Corporation, and the election of Arthur S. Friend to the presidency. Henry M. Hobart becomes vice-president of the enlarged institution, and Richard Whitney, Winthrop W. Aldrich, Arthur S. Friend, Henry M. Hobart and Charles S. Hervey have been elected directors. Plans for a studio are under executive consideration, and meantime work has commenced on the company's first special production. President Friend states: "No production will be too ambitious for Distinctive to attempt. And we will only make outstanding ones." Arthur S. Friend, president of the corporation, was one of the organizers of the Jesse L. Lasky Pictures Co. When it was merged with the Famous Players Film Company and became the present Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, Mr. Friend became treasurer. Later, with Henry M. Hobart, Mr. Friend formed Distinctive Productions, Inc., in April, 1921. Distinctive Pictures Corporation's next picture will be "Backbone," from the Saturday Evening Post story by Clarence Budington Kelland. It will be the first of a new series of Distinctive specials, and Director Edward Sloman has been engaged to make it. Charles S. Hervey has been elected treasurer of Distinctive Pictures Corporation. H. N. Marin is general manager. Bert Adler is traveling representative of the president. Dorothy V. Cleveland has the publicity desk. Newsy Briefs Arthur Leslie, the well-known motion picture publicity man, established a new world record for a man of his years bv lifting sixhundred pounds at the recent Physical Culture Show, held in New York. Physical Culture Magazine for Decen-ber ha* sixteen photographs of Mr. Leslie performing bit feats and a six-page article. Ellis Parker Butler, noted author and special ad writer for First National, has been elected president of the Authors' League. Justice McEvoy in the New York Supreme Court has vacated an injunction restraining Lewis J. Selznick and the Select Pictures Corporation from exhibiting or distributing certain motion pictures, which had been obtained by Edward M. James. The Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, announces that more than ISO agricultural subjects have been covered in a series of farm movies produced under the supervision of Government experts by the Office of Motion Pictures in cooperation with other agencies. These films are available to the public generally, and cover subjects ranging from silo construction, cattle dipping, and fighting forest fires to demonstrations of cottage-cheese making. The First National Club, composed of the employees of Associated First National Pictures, Inc., iii planning an elaborate entertainment at Kismet Temple, Nostrand avenue and Herkimer street, Brooklyn, December 8. The production will be known as "The Follies of 48th Street." Twenty-eight young women applicants for positions as reviewers, or censors, of film under the New York State Motion Picture Commission, took the Civil Service examination at Albany the past week. Universal Changes Name Universal has changed its name. That company hereafter will be known as Universal Pictures Corporation instead of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, it has just been announced. The adoption of the new name was brought about by a desire to embody in the corporate name a true indication of the company's business— the making of motion pictures, rather than the ambiguous title "film manufacturing company," which more truly indicates the manufacture of raw stock. Praise for Pictures Wardens Say They Are of Great Aid in Prisons That motion pictures are a great force for good is the conclusion arrived at following a survey of the penitentiaries in the United States conducted by the Statistical Department of Associated First National Pictures, Inc. Prison wardens and chaplains told of the beneficial effects that pictures have upon their charges. The survey shows that motion pictures tend to make imprisoned men more patient in their surroundings, more amenable to discipline, and instills in them the urge of ambition and an eagerness to do right. Warden Lawes, of Sing Sing Prison, said : "The cinema is the greatest blessing mankind has been given since Magna Charta. Constant picture-going creates a brain activity which leads to a knowledge of things along many lines ; it creates a demand for books, and a wish for knowledge." "The benefit derived by the men from motion pictures cannot be estimated," said Warden McKenty, of the Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia. May be Quake Victim Laemmle Orders Search For Missing Chilean Manager David Souhami, Universal sales manager in Chile, cannot be located, and officials at 1600 Broadway fear he is a victim of the earthquake. Meager reports filtering up from Chile, through Universal's South American headquarters in Buenos Aires, indicate that the Chilean manager last was reported in Vallenar, the Chilean city now in ruins. He had gone to that place to establish a branch. Will Urge Repeal of Censorship Law GOVERNOR-ELECT AL. SMITH, on his return to New York on Monday of this week, briefly outlined in interviews to newspapermen the program that he will adopt when he takes office again on New Year's Day. Among the many things the Governor said concerned a number of reforms sought by the motion picture industry for some time. Mr. Smith, in no uncertain terms, announced that he would "start a program of economy by wiping out the Motion Picture Commission." Asked if the Administration would seek to repeal the censorship law, the popular Governor-elect said: "The first thing to be taken up will be this obnoxious censorship measure. It is unpopular and entirely un-American. Every effort will be strained to repeal this law and there need be no fear that it will not be done." Senator James J. Walker, counsel of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce and Democratic leader of the upper branch of the Legislature, will introduce the repeal bill, it was announced in New York this week. The bill will provide for the repeal of the censorship law and the abolition of the Commissioners.