The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

540 MOVING PICTU RE,^WO.RLD December 9,, 1922 Publish Photoplay Edition of Novel Grosset & Dunlap have published a photoplay edition of Kate Douglas Wiggin's "Timothy's Quest," illustrated with scenes from the picture which is distributed by American Releasing Corporation. The Grosset & Dunlap edition is reported to have met with favor among exhibitors in arranging book store tie-ups. MARSHALL N^^^^^ The Strdn^r^ Ban^ Written bv IKin "House of Solomon" Nearly Finished "The House of Solomon," produced by Cardinal Pictures for distribution by American Releasing Corporation, is nearing completion at the Witman Bennett studios. It is directed by Lawrence C. Windom from the story and continuity by Val Cleveland. It is described as a comedydrama of character and chiefly concerns I. Solomon who begins as an East Side tailor and achieves a shop on Fifth Avenue. "Harbour Lights" Is Finished From England comes word of the enthusiasm with which Tom Terriss, who sailed four months ago for John Bull's island, regards "The Harbour Lights" which he has just completed. Tom Moore plays the lead in this melodrama. The leading lady is Isobel Elsom. "The Harbour Lights" will probably be shown in this country around the middle of December. Goldwyn's 24-Sheet Poster for "The Stranger's Banquet." F. P-L. Convention Going Along Fine J. Frank Shea Back from Boston J. Frank Shea, exploiteer for the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, has returned from a visit to Boston and vicinity, where he went in conjunction with first run bookings and an extensive exploitation campaign on "Bulldog Drummond." Mr. Shea reports that business conditions in Boston are good. Claire Windsor Added Claire Windsor, former Lois Weber and Goldwyn star, has been chosen for the role of Patricia in George Fitzmaurice's production of "Bella Donna," in which Pola Negri makes her American stellar debut for Paramount. With Conway Tearle, Conrad Nagel, Miss Windsor, Macey Harlam and Claude King in the cast. Miss Negri's support. Paramount points o.ut. comes about as near to being all-star as is possible. Closes 30' Week Run The longest continuous run of a motion picture in the history of Australia, and one of the longest on record anywhere, has recently come to an end at the Globe Theatre in Sydney. At this house, one of the largest in Australasia "The Sheik," a Paramount picture with Rodolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres, enjoyed an unprecedented run of twenty-four weeks, establishing a record that promises to stand for some time to come. To add to this already notable achievement, the picture was transferred five blocks away to the Lyceum Theatre, where it continued to show for six more weeks, a total of thirty consecutive weeks. The district and branch managers and home office executives attending the semi-annual sales convention of the Paramount distribution department in Los .\ngeles last week were royally entertained during their sojourn in the film capital. The mornings and afternoons were entirely given over to the business of the convention, with reports from the various district and branch managers, exhaustive discussions of booking, releasing and general sales problems and the completion of plans for the handling of the Paramount product to be released during the second six months of the current picture year. On Wednesday one entire session was given over to a detailed description of the new pictures by Jesse L. Lasky, first vice-president in charge of production. On Friday morning Cecil B. DeMillc gave an address on the problems of the producer. At this session also the winners of the fifth annual Paramount Week prize awards were announced. The social festivities of the convention were inaugurated by the big banquet held in the DcMille prehistoric set on the stage of the Lasky studio, at which an elaborate program of entertainment planed by Jerome Beatty and Herman Wobber was given by some of the stars and leading players in Paramount pictures. Wednesday night the members of the convention were the guests of Sid Grauman at the Hotel Alexandria. The combined orchestra of the Grauman theatres rendered a fine program of classical and popular music, Hugo Riesenfeld conducting one of the numbers on the invitation of Mr. Grauman. There were also singing and dancing numbers and impromptu speeches by Sid Grauman, Marcus Loew, Walter Hiers, Robert Cain, Conrad Nagel and others. Later on in the evening the entire party inspected Grauman's nearly completed Metro Theatre, one of the most magnificent structures of its kind in the country. Thursday evening Mr. and Mrs. Cecil B. DeMille entertained at a reception and dance at their beautiful home in Laughlin Park. This was the only open affair of the convention and was graced by the presence of the most representa tive group of motion picture celebrities in the history of Los Angeles. Among those present were Charles Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, Pola Negri, Jack Holt. Agnes Ayres, Claire Windsor, Dustin and William Farnum, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Bowes, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Ince, Jeanie Macpherson, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Eyton, Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Hughes, Abraham Lehr, Milton HoflFman, Mr. and Mrs. Victor H. Clarke, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Wood, Mildred David, Hal Roach, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Nagel, Winifred Kingston and scores of others. Mr. and Mrs. DeMille were assisted in receiving by Mr. and Mrs. Jesse L. Lasky, Adolph Zukor and S. R. Kent. On Friday the entire party visited the studio and on Saturday the daj' was spent in an automobile tour of the beautiful country south and east of Los Angeles made world-famous in motion pictures. Plans for the return trip included a day's stop-over at the Grand Canyon. Will Soon Release Griffith Film The necessity of closing the .Apollo Theatre, New York, to permit remodelling the stage for a German production soon to go into that theatre has forced D. W. Griffith to shorten the Broadway run of his mystery picture, "One Exciting Night," from ten to eight weeks, and this is the final week of the showing. The production will shortly be released by United Artists Corporation. To Be Leading Woman Lila Lee, the leading woman for Thomas Meighan in his latest picture, "Back Home and Broke," which will be released soon by Paramount, is having a short vavation in New York while waiting for her new role which also will be in support of Meighan. Miss Lee is doing her Christmas shopping early and seeing all the worthwhile shows along Broadway. Film Critic Weds Leading Lady .\iinouncetnent has recently been made of the marriage of Robert E. Sherwood, whose keen understanding of photoplay technique has made his film criticisms in the magazine, "Life," a department of great interest, to Mary Brandon, leading lady in the Triart production, "The Bashful Suitor," released through the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation. A Sale Weiss Brothers, Clarion Photoplays, Inc., has sold the film expose of "Sawing a Lady in Half" to Creole Enterprises, New Orleans, La., for the States of Louisiana and Mississippi. Included in this deal are certain towns in Texas, Florida and Arkansas. With this sale only four territories remain unsold. Stop Now and Read Every Word of the Ten Pages on "The Dangerous Age," elsewhere in this issue Producers to Handle "Hypocrites" The filming of "Hypocrites," the famous Henry Arthur Jones story and play, is nearing completion in the Hollandia Studios, and Producers' Security Corporation, which will handle releasing arrangements for it in America, are anxiously awaiting the first prints. The director, Charles Giblyn, and the star, Wyndham Standing, were sent to Holland several weeks ago to secure important scenes, and advance reports state that "Hypocrites" will be one of the greatest features of the year. Producers' Security handles all of Hollandia's product in America. Given High Rating The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures has given the Associated Exhibitors feature, "A Bill of Divorcement," a high rating by placing it in its select list of "Exceptional photoplays." Associated has fixed December 24 for the release of this feature, which is a Denison Clift art production.