The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

December 16, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 649 C.C. Burr Activities Attracting Attention of Entire Industry; 3rd Hines Film Ready Wiiat promises to be one of the most formidably leading producing and distributing concerns in the business is now being perfected with C. C. Burr at the helm of the enterprise, which already is the talk of the industry. Since the release of the first Johnny Hines production, Burn 'Em Up Barnes," C. C. Burr, president of Aflfiliated Distributors, Inc., Mastdon Films, Inc., and Master Films, Inc., has organized I string of independently operated exchanges through which he is eleasing his product. With the advent of the new year, this organisation will be considerably augmented. While no official announcenent was available this week, this department is in a position to state that Mr. Burr's pretentious 1923 plans call for the production and distriliiition of at least 15 specials. Some of these are already in the making. For some time the attention of the industry in general has been focussed on the meteoric progress of independents, but despite this general jump forward the fact remains that C. C. Burr with his enerprises has managed to keep his organization in the foreground in 1 season that can be justly characterized as a season of remarkable iccomplishments. That Mr. Burr's organization will be one of the most important factors in the industry is a foregone conclusion, for by the first of the year he will have perfected a producing and distrilniting organization that will compare second to none in the business. He has engaged the services of R. W. Baremore, a well-known trade paper editor and an experienced exploitation and publicity expert, to take charge of the new exploitation department, with Lester Scott taking charge of the sales department. In addition to distributing feature productions, Mr. Burr's corporation owns its own studios out in Glendale, Long Island, where it is producing several productions, namely, a third Johnny Hines produc Sion, "Luck," and anotlier, under the supervision of Edgar Lewis, enitlcd "Fires of Youth." Burr is also producing a scries of "Torchy" omedies starring Raymond McKee, but these are being released through Hodkinson Corporation. The current releases are ;he Johnny Hines feature, "Sure Fire Flint," which has proved sure-fire at its first runs, having set no less than 32 new records out of something pike 50 first run showings. Tlie other current release is "Secrets of Paris," a Whitman Bennett special, with a splendid array of stars. \nother special that Burr and Affiliated Distributors are now releasng via independent exchanges are "The Last Hour," an Edward sloman picture with Milton Sills, Carmcl Myers, Pat O'Malley, Walter Long, Alec Francis, Jack Mower, and others. Another week of concentrated production by Edgar Lewis on "Fires of Youth" was completed this week with the cast working all hours to keep up with the production program. James Kirkwood is bending every effort to give as great a performance in this feature as he did opposite Priscilla Dean in "Under Two Flags" and in his latest irelcase, "The Ebb Tide," which is playing this week at B. S. Moss' Broadway Theatre in New York. Others in the all-star cast engaged hy Director Lewis for "Fires of Youth" are Doris Kenyon, who did snrh splendid work in "Sure Fire Flint" and who is now appearing at Broadway theatre in "Up the Ladder"; Robert Edeson, Edmund Riecse, Mary Carr, whose wonderful mother characterizations have 1h ( n the subject of much conversation and favorable comment, and little Russell GrifTen, whom Burr recently signed for a long term. iTlie first two weeks of production on this feature were spent in Up-State New York, the company returning to Glendale, L. I., only this week. After seven weeks of hectic production, C. C. Burr announced this week that the third Johnny Hines special, "Luck," with Hines, Violet Mcrsereau, Robert Edeson, Edmund Breese, Warner Richmond. Charles Murray, Flora Finch and Polly Moran, had been completed and has gone into the cutting room for final assemblage and titling. This task, it is estimated, will probably consume another two weeks, with the result that "Luck" will be ready for general release about Dec. 15 or shortly thereafter. "Luck" was written by Frank R. Adams and adapted for the screen by Doty Hobart. tures with "names" and the feeling that exhibitors are not concerning themselves with what companies make these pictures so long as they fill their requirements. That "name" pictures backed by stories written by well-known authors whose identity carries box office value are in demand is made apparent by the unusual interest being manifested by exhibitors in the first two releases of Principal Pictures, "The World's a Stage," which is the very latest story written by Elinor Glyn, and the Irving Cummings production, "Chicago Sal." Through the courtesy of Associated First National Exhibitors Circuit, Principal Pictures was able to star Dorothy Phillips in the Glyn story. Others in the cast are Bruce McRae, who is now starring on Broadway in "The Awful Truth," and Kenneth Harlan. In "Chicago Sal" Miss Alice Lake appears in a role that is entirely different from those she has been regularly enacting. However, those who have seen_ the picture characterize her work as the best of her career. Milton Sills is her leading man. Independent's Day Here" — Al Lichtman Business Booming Everywhere, Report of Principal Scouts Representatives of Principal Pictures Corporation in various key centres, in reports received this week in New York by Eastern Maniger Irving Lesser, point out that motion picture theatre patronage, despite the advent of the holidays, is increasing steadily. The Middlewestern cities are recovering rapidly with nianj of them at present considerably more business than a year ago and within a short distance behind records attained during the recent world war. These representatives or scouts were sent out to ascertain conditions and the attitude of exhibitors concerning independent productions. The reports of these scouts indicate a heavy demand for pic LOS ANGELES— (Special) — The independent production has arrived. Exhibitors now recognize the worth of pictures made outside the wing of the so-called "big league" producers and are holding time open for them. Despite statements to the contrary, the market will never close for good pictures. This summarizes what Al Lichtman and B. P. Schulberg said at a dinner tendered by them to the visiting First National executives at Marcel's Cafe on Monday evening, December 4. Preferred Pictures, Inc., producers for the Lichtman Corporation also make the Katherine MacDonald pictures which are . released through First National. About 200 guests were present, among them many notables in the local film world, including Marshall Neilan, Irving Thalberg and Abraham Lehr. The Al Lichtman Corporation was launched in June. Lichtman mentioned this fact when he spoke about his complete faith in the future of the independent field. He said, in part : "I have kept careful pulse on the independent field and I think I know in what direction it is traveling. I tell you without anv attempt to disguise the facts that the independent production has arrived to stay. Exhibitors everywhere recognize the worth of good pictures, no matter what the source. They are fast approaching the realization that worthwhile pictures are to be supported no matter what their source. In every section of the country exhibitors are holding time open for pictures to come. "Since I have entered this business I have heard about the closing of the market and the freezing out of the small fry. No such thing will ever happen. It can't happen because good pictures backed by the proper sales effort will go over and go over with a decided wallop." When Schulberg spoke he delved into the sentiment among independent producers on the Coast and said that he felt he accurately gauged their thought when he said they were much encouraged over the manner in which independently made pictures were catching hold. "The measure of success that this company may have attained in the short time it has been in business is shared by others. It is by no means confined to ourselves. That in itself is a healthy indication. The fact that important theatres are playing pictures originating in studios aside from those of the powerful producers is exceedingly encouraging. It is bound to result in the production of better pictures. I know that, so far as Preferred is concerned, we are going ahead with the fullest sort of confidence in the future. Our production units are working at capacity. They will be kept that way." New Gotham 'Change Opens With the official opening of the Renown Pictures, Inc., on Thursday, December 7, a new exchange organization took its place in the New York territory serving New York City and State and Northern New Jersey. J. Bellman is manager. A carefully selected list of meritorious productions are scheduled for release by the new organization. Its initial offering will be a Principal Pictures Corporation special, Dorothy Phillips in "The World's a Stage." This production will be followed by Edward Dillon's "Women Men Marry" in which E. K. Lincoln, Florence Dixon, Hedda Hopper and Julia Swayne Gordon play the leading roles. "A Woman in Chains," with E. K. Lincoln, Martha Mansfield and Mrs. Rodolph Valentino will also be available.