The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

December 23, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 731 British Prize Winner Here to Make Cast in "Refuge" Productions with Norma Talmadge Katherine MacDonald Puts Prominent Katherine MacDonald is being irrounded by an unusual cast for r next First National attraction, Kefuge," described as one of the most colorful and thrilling stories it has been her good fortune to lilitain. The company that will support Miss MacDonald, according to an iiinouncement just made by B. B. Sthulberg, will include such well1 Tiown screen favorites as Hugh Thompson, Arthur Edmund Carewe, Victor Potel, Fred Malafesta, Eric .viay»ie, Grace Morse, Matilde I'.rundage, Gordon Russell and J. < \ unnis Davis. Although several of the names have been seen in electric lights as siars or picture players in their own jiroductions, all were selected solely because of their fitness for the ilraniatic roles provided in this niiginal story from the pen of Lois Zeliner. All of the action of the story is crowded into a period of twenty hours, but Miss Zeliner and Director Victor Schertzinger have combined to make this the most thrilling day it has ever been the lot of any mortal to experience. The story is laid in a fictitious kingdom in Central Europe — one of those fascinating places where romance and adventure are popularly supposed to thrive as readily today as in the distant past. A. H. Sawyer Begins on New Picture Following the great reception accorded "Quincy Adams Sawyer," the Metro special produced by Arthur H. Sawyer and Herbert Lubin with a cast of stellar names, Mr. Sawyer has commenced production of the next S-L Picture at the Metro West Coast Studios. This film is an elaboration of the well known vaudeville playlet, "Your Friend and Mine," written by Willard Mack, author of "Kick In," and other stage successes. It will be directed by Clarence Badger, under the supervision of Mr. Sawyer. A cast even bigger in reputation than that gathered together for "Quincy Adams Sawyer" will portray the various leading roles in "Your Friend and Mine." Willard Mack, a stage star in his own right, will head it. The production will be released some time in February. Norma and Constance Talmadge and their prize winning protege^ .Margaret Leahy, are off to the coast tliis week to start work on new First National releases. Miss Leahy, a London girl of Irish parentage, arrived here on the Aquitania, December 1, after a triumphal tour of personal appearances throughout England and Scotland There are many prize winners in pictures in this country, Leatrice Joy, who is appearing in Marshall Neilan's "Minnie," a First National release, is one, but the conditions that surround this British prize winner make her important to the industry. She is to have a part in Norma Talmadge's new picture, " Within the Law," which Frank Lloyd has already begun putting on celluloid. She has had international exploitation and is, therefore, important to I'.xhibitors in this country in general, hut she is, of course, particularly interesting to the British exhibitors. For Miss Talmadge backed by Joe Schenck, intends to make of this pretty Britisher, a star whose pictures vnW have an international sale just as do the Talmadge pictures. Miss Leahy was chosen from 80,000 girls, who entered the contest conducted by the Daily Sketch in London. This 80,000 was gone over carefully and from this number, one hundred girls were picked by twenty committees, composed of -mayors, mayoresses, members of parHament. newspaper editors, exhibitors, etc., throughout all Great Britain and Ireland. The hundred girls, called In selecting the Paul Dresser song, "On the Banks of the Wabash," for Madge Evans's first production for Associated Exhibitors, Edgar Selden, of WorthWhile Pictures Corporation, adhered to his policy of obtaining stories or plays of proved entertainment and boxoffice value, Associated Exhibitors says. "Ten years ago, when I began to take an active interest in motion pictures," said Mr. Selden, "I recognized quickly the importance of the story on the screen. With very few exceptions pictures projected at that time were barren even of primitive plot, and almost utterly unintelligible both in continuity and construction. "My particular province was to promote the story. It was uphill work and I met with many discouragements, but I clung to the conviction that the biggest returns eventually would come from the use of the best and finest story material possible to obtain. It is a source of gratification to me that, in the comparatively few years which have intervened, the story has come into its own." "The Eternal Flame" Breaks Records Norma Talmadge, in "The Eternal Flame," broke all records for several years at the Stillman Theatre, Cleveland, for both the first and the second week, according to a letter received by Felix F'eist, of the Norma Talmadge forces in New York, from Fred Desberg, general representative of Loew's Ohio Theatres, Inc. Desberg finished his letter with : "Furthermore, our patrons are unanimous in their approval of the picture." Exhibitors First Leah Baird Feature Is Finished Word was received from the west coast this week that work on "When Civilization Failed," in which Leah Baird is featured, has been finished, even to the insertion of all sub-titles, and that the film will be shipped to Associated Elxhibitors soon. The shipment will not be made though until the picture has been shown, unannounced, in several theatres in Hollywood and a number of towns near Los Angeles. Serving the entire moving picture field, Moving Picture World thinks first of the man whose theatre makes the existence of the industry a triumphant fact. Proof? Observe the departments conducted by specialists for the exhibitor: "Newest Reviews" and "Pep of the Program" to wise you up on coming features and short subjects; "Selling the Picture to the Public" to give you ideas for pulling patronage — ideas that cost from two dollars up; "Straight From the Shoulder Reports" that tell you how audiences liked pictures and how the pictures pull; "News From the Producers" that keeps you aware of activities that will eventually benefit your bookings; "In The Independent Field" where the newsiest facts about independent production activities Is spread before you; "Current and Advance Releases" from which you can tell at a glance the producers' output, star, footage, and when reviewed in Moving Picture World. That's an array of convincing proof that Moving Picture World is the exhibitor's own trade paper! in London, "Norma Talmadge's Lovely Hundred," were brought to London and there the choice dwindled to twenty. These were "tested" in a studio and the tests screened. Three great possibilities stood out. The choice was a difficult one, but Miss Leahy finally won. Miss Leahy was to have come to this country with tlic Talmadgcs, bul a few wise exhiliitors decided the girl would help business and induced Mr. Schenck to allow her to make a tour of the provinces. Probably the big work, for the present, of "educating" Miss Leahy will fall on Frank Lloyd, who will direct Miss Talmadge. She will be in the hands of a countryman, for Mr. Lloyd is a Glasgow man. Selden Saw Need of First Class Stories Galloway Made Cleveland Office Head A report comes from the office of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation to the effect that W. O. Galloway has been made office manager of the Cleveland branch, replacing E. R. Little, temporarily assigned. This appointment was effective December 4. It is also stated that E. H. Steele has become office manager of the Denver branch, effective December 4. He replaces P. G. Morris, who has resigned. Many Theatres Have Booked This One ''Conquering the Woman," the Associated Exhibitors' production, which is Florence Vidor's latest starring feature, is now making the round of the Loew Circuit of Greater New York, the Marcus Loew booking department having closed the contract with Lester W. Adler, of Associated's New York exchange. It has the :harm of , will stir the hearts of the world ^Smilin Through