The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

ML Mo, News Fbqm The Producers EDITED BY T. S. DA PONTE W. W. Hodkinson Has New Selling System re you are, girls and boyi all sizes and ages ! Here is latest idea in Santa Clauses, ording to Miss Norma Conlo, leading lady for Al St. star comedian with Fox n Corporation. In place of jolly old chap with his long skers and his generously nded limbs and form you are red a fair feminist, 1922 crop, op boots, riding breeches and mug-fitting, bell-skirted coat h leopard skin trimming, who s as if she hckiled from the lator rather than from the North Pole. 4round the World for Data ecil B. DeMille is sending two en half way around the world search of authentic data for forthcoming film production of Ten Commandments for Paraunt. lare West, who heads Mr. Mille's costume department, i leave shortly for Paris to n ideas for gowns to be worn tlie Paramount stars in the dern sequences of the producn, and Mrs. Florence Meehan, vcler, and authority on ancient oples and customs, sails immetcly on a lengthy tour of Icstinc, Arabia, Egypt, India, a, Ceylon, Thibet and Baluchis1 to obtain costumes, properties d historical data on the places tually named in the Old Testant. A decided innovation has been inaugurated by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, which, that company believes will revolutionize the usual system of selling which is now in vogue throughout the country. Beginning with the feature, "Heart's Haven," the Hodkinson advertising department, working in conjunction with the sales department, has originated a short "sales-trailer," which is sent to the branches. In place of sending a print to the theatre for pre-view ing, this reel is taken by the salesman direct to the theatre and screened for the exhibitor's benefit. This reel carries the salient sales points necessary to give the exhibitor an idea of the real worth of the feature in a short space of time. The Hodkinson Corporation feels that the smaller exhibitors in this way will have the opportunity of judging the real value of the production without depending exclusively on. the word of the salesmen or the press books. Gerson Corporation Enlarges Activities The Paul Gerson Pictures Corporation of San Francisco makes a formal announcement of the expansion of its producing activities for the coming year. The com])any is now finishing a series of twelve two-reel comedies featuring Dan Mason, which have been unusually successful, it is stated, and which are being distributed by the Film Booking Offices of .America. A demand has been made for another series of these comedies, and these may go into production about the first of the year. Peter B. Kyne has signed a contract with the Gerson Company to furnish it with a series of Saturday Evening Post stories, which will introduce a character new to the screen in the person of Tiberius Tinker. Orral Humphrey, well known on stage and screen, will have this role. In order that these stories may have every opportunity to be suc cesses. David Kirkland and Craig Hutchinson, two successful comedy directors, have been secured to direct the entire series. In addition, an all-star cast will support Humphrey. Distinctive Engages Marion Abbott Marion Abbott has been engaged by Director Edward Sloman to play the part of Mrs. Whidden in "Backbone," the allstar production which he is now directing for Distinctive Pictures Corporation at the Biograph Studios in New York. Miss Abbott is a newcomer to the screen, having appeared in only one other picture, "Tol'able David," in which she played the mother role. It was because of her remarkable work in this production that Mr. Sloman sought out Miss Abbott. DOROTHY DEVOE in Christie Comedies released by Educational. Playgoers Picture Highly Praised Following the opening in Louisville of the run of a Playgoers Pictures special, the Times of that city said: "'The Bootlegger's Daughter,' as presented at the Walnut yesterday, with Enid Bennett and Fred Niblo, her husband, famous director of 'Blood and Sand' and 'The Three Musketeers," featured, is abounding in dramatic situations. Miss Bennett, as Nell Bradley contributed a colorful bit of acting to the screen. She gives dignity to a role that required nothing less than an artist to put it over." Lois Wilson Added to Cast Lois Wilson is the latest as well the last addition to the stellar St of "Bella Donna," Pola egri's first American-made pic,rc, which George Fitzmauricc producing at Paramount's West Dast studio, according to an anjuncement made by the pro Books Fifty First National Productions for Alaska J. F. Spickett, owner and manager of the Palace Theatre, Juneau, Alaska, booked fifty First National attractions during his recent visit to Seattle from the gold country and told about the troubles Alaskan exhibitors were having in getting pictures. "I have to make this long trip because I want to see the pictures I am booking," he declared. "The people of Alaska are just as keen picture fans as you will find anywhere in the U. S., and like the people in the States they don't want any more 'shooting gallery' photoplays. They are willing to wait quite a time to get the high class plays, but they don't want the out of date ones. They read the latest books and the newspapers and know what is going on. "Business up in the North hasn't been so good because of the slump in mining and we must have high class pictures to bring them at all. Because of the closing of some of the big mines the population of Juneau has decreased from 5,600 to 2,500 since the end of the war. Fishing, canning and government offices provide most of the industrial activities of the southern Alaska citie*." Hodkinson Picture Breaks Records Announcement is made by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation relative to the fact that "The Headless Horseman" or "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," a picturization of Washington Irving's famous classic, featuring Will Rogers as Ichabod Crane, smashed all box office records for four days at the Modern and Beacon Theatres, Boston, Mass. Hilliard To Be in "Ne'er Do Well" Ernest Hilliard has been signed to play opposite Thomas Meighan in the forthcoming Paramount special, "The Ne'er Do 'Well," in which Mr. Meighan will be starred by Famous Playcrs-Lasky Corporation. Work on "The Ne'er Do Well" started this week in the Famous Players-Lasky studios in Long Lsland City, with Alfred Green directing. 87 l1 be ors :oi in idy dy, is Luaid exist, Arill The t 6. as2 ich )oi)ert iron sal. ro[ur big arc ary ude will iro. It :hly ■ven in irks n a her rect mal A )ort ure. can rsal of [ao>rld de :ion lace use the ited vith ling ton, iwe, han )vel ach irowill cial son ady een vv 11 liss Sh-; liar "n's bcr mal the