The Moving picture world (March 1923-April 1923)

350 MOVING PICTURE WORLD March 17. 1923 "Has the World Gone Mad!" Starts Its Career As a Record Smasher By ROGER FERRI PROVIDENCE, R. I. — Whenever Matt Reilly wants to give his patrons something out of the ordinary when his opposition is billing unusucd bills he usually digs into the independent msu'ket and manages to locate some sort of production that makes this otherwise quiet New England city sit up and take notice. Matt is successfully managing the Victory Theatre, and when word reached him that his opposition had booked extraordinary bills for the current week it behooved him to look around for some out of the ordinary production that was worth exploiting and that justified loud exploitation. t'orporation, has secured Hynes as manager for Educational in St. Louis. Ilanki-n sold his interest in Fine Arts several mouths ago and Just recently returned from an extended tour of Europe. And Equity Pictures Corporation's Daniel Carson Goodman's production of "Has the World Gone Mad?" was booked for a world premier showing at the Victory Theatre on Monday. It was a remarkable premier — remarkable because it was staged in the face of the stiffest opposition any St. Louis Inds. Abandon Theatre Building Plans St. Louis. (Staff Special.) — All The Gardiner Screen Company of Cleveland, C, has decided to enter the St. Louis territory. Frank Sturi;i8 has been named salesmanager for this territory, including Missouri, most of Illinois, Arkansas and Northern Oklahoma. His headquarters will be in St. Louis. He is not a new-comer to this city having been affiliated with O. T. Crawford in his movie pioneering In St. Louis. He obtained the first permit to shoot movie scenes on the streets of St. Louis about 1906. production has ever had in this or any other New England plans for the erection of a first New Pittsburgh city. Local showmen have not forgotten how Matt Reilley P'^ss theatre in this city to house FxrKancr** Onf^nit I <"r TvT • r) » u • u i i independent first run pictures l-iAtlldngC wpcns put over Ten Nights in a Barroom, but there is absolutely ^ave been apparently abandoned, no comparison in the artistic merits of the two specials. "Has The theatre situation, while con the World Gone Mad?" is not freak entertainment; it is siderably improved, is not yet PITTSBURGH — (Staff Special) — Pittsburgh's newest film exchange is the All-Theatres Pictures, Inc., located at 119 Ninth Street. The new company will release the new edition of Keystone comedies, being offered by the TriStone Pictures, Inc., of New what exhibitors would like it to be. Then, too, the local promoters have realized the futility of York' bucking up against the forces that are in virtual control of the . ^he Progress Pictures Corporation fi..^» *u:_ »• ^as secured the territorial rights for first run situation in this section, the productions of the Producers However, they insist the plan has Security Corporation, and are already not been completely abandoned, booking the first release. although those, who are in a position to know, insist that the abandonment report is about the last that will be heard of the much discussed project. the first release, "Just Song at Twilight," starring Richard Barthelmess. A. A. Elmore, financial agent of the National Board of Farm Organizations was in St. Louis Thursday, Friday and Saturday in furtherance of the production of "The Toll," a picture depicting the farmers' side of the country's marketing and transportation problems. This picture will be made by the General Film Corporation, St. Louis, for the Producers Co-Operatlve Syndicate, composed of 40,000 organizations with 5,000,000 members. Romaine Fielding will be the director. Harry Hynes has been made manager of the St. Louis Film Company, controlled by Skouras Brothers Enterprises. This exchange was known as the Grand Central Film Company. It will handle the Al Llchtman Preferred and Warner productions and other independent pictures controlled by Skouras Brothers. CuUen Espy is salesmen for the exchange. He formerly managed the New Llndell Theatre, controlled by Skouras and associates. Sol 3. Hankin, manager of the Harry F. Grelle, of the Supreme Photoplay Company, who has }ust taken over the Iron City Film Bxchange, announces the acquisition of three new salesmen to his force. They are Captain R. J. Kinder, formerly with the First National; Wm. C. Pearce, formerly with the Quality, and T. P. McLaughlin, formerly with Famous Players. The Supreme exchange distributes the VVamer Brothers Classics of the Screen in the Pittsburgh film field. Messrs. Karrer and Langan. of the Merit Films, Inc., have both been sick in bed with the flu, but both are again on the health road and telling the exhibitors about "Deserted at the Altar." Saul Meltzer, for several years on the road for the Select exchange, has resigned his position, and hereafter will work the Northern territory for the Pittsburgh Federated exchange. superlative entertainment of the higher sort. The opposition was considerably stiffer and not one-tenth the effort put in exploiting "Ten Nights" was put into the exploitation of "Has the World Gone Mad?" There was no extra advertising and no unusual outside billing. The only big exploitation feature was a huge ballyhoo truck that paraded through the streets of Providence and nearby territory for three days prior to the opening. This truck — a float with attractive cutouts and a revolving globe with the words : "Has the World Gone Mad?" brilliantly illuminating it — blocked traffic on the main thoroughfares so often that finally Police Captain Connors was forced to instruct Manager Reilley to keep it off the streets downtown during busy hours. The exploitation campaign — save for the float — was of a most dignified type and won editorial mention in several of the newspapers. The management played on the attractive title of the picture and published a personal guarantee that the production was one "of the greatest this house has ever shown." The production was put strictly on its merits — and it went over in record-smashing fashion. While the Monday opening was the means of establishing a new house record, the theatre on Monday morning at ten o'clock opening with a line extending along Westminster street, around the corner to Union street as far as Weybosset street. There was a long line outside all through the show, and so quickly was the house jammed with people that the fire inspector instructed the manager to close the doors at 10:30 a. m. — a half hour after the opening of the house. It was a case of standing room only all day long. While the forenoon and afternoon business was so great that the overflow aided other neighboring houses, the evening turnout was far greater in every respect. Double lines were formed and in order to accommodate the crowds, the management was forced to eliminate several short subjects. Two extra shows were necessary, according to Manager Reilley. That the production got over on its merits, that Providence theatregoers consider the picture out of the ordinary was evinced on Tuesday when the scenes of the previous day were repeated. And it promised to continue all week, for newspaper critics gave loud praise to the Daniel Carson Goodman special, characterizing it as "great entertainment" (Providence Journal), "a picture that merits the patronage of every soul in the city" (Providence Tribune), "a story that is true to life . . . will make everybody happy and, indeed, is an investment that is not often given at any theatre" (Pawtucket, R. I., Times), and "one of the best of the year" (Providence News). "Has the World Gone Mad?" came to Providence in one of the worse weeks of the theatrical season — and during the Lenten period. This city is literally choked with first class attractions. "The Pilgrim," with Charley Chaplin, is playing day and date at all theatres, excepting the Victory. "Java Head" is the other feature at the Modern, while the Rialto, Strand and others also are giving extraordinarily fine bills. The Albee Theatre, a vaudeville house of the first order, in addition to a bill of eight big vaudeville acts, including two local topnotchers — a band and double act — is also featuring the Chaplin picture. Pauline Lord in "Ann Christie" is the best melodramatic attraction that has played the Shubert-Majestic this season. Equity Pictures Corporation has given the independent market a record-smasher in "Has the World Gone Mad?" and no end of credit is due Producer Daniel Carson Goodman, for it is an artistic produc as a box office attraction that compares favorably with the best this tion, which deals with a domestic problem that is familiar to remarkable season of big pictures has had recorded in its favor, newspaper readers and can well be tied up appropriately in every city . The cast is splendid, with settings that are picturesque and wonBut it is the maximum entertainment value, together with its produc derful to look at. The title pulls them into the theatre and the picture tion excellence, that makes "Has the World Gone Mad?" stand out will hold them and bring others back to the house. H. Clay Berger, former Universal salesman, is now connected with the Progress Pictures Corporation in a sales capacity. formerly presidentFine Arts Pictures W. Ray Johnston, vice-president, of the Arrow Film Corporation, spent a day in Pittsburgh last week, visiting the independent exchange boys. Warners Sign Goulding, Dazey, Johnson LOS ANGELES — (Special) — Edmund Goulding, Frank Dazey and Agnes Johnston have returned here after having signed a contract to write scenarios exclusively for Warner Brothers. Harry M. Warner closed the deal. They have been signed for next season. Other members of the Warner scenario department include Julien Josephson and Grant Carpenter. Hooking Up Picture With ChaplinNegri LOS ANGELES — (Special) — It was discovered here this week that Lee-Bradford Corporation, distributors of "Is Money Everything?", are attempting to tie up the Charlie Chaplin-Pola Negri betrothal and split and re-betrothal affair with that picture. Both are said to have been invited to view the picture at the Los Angeles opening.