The Moving picture world (March 1923-April 1923)

News Ffqm the Producers EDITED BY T. S. DA PONTE Down to the Sea" Is Exploited by Crandall CONSTANCE TALMADGE now working in "Dulcy," the famous comedy which will be released by First National this spring Slides Inform Patrons of State Tax Limit Under the direction of H. H. Buxbaum, district manager of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation for the territory served by the New Vork, Buffalo, Albany and New Jersey exchanges, every exhibitor in New Vork State has received a post card reminding him that Monday, April 16. is the last day for the payment of the New York State income tax. In co-operation with the State Tax Commission, Mr. liuxbaum has ordered a series of slides for distribution through the New York, Buffalo and Albany exchanges to all Paramount exhibitors in the State. These slides not only call attention to the last day of payment but remind audiences that, whereas the exemption for married men was $2,500 under the Federal tax, with $400 for each child or dependent, the exemptions under the State tax are only $2,000 and $200 respectively. Taking advantage of the contest idea in exploitation for Elmer Clifton's "Down to the Sea in Ships," which opens at Rowland & Clark's State Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 9th, Milton Crandall has put over a good one in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Post. Through the aid of the newspaper Mr. Crandall has opened a contest for all boys and girls in the elementary schools of Pittsburgh, inviting all to write an essay on whales, the one sending in the best to be awarded a silver loving cup 18 inches high. There are 20 other prizes that will be given to the next best winners. Crandall's efforts resulted in plenty of front-page publicity. Photographs in the newspaper for days preceding the showing were in evidence. The Pittsburgh Post had to put on additional help in order to handle the essays coming in. Special advertising has been placed in the daily papers and nothing left undone that would in any way publicize "Down to the Sea in Ships." To further increase the interes' in whales, Milton Crandall kept a sharp lookout for all news material throughout the United States. These stories were capitalized and used in all of the Pittsburgh papers. Through Mr. Crandall's efforts, working in conjunction with the branch manager of the W. W. Hodkinson Exchange in Pittsburgh and the management of the State Theatre, the amount of interest created for Elmer Clifton's "Down to the Sea in Ships" was amazing. First National Closes MAE MURRAY star of "Jazzmania," in one of the gorgeous costumes which she wears in this Metro release Big Foreign Contract fi'f.Fhure^.orjw Two important foreign deals were closed by First National yesterday, one with the Kosmos Societe Anonyme of Budapest, Hungary, the other with the Nederlandsche Bioscoop Trust, The Hague, Holland. The distribution of twenty-four First National pictures was arranged for through these contracts. The contract with Kosmos Societe .\nonyme of Budapest is for the territory of Austria, Hungary, Yugo-Slavia, Roumania and Bulgaria and includes the following pictures: "Nomans of the North," "The Sky Pilot," "The Golden Snare," "The Cave Girl," "The Branded Woman," "Penrod," "Married Life," "Star Dust," "Serenade," "Midnight Bell," "Peaceful Valley," "Woman in His House," "Old Dad," "Jim the Penman," "Sonny" and "The Child Thou Gavest Me." The deal with the Nederlandsche Bioscoop Trust is for Holland and covers the following pictures: "Twilight Baby," "Wet and Warmer," "Kick in High Life," "Punch of the Irish" and "A Game Lady." Dalton Takes Vacation Dorothy Dalton has finished her work in "Fog Bound," her latest Paramount picture, and is taking a short vacation before beginning work in a picture which Ralph Ince will direct from J. Clarkson Miller's adaptation of a play by C. M. McLellan. Irvin Willat is finishing the sequences of "Fog Bound," in which Miss Dalton does not appear. Cleveland Has Simultaneous Showing of Clifton Film To Cleveland, Ohio, goes the distinction of being the first city in the United States to have a simultaneous showing in two theatres of the W. W. Hodkinson super-special, Elmer Clifton's film classic of whaling days, "Down to the Sea in Ships." Both Reades Hippodrome, one of the largest theatres in the world, in seating capacity, in the heart of Cleveland's downtown district, will present the widely advertised feature commencing Monday, April 9, with the Circle Theatre, at 102nd and Euclid avenue, having its premiere one day earlier, on Sunday, April 8. Both of the Cleveland engagements are indefinite, depending upon the business as to the length of their continuance. The premiere showing in Ohio of "Down to the Sea in Ships" is set for Saturday evening, April 7, at the Alhambra Theatre in Toledo. Elaborate exploitation and publicity campaigns are being waged in both the Northern Ohio cities for this sensation of the screen, with exhibitors throughout the entire state vitally interested and bidding against each other for the privilege of showing it first in their respective cities. Eileen Percy, well-known film star, has been signed by Famous Players-Lasky to appear in a featured roll in "Children of Jazz," a Jerome Storm production for Paramount. Miss Percy has been a member of the film colony in Hollywood for several years. During that time she served a contract with the William Fox studios, where she was starred. Later she freelanced, appearing in several big productions. Previous to the contract she has just signed with Paramount she appeared in a special production at Universal. "Children of Jazz" was started Monday, March 26. Theodore Kosloff. Ricardo Cortcz and Robert Cain are also featured with Miss Percy. Beulah Marie Dix adapted the screen story from the play by Harold Brighouse. Predicts "The Fog" Will Be Big Hit With the completion of actual studio work on "The Fog," the second Max Graf production to be released bj' Metro Pictures Corporation, comes a report from Metro that this photoplay is destined to be one of the biggest box-office hits of the present motion picture producing season. Winifred Dunn adapted the story to the screen. Paul Powell directed. The photography was done by John Arnold.