The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

September 8, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 191 MacLean Supported Varied Appeal Found by a Notable Cast in Hodkinson Releases Universally enthusiastic comments which are reaching Associated Exhibitors from all who have had previews of "Going Up," Douglass MacLean's first starring production for Associated, dwell not alone upon the superlative work of that popular comedian but also upon the uniform excellence of the supporting cast. Theatregoers who recall the remarkable run of the musical comedy, "Going Up," at the Liberty Theatre, New York, starting in December, 1917, and the triumph which the piece enjoyed subsequently throughout the country, remember the hit which Edith Day scored in the role of Grace Douglas, for whose hand a thrilling aerial race is staged. Others in the cast are Marjorie Daw, Francis J. McDonald, Ballam Cooley, Hughie Mack, James Brooks, Wade Boteler, John Stepping, Lillian Langdon, Edna Murphy and Mervyn LeRoy. The production will be a Fall release. Sign Miss Dwyer Ruth Dwyer, leading lady for Eugene O'Brien in many pictures and the featured performer in "The Stealers," has been signed to a long-time contract by Fox Film Corporation and will make her first appearance in support of Charles Jones in the star's next picture, "Second Hand Love." The picture is now in the course of production at the Fox West Coast Studios. Complete "Bad Man" Edwin Carcwe is due this week at the New York office of Associated First National Pictures with a print of "The Bad Man," which he completed recently at the United Studios, with Holbrook Blinn in the leading role. Mae Murray Begins "Fashion Row on Mac Murray, whose recently completed picture, "The French Doll," is one of the first releases of the Metro Fall program, has started work on her newest Metro picture, "Fashion Row," according to the announcements from the West Coast. It is a story written especially for Miss Murray by Sada Cowan and Howard Higgins. The picture is scheduled for release in December. It will be Miss Murray's second attraction on the 1923-1924 Metro program. One other Mae Murray attraction is included in this schedule to follow it. "Fashion Row" is being made under the direction of Robert Z. Leonard. Miss Cowan and Mr. Higgins. both noted authors, wrote it directly for the screen. Miss Murray will wear approximately one hundred different gowns in the production. Thorpe in Burr Film Richard Thorpe, promising screen "find," is playing opposite Constance Binney in her first starring feature under C. C. Burr's management for release by Associated Exhibitors, now being completed. Film Title Changed The title of William Russell's forthcoming Fox Film Corporation release has been changed from "The Best Man Wins" to "When Odds Are Even." Kerrigan Heads Cast of Vitagraph Picture In order to supply a program that is varied in audience appeal the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation has taken particular pains to select for its Fall program attractions of many varieties, thus giving exhibitors the benefit of a continued run of Hodkinson Pictures free from monotonous repetition of the same kind of subjects. The first of the four Summer and Fall productions distributed through the Hodkinson Corporation is an example of this. "RadioMania," produced by Herman Holland, and starring Grant Mitchell, supported by Margaret Irving, is the first on the list. This production deals with the question of talking by radio with the planet Mars. With an entirely different appeal "The Mark of the Beast," produced by Thomas Dixon from his own story of the same name, presents one of the strongest and most appealing dramas seen upon the screen for some time. "Michael O'Halloran," a picturization of Gene Stratton Porters popular novel of the same name, is another example of the widely different appeal in Hodkinson Pictures. It will make its appeal to those patrons who enjoy the simple heart appealing life dramas. Distinctive in its appeal and formation, "Puritan Passions" puts the finishing touches to a well-selected and diversified program. It is a Film Guild Production to be released September 2 by Hodkinson. Although being unusual in plot construction, "Puritan Pas J. Warren Kerrigan will head the all-star cast of "The Man from Brodney's," according to an announcement made by President Albert E. Smith of Vitagraph. Four other stars will have prominent roles with Kerrigan in this special production which will be directed by David Smith. The five leading parts have been assigned as follows : Hollingsworth Chase, "the man from Brodney's" and the hero of this famous George Barr McCutcheon novel, J. Warren Kerrigan, whose last picture was "The Covered Wagon"; Alice Calhoun, Miss Du Pont, Wanda Hawlcy, and Pat O'Malley. McCutchcon's novel, which has been picturized by C. Graham Baker, is known to thousands of readers. sions" is human and real. It is the story of a scarecrow who has been brought to life without a soul and used as a pawn to wreak vengeance on Gillcad Wingato, the moral hypocrite of the town of Salem. Universal Doing Big Business Unprecedented summer business is reported by the New York exchange of the Universal Pictures Corporation. It is asserted that every week's business during the last two months has been better than the best week of the last year, or of the year before. W. C. Hermann, manager of the exchange, explains the unusual success of Universal in the New York territory by calling attention to the number and quality of the big box-office favorites recently released by Universal. Goldfish Pictured in Fox Films Among the Fox Educationals for the new season is "A Goldfish Story," showing a "farm" in Indiana where they raise about 6,000,000 each year. The baby fish are first shown looking like black sardines ; within a year they change to bright red and gold. There are views of sorting, shipping and counting, and of several fancy varieties, including moors and telescopes, worth from $50 to $300 each. Filming Sleuth Story in Yonkers Studio Rapid progress is being made at the Yonkers studios of Whitman Bennett Productions by Charles Giblyn director in filming "The Leavenworth Case," detective story by Anna Katharine Green. Producer Bennett will release "The Leavenworth Case" through Vitagraph. It will be the second of the specials he will contribute toward the twenty-six super features announced by Albert E. Smith, president for the season of 1923-24. Leading players are Seena Owen, Martha Mansfield Wilfred Lytell, Bradley Barker, Paul Doucet, William Walcott, Francis Miller Grant and Fred Miller. "Cap'n Dan" Film Is Being Edited Having completed final location and interior shots, Thompson Buchanan is now busy cutting, editing and titling his Associated Authors' production "Cap'n Dan," adapted from Peter B. Kyne's story "The Harbor Bar," and slated for autumn release through Allied Producers and Distributors Corporation. "Cap'n Dan" features Monte Blue, Joan Lowell, Evelyn Brent, Charles Gerrard, and has been directed by W. S. Van Dyke under personal supervision by Mr. Buchanan. Many exterior scenes were filmed along the ragged sea coast near Laguna Beach, Calif. Jane Novak Has Feminine Lead Jane Novak will play the feminine lead in Maurice Tourneur's "Jealous Fools," to be produced by M. C. Levee at the United Studios. Contracts were signed recently by Mr. Levee and Chester Bennett, who has Miss Novak under a long term starring contract for his own productions. The portrayal in "Jealous Fools" by Miss Novak will mark her return to the First National fold. Special 24 Sheets for Fox Film Fox Film Corporation has prepared special twenty-four sheets of block design for the opening of "The Silent Command," the J. Gordon Edwards special production, both in New York and Chicago. Both metropolises will be covered with the large, impressivelylettered postei's this week as the premieres are scheduled for September 2 in New York, at the Central Theatre, and August 31 at the new Monroe Theatre, Chicago. More than three hundred 24-sheet stands in New York City alone will bear the standards and about half this number in the Lake Michigan city.