The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

February 16, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 55j C. C. Burr to Exceed Promised Quota of Features This Season A Bowery Premiere 'Fools' Highway" To Be Shown First at Atlantic Gardens Because it is located half a block away rom Pell street on the Bowery, Universal Pictures Corporation chose the Atlantic jardens as the most appropriate place to lold the world's premiere of "Fools' Highway," the adaptation of Owen Kildare's well known book, "My Mamie Rose." The action of "Fools' Highway" takes place mostly on the corner of these streets, made famous in bygone days by Barney Flynn's well known saloon. There is a retail commercial establishment on the site at the present time, but with that exception little change has come over the corner. Most of the change is in the people that pass it. But on February 11 at 8:30 p. in. one famous institution which was running full blast in its pre-Volsteadian glory, the Atlantic Gardens, will be brought back to its former appearance. Of course, pictures were not a part of the program in the old days, but in every other respect except the beer, Universal, with the assistance -of the manager and the owners of the theatre, will endeavor to put Atlantic Gardens into its 1892 appearance. This world premiere of "Fools' Highway" will be attended by an invited audience and, outside of the newspaper people who are present, every invited guest will have to show some Bowery hallmark. Add to Cast of Fox Play Florence Dixon, Byron Douglas and Olaf Hytton Will Appear in "It Is the Law" Florence Dixon, Byron Douglas and Olaf Hytton have been added to the cast assembled at the William Fox New York studios for the screen version of "It Is the Law," the stage play by Elmer Rice. Director J. Gordon Edwards is making this picture, which will be one of the special productions on the Fox program for 1924-25. Mimi Palmeri has the leading feminine role. Arthur Hohl and Herbert Hayes will be seen in the two chief male parts. Hohl is playing the same part in the screen play that he took in the stage production. In addition to working all day before the camera in the Fox studio, Hohl lias the leading role in "White Cargo," one of the hits of the current season. Would Make Owners Pay Because of a situation which developed some few weeks ago in Ottawa, Ontario, the Provincial authorities of Ontario announce that amendments to the Amusement Tax Act to be submitted to the Provincial Legislature will include a provision which will make the owner of a theatre responsible for amusement tax returns in the event that a lessee of the theatre fails to turn over the complete tax receipts. At present, the lessee is held to account for the Provincial ticket tax and if he fails the Province can go no further. Under the proposed new legislation, the Ontario Government will be able to turn to the owner of the theatre for tax amounts owing and unpaid. In Ottawa recently a lessee was found to be delinquent in tax payments amounting to a considerable sum and the theatre is now being operated under the direct control of the theatre company. C. BURR is a man who keeps his , promise in producing pictures. With his first feature, "Burn 'Em Up Barnes," starring Johnny Hines, Mr. Burr showed that he had a keen sense of what the public wanted in the way of films. He, personally, went into the field and sold his initial feature and exhibitors cried for more like it. So he announced six features for the 1922-23 season and lie delivered the goods to the entire satisfaction of distributors and exhibitors and the theatre-going public. This series of six was comprised of "Sure Fire Flint," starring Johnny Hines, supported by Violet Mesereau, Edmund Breese, Robert Edeson, ('bailie Murray and others: "I Am the Law," an Edwin Carewe production, with a star east, including Wallace Beery, Alice Lake and Gaston Glass; "Secrets of Paris," a Whitman Bennett production, with Lew Cody, Gladys Hulette, Montagu Love, Rose Coghlan and Buster Collier heading the cast; "The Last Hour," an Edward Sloman production, with Carmel Myers and Milton Sills ; "You Are Guilty," an Edgar Lewis production, co-starring James Kirkwood and Doris Kenyon, supported by Robert Edeson, Mary Carr, Edmund Breese and Russell Griffin. This season a group of representative leaders in the state right field, realizing what C. C. Burr productions meant to the independent market, got together and assured Mr. Burr that they were counting on his new product for their exchanges. In response to the demand, Mr. Burr secured story material of high calibre by well-known writers and signed up stars whose following meant dollars at the box office. He then announced that he would make at least four productions for the independent market during the 1923-24 season, and not only has be made his quota but he will make two more features in the near .future. The four completed pictures are: "Three o'Clock in the Morning." starring Constance Binney; "The New School Teacher," with Charles "Chic" Sale; "Restless Wive;." with Doris Kenyon, James Rennie and a superior cast; and "The Average Woman," with a cast including Pauline Garon, David Powell and Harrison Ford. Kenneth Webb directed "Three o'Clock in the Morning" from Gerald C. Duffy's scenario based upon Mann Page's original story. It is an ideal vehicle for Constance Binney, who has just scored a hit on the musical comedy stage in "Sweet Little Devil" at the Astor Theatre, New York. Her Burr screen play is also of musical comedy vein and is by far her best effort for the films. She is supported by Mary Carr, Edmund Breese, Richard Thorpe, William N. Bailey. Edna May Oliver and Russell Griffin. The famous "Bambalina" dancing girls from "Wildflower" appear in elaborate scenes. Gregory La Cava directed "The NewSchool Teacher," a comedy-drama with the famous vaudeville star. Charles "Chic" Sale. As a portrayer of characters Sale is famed far and wide. He gives the most natural interpretation of his career in this Burr picture, for he plays "straight" as regards artificial facial make-up. Others in the cast are Polly Archer, Harlan Knight, Leslie King, William Black, Mary Kitson, Robert Bentley and Russell Griffin, Mickey Bennett and a score of boy players. La Cava is also responsible for the directionof "Restless Wives," adapted by Mann Page from Izola Forrester's Ainslee's Magazine story of the same name. The cast includes Doris Kenyon, James Rennie, Naomi Cliilders, Burr Mcintosh, Coit Albertson, Montagu Love, Edmund Breese, Edna May Oliver, Maud Sinclair. "Restless Wives" is a society melodrama. William Christy Cabanne directed "The Average Woman," adapted by Raymond S. Harris from a story by Dorothy de Jagers, published in the Saturday Evening Post. It is a frank portrayal of modern day social life and conditions. The players include Pauline Garon, Harrison Ford and David Powell, Burr Mcintosh, De Sacia Mooers, Coit Albertson, William H. Tooker and Russell Griffin. Mr. Burr further announces that he will make two more features this season — "Lend Me Your Husband" and "Youth to Sell" — both on a lavish scale with superior casts. "Lend Me Your Husband" is a sensational and original society drama of today written directly for the screen. Doris Kenyon has already been signed for this feature. "Youth to Sell" is another of Izola Forrester's stories and was published in Ainslee's Magazine under the title of "The Grey Path." Truart Has Thriller Richard Talmadge's Second Stunt Film Full of Death-Defying Acts The second of the two Truart Film Corporation releases during February, will be Richard Talmadge in "On Time!" which was made by Carlos Productions under the direction of Henry Lehrman. This is the second of a series of thrill-dramas in which the stunt king is being starred. The series has been franchised on the independent market by Truart Film Corporation and is being handled by leading exchanges in every territory. In the cast with Richard Talmadge are such well-known players as Billie Dove, Stuart Holmes, Charles Clary, Charles Gerrard, Tom Wilson. "On Time !" has been termed by those who have seen it as one of the most unusual and fantastic comedy dramas produced this season. The full complement of thrilling, death-defying stunts by the star are incorporated in the unfolding of the story.