The Moving picture world (July 1924-August 1924)

July 19, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 203 Universal Has Its Biggest Week for Short Subjects Hangs Up Another Weiss' "After Six Days" Held Over Third Week in Detroit "After Six Days," the Weiss Brothers' Artclass spectacle, which started the second week of its run Monday, July 9, at the Shubert Detroit Opera House, Detroit^Mich., has been held over for a third week. The picture is doing a remarkable business at the Shubert-Detroit for this season of the year. The Detroit run marks the thirteenth extended big city engagement "After Six Days" has played in legitimate theatres. Enterprise Purchases Southern Territory on Buddy Roosevelts and Buffalo Bill Jr. The Enterprise Distributing Corporation, of 108 Walton street, Atlanta, Ga., has purchased the territorial rights for the Buddy Roosevelt and Buffalo Bill Jr. series of westerns from Weiss Brothers' Artclass Pictures Corporation, covering the states of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and North and South Carolina. The deal for the large block of southern territory was effected this week by William Jenkins, general manager of the Enterprise Distributing Corporation. The Buddy Roosevelt series includes eight and the Buffalo Bill Jr. series a like number of productions. Stills By Airmail The advantages of the fast airmail service between New York and California, especially as they apply to the motion picture industry, were strikingly illustrated this week when Thomas Meighan mailed still photographs from his latest picture, "The Alaskan," to Adolph Zukor, president of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Mr. Meighan wanted Mr. Zukor's advice on a certain scene in the picture. It was impossible to describe the scene by letter or telegram, and mailing through the usual channels would take too long. Accordingly he sent a special messenger to San Francisco with still photographs of the scene and these were placed aboard the mail, plane leaving shortly afterward for New York. Mr. Zukor had the stills and Mr. Meighan's problem before him the second following day, and was able to wire the star his advice immediately. THE biggest program of short subjects ever released in one week by Universal, that company announces, was put out this week by the various Universal exchanges. The schedule includes ten different subjects, totaling to seventeen r^els of film. The increase is due to the simultaneous release of four special two-reel feature pictures. The four short specials include a Jack Dempsey picture, a Gumps comedy, a Baby Peggy comedy and another of the "Fast Steppers" series. The Dempsey picture is "A Society Knockout," the second of the "Fight and Win" series, in which the ring champion is supported by Chuck Reisner, Hayden Stevenson, George Ovey and a group of pretty girls. The Gumps comedy is "A Day of Rest," Xo. 8 of the Gumps series. Joe Murphy, Fay Tincher and Jackie Morgan are the principals. Baby Peggy is seen again in short reel subjects in "Jack and the Beanstalk." Jack Earle, the Century giant, plays the role I*N order to clarify the situation and set at rest any doubts as to the business principles to be pursued by the Motion Picture Directors Association in its production plans, an official statement has been issued by the executives of the organization. This statement in part says, "The Motion Picture Directors Association has always stood firmly upon the principle that its members are bound to carry out the letter and spirit of any contract they may enter into, and a proposal on the part of a member to disregard his contract, or any provision therein, would immediately result in his being called to account. The faithful performance of the contract will be insisted upon, both in his relations to the Associa1 tion as well as to the producer. "This being true, it is hardly necessary to state that the Holding Corporation of the of the giant, opposite Baby Peggy as Jack. "The Hot Dog Special," No. 5 of the "Fast Steppers" series, is the current release. It stars Billy Sullivan. Two other comedies are scheduled for Universal release this week. They are "Starving Beauties," a Century, starring Wanda Wiley, and "Patching Things Up," a one-reel Universal comedy co-starring Bert Roach and Alice Howell. Also, Universal will release a two-reel western feature, "Red Raymond's Girl," starring Pete Morrison. This is a short drama. The Universal serial release of the week is "Wings Aflame," Chapter 4 of "The Iron Man," which stars Albertini, the European daredevil, supported by Margaret Morris and Jack Dougherty. Issues No. 57 and No. 58 of the International News Reel complete the Universal short subjects output for the week. These reels feature scenes of the Lorain storm disaster, the Democratic National Convention and the newly established coast-to-coast mail service. Motion Picture Directors Association, which was formed to produce pictures, will adhere to this policy, and take the stand that the services of no director under contract with another producer will be available in making pictures for the association, until His contract expires, which will be within the next twelve months, in most cases." Following this statement, it was announced that Paul Powell would direct the first of the sixteen pictures to be produced by the M. P. D. A., during the coming season. These pictures will all be released through Grand-Asher. Preparations are well under way for this first release, and it will be ready for distribution on or about September 1st. The title and cast, together with that of three other pictures, will be announced in the near future. Official M. P. D. A. Statement Clears Production Situation Tom Mix dons the "fish and soup" for a while in "Oh, You Tony!" his latest for William Fox.