The Moving picture world (July 1924-August 1924)

August 16, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 559 Dempsey Completes Another The Eighth Picture of the "Fight and Win" Series is Finished Jack Dempsey has just finished work in "The Town Hall Tonight," the eighth picture of the "Fight and Win" series in which he is heing starred by Universal. His present contract calls for two more pictures, one of which will he started within the next ten days. The titles of the Dempsey films, in the order of their release are "Winning His Way," "A Society Knockout," "West of the Water Bucket," "So This is Paris," "All Swell on the Ocean," "Officer 999, Hie Title Holder," "The Town Hall Tonight," and the two not yet made, "The Health Farm" and "A K. O. by Cupid." Chuck Reisner, Hayden Stevenson and George Ovey, skilled comedy trio, appear with Dempsey in all of the productions directed by Erie Kenton. Again on Broadway Fox Film Corporation has arranged for a Broadway premiere of "The Man Who Came Back" at the Central Theatre, Broadway and Forty-seventh street, opening Sunday, August 31. The event should create unusual interest for this photoplay is based upon one of the greatest of legitimate stage successes. Season after season it was presented by various companies until every city and town in the United States and Canada was played. As a play it was a vehii :le for Henry Hull and Mary Nash. Many other actors and actress, now established film favorites gained fame in this play. George O'Brien Starring George O'Brien, the young actor whom Fox Film Corporation is featuring in several big productions next season, will have Billie Dove to support him in "Thorns of Passion," the screen version of Robert W. Service's "The Roughneck." Universale Big Cast Supporting Reginald Denny in Universal's "Oh, Doctor I" directed by Harry A. Pollard with Mary Astor in the feminine lead, are : Otis Harlan, William V. Mong, Tom Ricketts, Lucille Ward, Clarence Geldert, Mike Donlin, Blanch Payson, C. L. Sherwood, George Kuwa and Martha Mattox. A STRIKING NOVELTY "The Last Man on Earth" is a William Fox production along original lines. Seeling Offers Coolidge in Five-Reel Westerns A' NEW western star is to blossom forth on the state rights horizon with Charles R. Seeling, well known independent producer as his sponsor. Cuba Coolidge is his name and he has been signed to a long-term contract by Seeling to make four series of five-reel westerns. Coolidge, under his cowboy name of Crutchfield, has medals and cups galore won in the rodeos and round-ups of the wild west for rope twirling, rough riding and other daring feats ui horsemanship. Coolidge is an actor as well, having played dramatic stock and toured the country with the better type melodrama companies. Production on the first picture will start immediately, as Seeling has promised delivery to the independent exchanges by September IS. Seeling will handle his distribution direct from Hollywood, having established headquarters at 5528 Santa Monica boulevard. Upon the completion of the first series Seeling will take Coolidge on a personal appearance tour of the country, he states. Independent exchange owners are helping to finance the Seeling productions by small advance payments for the first picture, the the selling arrangement calling for an immediate refund of money deposited in case the first production is not entirely satisfactory. By using his own money, together with that of the exchange men, Seeling is avoiding the excess charges of cinema finance companies, and the profits that would have to be paid to capitalists outside the industry who might be called upon to invest in the venture. Seeling has risen from the ranks of cameramen and is credited with knowing production from all angles. This, his first attempt at direct distribution from Hollywood, is being watched by other producers to see how the experiment will turn out. Century Releases Century Film Corporation, producers of Century Comedies, released through Universal, announces that it has releases for the next four months already in Universal exchanges. Among the twenty two-reelers scheduled are six starring Wanda Wiley, seven in which Buddy Messinger stars, four with Al Alt and the balance featuring the New Edition Century Follies Girls, the Century Kids and Pal the dog. Productions are being outlined for the begining of next year. Grauman Going Abroad Sid Grauman, owner-manager of the famed Grauman Egyptian Theatre at Hollywood where "The Thief of Bagdad" is playing, passed through New York this week on his way to Europe in search of a rest. Sid expects Doug's picture to run in his house for two years. Buys "Charity Ball" "The Charity Ball," a famous American play, has been bought by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. Maud Fulton, playwright and star, who was signed two weeks ago to write original stories and adaptations for MetroGoldwyn-Mayer will begin at once on the script of "The Charity Ball," her first work directly for the screen. Scenes from Metro-Goldwyn's Rex Ingram picture, "The Arab," Ramon Novarro. with Alice Terry and "Great Divide" Cast Wallace Beery, Mae Busch and George Cooper have been assigned by Irving G. Thalberg to join the cast of William Vaughn Moody's "The Great Divide," which Reginald Barker is directing for Metro-Goldu yn Mayer.