The Moving picture world (July 1925-August 1925)

346 MOVING PICTURE WORLD July 18. 1925 A scene from the Educational-Bobby Vernon comedy, "Air Tight," distributed by Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. Sol Lesser to Release on United Artists Program Century Comedies for July Wanda Wiley and Edna Marian Contribute Their Latest to Sumner Schedule Believing that the best way to help the exhibitor in mid-summer is to give him plenty of good comedies, the Century Film Corporation, makers of Century Comedies, have scheduled an unusually large number of these comedies for July release. Four popular Century stars and a popular comedy team of two well-known players are represented in the five releases. The stars include Wanda Wiley, Edna Marian, Al Alt and Eddie Gordon. The comedy team is composed of Jack Singleton and Bartine Burkett. The five releases include "Plenty of Nerve," starring Edna Marian; "A Rough Party," starring Al Alt ; "Just in Time," starring Wanda Wiley ; "The Polo Kid," starring Eddie Gordon, and "Dry Up," featuring Jack Singleton and Bartine Burkett. The comedies were made by such established comedy directors as William Watson, Charles Lamont, Edward I. Luddy, Jess Robbins and Al Herman. Sign $150,000 Contract And now comes "The World's Greatest Jazz Contract," just signed by Ben Bernie, famous jazz orchestra conductor who has arranged with Hugo Riesenfeld, managing director of the Rialto and Rivoli Theatres to inaugurate an entirely new form of movie entertainment on Broadway. Bernie's contract with Riesenfeld involves salary expenditures to the extent of $150,000, a record amount and takes effect July 12, when the policy of the Rivoli will be altered for the new jazz regime. Riesenfeld's plan for the Rivoli is progressive and as outlined, indicates the modern trend toward popular entertainment in the bigger movie palaces. Bernie' orchestra is well known, having recorded for many phonograph dies and having appeared on the stage and before the radio microphones in every large city in the United States. Strcmberg Borrows Edeson Hunt Stromberg has borrowed Robert Edeson from the Cecil B. De Mille stock company for an important role in "The Prairie Pirate," his new Harry Carey production. This will mark the first time that Edeson has appeared in a screen western. Other members of the supporting cast include Trilby Clark, Lloyd Whitlock, Fred Kohler, Evelyn Selbie, Tote Ducrow and Jean Dumas. Edmund Mortimer is directing. HAROLD BELL WRIGHT'S greatest novel, "The Winning of Barbara Worth," which Sol Lesser will produce, is to be released by United Artists Corporation, it was announced yesterday by Hiram Abrams, president of the distributing organization. This ends a contest in -which every big distributing concern took part, the explanation of which is the fact that "The Winning of Barbara Worth" has been the biggest seller of any American novel ever written. Its sales have passed well beyond the 2,000,000 mark. Lesser expects to start production around the 1st of August. The actual locations, as described in Wright's book, will be used as the setting. This means that the magically fertile Imperial Valley in California, and the sun-blazed expanses of Arizona, will be seen on the screen just as Wright envisioned his romance in traversing them. To produce "The Winning of Barbara Worth" on a scale which will do justice to the American reading public's best-loved novel, Lesser estimates the production cost as at least $500,000. Money will not be spared, and the filming will have the further advantage of the personal guidance of the author. This Western romance is Wright's favorite, of all his novels, and for this reason, he has agreed to work with Lesser in preparing it for the screen. The alliance with United Artists Corporation was announced by President Abrams with much elation. Abrams said: "It is a real coup for the United Artists Corporation to win Mr. Lesser's agreement to the release of the film version of "The Winning of Barbara Worth." It is a picture which the public has been wanting to see on the screen for years. The association with a writer of Mr. Wright's great popularity and a producer of Mr. Lesser's calibre is in keeping with our aim to offer the greatest in film plays." In confirming Abrams' announcement, Mr. Lesser admitted that he had been besieged by every big distributing concern for the releasing rights. "In finally determining on the United Artists Corporation," said Lesser, "I was actuated by my friendship for Hiram Abrams, its president; Joseph M. Schenck and the distinguished artists who contribute to the organization's program." Joseph M. Schenck, chairman of the directorate of United Artists Corporation, took occasion to extend his personal praise of Lesser. "I have known Sol Lesser since his rise from exhibitor to producer," he said, "and I am confident that he will give 'The Winning of Barbara Worth' as great a success in its film form as it has won as a work of fiction." Entertain Police Officials Forty police officials from New York and surrounding towns, all members of the Metropolitan Police Association of New York, were the guests of Richard A. Rowland, general manager of First National Pictures, and Earl Hudson, eastern production manager, at First National's New York Studios last week. Following dinner, served by Sherry's at the studio dining room, "The Making of O'Malley" was run in the studio projection room with special music by the studio orchestra. Rowland, Hudson and Milton Sills, star of "The Making of O'Malley" were among the speakers. The evening was enlivened by "stunts." Chicago Likes The Lost World" Originally booked for a four weeks' run at the Roosevelt, Chicago, the First National-Rothacker special, "The Lost World," which Earl Hudson supervised, has been held over for a fifth week, as a result of the great business it has been doing there. The attendance during the fourth week kept at such a large figure that it was evident it would attract big business for a longer period and arrangements for holding it over were mad" by Balaban and Katz. "The Lost World" will soon begin its extended engagement at Grauman s Million Dollar in Los Angeles.