The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

November 14, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 131 Hutchison to Make Series of Big Pictures for Associated Exhibitors THE return of Samuel S. Hutchison, pioneer producer, to active production is marked this week by his announcement from the West Coast that he has a budget in excess of $500,000 with which to get underway an elaborate program. Under the Associated Exhibitors Inc. banner, Hutchison is ready to commence work on the first of his series, a big comedy from the story by Frederick Isham, author of "The Three Live Ghosts," "Nothing But the Truth" and other popular sellers. Hutchison, according to his production manager, Clarenct White, has already picked three other laugh features to follow the first which is titled "The Nut Cracker." Other feature production in his 1925 program broadside are to be made from highly successful stage plays or novels of many editions. These are the work of famous playwrights and authors for which Producer Hutchison has expended thousands of dollars to sectire the screen rights. Announcement of their titles and the casts, which will include film celebrities of the highest calibre, will be shortly announced by Production Manager White. Hutchison has already signed up the leading figures in "The Nut Cracker." He expects to commence "shooting" on his feature comedy within the course of the next few days. Edward Everett Horton has been signed to star in "The Nut Cracker." With him will be co-starred Mae Busch. These two will be supported by an excellent cast including Harry Myers and Tom Ricketts. Lloyd Ingraham, who has been associated with such stars as Douglas MacLean, for whom he supervised the making of "The Hottentot" and "Going Up," Charles Ray and many other celebrities of the screen in some of their most important productions, has been engaged by Mr. Hutchison to direct "The Nut Cracker." Ingraham is particularly enthusiastic about "The Nut Cracker," expressing wonderful prospects for this riotous comedy of domestis life wherein Horton essays the role of a henpecked husband in a brokerage office who finally tears himself loose and delves into the most unproarious adventures. With such men as Ingraham and Clarence White, formerly in a big executive capacity with Film Booking Offices, on his personal staf¥, Hutchison feels assured that his new unit will achieve the greatest success of any of the film enterprises with which this noted producer has been associated since his earliest relations with the old Mutual company. In this respect, however, he regards more highly than anything else his connection with Associated Exhibitors. "My connection with Oscar Price's company assures me of the greatest success," Mr. Hutchison states. "I regard that affiliation as primary. With the stars that I have at my command, one of the best directors in the SHOWING Charhe Chaplin's "The Gold Rush" day and date at Loew's Colonial, Reading, Pa., and Loew's Regent, Harrisburg, made it possible to put on an effective though similar campaign in each city. Larry Jacobs, Loew's Colonial, started his campaign a week before the opening with a uniquely worded message to all city officials, from the Mayor down, calling their attention to value of picture entertainment, and to "The Gold Rush" as a live wire tonic for happiness. Brunswick record shops carrying the Chaplin records gave big window displays, as did the Postal Telegraph branches displaying half sheets of congratulatory field, an excellent production manager and a wealth of the best books and plays for my screen material. I know that my product will be classed with the very finest in the industry." The veteran producer believes that there never was a better time for the production of good comedies than today. "I am concentrating on comedies with strong human interest ingredients so as to give them a real starting point and not surrounding them with a lot of unrelated slapstick antics." Before "The Nut Cracker" is completed work will be commenced on the second of the series of four comedies. Mr. Hutchison, who formerly produced pictures at Santa Barbara, had until recently been devoting his interest for the past years to other business ties in the Middle West. He produced many of the successes of a decade ago including "Damaged Goods" and "Flying A" pictures. messages to Chaplin from Hollywood stars. A well groomed man, wearing Tuxedo clothes, went into the better class stores of all kinds and distributed the Chaplin "Gold Rush" coin. This man also carried invitations to city officials and prominent citizens. He did not carry any sign. A similar campaign was put on in Harrisburg by Sidney Gates of Loew's Regent. An added feature was the use of spare tires of Yellow Taxis, and the use of a Chaplin imitator leading a mule with mining prospector's kit. In the lobby of the Regent there was a phonograph which played the Chaplin song records as part of the Brunswick tie-up. "The Gold Rush" Plays Day and Date in Penn. New Fairbanks' Picture GLENN HUNTER {left) and Douglas Gilmore in a scene in "His Buddy' s Wife," an Associated 'Exhibitors' production. Select Ca»t for "The Black Pirate" Will Be First Star Attempted in ColotPhotography Present indications are that the cast for Douglas Fairbanks' forthcoming screen feature, "The Black Pirate," the first photoplay he has attempted in color photography, will be one of quality rather than number. Just now only two women are scheduled to appear in this film — Eillie Dove in the leading feminine role, and her maid, not yet selected. Among the men in the cast are Donald Crisp, who dircted the last Fairbanks offering, "Don Q," and who this time will be seen as a onearmed Scotch pirate, a characterization so cleverly devised as to completely mask his identity. Sam De Grassc, villain, will work his way through the picture in another of his characteristic roles. Anders Randolf, one of the best of the character players, has an interesting part, which unfortunately ends all too soon when he dies early in the film in combat with the star. Others who will be seen to advantage are Roy Coulson, Charles Gorman and Al Mac Quarrie, all of whom had parts in "Don Q" and other Fairbanks productions. ^4