The Moving picture world (July 1926-August 1926)

MOVING PICTURE WORLD July 3, 1926 What's New"? THE "still hunt" moves from its time honored home base in Kentucky across the river into Cincinnati. The City Manager of Cincinnati has just ordered his policemen equipped with cameras. From now on the John Laws will Kodak as they go. It is marvelous — the way pictures have taken hold in civic development. Cincinnati cops, as usual, will shoot first and ask questions afterward, in the best New York manner; but they will shoot Karl Zeiss F4.5's instead of Colt .45's. * * * In the course of time the title of Chief of Police will be changed to Director-General, and Bigger and Better Pictures will be expected of Cincinnati. Following each arrest — pardon — screening, the Home Ofifice will issue some such statement as, "This is by far the best production Patrolman Murphy has turned out this season. As an added attraction we will have the star, Salvatore Ricci, who is depicted firing the fatal shot appear in person at each showing." * * * "Badge and Camera," the cop fan magazine will carry the news of the traveling police studios. "On Location with Sergeant Quinn" will describe the heartbreak that attaches to big production in the open. The cover of the first issue will undoubtedly carry the line, "Bandits Caught Redhanded Kill Assistant Director Who Asks for Retake." * * * CAMERA shyness will always be a problem. It will have to be solved, of course, by a gradual process of education. Criminals have been prone to resist all police innovations at the start. This is only natural, considering the high price of nitroglycerin, bootleg liquor, fast motor cars, and ammunition. The cry of "That's good, hold it !" will shortly be ringing the length and breadth of Cincinnati. Police Headquarters will be deluged with extras out of work at mayhem, murder, wife-beating, husband-shooting and grand larceny, looking for a chance to break into the films. Bigger and Better Pictures in Cincinnati — By Nyherg "City Manager of Cincinnati orders policemen equipped with cameras"— News Item By Bill Reilly A casting bureau will undoubtedly be inaugurated so that the new talent will find its level. Also, to furnish replacements in case any established star gets temperamental and is given a life term for resisting the first vicepresident in charge of close-ups. * * * PROMOTIONS in production ranks of course will depend upon ability. This story of J. Harvey Henry will be typical. "I was just a rookie at the time," said Officer Henry in "Badge and Camera." "But I had always been interested in pictures. I used to wonder how the Mack Sennett cops could stay in those pictures without making arrests for violations of the bathing suit ordinance. Anyhow, as I say I was a rookie when my big chance came. I had just been promoted from filming jams and accidents in traffic to handling domestic relations. "I happened to be going by the Chief's home when I saw him come out of the door in full uniform, turn around and yell 'Iszatso!' I had my camera ready even before his wife threw the piano stool at him. By the time it was all over I had nine hundred feet of the best fight film you ever saw. I faded out on the Chief rolling down the steps. It was a pip! Why, the Chief himself told me later it was the best picture he never wanted seen in public. So that's how I came to be special studio representative for all our productions, including the Scandinavian. The Chief was always a hand to appreciate good work." Fiction will receive a great impetus in and around Cincinnati when the cops begin to understand box-office requirements. For instance, in the old days, a gunman on the witness stand in court would say, "No, your Honor, I was not in town the day this murder was committed. I was in Bush Terminal, N. Y." But now, the film duh' sworn to and attested will make a monkey of said gunman. It will be embarrassing until the lawyers get the lay of the land. In the future, alibis will outrival the fiction quality of Income Tax reports. * * * The City Manager of Cincinnati, who issued the ceunera order to the cops was reluctant to discuss the possibiUty of Will Hays' taking over supervision of police film affairs in his city. "Once the General moved in," he said, "harmony would prevail. Naturally the more harmony we have in our little group of serious crime waves, the less work we will have to do. I'm afraid if Will Hays took us under his wing there wouldn't be a policeman — I mean cameraman— left on the lot within a year." * * * ACCORDING to the City Manager, press agentry had already come into vogue among the younger criminal set of Cincinnati. "Only yesterday," he said, "one of my assistant directors, Detective Heymeyer, happened to get a wonderful still of a stick-up he witnessed. Would you believe it, when he asked the bandit for his autograph the fellow said, 'Send twenty-five cents to my personal representative. Thirty-five if you want the autograph on a photograph.' " We told him his men were lucky to get oflf without having to pay for the postage, too.