Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

July 20, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 379 Screen Telegram Comes to New York Mutual's News Reel Will be Published from 1600 Broadway Under Editorship of Terry Ramsaye. JAMES M. SHELDON, president of the Mutual Film Corporation, announces that Screen Telegram, Mutual's twice a week news reel, will be published hereafter from New York under the managing editorship of Terry Ramsaye, director of publicity. Mr. Ramsaye has opened editorial offices adjoining the Mutual exchange at 1600 Broadway and has surrounded himself with an able staff. The first release from New York was Screen Telegram No. 36. Associated with Air. Ramsaye in the publication of the Mutual news reel will be Donn McIIvaine, who has been on the editorial staff of Screen Telegram since its inception. He will be assistant editor. W. E. Harrison is New York cameraman, Tracey Mathewson wll cover outside assignments from New York, and Harold P. Brown will be Chicago cameraman. Mr. Harrison is known as a New York newspaper photographer, having worked with the camera for most of the New York daily newspapers and having been associated with motion picture photography for several years as a study and news photographer. Mr. Mathewson has a name as a capable and daring cameraman. He served with General Pershing in Mexico and one of his first assignments was a trip to national army training camps. Ray L. Hall, who has been called to an important post with the division of films of the Committee on Public Information, has been assisting in the organization of the New York headquarters of Screen Telegram. "New York has become, under war conditions the world's most important news center," commented Mr. Sheldon in announcing the change of Screen Telegram editorial offices to New York. "By maintaining a staff for special service to Western territories in Chicago, we feel that we can serve all of the theaters of the country more efficiently from New York. Mutual's efficient distribution methods make it possible to edit our reel in New York and reach the theaters of the West as quickly as though the reel were edited in Chicago. "By virtue of its arrangement with the Division of Films of the Committee on Public Information, Screen Telegram will continue to present United States official war pictures showing on military and political activities abroad. "Mr. Ramsaye has been selected to supervise the news weekly because of his particular training and talent in that direction. He is a newspaperman of long experience and his work as director of publicity of the Mutual has given him an added insight into the commercial necessities of motion picture exhibition. He has some very clearly defined ideas on the subject of news pictures which he will put into Screen Telegram." Mutual Brings Advertising Department to New York. The publicity and advertising departments of the Mutual Film Corporation have moved into quarters adjoining the New York exchange at 1600 Broadway. The rest of the executive offices remain at 220 South State street, Chicago, where Mutual moved two years ago. The change was upon orders of James M. Sheldon, the new president of Mutual, who decided that Mutual should have an executive office in New York. Air. Ramsaye has been in New York for several weeks in connection with his new duties and he was joined last week by Colvin W. Brown, advertising manager of the Mutual, and Arthur James Pegler, special publicity writer. Mr. Brown is a western newspaper man who has been associated with Mr. Ramsaye in the publicity department of Mutual for nearly two years. He was appointed advertising manager some months ago. Mr. Pegler is a writer of national reputation who has for years been a star reporter on New York, Chicago and Minneapolis newspapers. He has been on Mr. Ramsaye's staff since the removal of the Mutual executive offices to Chicago. Joseph O'Sullivan, director of music service for Mutual, remains in Chicago where he will cue Mutual productions as in the past. Parsons Makes Speech to Strand A udience Tells Easterners Among Other Things How He Pushed Thrift Stamps on Western Porters. MUCH to their amusement, audibly expressed, "Smiling Bill" Parsons, star in the New Capitol Comedies, told several thousand persons at the Strand Theater, New York, Sunday, June 30, how he happened to give up writing life insurance to become a funny man of the screen. Parsons, who is here from California witli his leading woman, Billie Rhodes, to make a couple of comedies with the Manhattan atmosphere that even a West Coast studio cannot simulate, was the guest of Managing Director Harold Edel of the Strand. He occupied a box and evidently had not been expecting to speak, for when a spotlight was thrown on him and an urbane announcer came out on the stage to say that Bill would say a few words to the audience the comedian appeared taken by surprise. "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking" — he began. That was enough for one laugh, and it was a full minute before the comedian could resume. "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking," he reiterated, "I didn't study elocution at school for nothing. I've wanted for years to catch an audience where I could make a speech to them with the knowledge that they couldn't get up and walk out without missing something better to come later. I need not remind you here that the next number on the program is 'Dad's Knockout,' starring me." "Smiling Bill's" bald head bobbed and gleamed in the spotlight as thousands in the darkened house roared their approval of this deft bit of humorous advertising. Then the comedian turned for a moment from funny business to say a word for the Thrift Stamp campaign. He recalled that he had originated on the Pacific Coast the scheme for giving tips in the little green war coupons, and observed that porters and other recipients of the public bounty in his section of the country already had become reconciled to having to save what they used to spend. It is. probable Parsons and his company will work in the Goldwyn studio at Fort Lee while they are here. King Baggot to Play for Metro Popular Actor Will Be Seen Opposite Emily Stevens in "Kildare of Storm." KING BAGGOT has been engaged by Metro to play opposite Emily Stevens in "Kildare of Storm," which is to be directed by Harry L. Franklin. Mr. Baggot was the director's first selectibn~in making up Miss Stevens" support. Actual work on the production will be started immediately. Finis Fox and Peter T. Volkman will be Mr. Franklin's assistants. This will be Mr. Baggot's initial picture for Metro, and the character of Kildare will afford this screen favorite one of the best opportunities in his career. King Baggot is a native of St. Louis. He began his stage career in stock in his home city and later in Chicago, after which he played road engagements in "Salomy Jane," "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" and "The Bishop's Carriage." His screen career began with the Imp, from which he joined the Universal. Among his best known pictures are "Absinthe," "The Man from Nowhere," "The Silent Stranger," "The Captain of the Typhoon" and the "Boontown Affair." Mr. Baggot was the founder of the Screen Club, and' is also a prominent member of the Lambs. Mr. Baggot's most recent appearance before the camera was in "The Eagle's Eye," an expose of the intrigue and machinations of the German spy system in this country prior to and during the present world war, and in which he played no less a role than that of the great detective himself— Chief W. J. Flynn, former head of the United States Secret Service. The new affiliation should be a pleasant and a profitable one for both parties. SAILORS SEND THANKS TO ADOLPH ZUKOR. In the large mass of correspondence which daily reaches his desk Adolph Zukor, president of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, received a letter the other day which he prizes highly and with good reason. When the suggestion was made some time ago that the men on Uncle Sam's fighting ships and transports would appreciate the loans of motion picture films for their entertainment Mr. Zukor was among the first to respond, with the result that hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sailors have been provided with Paramount and Artcraft features and shorter films, chiefly comedies, while on their way either to or from the shores of France. The letter in question was received from Commander Robert Henderson, U. S. N., in charge of one of the big American transports. "With the returning of the reels you so kindly loaned us I wish to thank you for your most patriotic and truly helpful act," wrote the commander.