Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

July 27, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD i71 Mutual Reports Advance Bookings for Hayakawas Samuel Rork, general sales manager of Haworth Pictures Corporation, who is selling direct to exhibitors in the more important cities of the United States for first-run release in leading theaters the Hayakawa series of eight specials in five and six parts, to be released by Mutual, points to bookings already contracted as evidence of the Japanese star's popularity. "Hayakawa's success is absolute," said Mr. Rork. "It is due to the subtle genius of an artist who has studied American life and manners and who has ability to make the most of strong contrasts between them and Japanese thought and custom. "A short time ago I booked the series of Hayakawa specials with W. H. Clune of Los Angeles. Mr. Clune told me that he considered Hayakawa the most finished actor on the screen, and his opinion is supported by most of the big theater managers of the country with whom I have come in contact. Mr. Clune said: " 'Hayakawa has been an instantanous success in my territory, and the reason isn't hard to establish. I doubt ■whether the star's genius would have won him recogniation so wide as that he now enjoys had he appeared on the American stage in Japanese costume, interpreting Japanese drama, though his success in Japan was as complete as has been his triumph in the United States.' "The first two of the Hayakawa series, 'His Birthright' and 'The Temple of Dusk," have been completed, and the star is now at work in Los Angeles on his third picture." What Fox is Doing at Studios East and West FIVE William Fox productions are now at work in the East and at the William Fox studios at Hollywood. In the West Director Robert Thornby has just taken Jewel Carmen, the Fox star, and a company of players to Huntington Lake, where scenes will be filmed for "Lawless Love," which is adapted from a magazine story by Max Brand of the same name. William Farnum and Director Frank Lloyd and a company of thirty are now in the Grand Canyon in Arizona filming scenes in the Zane Grey story, "The Rainbow Trail," which is sequel to "Riders of the Purple Sage," another Zane Grey story just completed by Mr. Farnum. Director J. Gordon Edwards has started on "The She-Devil," his twenty-eight production for William Fox, and while Gladys Brockwell is away on a vacation Director Edward LeSaint is busy cutting "Kultur." Director Lynn Reynolds is in the second week of the filming of "Mr. Logan. U. S. A.," in which Tom Mix will be starred. In the cast supporting Mix are Kathleen Connors, Dick LaReno, Charles LeMoyne, Jack W. Dill, Val Paul and Maude Emory. In the East a big production directed by Richard Stanton has just been finished. George Walsh has completed "Under the Yankee Flag." Peggy Hyland is working on "Bonnie Annie Laurie." "The Liar" is the title of a drama which Virginia Pearson has in working at the Blackton studio in Brooklyn. "The Prussian Cur," a big production directed by R. A. Walsh, has been completed. Mutt and Jeff Go After U-Boats. Bud Fisher, creator of Mutt and Jeff, has solved the problem of ridding the United States coast of the U-boats which have been destroying commerce. One of Fisher's latest Mutt and Jeff Animated Cartoons has for its title "Hunting the U-boats," and in this picture Mutt and Jeff are shown exercising a little aquatic hate on the Kaiser's Fusileers of Frightfulness. The picture is right up to the minute. Scene from "The Demon" (Metro). Essanay's ''Young America" Strikes Patriotic Keynote YOUNG AMERICA," the George K. Spoor feature which now is in the course of production at the Essanay studios, is a particularly timely play, inasmuch as it strikes the patriotic keynote of the American youth. It shows that inherent love for the flag and country in every boy's heart no matter what his condition or station in life. While it deals with particular boys, yet they are embodiments of the typical American youth, fun loving, full of mischief, and sometimes overstepping the boundary lines, yet concealing an undercurrent of honor and loyalty that quickly responds either to individual kindness or the great moments such as call the boys to service of the nation. The leading character is the village bad boy, a lad who has run wild since early boyhood, seemingly impossible to train or control. According to conventional standards he appears to have no code of honor or loyalty, yet there is hidden in his heart a love for his dog, for which he is willing to risk his life, and a devotion and loyalty to his "companion in crime," for which he is ready at all times to throw down the gauntlet of battle or to sacrifice his liberty. Then comes the touch of the woman who understands him, and the blossoming of all the inherent good in the lad because of her kindness to the dog that everyone else scorns and kicks. Finally comes the emergency of the threat to his country, when all the enthusiasm and manliness of a boy rapidly approaching mature years springs to the front in the determination to protect his flag and his country against all enemies at all costs. Nothing more typical of boyhood and of the life and psychology of young America could be exemplified than by this photoplay. The boys in the picture are as truly alive and human as are Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer, given to the same mischievousness, and stimulated by the same motives to good or evil. Kerrigan Reissues Sold For Several Territories AS an indication of the demand for short length subjects in which stars of present day popularity appear, the Arrow Film Corporation points to the fact that the following buyers have already contracted for the series of ten two reel and thirty single reel reissues of J. Warren Kerrigan subjects: Benjamin Amsterdam of Masterpiece Film Attractions, Philadelphia, for eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey; Quality Film Service, Pittsburgh, for western Pennsylvania and West Virginia; Standard Film Service, Cleveland and Detroit, for Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky; E. & H. Film Distribting Company, Atlanta, for Georgia, Florida. Alabama, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and V. H. Hodupp, Inc., Indianapolis, for Indiana. Dr. W. E. Shallenberger, President of Arrow, announces that a novel method of sales and exploitation is being pursued by this organization. Before accepting a series of reissues, inquiry is made among theaters and exchanges as to the popularity of the productions, and based upon the answers received, the policy and method of sale is determined. If the answers indicate that any specific star or char acter of productions is not in demand in more than two-thirds of the United States the Arrow does not exploit the release. Famous Players Makes a Correction. In the recent extensive advertising of the coming year's productions of the Faous Players-Lasky Corporation to be released under the Paramount and Artcraft trademarks, which was placed in all the trade papers, the authorship of "The Man from Painted Post," an Artcraft picture in which Douglas Fairbanks appeared, was credited to John Emerson and Anita Loos. This was an error. The story was written and produced by Joseph Henaberry. Pathe Plans Sales Reel for "Hands Up." Pathe ■will issue a special sales reel on the new serial "Hands Up" it is announced. This will be shown to exhibitors throughout the United States the latter part of July. It comprises views of the special paper and other advertising aids, scenes from the opening episodes of the serial, which is the first one of western atmosphere to be issued by Pathe, and shots of the stars, Ruth Roland and George Chesebro, and of the heavy exterior sets are included.