Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

July 27, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 575 Alperstein Closes Big Deal with Sidney Garrett THE entire foreign rights to the Leah Baird serial, now in the making, were disposed of in one deal. In the closing of the contract for the world rights, exclusive of the United States and Canada, A. Alperstein, treasurer and general manager of the Western Photoplays, Inc., announces that the entire transaction involves a sum well in the six figures. In giving his immediate check for $10,000 to bind the deal, Sidney Garrett, president of J. Frank Brockliss, acquired final and full control of these rights. The screening of the first three episodes were enough to justify highest expectations, and, in fact, if the words of these two usually very conservative filn men are quoted correctly, this coming serial is the peer of any previous production in the serial line. Leah Baird's wellknown penchant for beautiful gowns and attractive wardrobe is satisfied as never before. Charles Hutchinson, who shares honors with Sheldon Lewis in the principal male support of Miss Baird, does some thrilling and sensational work. In fact Mr. Hutchinson is claimed to have set a mark for other screen daredevils to shoot at for some time to come. His athletic feats in water and up mountain sides are spectacular in the extreme. A trade screening of the first five episodes is now being arranged. This will be held under the joint auspices of the Western Photoplays, Inc., and the house of J. Prank Brockliss, as a great many foreign dealers are particularly anxious to get an immediate outline of the character of the story. Hampton Directs Kerrigan For Hodkinson Service A BURGLAR for a Night," the production which J. Warren Kerrigan is now completing for Paralta, under the direction of Jesse D. Hampton, will be the last he will make for the company. In the future Kerrigan will be under the sole direction of Mr. Hampton, and his productions will be made, for the time being, in the Ince studios until such time as a personal studio can be built for him. The Hampton-Kerrigan productions will continue to be released through the Hodkinson Corporation as part of the Hodkinson service. Mr. Hampton, believing that s*t(tF should be supported by adequate and sifftable stories in addition to capable and intelligent direction, states that he has his plans for Kerrigan productions laid out two years in advance. He intends to give him a perfectly balanced program of release. The second story is a New York comedy drama, the third is a heart-interest story of the Wisconsin-Canadian woods, the fourth is of New York City, and the fifth an Alaskan drama. Mr. Hampton's ideas in producing pictures, with Kerrigan and the other stars which he will acquire later, are in accord with those of W. W. Hodkinson. First Moreno-Holloway Serial Started. Work is already well started on the Vitagraph serial in which Antonio Moreno and Carol Holloway are to be featured, according to Albert E. Smith, president of Vitagraph. Mr. Moreno arrived at the company's studios in Hollywood the last week in June and plans for starting work, under direction of Paul Hurst. were so well laid that not much time was lost in getting under way. In this serial a large number of the players who figured in "The Woman in the Web," the greater portion of which was directed by Mr. Hurst, will be made. The cast will include among the principal players Chet Ryan, brother of Joe Ryan, and a noted rider; Barney Furey and Frank Jonasson. Scene from "We Can't Have Everything" (Artcraft). Farrar Off to Wyoming to Make Goldwyn' s "Hell Cat' FOR her second Goldwyn production Geraldine Farrar makes the longest jump in her motion' picture career, going direct from New York to Cody, Wyoming. On Sunday, July 14, the international celebrity left on the Twentieth Century Limited, accompanied by LouTellegen, her husband; Reginald Barker, her director; a complete technical staff, a Goldwyn publicity representative and her personal attendants. Goldwyn sent a man ahead to select locations and to make all necessary arrangements, enabling Miss Farrar and Mr. Barker to begin work the day of arrival. Geraldine Farrar is a star who abhors rest and inactivity, and it is at her expressed wish that no time be lost. She is enthusiastic over the prospect of the long stay in the Far West she adores and is equally sanguine over the success of the play chosen for her. It is "The Hell Cat," written especially for her by Willard Mack, editorial director of Goldwyn Pictures. The story is described as absolutely modern in treatment and theme, and provides Geraldine Farrar with a strenuous role highly charged with emotional crises. In no sense is the star restricted in the matter of clothes, for the action of the play enables her to wear the splendid attire of today for which she is famous. The strongest cast to be obtained will Johnson's Cannibal Pictures To Be Shown on Broadway A MOST STARTLING series of film presentations will soon be shown to Broadway audiences when the Martin Johnson picturization of life in the South Sea Islands will be presented at the Rivoli, starting Sunday, July 21. Probably no more hazardous adventure has been undertaken than this expedition, in which Mr. Johnson was accompanied by his wife, into the heart of the cannibal section of this enchanting tropical country. Truly remarkable as these pictures are said to be from the artistic standpoint their greatest merit lies in their startling portrayal of actual living conditions and customs of those queer peoples who are the only known race of cannibals now living, and it was only after being captured, wounded several times, and finally rescued through the medium of a British man-of-war, that Mr. Johnson and his wife were able to emerge alive. Mr. Johnson will lecture at each presentation. surround Miss Farrar as "The Hell Cat," chief of whom will be Milton Sills and Thomas Santschi, engaged by Samuel Goldfish, president of Goldwyn, on his recent trip to the Coast. They will come from Los Angeles, meeting Miss Farrar and her company in Cody. What National Aims to Do in the Next Twelve Months WILLIAM PARSONS, creator of the National Film Corporation of America and star in his own comedy productions, under the title of Capitol Comedies, when he arrived from Los Angeles recently, brought with him the concluding part of "Tarzan of the Apes," which is a continuation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' first novel and the completing chapters of the highly original and sensational story which is now being distributed by the First National Exhibitors' Circuit. Just what distribution form the new Tarzan subjejct will have Mr. Parsons has not announced, but out of the volume of offers the National Film Company has already received some concrete arrangement will emanate and a later announcement will be made. Mr. Parsons, in addition to the Tarzan print, brought with him seven completed Smiling Billy comedies. These are to be offered through the Goldwyn Distributing Corporation, the exchanges of which organization have been handling the Parsons subjects since their introduction. Billie Rhodes will begin work on a series of five and six-reel features early in August, at the National studios, Hollywood. The Australasian Films. Ltd.. represented by Millard Johnson, has contracted for the entire output of Parsons comedies, and other deals for foreign rights are pending. All in all, the National Film Corporation of America contemplates producing during the forthcoming year twenty-six comedies with Smiling Bill Parsons, six or eight five-reel comedy dramas with Billie Rhodes and another special feature along the lines of "Tarzan." "More Trouble" a Clean-Up. Reports from Pathe's thirty branches throughout the United States indicate a cleanup on "More Trouble," the feature play in which Frank Keenan is said to have made the hit of his screen career. "More Trouble" is booked for every one of the big houses in Pacific Coast cities.