Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

August 24, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1133 E. K. Bolts When Lightning Bolt Bolts Both His Barn and Grain. EK. LINCOLN, who is co-starred with t Dolores Cassinelli in "Lafayette, We Come!" had a hurry call from New York to Blandford, Mass., where his country estate is located. A bolt of lightning during a thunder storm struck the large barn connected with his Hill House property, burning it to the ground and causing a damage conservatively estimated at $10,000. This barn had just been filled with part of this year's crop of hay, rye, and oats. Mr. Lincoln left immediately for Blandford, and said that a fireproof barn would be built at once. — w s s — First Class in Beauty: Stand Up! Metro's publicist declares that it became necessary, in photographing May Allison's "The Return of Mary," to shoot a scene on the campus of Hollywood high school. George D. Baker is supposed to have done the asking. The production manager was informed that Metro could obtain the board's sanction to take pictures on the grounds of the school, which is exclusively for girls, on one condition — namely, that a representative of the Los Angeles board, which has supervision over the Hollywood institution, first have a look at the young ladies. The school board representative motored out to the studios, was presented to Miss Allison and then shown the girls who were to work in the scenes with her. "Permission granted," he said, after the first glimpse. "I never saw a more splendid lot of refined and good-looking girls. Go right ahead with your picture. And, by the way," he added, "you don't happen to need a handsome board official for atmosphere, do you?" — w s s — Parked Her Lizard in Bread. Virginia Chester, blonde and comehitherish of eye, is playing in "Bread," a Universal photodrama starring Mary MacLaren. When she was eager to join the Universal forces she confided her ambition to Ida May Park, directing Mary MacLaren. Miss Park told her to make her small part distinctive and await results. After an hour of deep and painful thought Miss Chester decided that she woud flabbergast the company by teaching her pet chameleon to crawl on her milk white shoulders. All worked well until the little reptile started to change his color. At first he flushed red, probably with embarrassment, then green with envy, and later blue when he was picked off and tethered in a hatbox. In the next picture Virginia will probably have a larger part with a less temperamental lizard. — w s s — The Fate of Feet in a Fete. On the beautiful lawns of the Letts estate in Hollywood a garden party was In progress. Will S. Davis, Metro director, was rehearsing a scene in "Judgment." An "extra" dashed up the gravel walk, breathless, and ten minutes late. He almost fell into the arms of Bert Dorris, the assistant director. "I would have been here sooner," he gasped, "but I had to hunt all over town for these." He pointed down, and it was Dorris* turn to gasp. "Your bit in this scene Is that of a young society idler in white flannels," said Dorris, "and here you show up with a Charlie Chaplin rig on. What are you wearing those things for"? Dorris pointed the finger of scorn at the tremendous brogans on the "extra." "Why I thought you said 'long feet'," the super explained, "and these shoes are the longest I could get." Then light dawned on Dorris. "I said 'lawn fete' — not long feet." Rambles 'Round Filmtown Just About Now — Five Years Ago. (Compiled from the Moving Picture World.) Thanhouser Three-a-Week icas presenting Maude Fealy in "Little Dorrit." "King Robert of Sicily" was coming along from Essanay in two parts. "lvanhoe" had just been completed in Merrie England by Universal, with King Baggot in the title role. Leah Baird was Rebecca and Evelyn Hope played Rowena. Who directed? Herbert Brcnon. "The Smuggler's Child" was guaranteed to be "a dainty, spectacular, and dramatic production" by Solax. Does anyone remember? Was it all that? "At the Foot of the Scaffold" was the light and frothy outgiving of the American Kineto Corporation. Just who was finally hanged is not disclosed. Selig's Summer Time Selections were "wholesome, seasonable and sensational," as per announcement. "The Stolen Moccasins" and "A Mansion of Misery" were listed as "w, s and s." Even then Thrift Stamps looked promising. "The Skeleton in the Closet" xvas Kalem's contribution to art. -We hereby give it a rattle. "The Gangster's Sacrifice," "The Burning Rivet," "The Fatal Scar" — some of Lubin's titles. Perhaps there may be here just an inkling of why Lubin is no longer flashing across the signs on Monday and Tuesday evening these days. Sam Spcdon was writing advertisements for Vitagraph at that time. Sam believed in getting all the type he could for his boss? money, Sam did. Ethel Grandin, pretty as a picture, xoas playing leads in Universal's Gem company. Wilfrid North, Vitagraph director, was declared to be some "swatter" in the golf lime. Yes! The censorship thing was bowling along. Carl Laemmle, W. C. Toomey, of Mutual, and Frank L. Dyer, of General Film, held a meeting — but that was five years ago. M. L. C. Funkhauser, the then and still well known censor of Chicago, announced that "a space in city hall is being prepared where films may be shown." Funkhauser "got his" last week. The infant industry is progressing. Francis X. Bushman icas located at Ithaca, N. Y., making photodramas for Essanay. To this very day Bushman still gets his name in the papers. Norma Phillips was listed "among the neioly acquired Reliance players." The New York Sun still remembers her; lately stated that she appeared in "The Mortaged Wife" at the Broadway theatre. Betcha Dorothy didn't like it. Helen Gardner in "Cleopatra" is stated, in all seriousness, to have played to $1,400 "in four days at the King theatre and Shenandoah theatre, St. Louis." There's a mark for Theda Bara to shoot at. "At the Sign of the Flaming Arcs" was about the most interesting department The World was carrying. In these notes George Blaisdell told hoio Earl J. Hudson, of Standard Films, was home in Elgin, III., getting his watch fixed. Mary Pickford had just finished "Caprice" and was starting "In the Bishop's Carriage" (she was referred to as "Little Mary" then), while Mrs. Fiske had completed five reels of "Tess of the D'Vrbervilles," all of which applied to Famous Players. Then, too, there was William Robert Daly leaving Imp comedies to succeed James Kirkwood with Victor — Kirkwood going back to Biograph. A. Warner, president of Warner's Feature Film Company, contributed a "Defense of ThreeReel Pictures." It. seemed to be looking bad for multiple-reel productions at about that time. — Issue of August 2, 1913. — w s s — N. B. — The Kaiser is in Brussels. On the carpet? — w s s — Talking Titles. "Say, Young Fellow!" (Artcraft). "Let's Get a Divorce" (Famous Players). — w s s — It is understood that "Uncle Tom's Cabin," veteran of American stage plays, is to be further exploited in pictures as war propaganda in these piping times of Multiple Marathons. At the Sign of the Good Showman. PINCH hitting in a regular h:luih means that someone of previous importance is about to scoot to the Shower bath. Pinch hitting for film reviewers means that the P. H. is about to undergo something closely approaching the Turkish variety. Not, however, in all cases. Take, for instance, Vitagraph. Not alone do they provide electric fans in a spacious room with commodious chairs, but add, for good measure, a piano player to accompany the feature on its progress across the screen. This we svtyle good showmanship. If a reviewer is worth having around and film reviews mean anything in the young lives of distributors, wabbly chairs minus backs, in scant profusion, chucked Into stuffy rooms seem to prove otherwise in some few instances. — w s s — Concurrent with their recent nuptials, Bushman and Bayne were, appropriately enough, released by Metro in "A Pair of Cupids." — w s s Write Your Own Heading. August weather has had an effect upon exchange men and exhibitors alike. It has driven them — the heat — to wooing the muse, or woozing the mu, if that expresses it better. The other day the New York exchange of General Film received the following telegram addressed to Exchange Manager Hammell's able lieutenant: Monticello, N. Y., Aug. 3, 1918. C. J. Fitch, Care General Film Company, New York. Our patrons kick and we can't stillum. They want these reels from the General Fillum. They simply will not let us skippum. So please get busy, Chet, and shippum. L. F. GUIMOND. To which Chet Fitch replied in kind, and promptly, with this metric alibi: L. F. Guimond, Lyceum Theatre, Monticello, N. Y. Reels were shipped on August 3. Not surprised your crowd perturbed. General Fillum best there is. That is why we got your biz. GENERAL FILM COMPANY. All of which shows what mid-summer can bring forth. — w s s Food Will Win the War. Archie MacArthur, Jr., frequent tablemate of William Rudolph, received an epicurean jolt from a train speeding In California. Mr. Rudolph post-carded the "makings" of his breakfast: Champagne Cocktail. Mountain Trout. Bear Steak. Antelope Croquettes. Rice. The postal bears date of May 31. And Rudolph still lives. — w s s Ten, Twenty and Thirty, Hall's Prices. — Trade Paper Headline. Town hall? — w s s Reproachful Titles. "Oh! Susie Behave!" (World). "How Could You, Jean?" (Artcraft). "How Could You, Caroline?" (Pathe). "Naughty, Naughty!" (Paramount). "Shame" (General Film). — w s s — "We Can't Have Everything" (Artcraft). "You Can't Believe Everything" (Triangle). Isn't It the Truth? — w s s The Hun army has both "flees" and "scooties." — w s s — You will never know how frivolous this business is until you begin to take it seriously. Come now, seriously, slip us the dope! THE RAMBLER.