Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

1238 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD August 31, 1918 \ News of Los Angeles and Vicinity By A. H. GIEBLER One Hundred Comedies in One Hundred Week*. ON August 19 the Christie Comedy Company rounded out a period of 100 weeks, during which time a hundred comedies were produced and released. The hundredth comedy bears the title "Does Your Husband Flirt?" The Christie Brothers are rather proud of their record, and of the fact that they have actual financial proof that their comedies are steadily gaining in favor. The Christie films feature the loves and tragedies of youth. The near-tragic incidents that happen to every pair of lovers before and after marriage are treated in a serio-humorous manner that recalls the exaggerated woes of the early romances of the elderly couples and anticipates the coming troubles of the voung lovers who view the films. During the past few months three of the Christie leading men have gone to war— Harry Ham, Neal Burns and Jimmy Harrison. Jay Belasco expects to be called at any time, and Harry Edwards and Bobby Vernon have just enlisted in the Navy. Clarine Seymour is a new member of the Christie forces and will make her bow opposite Bobby Vernon in an early release. Paton Celebrates Birthday. Stuart Paton. directing Diando western companies, was presented with a platinum chain by W. A. S. Douglas and Leon T. Osborne and with a gold watch by members of the company on the occasion of his birthday, which was celebrated at the home of Howard Crampton, and which was attended by a large number of film celebrities. Seven Companies Working at Brunton Plant. Seven film producing companies are now installed at the Robert Brunton studios and are working on productions. Paralta has two companies, one with Louise Glaum, and the other with Bessie Barriscale. Mme. Yorska is working on her first film for the Matzene corporation. Helen Keller, the famous blind girl, is also at work on her first feature for the Helen Keller Film Corporation. Sessue ll.i\akawa, an old-timer at the plant, is making his third picture for the Haworth Pictures, and Frank Keenan is doing Pathe features. The seventh company is headed by Marie Dressier, who is working on comedies. Kerrigan Moves to Hollywood. J. Warren Kerrigan has moved from the old Selig studios at Edendale to the Willis and Inglis studios in Hollywood, where work is progressing on "Three X Gordon," a story by Kenneth Clarke. Later an Alaskan story by the same author will be filmed. Wallace Kerrigan, brother of the star, is seen in his old capacity around the plant, as studio manager, and Lois Wilson is playing the opposite lead in the picture. Negotiations between Jesse Hampton, business manager for Kerrigan, and Mrs. Richard Harding Davis are being made for the film rights of "Soldiers of Fortune" and "Ranson's Folly." Harold Bell Wright Productions Coming. Harold Bell Wright, noted novelist, has organized a company for the production of his best sellers for the screen, and sets have been erected in a studio in Hollywood for certain scenes to be made for the first picture, "The Little Shepherd of the Hills," the exterior scenes to be made on the mountains beyond Pasadena. George McDaniel, who has played leading roles in Lasky and Fox productions during the past two years, has been engaged by Mr. Wright as leading man in the first production. Mr. McDaniel has appeared in the Victor Herbert Opera Company in New York, and in stock companies also in New York. After finishing "The Little Shepherd of the Hills work will be started on "The Calling of Dan Matthews. Jesse L. Lasky in Town. Jesse L. Lasky, vice president of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, arrived in Los Angeles the first week in August, to remain his usual six weeks. Mr. Lasky is quoted as saying that Los Angeles is to be the haven of motion picture producers this winter. The schedule of the Famous Players-Lasky stars has been arranged so that while all of them may not be here at any one time, they will all be here at some time or other during the winter, excepting Caruso, he says. Howells Confers with Tally. David Howells, foreign representative for the First National Exhibitors' Circuit, has been in Los Angeles the past week in conference with T. L. Tally, vice president of the organization, regarding future plans for the foreign bookings of the Circuit's productions. Film Producers to Pool Extras. In order to comply with the "work or fight" ruling, the motion picture producers in Southern California have evolved a plan whereby the men employed as extras at the different studios will he secured through a central agency, which will have on its list only a sufficient number to protect the interests of the motion picture industry. This plan will give practically steady employment to about four hundred nun. whereas the original number of men who found occasional work in big productions, or in mob or crowd scenes, has been estimated at 1200. Draft board officials announced that they would not recognize the organization, but they would co-operate so that the picture concerns would be protected as far as possible. The new plan will necessitate longer working hours for the extras in most ca^' Lightless Nights in Los Angeles. Monday and Tuesday night of each week have been designated as light saving nights for the city of Los Angeles. Motion picture theatres are not permitted to use display lights or electric signs, nor more light in the lobby than is necessary to conduct business on those two nights. One violation of the rule the first night the law went into effect was witnessed in a Broadway playhouse. The proprietor was warned not to commit a second offence, as he would make himself liable to punishment, which would probably be the loss of all lighting privileges for a certain period. Theatre Attendant Killed by Negroes. Emerson Schooler, 16 years old, doorkeeper of the Angelus Theatre, was stabbed by two negro boys whom he had ordered to leave the house because they had slipped in by another entrance and had taken seats near the front of the house. Young Schooler noticed the boys and made them leave by a rear door. The boys heaped abuse on him and dared him to come out. A few minutes later a patron coming that way saw the boy lying near the rear entrance and the two negro boys running down the alley. Schooler was taken to a hospital, but all attempts to revive him failed, and he died. The negro boys were captured and admitted having fought with the theatre attendant, but denied that they had stabbed him. Godwin Repairs Wrong. R. M. Godwin, the director of the School of Expression, who was accused of having swindled several young women out of various sums of money in not keeping his promise to teach them the art of acting before the camera and to find them work in film studios, appeared in court and testified that he had been called in the draft and that he had not intended to perpetrate any fraud. He agreed to turn over part of his army pay until the young women were reimbursed for the money he had collected from them. Film Stars Aid War Exhibit. At the Allied War Trophy Exhibit held in Exposition Park from August 1 to 11 a number of film stars from the various studios assisted in entertaining the multitudes of people that daily formed the audiences that viewed the sham battles critically examined the big Runs, the war tank and the souvenirs that were captured from the Huns. Mary Pickford, besides impersonating Miss Los Angeles