Paramount and Artcraft Press Books (1918)

ADVANCE PRESS STORIES To Be Sent to the Newspapers Prior to and During the Display of Charles Ray’s New Photoplay, “String Beans.” A Paramount Picture. CHARLES RAY FARM DRUDGE AND POET IN “STRING BEANS” CAN THE STRING BEANS CANNERY! SCHEME A FAKE! “STRING BEANS” IS TYPICAL TITLE FOR NEW RAY PHOTOPLAY Popular Ince Paramount Star Portrays Strong Role of Country Boy Toby WATKINS is the allaround drudge on his uncle’s farm — a twenty acre patch of black mud entirely surrounded by mortgages. This is the opening sentence from Julien Josephson’s scenario, “String Beans,” which serves to introduce Charles Ray in his next Paramount Picture which will be shown at the theatre next In highly condensed form it presents a vivid picture of the story’s opening scenes. Toby Watkins is the sort of country boy, brave, humorous and thoroughly human, that all Charles Ray’s admirers like to see him portray, It is the sort of character that has made the Ray pictures sure-fire offerings from the exhibitor’s point of view. But Toby Watkin’s is no ordinary boy. He is imaginative and somewhat dreamy, and every night when his day’s work is done he goes to his room and takes out a book that he has bought by mail, “What Every Young Poet Ought to Know.” For Toby is ambitious to be a writer. The scenes of the story change to a country newspaper office where Toby goes in searchof opportimity. This part of the story is developed with realism and charm by the author, Julien Josephson, who was formerly a country editor himself, and who writes of that life with delightful sympathy. It is stated, thaj Ray’s handling of the role of Toby Watkins will rank as one of the best screen portraits. Excellent support is provided by Jane Novak, John P. Lockney, Donald MacDonald, A1 Filson and Otto Hoffman. Victor Schertzinger directed and Chester Lyons was the photographer. Great Excitement Caused by Crook in Charles Ray’s New Photoplay There was much excitement in the city of Sawbert today owing to the remarkable expose of Kendall Reeves, the galoot that has been trying to swindle our respected citizens and our revered mayor, Lott Morris, with a scheme to can the string beans in this community. If the title applied to some of the human vegetables that fail to pay their subscriptions, we would have nothing to say other than “can ’em and do it quick. They’ve been stringing us long enough.” But we all knew, in our sober senses that this string bean idea was the bunk as they say in Peoria. We always had our suspicion of Reeves and now, through the bravery of young Toby Watkins, our representative who will call on you tomorrow with our new coffee grinder subscription offer for the Clarion, he is exposed. He was caught last night trying to rob our trusting mayor of his money. We sent Mr. Watkins as our proxy to a mass meeting but he lost his nerve, as they say in Keokuk, and found it again in time to wrest the spoils of thievery from a villain who is now disclosed as a muchwanted jail bird from the city. We take Mr. Watkins back into our good graces and we repudiate the string bean as a canned comestible. This is the plot of Charles Ray’s newest Paramount picture which will be shown at the ..... .theatre next Go and learn all about the string bean cannery that didn’t get started. It’s a humdinger of a picture and you’ll never forget it. Fake Cannery Project Basis of Excellent Story for InceParamount Star ISN’T that a typical Ray title? “String Beans” ! And it is also quite appropriate for the efforts of a sharper to swindle a gullible lot of farmers with a fake cannery project for beans is the basis of the story, which will be seen at the theatre on It is a Thomas H. Ince picture released by Paramount. These facts, coupled with the declaration that Charles Ray is to star and that sweet little Jane Novak is his leading woman — ought to attract record crowds. There is a fine cast, and the story is one of those real country town dramas with lots of humor and human interest and a great character role for Charles Ray. The efforts of a swindler to get the confidence and coin of the gullible natives of a small town on a string bean cannery project form the basis of the plot. The story is said to be highly amusing, full of human nature and containing a pretty romance. Mr. Ray as a young farm hand with a literary turn, goes to the local newspapers of a country town and asks for a job which he gets. The proprietor, a typical country editor, is fighting a scheme advanced by a crook to found a bean cannery and the mayor is in favor of it. A big mass meeting is held and the editor is to contest the movement, but falls ill at the last moment. Ray takes his place but gets stuck in the speech and escapes in consternation. Later he prevents the sharper from robbing the mayor, gains the love of the latter’s daughter and distinguishes himself. The natives are saved and the swindler is caught with the goods. 13