The Photo-Play Journal (Jul 1919-Feb 1921)

PMma The photoplay art is exceedingly busy growing, and, oh, how it would help if some of the inartistic producers would get busy going! "Film exporters in this country are making money hand over fist," declares a trade journal. We trust said exporters will not spoil it all by getting their foot into it. A fellow who was imitating Charlie Chaplin was recently run over by an automobile in Philadelphia. This is one more proof of the fact that it does not pay to imitate. Now that Champion Jess Willard has gone through the harrowing experience of being a movie actor, he should be able to withstand any terrorism Jack Dempsey may have to hand out. Mme. Nazimova has signed a contract for another two years of cinema effort under the Metro banner. It's the sign of a continuation of a series of great pictures of which the screen always needs more. Give every man, woman and child plenty of chances to see all the good motion pictures and humanity will take less chances on a surfeit of a lack of education. The cinema is one of the greatest educational institutions and it is to be hoped it will be kept properly "instituted." It was not widely known that Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Film Corporation, claimed Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as his home until he paid the old burg a visit recently and was accorded a remarkable demonstration. Oshkosh has been "kidded" so much, we'll pass up the chance! Having asked about as many questions as any member of the gentle sex possibly could and having gleaned all the news we could find, we'll call this paragraph FINIS with a fervent prayer that when fall returns, there'll be frost on the pumpkins only and none of said frost on the screen. 9 Max Marcin, one of America's most successful playwrights, is now at the head of the Goldwyn scenario department. Max wrote such wellknown plays as "The House of Glass," "Cheating Cheaters," "Eyes of Youth" and "The Woman in Room 13." May his contributions to the silversheet become ever better known! As a result of his truly wonderful artistry in "Broken Blossoms," Richard Barthelmess, who has not yet attained the age of twenty-five years, is being proclaimed as one of the greatest geniuses of the screen. And, he is a true genius. Now, don't let anyone ever hear you say again that anyone else is too young to make a start which would do credit to the much older! m Li'l ol' Noo Yawk is worrying because the picture magnates are doing most all of their producing in California. It seems eminently "up to Noo Yawk" to overcome the situation by producing some weather and scenic conditions comparable to that which the Sunny Golden State sports so consistently. This miracle being barred, the bars are insurmountable and some bars are strictly non est now. If Senator Borah is permitted to run the United States Senate to suit himself, it is certain it will not be run to suit anyone else. Practically all the film producers are constantly looking for new stars, but all too generally their astronomy is astoundingly bad. Since the starless picture is becoming a policy with certain producers, is it to be expected that the jig (or moon) is up so far as fabulous salaries are concerned? The fellow who was going to organize that big film trust seems to have wound up in a big bust. Never was the field so filled with independent concerns as now. If they ever do succeed in inventing a machine that will shoot moving pictures all the way to Mars, what we want to know is who is going up there and collect the admission fees? There is a veritable influx of so-called eminent authors in the world of screen literature nowadays. And, may we not intimate that there is something of the infesting idea in vogue too? "The Volcano" is the title of a new photoplay written by Augustus Thomas and in which Leah Baird is starred. Here's our best wishes that it may not erupt to the extent of a bankrupt for anyone. There is not much of a lull anticipated for the warmer months of summer so far as the movies are involved. And, after all, why should a little perspiration be allowed to stand in the way of having a wholesome good time? One of Sessue Hayakawa's latest starring vehicles is called "The Courageous Coward." It's pretty difficult to reconcile the adjective as a descriptive of the noun, but of course it is not much of a habit among film folks to do much reconciling with consistency. It is announced that there is a very extensive market for stories in the film world. Anyone who has a good story to tell well is wanted. Anyone suffering from literary hallucinations is not welcome. The great point is, how's a fellow a-going to tell whether he's loony or talented? Virginia Pearson now has her own company, too. Ere long the star who hasn't a private company will be declared out of the game if this present tendency continues. After all, what is to be lost by it? Very little, so long as the company-owners persist in doing big things for the screen. Several of the American film magnates have been looking things over in Europe recently. It's a cinch many of the foreign producers are wishing these same magnates would devote all their time to looking things over in America exclusively. The competition we're offering offers little of consolation to the other side of the pond.