Universal Weekly (1923-1925)

14 Universal Weekly Hunchback to Have Chicago Premiere November 4, in the Harris Theatre A MIDDLE-WEST premiere of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," the biR Universal spectacle photodrama adapted from Victor Hugo's world-famed romance, will be held in Chicago November 4th. The Harris Theatre, one of the newest and best legitimate theatres in the Windy City, has been engaged for an indefinite run and the super-picture will be presented on the same lavish scale which marked its world's premiere in New York. As in the Astor Theatre, New York City, the Chicago opening will be accompanied by a symphony orchestra and a specially staged prologue. It is expected that the picture will enjoy the same popularity in Chicago which it has in New York, where it still is playing to packed houses in its ninth week. The preliminary campaign, now under way in Chicago, is being handled by J. V. Bryson, director of presentations for "The Hunchback," assisted by H. Elliott Stuckel, gen eral press representative, and Walter Hill and W. L. Mc Curdy, Universal's local Chicago exchange exploiteers. "The Hunchback" is now playing in five big American cities, including New York; among them being Boston, where it is in its seventh week at the Tremont Temple; Philadelphia, where it is in its fifth week in the Chestnut LEGION MEN SEE UNIVERSAL CITY SEVERAL prominent members of the American Legion, en route home from the fifth annua! convention at San Francisco, visited Universal City, production center of the Universal Pictures Corporation, a day or two ago. Included in the party were Russell G. Creviston, assistant national adjutant; Garland W. Powell, director of the national Americanism committee; Peyton Hogue, member of the same committee, and C. Willard Cooper, associate editor of the Legion Weekly. Ross Watson, Los Angeles real estate man and prominent in Legion activities, conducted them to Universal City. William Koenig, business manager, and Irving Cummings and King Baggot, directors, acted as their hosts. Street Opera Hou.se; San Franci«co, where it is in its fourth week in the Capitol, and Baltimore, where it has just opened in the Academy of Music. A five weeks' run was just completed in Pittsburgh. The picture also will open in the Auditorium Theatre, Toledo, this week. One of the remarkable fea tures of the various "Hunchback" openings has been the unanimous praise accorded to it by newspaper critics, as well as by the public. By most reviewers it is hailed as without peer in the history of super-pictures. It is pointed to as an example of what the screen can produce in an effort to combine entertainment, education and artistic appreciation. Universal points proudly to the fact that "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was the only picture viewed aboard ship by the Prince of Wales on his recent return to England after his stay in Canada. The Prince is reported to have been delighted by the film. The Astor Theatre, New York City, reports the receipt of radios and cablegrams almost daily from ships at sea, from London, Paris, Rome, and even from points as far away as Buenos Aires, making reservations in advance for seats to see the big screen production on Broadway, according to Manager A .J. Cole. ■iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiJiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ^^Hands in the Dark^\ New Mystery Serial, Started at ^^U^^ City With William Desmond UNIVERSAL announces the cornmencement of production this week on a new chapter picture starring William Desmond. This popular serial star has just completed the final episode of "Beasts of Paradise," an adventure serial laid in the jungle and in the South Seas, in which Eileen Sedgwick was co-featured. The new serial will be a mystery picture of the most thrilling kind, Universal promises. It will be called "Hands In the Dark." William Craft, the maker of many Universal serial successes, will direct it. Helen Holmes, one of the best known and most popular women in the serial field, plays an important role in "Hands In the Dark." She has not been seen in Universal pictures for several years. Her reappearance on the Universal lot is regarded with great pleasure by Universal executives and the production staff. During the past year Desmond has jumped to the front as a serial star. He has made a series of strong chaptered films for Universal, among them "Perils of the Yukon," "Around the Worid in 18 Days," "The Phantom Fortune" and "Beasts of Paradise." The following favorites have appeared opposite him in these pictures: Eileen Sedgwick, Esther Ralston and Laura La Plantee. "Hands In the Dark" probably will be ready for release late this year. It will be in 15 chapters of two reels each. The scenario department at Universal City reports that it is crammed with mystery situations of exceptional suspense and serial value.