Universal Weekly (1923-1925)

Vol. 20, No. 23 Universal Weekly 25 ''U" Releases Four Century Comedies This Month As an auspicious start for the New Year, Abe Stern, vice-president of the Century Film Corp., producers of Century Comedies, has arranged for the January release of four carefully selected two-reel comedies. These will be issued one a week, beginning this week. Distribution of the Century product is through the Universal exchanges. The four releases are: "Looking Down," starring Wanda Wiley; "The Aggravatin' Kid," starring Buddy Messinger; "Her Daily Dozen," starring Edna Marian, and "Taming the East," another Buddy Messinger picture. Jess Robbing, well known as a director of Universal and other comedies, directed Miss Wiley in "Looking Down," the first release of the month. It is a hilarious two-reeler showing the comedienne as a trick cyclist and also in funny situations high up in the steel framework of a new building. She is supported by Al Alt, another popular Centurion, as well as by Joe Moore and Dorothy Vernon. The other three January releases were directed by Ed I. Luddy, a comedy director whose work on the Century lot is establishing new records for Century Comedy popularity. "The Aggravatin' Kid" is heralded as Buddy Messinger at his best. Those who remember him in "The Flirt," and other big pictures, as well as in his previous Century successes, will look forward to this comedy. "Her Daily Dozen," the third Century release this month, stars the new Century favorite, Edna Marian, who used to appear in support of Buster Keaton. The Century officials have found that her comedies find ready markets, and a long series of Edna Marian comedies are projected. In "Her Daily Dozen," which reveals the antics in a girl's gymnasium and bathing pool. Miss Marian is supported by the Century Follies Girls, the group of bathing beauties who have made a name for Century Comedies. Others in the cast are Eddie Gordon, a recent Century acquisition, and H i 1 1 i a r d Karr, Century's fat comedian. The last release of the month, "Taming the East," is a burlesque "western," with Buddy Messinger and his pals going through all the heroics of western "drammer" in a highly comic vein. This two-reeler is promised as a riot in any house that likes "westerns." Booked on the program with a regular western, it should send them out howling with laughter, its sponsors assert. In the cast with Buddy are Hilliard Karr, Joe Bonner, Lois Body and Dolores Brinkman. WHY DRUMMERS LEAVE HOME Wanda Wiley, pretty Century Comedy star, adds some new ideas to syncopation in her latest release, "Looking Down." Century's Star Series Plan Greatly Pleases Exhibitors Business Jumps on Century Comedies Following Announcement of This Series THERE has been a decided response on the part of exhibitors in the United States and Canada to the recently announced policy of making four series of two-reel comedies with the four popular Century stars: Wanda Wiley, Edna Marian, Al Alt and Eddie Gordon, it is reported by Abe Stern, vice-president of the Century Film Corporation. The new star series plan, made public by Mr. Stern several weeks ago, had a decided effect on sales, as confirmed by H. M. Herbel, sales manager of the Century corporation. Herbel, who is in close touch with the various Universal exchanges which market and distribute the Century product, reported an immediate upward trend in Century Comedy bookings. Many of the exhibitors plainly stated that the outlook for a steady supply of comedies during the coming months, featuring the four stars, had much to do with their decision to sign up for the Century product. One of the most outstanding examples of this swing to Century Comedies was on the part of the Saenger Amusement Company, the big theatre •chain of the New Orleans temtory, which has just made arrangements to show Century Comedies in ten of the theatres of that chain during 1925. The first picture to be shown under this arrangement will be "Looking Down," the Wanda Wiley two-reeler released January 7th. Among other theatres which have made arrangements during the last week or so for a 1925 presentation of Century Comedies, Herbel names Proctor's Theatre in Albany. This theatre will show every Century Comedy released during the coming year. A similar arrangement also has been made with the Stratford Theatre, one of Chicago's high class houses. The present tide of popularity which has set in for Century Comedies seems to bear out the prediction made by Abe Stern three months ago, when he said: "We are bending every effort to make a high class of comedy for the 1925 market which will be sought by the big first run exhibitors. "Bookings during the last two months have proved to us that firstrun audiences like Century Comedies, and the exhibitor has discovered it."