Universal Weekly (1923-1926)

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VOL. 21, No. 2 Universal Weekly 25 Run Quality” “Century Comedies Are Says Abe Stern in Interview on Eve of His Departure for the Coast, Where He Will Confer with Julius Stern on the 1925-1926 Century Product. ABE STERN, vice-president of the Century Film Corporation, the producers of Century Comedies, left New York for Los Angeles last Sunday, accompanied by Mrs. Stern. He is bound for the Hollywood studios of the Century Company, where he will confer with his brother, Julius Stem, president of the comedy corporation, and plan their 1925-1926 product. The Century Corporation is trying out a new release policy this winter, based on four series of pictures made by four stars, Wanda Wiley, Eddie Gordon, Edna Marian and A1 Alt. The results, even at this early date, are said to be so encouraging and conclusive that the 1925-1926 production policy of the company is expected to be changed materially from past methods. Discussing the comedy situation on the eve of his departure, Mr. Stern predicted striking improvements in Century Comedies during the coming year. of First “We are determined to take our comedies out of the filler class, he said. “We already have done it to a large extent, but) we will not be satisfied until every exhibitor recognizes our product as of firstrun quality. “We have ample proof that Century Comedies are two-reel Box Office Attractions. They are being played up in advertising and on theatre fronts by more and more exhibitors. Wanda Wiley, and our other stars are beginning to have a box-office drawing power. We are getting many times the number of first-run accounts we did a year ago. “On our side, we are trying to improve our product. We are putting more time, money and care into production. As an indication of this, we now have five directors working at the Century studio, an almost unprecedented situation for a two-reel comedy company. They are topnotch directors, too, among them being William Watson, a former Mack Sennett director, Edward I. Luddy, Jess Robbins, Charles Lamont and Noel Smith, a former Larry Semon director. “We are taking every possible means to build up our four stars. The best means is by putting them in good comedies. This we are doing. Also, under our new release plan, they are appearing in series of twelve pictures each during the course of a year. This is a far step in the direction of box-office drawing power. After all, there is Pretty Edna Marian, Century Comedy star, makes a lifelike wax doll in her latest two-reel comedy, “My Baby Doll,” just released through all Universal exchanges. Arthur Lake, the popular young juvenile recently seen in the “Sweet Sixteen” comedies, is her chief support in the doll comedy. no reason why a two-reel comedy star, making twelve pictures a year, should not have as much box-office appeal as a feature star, making four or six pictures a year. “Our production policy, which will be enlarged upon and bettered for next year, permits us to show our comedies to exhibitors well in advance. We find that showmen are beginning to appreciate this service on comedies just as they appreciate it on features. It is another step in taking comedies out of the filler class. Exhibitors are reacting to our progressiveness by signing up under our star series plan to a far greater degree than ever before.” oOo “NOBODY’S SWEETHEART” FEATURING WANDA WILEY REACHES THE SCREEN ANEW Wanda Wiley comedy is being released this week by the Century Film Corporation through all Universal Exchanges. It is “Nobody’s Sweetheart,” and was directed by William Watson, long noted as a comedy director. This is reported to be the best Wiley comedy to date. It forms an important unit in the series of Wanda Wiley comedies projected this year by the Century company.. Harry McCoy is Miss Wiley’s chief support in “Nobody’s Sweetheart.” Many others are in the cast, an unusually large aggregation of players having been necessary for the restaurant and cabaret scenes of the picture. It is reported as a fast-moving comedy in which Wanda jumps from one predicament into another. Another Wiley two-reeler has just been finished by Edward I. Luddy, who directed “Present Arms” and “Looking Down,” two popular releases of this talented young comedienne. It is called “A Lucky Leap,” and includes in its cast Joe Bonner and Max Asher. Some of the scenes were taken in Truckee, Calif. [old Hold •pen Open ates Dates HOOT GIBSON feperBut* kV Mi UIV|m* A BmU<fcnJfendiip orTK# White List IheMan