Variety (January 1914)

12 VARIETY FILM FLASHES Hoy Knabenshue, the aeronaut, will figure In The Fight for Life," a three-reel dra- matic, to bo produced by the Universal. Kna- benshue will uae two 150-foot dirigibles carry- ing 12 passengers. Frank crane haa been engaged by the Unl- veraal to direct the Imp features In which Irving Cummlngs will do the leads. Crane was formerly with th" Thanhouser Company as leading man. The Industrial M. IV Co. of Chirago Iiuh completed 1.000 feet or lllin showing Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Castle In Mi«-ir modern dancing steps. Wallard Holcoiub. general publicity man for Klnemacolor, donned hit* rhyming clothes this week and penned a ballad entitled "The Maid of the Movies," which was distributed with the compliments of the season from the Kin concern. Accompanying the six paargruphs of timely wit and muse Is an Illustration of the "maid" (a la Maid of th- Mist at NiugMra Palls) being rescued In front of a movie cam- era by Wynn Ilol<-oiub (Willard's talented son.) The Balboa players have arranged a series of dances on the studio stage at Long Beach. Cal., to which screen actors of other organiza- tions In the vicinity are to be invited. Elmer McQovern. publicity manager for the Keystone Co., takes exception to the statement that Mayme Kelso Is the first woman movie director. Mabel Norm and has hwn d'rectlna he says. In the Keystone studios tor two months, while M1ss Kelso's position in tbe di- rector's chair Is of only a few weeks stand- ing. At the Park theatre (pictures), Cincinnati, Harry Bolte, a local butcher, gave a stage demonstration to housewives, showing them how to market economically. He used his chopping block and a side of beef to Illustrate methods of buying cuts of meat. A. C. Dlnglestedt, manager of the Plaza. Cincinnati, and president of the Clnclnanti exhibitors' league, is out of favor with the Op- erators' Union. In consequence the Republi- can county committee cancelled an arrange- ment to hold the Inaugural ceremonies of the new administration at that house, as had been planned. "The Gangsters of New York" and "The Escape" are two four-reel dramatic works which are engaging the attention of David W. Griffith and James Kirk wood in the Reliance New York studios. "The Escape" will be Mr. Griffith's first work presented on tbe Mutual program. Ysaye, the noted violinist, was snapped re- cently for the "Our Mutual Girl" series, as he entered and left Carnegie Hall. Owen Moore and James Cooley are now iden- tified with the Reliance brand. Four Reliance companies will leave New York about the middle of January for tbe *r\ Klnemacolor Hollywood studios. Los Angeles, recently taken over by the Reliance Co. Gen- eral Director Griffith will be in charge, assist- ed by James Kirk wood, Eddie Dillon, Edward Morrisey and two others still to be selected. Frank E. Woods, scenario writer, and Russell E. Smith will accompany the party. The Renfax Film Co. of New York Is be- hind a project to produce musical comedies In motion pictures. It has the rights to a new synchronizing device from England. Religious services were held In a moving picture theatre instead of the church at Rldgefield Park. N. J., Sunday. Religious and educational films were exhibited. It is pro- posed to make tbe show a regular weekly af- fair. Rev. Lyman Howe, pastor of the local Episcopal church, conducted the services, which were attended by members of his congrega- tion. King naggots Absinthe study Is to be re leased by tbe U. Jan. 22. The George Kleine ".Antony and Cleopatra' will be released r.hortly. Jack Honavlta says Tampa. Kla., Is ills pres- ent mail address. The Bosworth filmB will shortly offer Jack London's "Barleycorn" alcohol study. Local exhibitors are forecasting the general adoption of the three and four reel feature as the main base of dally programs. "The Black 13" Is the newest multiple being promoted by P. P. Craft. The Famous Players doesn't tare how much talent It uses In Insignificant parts. They've Ernest Truax playing a "bit." a newsboy role In the F. P.'s forthcoming "American Citizen'' 4-reeler. Others of the cast besides Jack Bar- rymore. featured are Evelyn Moore. Peter I^ang. Hal Clarendon. Mrs M. S Smith. Ethel West, Howard Mlsslmor. Edith Ilenkle. Alexan- der Gaden, Wellington A. Playter and Joe Short. J. Warren Kerrigan's next fllni appearance will be in "The Man Who Lied" In 2 reels, re- leased Jan. 1l». The !"s Gold Seal brand's release for Jan. •_'<>, "The t'nslgned Agreement," presents Fran- cis Ford. Grace Cunard, Harry Schumm and May Granville. Bert EiiiiIb. publicity "dopester" f »r the Eclair, says that Charles Morgan, now with that company used to sing as a b.iy soprano in Trinity Church. Slex Francis. Will Sheerer. L olle Adair and Clara liorton appear Jan. 21 in an Eclair nov- elty "Coming Home" in two reels. II. II. Muller, assistant advertising manager of Warner's Features, is leaving Saturday to seek another position In the picture field. AN AMERICAN CITIZEN Pretty Evelyn Moore must blush furiously every time she sees the film reflex of her white stocking which Jack Barrymorc hangs up !n the final scene of "An American Citizen," the Madeline Lucette Ryley comedy which the Famous Players' release in 4 parts January 10. Every one who caught the picture at a pri- vate exposition Tuesday expected Miss Moore to blush right out on tbe screen despite the mechanical embargo to tbe process, the mo- ment she spied her suspended hosiery. Miss Moore Ik a girl of average size and ingenue symmetry. Ample Isn't quite the word for the stocking, nor is capacious. It's -er-any- way, whatever tbe word, the F P.)s costumer is no piker, when It comes to supplying case- ments for feminine underpinnings. The Rylcy play successfully used by Nat Goodwin In the heyday of his popularity is admirably adapted to the Barrymore unction and magnetism. Swinging as it does between < omedy and farce. Young Barrymore 1b at home In Its every scene, and Imparts to tbe play a light touch that contrasts favorably with the more serious Impersonation of the Goodwin methods of another era. Every one familiar with the Goodwin re- pertoire knows the story of the piece, fash- ioned chiefly for polite laughs, with n busted young American broker its hero and a more or less conventional young English gentle- woman Its heroine. The youth Is matching his wits against the market and the world gen- erally, and generally getting tbe worst of It. With two partners he Is reduced to bcef-and- beans banquets in his office, when a chance customer turns over to the Ann $10,000 for Investment. From overnight elation, two of the firm's trio are thrown In a panic next morning when they discover upon opening their safe in which they had the nlgbt before deposited the $10,000 a money-less drawer and a note from the third partner, now missing. wishing his former associates a cheery good morning and a long farewell. The frolics of the play s. -e started swiftly on their way with this beginning. The re- maining partners face arrest for embezzle- ment In addition to a return to their beeT-and soirees. Then comes an offer of relief In tbe hequeBt of a fabulous fortune to young Cruger —the Barrymore role—If he'll but consent to come 'ome to his ancestors' Prltlsh marble 'alls, bid good-bye forever to the Hamerlean flag and marry an English gell for his wife. Some offer and some problem. Young Cruger answers It by hanging his office picture of George Washington a few feet closer to his desk, and discovering that beef-and tangoes are all to the mustard If they're not frozen. The partner's are wondering whether they won't have to sleep In their office that night for want of better accommodations when enter a wildcat promoter of a western boomtown with a needle project for making 'cm 'een millions with a postage stamp Investment. To get rid of the dreamer, young Cruger tags him with his last 2-spot. absently accepts a receipt, and. In response to his partner's hur- ried summons, hotfoots Into the Arm's front office to meet a visitor—the conventional young English cousin. She's been reduced to coarse rations, too. by the same will that suspends the patrimony of the destitute hero. Abetted by the other partner, the young people there- upon conspire tn win the bequest by fulfilling the condition of marrying and living abroad. But the girl exacts a promise that the cere- mony shall be merely a form ; they must part Immediately afterward. The marriage takes place, and then come delicious' moments In the romance that with Barrymore's whimsical playing make the remaining nets move all too quickly. Mix-up follows mix-up and laugh, laugh. They both accidentally turn up at the same hotel In Nice; they move, and each again moves to the same hotel, and this time, by reason of the same name on hotel register, find themselves In the same room. It's all done very properly, but with delight- ful coquetries. But there's n flaw In p the manner of their capture of their fortune, and the art society puts both on the plane of common people again by winning the money from the couple In a court fight. Then comes Xmas night for youn* Cruger In hum- ble London lodgings, where he runs a small bookshop. He finds some faded flowers his wlfe-ln-namc-only had given him. also a stocking of hers he had secretly souvenlred from their bridal chamber misadventure. It's Xmns eve and followlne a bent of his own whimsical nature he ham:* un the stocking. Then his wife Miss Moored role—finds him and her stocklnK. Then crimes tidings that the desnlsed boomtown Investment lt;i> made youne Cruccr a small fortune. It's all very natural, romantic and af times touching. Tn Its last analysis the play Is renlly a study In eccentric character. The Barrymore personality make's It Joyous. Corb KIN IN AT. CITY. Kinemacolor will be shown at the new Nixon theater, Atlantic City, be- ginning next Monday. Kin will be in- troduced in 14 houses of the Nixon- Nirdlingcr - Zimmerman interests as soon as equipments can be installed. FILM IS "VICTIM OF SIN." The feature film to be exhibited at Hammerstein's for four weeks (with an option) commencing Jan. 12, an- nounced as "Damaged Goods," turns out to be "A Victim of Sin," a picture rhown in New York some time ago. Jack Hughes holds the U. S. and Canadian rights to it. "SLAVE" BEATING "SOULS." The race for patronage between "The Exposure of the White Slave Traffic," at the Bijou Theatre, and "Traffic in Souls," at Weber's (on the next block), is said to have turned in favor of the Bijou feature last week. Saturday Weber's did $381 on the c'.ay, while the Bijou counted up $670. No perceptible gain over last week was noted at the Republic early this week, where another "Souls" film is shown. Commencing Jan. 12 "The House of Bondage" on the sheet will succeed the ''Exposure" exhibition at the Bijou. DYER DENIES. President Dyer of the General Film Co. denied the widely circulated rumor of the week that the Lubin Company planned to withdraw from the General Film Co., also that there was any truth in reports of trouble in the Pathc concern, or that the Vitagraph thought of digging out of the G. F. cluster and starting out for business on its own ac- count. Basis for the rumors in regard to the Pathc concern is suggested in the dis- missal of a score of players within the past fortnight, and for the alleged dis- content of the Lubin in the elaborate plans of the Vitagraph company to boost its own game with the Criterion theatre project on Broadway. The reports of internal discontent nmong certain units of the G. F. got further stimulus in the statements in court at the Fox-Motion Patents Co. hearings by the heads of several of the G. F. constituents that they had been willing to sell to Fox and still felt that way about it, testimony that cer- tain film campaigners regarded as purely politic utterances to help the C,. F.'s and M. P. P.'s case. ".'JUSTEK BROWN" FEATURE. R. F. Outcault is organizing a com- pany to take moving pictures for.a fea- ture film based on his famous "Buster Brown" series of cartoons. COPYRIGHTED "WHITE SLAVE" The owners of the copyright on "The Inside of the White Slave Traffic" title, say they will apply for an injunction against any one who uses "White Slave" in connection with a moving picture name. The "Inside" copyright is alleged to be the only one recorded at Washing- ton. RELEASED NEXT WEEK (Jan. 12 to Jan. 19, nc.) MANUFACTURERS INDICATED BY ABBREVIATION. VIZ.: GENERAL Vitagraph V Blograph B Kalem K Lubin L Pathes Pthe 8ellg 8 Edison E Essanay S-A Kleine Kl Mellei Mel EXCLUSIVE Gaumont G O.N.S.F. .. G.N. Ramo R Solas Bol Eclectlo Eel P.R.A F Lewla Pennant*..LP. Ot. Northern.. .O.N. Dragon D Itala It G.N.X.X. ..Q.N.X.X. UNIVERSAL Imp 1 Gem Gem Blaon B101 Chrystal >... C Neator N Power* P Eclair Eelr Rex Ri Frontier Frnt Victor Vic Blache Features.. Bl MUTUAL American a Keystone Key Reliance Rel Majestic MaJ Thanhouser T Kay-Bee K.B. Broncho Br Domino Dom Mutual M NOTE—The subject Is In one reel of about 1.000 feet unless otherwise noted. JAN. 12-MONDAY MUTUAL.—Destinies Fulfilled. 3-reel dr.. A; A Flirt's Mistake, com.. Key; Rel. and Thnnhouser titles not announced. GENERAL F.—Concentration, dr B; In- dian Blood, 2-reel dr., K; Tobacco Industry, Industrial, and Smiles of Fortune, com., split reel, L; Pathc Weekly No. 3 for 1014 'west) and No. 4 (east) ; the Two Ordeals. 2-reel dr., S; The Right and Wrong of It. dr.. V; The Adventure of the Actress' Jewels, com., E UNIVERSAL. -The Imp Abroad, com.. Vic: The Militant. 3-reel dr.. I ; Just Mother, and In Lapland, split reel. P. JAN. IS-THURSDAY MUTUAL.—American, title not announced. The Primitive Call, 3-reel dr.. Dom.; How Motion Pictures Are Made, Industrial, Key. GENERAL F. -How They Struck Oil, com.. and Out Black, com., split reel. B ; The Story of the Old Gun. com.-dr.. S-A ; A Question of Right, 2-reel dr.. L: Wooing the Saleslady, com., Mel. ; A Thief of Hearts. 2-reel dr.. Pathe; Blue Blood and Red. dr.. S; The Brute, dr.. and Baseball Stars, topical, split reel, V; Pathe Weekly No. 5 (east) and No. 4 (west). UNIVERSAL-Percy Needed a Rest, com.. N : Michael Arnold and Dr. Lynn. 2-reel dr.. Hx. ; Slim and the Money Pots, com., Frnt. JAN. 13-TUESDAY MUTUAL.—MaJ., and Thanhouser titles not announced. GENERAL F.—A Night at the Inn. dr.. E; The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, dr., S-A; The Heart of a Gypsy, 2-reel dr., Kl. : Down ]jone Oap Way. dr., Pathe; Angel Paradise, com., S; The Masked Dancer. 2-reel dr., V; The Insertion, dr., L. UNIVERSAL.—A War Time Reformation. 2- reel dr., Gold Seal: It May Come to This, com., and Baldy Belmont Dumps, com., split reel. C. JAN. 14-WEDNESDAY MUTUAL.—The Cure, dr., Br.; Mlitual Week I v No. ST>: Rel. : title not announced. GENERAL F.- -Andy Plays Hero, com., E : Perils of the White Lights. 2-reel dr.. K: The Renl Miss Lovelclgh. com.. S-A ; Colonel Ifecza Liar's African Hunt. com., and The Seventeen Mile Drive, travel, split reel. Pathe . Timing Cupid, com., V; Conscience and the Temptress, dr.. S. UNIVERSAL.—The Intruder, dr.. N ; Sav- ing the Child, com.. Joker; The First Nug- get 2-reel dr., Fclr, ; Universal Animated Weekly No. 07. JAN. 16-FRIDAY MUTUAL.—Circle of Fate. 2-reel dr.. KM: Princess and Thanhouser titles not announced GENERAL F.—Deacon Bllllngton's Down- fall. 2-reel com.. E; The Cast of the Die 2 reel dr.. S-A ; Only One Shirt, com., and Th 1 ' I^ord Mayor of London, topical, split reel. K : A Messago From Across the Sea. dr.. S : Cutey's Vacation, com.. V; In Mysterious Ways, dr., L. UNIVERSAL. Cupid s Close Shave, coin. N; Trust Begets Trust, dr., P; The Roman ■>■ of a Photograph, 2-reel dr., Vic. JAN* 17-SATURDAY MUTUAL.—Unto the Weak. dr.. A : Tn th- Clutches of the Gang. 2-reel dr.. Key Ma and Rel.. titles not announced. CTENER\L F.—-The Last Scene of All. dr.. K: Broncho Rllly's Guardian. West dr.. S-A: A Servant or the Rich. dr.. L; Good Pals L ( reel dr.. Pathe ; Local Color, 2-reel dr.. V : lt< a Hawks Sacrifice, dr., K ; Waifs, dr.. IV UNIVERSAL. The Mystery of the Toxical, com.. Joker; Her P/rother. dr.. Frnt; The Flash of Fnte. 2-reel dr.. B101.