Variety (February 1914)

VARIBTY 23 Sol M. Sugarman, who operates the PrlnceM as a picture house at Meridian, Mlss.r has gotten out an attractive house press sheet called "The Princess News." "Shug." as he calls himself, claims It is the only picture newspaper In MlBslssippi, which doesn't say o'ermuch for Miss., principally famed for Its bad boose. Another comedian of the regular stage has "deserted" for the pictures. This time It's Cyril Chadwick, the portrayer of English com- edy types, best known through his long asso- ciation with Bayee and Norworth and "The Eternal Waltz." In which he starred with Mabel Berra. The Thanouser studios signed the comedian for a long term Just the other day, and Lloyd Lonergan is working on a series of "silly ass" comedies for Chadwick. Lois Weber, of the Rex-Universal, has writ- ten on a average of one scenario a week for the past three years. The Majestic has lately turned its attention to dramatic themes. Wlllat Film Manufacturing Corporation, through Its attorneys, Graham & Stevenson, has caused its capital stock to be Increased from $20,000 to $100,000 to take care of the enlarged business of the corporation as now contemplated. "The Diamond Master," late the Jacques Futrelle novel which ran in the Saturday Evening Post, has been made into a three-reel photoplay by the Eclair Co. Later the Eclair will also fllra a series of Futrelle's stories en- title "Elusive Isabel." Aubrey M. Kennedy, vice-president and gen- oral manager of Kennedy Features. Inc., left New York Feb. 10 for Los Angeles, to remain there two weeks, looking things over. The Imperial Co. has Just taken possession 3f Its new ofllcee and Is getting the way clear- ed for lt<t exploitation of a big flim feature entitled "The Qovernors Pardon." It's a mul- ttpl<> reel to be released ab3Ut March 1. James Qorrion. director, staged It, with most of the scenes In and around Norfolk. Va. The prin- nlpnl plavers are Amy Crane. Arllne Pretty, Robert Webb Lawrence and Frank C. Oordon.' Thomas Cnnflnn h-*-* »><««>n placed in charge of the publicity department As a Lincoln feature In addition to the reeular bill the Vitaeraph theatre. Ralph Inre. a Vita dlrwtor. appeared personally Thurs- day afternoon and evenine mado up as the martvred president and delivered Lincoln's famous G*»ttvBburK afldresa. Tnre has been rIoinK the Lincoln fharatter type for the Vlta- ?raph for some time David W. fJrlflln. general producing director for the Mutual. left tbl« week for the west. Charles K. Harris is writing the incidental music t'* tho .Tp'soo L'»«>Vv production of "The Squaw Man" feature film. Hoctor J. Strerkymans. who has been the gonerni manaeor of the TtB'ia Film Co.. turned over thf Job this week to Thomns J. Bedding, the movie editor formerly attnrhed to differ- ent Vew York phntonlnv Journals, and as- Bumod the eeneral dlrertorshln of the Met- ropol'tnn Film Co. Hn^'V Streckymans has an Interest In the new firm. The movie owners of W(»terv11et. N. Y., are aKaln<<t the movement of th*» clergymen there to stop the picture shows Sunday. The American thentre. nt Toledo, leased bv the Mflumoe Amu««ement Co.. but wh1''h has been dark nil season, hnq reopened with f'"ee motion pictures of a rellerlona nature. Two "services" nr" piven dally and It Is necessary for opp to attend three to see the entire film production. For the first time In manv sea- sons the American hits had packed houses. The R'^Uanre studios In the east have been shut down. Cius Pun's now picture thentre. Alhambra. opened nt Sprlntrfleld, O.. Feb. 2. It seBt<« 4!V) people and Is provided with a $2.1,000 Moller organ. The Knleni Co., Issuos the Kalem KIIp Sheet soml-mopthlv. Tn the last one sent out It s-<ys Tom Moore, now nt the Kaleni sttir^io. .Tn'ksoiivllle Fin., nnil Allee .Tovce. plnved the principal rol'^s In "The Shadow." re'oi(,prt p^h. 2'V Anm Nllssnn plavq DoUv In "The P^'Tet of the Will," released March 0. In the Kalem "Rn^e for a Mine.*' relensed March 14. the frature will be a rare b''tween a train and an auto and n drsperato hnttle on the brink of n rllff "RecKle, The Squnwmnn," released Feb. 27. hns Ruth Roland playing the In<^lnn mnld. Another Indian picture. "Thp Hopl Raiders." out Mnrrh 7. has Mona Darkfeather as tho lending character. Tlerr Vnn Rnven. cnmera mnn for the Im- perial Film Co.. wsM aboard th" Monroe be- fore she sunk off the coast of Virginia, and got a lot of pictures of the boat before and after the collision. The Knufmnn-Keliy Plophone Co.. of Snn Franclsf'o. hns been nin''e the defendant in a .-^uit hrouRht bv thr K'nematograph Co. of .Vmerlca to recover S.'i.OO.V Co. When "The Port of Missing Men" is produced Arnold Daly will he featured. F. J. Arnold is manager of the United Fea- ture Film Buyers, now in new offices in New York. Harry Edwards has been landed by the Uni- versal to stage the n«w comedy series in which Ike Carney will he the featured player. In the three-reeler. "Beneath the Ciar" (Soiax), Claire Whitney plays the principal feminine role. It's a Russian thriller. The 125th Street theatre (Proctor's) is go- ing to play all aorta of pictures, according to Manager Matthews' plan, in order to deter- mine which has the best influence in the box- office. In addition to the Mutual O'lrl feature each Friday, the Pathe Weekly will be shown regularly each Tuesday or Wednesday. Mat- thews may book In any movie subject he sees fit and he will shortly announce some picture novelties for the house. The Essanay Co. is issuing an attractive lit- tle folder in the form of a time table which announces the date of releases. Bach movie subject is accompanied with a likeness of the principal player. As a result of the numerous written re- quests for the reissuance of "Broncho Billy's Bible" (Essanay), in which G. M. Anderson is seen in his familiar role of Billy, it will again be released Feb. 28. Carroll Fleming, a former New York Hip directtfr, is now devoting all his time to movie staging and is with the "Big Produc- tions" department of the Princess Co. In "The Call of the Traumerel" (American) a big carabet scene is shown. The Portolo- Louvre, of San Francisco, is copied as closely as possible In this three-reeler. More than lUO people and a large orchestra are em- ployed. The Essanay announces two Evil pictures for this month in which the leading roles are enacted by Ruth Stonehouse and Richard C. Travers. The first, released Feb. 10, Is en- titled "Speak no Evil," and the other, out Feb. 24. is captioned "Hear no Evil." "September Mom" is employed as a comedy caption for a Pathes Freres released Feb. 25, In which Joseph Burke plays a tatooed man and the other parts are impersonated by Caro- line Rankin and Charles Arling. Lillian Wiggins (Pathe), who for several years was with the Joseph Murphy company, is one of the moat athletic women in movie work to-day. Margurite Loverldge is now playing oppo- site to Fred Mace in all the Apollo-Fred Mace comedy series (Apollo). The release of Feb. 15 is entitled "The Black Hand Con- spiracy." FILM WOULDN'T EXPLODE. Pittsburgh, Feb. 11. In the fight now being waged by the newly-organized Motion Picture Ex- hibitors' League of Western Pennsyl- vania to secure more lenient rulings from the state labor commissioner on theatre regulations, a film is being pre- pared showing the excitement caused by a fire scare and crowds leaving* in an orderly manner. This will be ex- hibited throughout the state. A third mass meeting was held Sun- day, in which reports were given on burning films on the wharf, and pro- tests against state censorship were re- newed. Fourteen attempts were made to fire films in the test which state officials witnessed, and it was proven explosion dangers do not exist. 'The Pride of Jennino" Is nnnouncod for relense Feb. 20 by tho Famous Players' Film NOTHING IN IT. An extravagant report gained cur- rency this week that the important Yiddish actors of the metropolis had banded themselves together and formed a million dollar corporation for the taking of feature reels in which the East Side stars would pose. Investigation disclosed it was all "on paper." The Semitic artists were amenable to the idea, but among them none could be found willing to put up any money. VITAGRAPH THEATRE. The Vltagraph Is the old Criterion trans- formed into an up-to-date picture house. The investment in exterior and interior decorations and advance rental (IttU.uOU annually) covers a smali-slKed fortune, and while the Vitagraph ownera may never get it back in paid aumia- sions they are going t3 get a lot of big adver- tising out of the venture, and as "advertising pays," one has the answer. The theatre lobby has been repainted, re- decorated, relighted and attractively paneled with photos of ail the Vitagraph players hang- ing about the walls. It looks classy for a movie house. Inside are painted portraits of the Vitagraph stars. The stage is dolled up along a new idea of picture house curtalUH. The best part of the curtain is that folks can Bit right down in the vcry front row and not have their eyeballs distorted by the flickering celluloid. Neat little programs are distributed. On an appended page the announcement is made that the h3U8e is having a $.'10,000 symphonic or- chestra installed, but owing to Its incomplete- ness a temporary Instrument will be used. Somehow the impression prevails the Vita- graph show is a continuous affair. But it's not. Four shows daily are given, with the John Bunny (himself) feature only at night. The performances start at 11..30 a. m., 2.:K). ii.lV} and 830 p. m. R'served seats are sold only for the 2.30 and 8.30 shows, with the prices ranging from 25 cents to $1. At the other shows all seats are 25 cents. For those who dote on movies the Vitagraph givea a run for the money. To one who would saturate his whole being with the "silent drama" atmosphere he can get a regular movie Jag at the Vitagraph. One picture runs con- tlnu3usly, almost two hours, while another consumes 40 minutes. To get the whole show at the Vitagraph one must stick from 8..% un- til 11 o'clock. There's been a sell-out down- stairs since the house opened, last Saturday. The first thing on the bill Is a movie pano- rama of the men and women who make the Vitagraph pictures. In addition to the stars and minor actors and actresBes, the scenario editors and directors are shown. It's a good thing for writers and plavers. At 8.38 came "Ooodness Gracious! or Movtea as They Shouldn't Be," a burlesque in three parts featuring Sidney Drew and Clu-a Kim- ball Young. The idea Is somewhat similar to that used by some of the travesty metiers In vaudeville. James Young staged it. There'a the deep-dyed villun. the swaggering hero, the wlld-eved heroine, the moneyed father-in-law and some others with the picture abounding in absurd and impossible situations. The film is fUnny in spots with a lot of film apae* wasted. There are chases of divers dsscrlptloo with ail the tiicka and liluaiona of the camtrft bruugtit into play. At U.23 the house offered a movie dlTertlon that was heartily enjoyed and gave the^eyas a chance to rest for the big ttve-reeler to foN low. J3hn bunny, whom the Vltagranh haa made famous, appears in a "silent comedy" entitled "The Honeymooners." Funny, Mary Charleson and James Morrison act a little farce right there under your nose as though they were 'pulling the stuff" before the photo- play camera instead. Morriaon and Miss Charleson did bully good work aa the Newly- weds, who spring a surprise on Bunny as Uncle John, it's light pantomiming, hut a welcome relief betwetn long aleges of celluloid drama. At 0 48 came the movie headliner, "A Mil- lion Bid," by George Cameron (Mrs. Sidney Drew), "plcturlzed from the play, Agnea." The cast comprised Charles Kent, Julia Swayne Gordon. Anita Stewart, B. K. Lin- coln, Harry T. Morey and Gladden James. Ralph Ince staged it. All the players acquit themselves creditably, but the best work is done by Miss Gordon, Mlsg Stewart and Mr. Morey. Their hardest test comes in the ship- wreck scene which reminds one of the water smashup in "Brewster's Millions." "A Million Bid" is one of those "The Price Hhc Paid '(David Uriiham rhllllps) and "The Auction Block" (Robert Chambers) stories wherein a pretty girl becomes the wife of a rich man whom she does not love in order that her mother does not feel the pinch of poverty. For the most part it Is well staged. particularly the drowning of Mrs. Belgradin (Mlas Gordon) and the accident to B'elgrgdin (Morey) during the ship collision. There are a few sllp-upn in the fog scene and rouah and still water are shown during the time the wreck survivors are adrift. The picture will do more in boosting Miss Stewart's skill as a camera actress than any- thing she has done in a long time. Her In- dividual work keeps the five-reeler from sink- ing into the discard as a hopeless waste of time and money. F. H. Loomls is manager of the Vitagraph. H'>'h a businesslike little fellow and on the Job. Mark. MONTREAL BARS "TRAFFIC." "Traffic in Souli" has been banned by the Montreal board of moving pic- lure censors. The reason given is that the interior of a disorderly house was depicted. RELEASED NEXT WEEK (Feb. 16 io Feb. 23, inc.) MANUFACTURKRA INDICATED BY ABBRRVIATIONS. VIZ.! OBNSRAL Vitagraph V Blograph B Kalem R LubiB L Pathes Pthe Sell* 8 Edison B Essanay 8-A Klelne Kl Mellcs Mel RXCLUSIVB Gaumont o O. N. 8. P. O.N. Ramo R Solsf Boi Bcleetio Eel F. R. A r Lewis Pennants. L.P. at. Northern O.N. P''«»on n '«•»• It ON XX. ..ONX.X UNIVERSAL Imp I Gem Gem niMn BlOl Chrystal C Nestor N Powers P Eclair Eclr lifx Rs Frontier Prnt Victor VIo Blache Features..Bl MUTUAL American A Keystone Key Reliance Rel Majfstic MaJ Thanhouser T KayBes K.B. Broncho Br Domino Dom Mutual M NOTE—The subject Is In one reel of about 1.000 feet unless otherwise noted. FEB. 16—MONDAY. MUTUAL—The Cricket on the Hearth. 2- reel dr., A; Rafries, Gmtlcman Rurgiar, 2- reel com.. Key ; Our Mutual Girl. Rel. GENERAL F—Her Old Teacher, dr.. R : A Million In Jewrlfl. 2- reel dr.. K: Pathe's Weekly No. in (West) and 14 (East). Pathe: The Uphill Climb, 2-reel dr.. S; Sawdust and Salome, dr.. V; The Adventure of the Extra Baby, com., E. UNIVERS\L—Vote for Men. 2-deel com.. Vic; The Box Couch, com.. I ; Almost a White Hope, com., P. EXCLT^SIVE.—Mysf^ry of No. 1.T Hill Street, .1-reel dr. F. R. A. ; Princess Elena's Prisoner, 4-reel dr. G. N. FEB. 17—TUESDAY. MUTUAL—MaJ; and Thanhouser titles not announced. GENERAL F—Sophia's Imn^lnnry Visitors, com.-dr.. E; To Alaska Via the (Troat R'vnrs of the North. Srenlr. S-A ; The Art'sfB Mod«l. 2-rpel dr.. KI ; Whiffles Balcony Puds rom., and Rambles In OH France (Bo'ireeo) scenic, Bpllt reel, Pathe; Through the Cnturles. dr., S; Back to Broadway. 2-reol cnni.-dr.. V; Getting Even, and An Innocmt Vl:tim. split- reel com., L. UNIVERSAT>—Honor of the Mounted. 2-rrcl dr.. Gold Real ; Sonic HolnKs, and IluroUrs Burelir f»nl't-rerl crm . C. EXCLUSIVE. The Miniature, dr, O. FEB. 18—WEDNESDAY. Ml'TrAL—Th" Sacrinco. dr.. B.autv : Yel- low Flame. 2-r<M'l r'r. Br; Vutinl Weekly. No. 00; A WorkInK Olrl'M Roman e. dr.. Ucl. CfRVERAL F fnurtinvf Brttv'-^ Bean, com., E; Chrislng the Smui;nl«'rs. 2-repI dr. K; On-- To-Three. com . S-A : Won hv a .Vnio. niu] Monumi-nts of I'pTior R'vpt. H"cnl". 8'»llt-r».|>l. Pathe: Fntfv on tli»> .Inh, coTn., nn' Liinihcr- inc in Swrdi'ii, Ttirl.. spllt-rfd. V; Tl'r>'i Sli;>lt Not Kill. dr.. .S ; Th.- Pri( t- of a lliihy. 2- rccl dr.. L. rXlVERSAL \ FI.Tsh In tli'> Duk. dr.. N'; .\ .\!irr>w E^^aT)*', com., iitMi T unib*"* 1n- du-<»rv of rnlifnrTila. Tn', -idit-rt-.l, .I'«><' r; Tin- "rro«s In tho rnffl. L'-rccI «lr., Eclr; Unlvors'.! Animated Wrc-klv. Vo. 102 EXri-T^STVE.- A Woman's Heart. .?-reo1 dr, ON • Fortune Hunter", 4-re<>l ilr, Blachc. FEB. 19— THURSDAY MUTUAL—The Plays the Thing, 2-reel dr., Dom: Thief Catcher, dr.. Key; Komlc. title not announced. GE.NERAL F—A Desperate Hero, and Skel- ley and the Turkey, split-reel com., B; Italian Love, dr., S-A ; The House of Fear. 2-reel dr.. L; A Fable and Its Moral, and A Hol>o Phllos3pber, split-reel com., Mel; Where the Heart Calls, 2-reel dr.. Pathe; Venus and Adonis, and A Mad Marathon, split-reel com.. S; Tho First Kndorsrment. dr.. V; Pathe's Weekly No. 14 (West) and No. l.'» (East). Pathe. UNI VERSAL-Thc Price of Sacrilege, 3-reel dr., 1; The Boob'n Honeymoon, com., Ex; Slim .loins tho Army, com., Frnt. VXrMSlVF.- The Magic Salesman, com. and Dee Farming, inr, split-reel. G. FEB. 20—FRIDAY. MIJTITAL The Raiders. 2-recl dr., K. B. ; Princess and Tiianhouscr titles not annsunced'. (;E\EH\L F All To: Ills Soke. 2-reel dr., S; The Other (Jill, 2-reel rlr., S-A; Too Many .Joliiiiiies. iind A Bottled Koniance, spllt-reei com., K ; .Miniorles. dr., S ; Ills Little Page, com., V ; In the Dredger's Clow, dr., L. I NIVKllSAL 9 oo;)cd by a Hen-Coop. com., .\ ; .My .Mothers Irish Shawls, dr., P; Love's Virfiry, 2-reeI dr., Vic. E.XCM SIVl<:. A Ride for Life, .^-re»•l dr, L. P. ; \eriKean;e Bequeathed, 3-rcel dr, Luna. FEB. 21—SATURDAY. .MIT'AL The "Potc Lariat" of file Flying A," dr., A. Key. .VlaJ, and Rel; titles not an- twjun 'cd. CEVEUAL E The Powers of the Air, dr.. E; Sn:ik'villc's Eire BrlKade. com,, H-A ; A WliinInK .Mi><fake. anrl The Female Hook Agent, <ldjt-i<'..| (OMi.. L : V'lftlnw of Vanity. 2-reei ilr , liitlii-: Iron and St<i|. 2-reeI dr.. V: An Indian's llonrtr. tip., and A I./ong Island Skunk I'.irm, ln<l. s;)Iit-rei'l. K; Criminology and Re- ronn, dr., II. r.\I\KUSAL The T. nder Hearted Sheriff. • )ni . .If)k<T; The |".ii;il Card, dr., Frnt' Iler (•-athrT's f'.tiilf L" I..I dr.. MlOl. EXCM .'^IVE .InriKiiient of the .lungle, ?.- reel dr. (• : EanKs of Mate. ,T-reol <Jr. R.'