Variety (October 1914)

VARIETY FILM FLASHES Wlllam Ray nor has purchased an automo- bile. Bert Ennls, publicity man for the Eclair, has the motoring bug. John Gray, with the Universal press bureau for some time, Is now special feature man with the Mutual. The New Christy Matthewson baseball film Is titled "Love and Baseball.'' With a view to giving his picture shows at the New York more careful consideration, William Morris this week engaged F. C. Gunning, an experienced man, formerly with Warner's Features and other concerns, to de- vote all his time to the house program. The Famous Players company announces Oct. 15 as the release date of Marguerite Clark's first appearance on the screen in "Wildflower," described as a "drama of lights and shadows." In the supporting company will be seen Harold Lock wood, James Cooley, E. L. Davenport and Jack Pickford. "The Sign of the Cross," with William Farnum In the principal role, will be released shortly In the Famous Players company pro- gram. It has already been seen In England where, according to the Zukor concern's an- nouncement. It has been enthusiastically re- ceived. The Monday morning newspapers featured the adventures of a group of Vlatagraph players on Sunday In which four silent actors almost became silent forever by drowning at South River, N. J., during the filming of a train wreck. The players were Rosle Duggan, Mary Green, Earle Williams and Charles Ed- ward. "The Juggernaut" was the title of the thriller. A trestle was built over the water and a locomotive and three cars thrown at full speed from the tracks Into the water. When the players later came to "register" business of being rescued they succumbed to the shock of freeling water and were brought to safety In a serious condition. The Cinema Camera Club of America will hold a reception and dance Oct. 10 at Pabst Coliseum, 110th street, near Fifth avenue. The dramatic editors of the Philadelphia newspapers were guests at a banquet in the Hotel Adelphla there a few days ago of Bos worth, Inc., represented by that concern's Philadelphia representative, Carl H. Pierce. VIVlan Martin, with Lew Fields, In "The High Cost of Loving," will figure as prin- cipal In the Peerless Feature Producing Co.'s film version of Owen Davis's "The Wishing Ring." Two other Davis pieces scheduled for release by the Peerless via the World Film Corporation are "Lola," featuring Clara Kim- ball Toung and "A Marked Woman," fea- turing Barbara Tennant. Lewis J. Selznlck, vice-president and gen- eral manager of the World Film Corpora- tion, announced this week the signing of con- tracts which will make the Colonial M. P. corporation's screen adaptation of Sir Gilbert Parker's novel. "The Seats of the Mighty," a release In the World Film programs. The Colonial production Is a 0,000-foot feature said to contain an extraordinary series of thrills. It has been six months in prepara- tion. It Is to be a special release, the date to be announced shortly. Lionel Barrymore is featured. The World Film corporation will open branch offices In Brooklyn and Newark. W. N. Wilson, the magazine Illustrator and poster designer, has been engaged exclusively to draw the special art lithographs used to advertise the World Film corporation's fea- tures. The Paramount released on Thursday a new five-reel feature entitled "The Pursuit of Phantom," In which Hobart Bosworth plays the leading character. He wrote the scenario. Carlotta De Felice (Mrs. James Keane), leading woman of the United Kennograph M. P. Co.. of which her hiishnnd l« the general manager, was operated on for appendicitis last week. The Alco Film Corporation has arranged to cover the northwest through offV-es In San Francisco and Nevadn, under direction of Sol Lester. Another connection plvcs the Alco an outlet through Grombnrhor A Rallpy. with exchanges In Portland, Seattle and Butte. Announcement hns brrn made of the en- trance Into the film field of B. A. Rolfe. the noted vaudeville producer who will produce, Independently, market Inc his ffnturos through the Alco Film Corporation. Hl« plan Is to make screen versions of successful novels the first of which will be "Sntiin Sanderson." Mr. Rolfe signed contracts this week with the Bohbs Merrill fompnnv. puMI«hprs. for tho photodramatlc rights of many of their best sellers. Alco will release, on Oct. 12, "The Ragged Earl," with Andrew Mack. Work has begun on the new Lasky feature, "The Rose of the Rancho," which is scheduled for release early in November. Cecil De Mille and 21 players are putting It on in Cali- fornia. Oscar Apfel and 10 Lasky players are at Mohave, California, making the mining scenes for "The Man from Home." Dustln Farnum leaves for Los Angeles this week to pose for "Cameo KIrby" the third Lasky-Farnum re- lease. Edward Abeles arrived in New York from Hollywood Monday, bringing the negative of Lasky's "The Making of Bobby Burnett," which was given private exhibition early this week. The Elsmere theater, Elsmere place, a block south of Tremont avenue, the Bronx, was opened Wednesday evening as a picture house under the management or William Muller. The house manager is I. Irving Cohn. Policy, one 4 to 6-reel feature changed dally and 1 to 3 singles additional; prices, 10-25, evening, and 10 matinees. The Excelsior film company's formal asso- ciation with the Alco has been deferred for the time being. THREE CANDIDATES. No member can vote by proxy in the election of the Screen Club, Oct 3. As there are so many of the members out of New York with the numerous picture companies, there will be about 110 active votes. It's going to be some fight when the 110 are dis- tributed upon the three tickets in the field. King Baggot has declined to run for a third term. Three tickets have sprung up. One is headed by James Kirkwood; another by Joseph Farn- ham, and the third by William Quirk. TWO-CENT PICTURE HOUSE. A new picture theatre, to have a seating capacity of 4,000 and with gen- eral admission two cents, is being pro- moted for the lower East Side, accord- ing to report. It is argued that the large capacity will allow a margin of profit at the small admission price, which should attract the poorer foreign element inhabiting that particular lo- cality. This is the first two-cent picture proposition promoted east of Detroit, where a similar experiment was tried some years ago with indifferent suc- cess. DOMINIES PARADE. Binghamton, Sept. 30. Local clergymen who lost their fight in the courts against Sunday movie shows are running a new campaign. Once a week they parade in automo- biles, displaying the placard, "Go to Church Somewhere Sunday." On advice of the corporation coun- sel the city fathers have decided not to appeal the decision throwing the theatres open. Ben Moss Booking. For the present no film manager will be appointed by Moss & Brill to succeed John Hammell, who went to the General Film Co. Ben Mess will handle the picture bookings. FEATURES FOR 10C HOUSES. The 10-cent picture houses over the country are finding their patrons de- mand feature films for the admission price. "Features" are now accounted as four reels or more. The line on three reels is a close one between "fea- ture" and "daily release," but the two- reel is admittedly classed with the daily service of single reelers. An exhibitor this week said that the daily release service for the 10-cent houses seems a thing of the past, al- though it was not so long ago the same picture places expected to be obliged to return to the daily service through the demands of the clientele. In the same way it was not so long ago that a five-reeler was thought to be too long, and most of them were. It is quite possible that the experience of the long-reeled feature that was padded has brought out a better grade of film in these longer subjects. An- other possible explanation is that the war has stopped the importation of the unpopular foreign film that ruined the chances for the home-made product of the same length as well, while the foreign fever was on. But the fact seems to remain that the 10-centers are after features and need films of this type to meet the wants of their customers. Just how long this condition will last the ex- hibitor said he was not prepared to state, but his opinion was that the fea- ture would grow stronger in general demand if the quality were fairly main- tained. LAUNCH PERCENTAGE PLAN. Announcement was made this week of a new scheme to market feature films on a percentage plan by George West, a Syracuse manufacturer of wool- lens, who has organized the Alliance Film Corporation. The plan outlined in the preliminary statement involves the delivery of franchises to a selected list of film manufacturers; the licensing of ex- changes and the advance exhibition of all releases to exchange men, who are to make their payments on a percent- age schedule based on their actual bookings. The announcement quotes Andrew J. Cobe, vice-president and general man- ager: "The Alliance proposition is a co- operative one and eliminates the sale of state rights and makes the manufac- turer back up his productions. A ro- tating committee will be appointed by the exchanges and will pass on the films before they are released. William H. Wright, of the Excelsior Film Co. is quoted as announcing that "The Path Forbidden" will be his firm's first release under the Alliance plan. No date is given. Another con- cern apparently associated with the project is the Select Photoplay Pro- ducing Co. SCREEN PRESS CLUB. A new press club is said to be in the first steps of organization. It will be a fraternal body comprising the scenario writers, authors, picture advertising men and the boys who write the press stuff for the film concerns and the vari- ous newspaper men on the different trade papers handling photoplay topics and advertisements. BEATS BLUE LAW. Cleveland, Sept 30. East Cleveland has an order forbid- ding the exhibition of motion pictures Sunday, but views are shown in the churches in connection with religious work, so John K. Bourne, manager of the Vassar photoplay house, Euclid avenue and Vassar street, gave shows Sunday, charging no admission fee, but by passing a collection box fol- lowing the same plan that is used in churches. The Vassar did a big busi- ness Sunday afternoon and evening. Police Chief James H. Stamberger visited the theatre. He said he could not stop the show. Mayor Minshall told the chief that nothing could be done unless an admission was charged. IN "THE TYPHOON" Toko bids Helen go forever in strong scene from a Paramount five rcrlcr, "The Typhoon."