Variety (November 1917)

. • OVING PICTURES 47 NEWS OF THE FILM WORLD Three new players have been engaged for the new Triangle production, "Mr. Butter- fly," on which Director E. Mason Hopper is at work. They are Teddy Sampson, Thomas Kurihara and Jack Abbe. Farrell Foss will appear In the rttle role. While S. L. Rothapfel, director or the Rlalto, is out on the Coast, he is expected to attend to some matters for the First National Ex- hibitors' Circuit. Rothapfel is not expected back In New York until the latter part of next week. Irving Cumminga will play the lead oppo- site Ethel Barrymore in the Metro's forth- coming feature. "An American Widow." The story Is by Kellett Chambers, the scenario coming from Albert Shelby Le Vino. Frank Reicher is directing. Victor (811m) Potel, with several different comedy companies on the Coast, Is now with Peat Henry Lehrman signing him for the new 8uBShlne subjects. Potel will appear In "His Smashing Career," released Dec. 6, with Billie Ritchie, Gertrude Selby and Billy Levan. One of the first things done by Walter Rosenberg when he assumed the management of the Broadway was to distribute a large number of tickets entitling the bearer to a GO-ecnt orchestra seat on payment of 15 cents, either afternoons or evenings, excepting Sat- urdays and Sundays. A new record for quick action was made In the film business when the New Jersey territory was disposed of for the Mayfair production, "Persuasive Peggy." The pur- chaser - was H. Heldelberger, of the Civilisa- tion Film Co., who has come Into the lime- light as the purchaser of big features. "The Legion of Death," descriptive of the Russian battalion of women who fought In the front line trenches, will be Aimed by Metro. Bdlth Storey has been cast for the leading role, that of the commandant of the "Legion." This Is the third of Metro's patriotic fea- tures. "Vengeance and the Woman" is the next Vitagraph serial to be released in December. The story is from Cyrus Townsend Brady In collaboration with Albert E. Smith. William Duncan and Carol Holloway will be seen in the feature roles. This is the fifth of the Vitagraph serials. Film shipments from Europe and particular- ly from Italy are all being delayed. Four Italian steamers arrived recently, all having films aboard, which cannot be delivered be- cause of lack of manifests or other papers. Among the photoplays held up. It waa dis- covered, Is the only feature ever made by Bleanore Duse. William H. Tooker will portray the role of Patrick Connolly In "Red. White and Blue Blood," In which Francis X. Buahman and Beverly Bayne are to be featured. Charles J. Brabin la directing the picture which was taken from Shannon Fife's story by June Mathlas. The St. Louis Board of Aldermen has under consideration an ordinance Intended to pro- hibit the admission of those under 16 years to exhibitions of pictures which depict abduc- tions, elopements of married couples, mock marriages, white slavery and murders. The ordinance la meeting with considerable oppo- sition by Orrin O. Cooke, advisory secretary of the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. The war tax on admissions Is considerably larger than has been anticipated, In spite of bsd business. It Is now estimated that the average 600-seat theatre will average a return of about MOO a month with the tax growing larger according to seating capacity and price of admission. Under the present law the exhibitor Is required to file a sworn statement in making hla returns. The announcement Jack Voshell had bee:, engaged by Harry I. Oarson as assistant f Director Emile Chautard Is erroneous In that respect, although true that he has been signed by Oerson for the Clara Kimball Toung forces. Al. J. Lena, who has been at Chau- taM's right elbow for. the past three and a half yoars, remains with the Gerson company. J. demons, technical director, also remains with Miss Young's company. . Although Ivan Abramson has severed all connections with the Ivan Film Corporation the trade mark of "Ivan" will remain with the operating company. Abramson's Interests, bought by I. B. Chadwlck and associates, has resulted in a reorganisation of the corpora- tion, with Chadwlck appointed executive head. Edmond Lawrence, F. J. Grandon and William Humphrey will have charge of a different Pic- ture, Humphrey being attached to the di- recting forces last Friday. Hour": Dec. 8. Montagu Love and Dorothy Kelly in "The Awakening"; Dee. 10. Oarlyle BlHckwell and Evelyn Greeley in "The Grw>d- for-Nothing"; Dec. 17, June Elbridge in "The Tenth Case"; Dec. 24, Madge Evans and Henry Hull In "The Volunteer"; Dec 81. Kitty Gordon in "Diamonds and Pearls." In "The Volunteer" all the World film celebrities and William A. Brady himself appear per- sonally, making an exceptional all-star cast The suit of Frances G. Cocran and Henry D. Graham against the Fox Film Corp. is listed for trial In 8upreme Court. The case dates back several years, and the plaintiffs ask for ao> accounting on the film, "Anna Karenlna." It is alleged they submitted a manuscript taken from Tolstoi's book of that name, but that Fox returned It saying another version would be used. They base the ac- tion on the employment by Fox of the same plots, etc., as incorporated In their manu- script. Geraldlne Farrar is not going to do any more picture work unttl she has completed her grand opera work, which will cover at least a period of three months Miss Farrar's last film subject was "The Woman God For- got," but her next feature will be the first under her new Goldwyn contract The first of the new Farrar subjects Is being written by Frederick Chapin, which Is yet to be entitled. By the time that Farrar has com- pleted her engagement at the Metropolitan there will be at least three photoplay scrlpU ready for her Goldwyn work. Manufacturers are resorting to many novel means to attract a large number of exhibitors to the trade showings of their productions. Universal, which was scheduled to have a showing of Its new serial, "The Mystery Ship," on Thursday, arranged to send a taxi- cab to the home or theatre of every exhibitor who expressed a desire to be present. Fox had a trade showing of "The Daughter of the Gods" scheduled on the same day at the same hour, and Unlversal's stunt may be due to the strong opposition. The official releases of World Pictures for the remainder of the current year, is as follows: Nov. 26. Kitty Gordon in "Her John Emerson and Anita Loos were In New York last week In connection with the next Douglas Fairbanks Artcraft production, and once more the poor amateur scenarist who claims he cannot get a chance to learn how to properly prepare his work for the screen and hence bis ideas are worthless, received a whack from Emerson, who said :"We are looking about for new stories; we are not anxious to get scripts—our scensrio department will attend to that, but are seeking novel Ideas. If an author will Just devote his time to cre- ating the basic idea for an original plot, our stsff will sttend to the rest. NEW INCORPORATIONS. Gilbert <% Frledlnnd, lac, Manhattan, $1,000; M. D. Josephson, A. 8. Levy, M. Friedman, 233 Broadway. Madison Corey, Inc., Manhattan, $60.- 000; A. C. Thomas. S. P. Friedman, H. A. Strongman, 2 Rector street. Canto Corp., Manhattan, $500,000; A. L, Berman. H. J. Deuts, J. L. Myers, 1279 Madison avenue. My Roar Yenr.j In Germany, Inc., Man- hattan, $10,000; F. Rosenthal, M. Jones, E. M. Gregory, 10 Wall street. Lake Placid Amusement Co* Lake Placid, $10,u00; R. and B. Walton, A. Adams, Lake Placid. Crystal Palace Hall. Inc., Brooklyn, $5,000; Sllverfentg, H. M. Denmark. M. Movins, 62 Morrell street, Brooklyn. Metropolitan Comic Opera Co* Inc., Manhattan, $5,000; H. J. Phillips, R. G. Paine. J. Welsberger, 220 West 42d street. Roaaanara's Daaee Dlvertlsesnents, Manhattan, $6,000; E. E. White, Q. 8. Starling. J. K. Newman. 401 West 42d street. DISSOLUTIONS, F. F. P ro ct o r , 116th Street Properties Co., Manhattan. SAMUEL S. HUTCHINSON, President AMERICAN FILM COMPANY, Inc. Presents WILLIAM RUSSELL in "SNAP JUDGMENT" An unusual five-set drama. Directed by Edward Sloman. Released the week of November 19th. . A tale of dual personality. William Russell appears as Jimmie Page, Eastern Society man, and "Arizona Pete," a Western bad- man. Laughs, thrills and romance are skill- fully mingled throughout the plot. This and other William Russell subjects are available at all Mutual Exchanges. Produced by AMERICAN FILM COMPANY, Inc. SAMUEL S. HUTCHINSON, President Distributed by MUTUAL FILM CORPORATION JOHN R. FREULER, President 5TAR5 ONLY -s I-IJ METRO PICTURES CORPORATION Presents The Greatest Personality in the history sf American Amusements ETHEL BARRYMORE "THE ETERNAL MOTHER" Adopted from Frsnk McCsll's sreat novel. "Red Horse Hill," by Mary Murillo and directed by Frsnk Reicher Released Nov. 26th ■ #• # • f- y v