Variety (May 1918)

MOVING PICTURES 41 COAST PICTURE NEWS. BY GUY PRIGD. Los Angeles, May 1. The Cinema. Camera Club of California leld a bouse-warming In Its new quarters n the Exchange building. Several hundred were present and a bully time was had. Roscoe Arbuokle has been taking pictures at Arrowhead. Theda Bars has consented to occupy a box at a War Savings Stamp benefit, given by the Evening Herald. She paid $100 for the privilege. George Beban, who Is busy makfhg fea- tures of his own, was the headllner at the Red Cross Salvage Department vaudeville ■how at the Majestic. Mike Corner, of the Morosco staff, managed the affair, which proved a big success financially as well as artistically. "Submarine Base Day" was celebrated at Venice April 24. The entertainment was furnished by members of the motion picture colony. Among those who participated were Olive Thomas, William Desmond, Roy Stew- art, J. Barney Sherry, Martorie Wilson, Wal- lace MaoDonald, Gloria Swanson, William V. Mong, Darrell Foes, Harvey Clark. Alma Rubens, Fritsle Rldgway and Ann Kroman. B. G. Patterson, studio msnager at Tri- angle, entertained Senator and Mrs. William Alden Smith of Michigan and Wm. B. Joyce of New York last week. Miles Overholt, until recently managing editor of the Salt Lake Telegram, has ac- cepted a position with Triangle. George W. Chase, a local screen player, Is critically ill at Dr. Barlow'e sanitarium. Hollywood. His relatives live in the East. Marie Walcamp narrowly escaped death in the filming of one of the last episodes of the "Lion's Claw" (Universal). Lewis J. Gasnler, president of Astro Pic- tures Corporation, denies the rumor that Chas. Pathe has closed his labors in France. "The Pathe Company, though Its labors are necessarily somewhat curtailed, la still work- ing near Paris," he said. Chas. Parrott is now directing Billy West comedies. Clara Kimball Young made her first pub- lic appearance in Los Angeles at a Red Cross affair last week. J. Gordon Edwards began last week the production of the 26th photodrama for Will- iam Fox. A large crowd of picture fans heard Wm. Farnum speak at Miller's theatre last week. Farnum Is urging his fellow citizens to buy Liberty Bonds-. Addle Llnnell, prominent In theatrical cir- cles, has been named one of the Four Min- ute women. Sessue Hayakawa was host to a number of officers of the Japanese squadron, whlah visited Port Los Angeles a week ago. Billy Franey, the comedian, has joined the engineering corps of the Army. Ray Bagley, who has been connected with the Triangle Exhibitors' Service Bureau at Culver City, has resigned to take a position with Wld's Magazine. He Is now en route to New York. Bert Glassmlre, now with Rolin. denies that he is German. A report was circulated in the studio to that effect, and Glassmlre immediately sent out a denial. Anna Q. NUlson made her first public ap- pearance at a local motion picture theatre last week. Following the dismissal of some sixty odd employees, Thos. H. Ince has curtailed his publicity department. John H. Blackwood was released. FALL RIVER EXPLOSION. Providence, May 1. The explosion of a film magazine in the second balcony of the Savoy, Fall River, last night about ten o'clock, re- sulted in a panic in the audience and a rush for the exits. Stephen Rose, one of the operators, was the only person injured. He was severely burned about both hands. Several women fainted and others be- came hysterical. It is said one woman jumped from the second balcony to the orchestra. A portion of the booth was torn away. The blaze was quickly extinguished and an investigation is being made by the state police. William Durenee owns the structure, which is one of the best theatres in that city. ArranRements have been concluded be- tween Foursquare Pictures and the Ivan Film Corp. whereby the best features v' the latter are to be distributed by Foursquare. JOAN OF PLATTSBUR& Joan Captain Lane. Supt. Fisher.. Ingleton Sllverstein. .. Miggs Colonel Mrs. Lane Mrs. Miggs... Mabel Normand Robert Elliott ... Wm. Fredericks Joseph Smiley Edward Blkaa .4..John W. Dilllon ...Willard Daahtell Edith MeAlpln Isabel Vernon After several delays the much-heralded ' Goldwyn production of "Joan of Plattsburg," with Mabel Normand starred, was given a private press showing. It Is in six reels, story by Porter Emerson Browne, directed by Oeorga Loane Tucker and William Humphrey, photo- graphed by Oliver T. Marsh. Joan is one of the inmates of an orphan asylum near the training camp at Plattsburg. One of the officers lends her a copy of "Joan of Arc," and the wistful, earnest little orphan, a girl whose whole desire le to serve. Imagines herself, a ' reincarnated Jeanne D'Arc, an Idea which lends Itself admirably to double exposure and other tricks of photography. While seated in the cellar reading "Joan of Arc," the orphan hears volcea plotting against the government, which she imagines are from another world, but which are In reality spies plotting against our government, and Is thus the means of frustrating the sale of government secrets, and incidentally winning the captain as a hus- band. A very pretty idea, artistically worked out by the producers, but lacking In the most necessary essential, 1. e., spirituality of the Htar. Miss Normand acquit* herself capably in all the comedy visualisations, but when It becomes necessary for her to transform her- self from materialism to spirituality, the "Isn't there." In other, words. Miss Normand is always a physical being, and you can't for- get that for a moment, and you cannot imagine her spiritually transformed. It \* a fine thought, the production la a pretentious one and an effective musical setting has bean added. "Joan of Plattsburg" will please and entertain picture patrons, not sensationally- so, but very nearly Jolo. AFTER TWO YEARS' SEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT For two years we have studied the comedy field—studied your needs, the wants of your patrons—and comedies for box-office value. Tests, investigations, surveys, took time—only the right comedies, starring the right personalities, would do. We combed the market and secured the irresistible Marie Dressier and the fascinating Fay Tincher—rdifFerent in type, ent in personality, but each with a series of two-reel productions PAR EXCELLENCE. WORLD-PICTURES. NOW READY— Marie Dressier, star of "Tillie's Punctured Romance," "Tillie Wakes Up," etc., in "FIRED" and "AGONIES OF AGNES." NOW READY— Fay Tincher, the hit of "Don Quixote," "Bedelia's Bluff," etc., etc., in "MAIN 1—2—3" and "SOME JOB." SEE THEM—Ask your nearest branch for a private showing of these two series of comedies now!