Variety (May 1918)

MOVING PICTURES «3 SCRAP OVER 'COAL" Caroline Gentry, who with E. W. Hammons, is co-author of ''The Romance of Coal/' to be produced by the Educational Film Corp., last week brought into the preparation of the scenario Ferdinand Gottschalk, the actor, who will be a sort of dramatic collaborator. With his years of legitimate experi- ence at the Empire, Gottschalk promptly proceeded to inject a large number of drawing room scenes { with the result that there was a series of pitched battles at the Hotel Majestic last Saturday and Sunday between Miss Gentry and Gottschalk on one hand, and Director Fred A. Thompson and William Addison Lathrop on the other. The organization has between $50,000 and $75,000 raised and the only delay to the making of the picture is occas- ioned by the non-agreement as to which scenario shall be approved. E. W. Hammons, vice-president and gen- eral manager of the Educational Corp., and Henry MacMahon, press repre- sentative, have been acting as arbi- trators and have taken no sides. An arrangement was entered into by which Gottschalk should write out his ideas in synopsis form and that Lathrop should picturize such of them as were suitable for the screen. Mean- while it is reported that Thompson has not approved of this plan and has re- signed, and the company is at present negotiating with another producer of large reputation. SCHULBERG CONTRACT EXPIRES. B. P. Schulberg, vice-managing di- rector of the Famous Players-Lasky Corp., who completed his five-year con- tract with that company May 28, has, it is reported, not yet signed with his concern for a new term. The contract just completed, as recently pointed out in VxRiBTr, is the longest arrangement for personal services ever fulfilled in the picture industry. Schulberg is commonly said to have had the most varied experience of any one in the film business, having cov- ered every sphere of activity in the ten years he has been engaged in the in- dustry, including publicity, advertising, scenario, distributing, and more recent- ly administrative work. He has head- ed more departments of his company than any other member of its force. The trade at large anticipates he will continue with the company. GOODWIN RETURNS TO SCREEN. Nat Goodwin is to return to the screen in a series of two-reel comedies to be produced by ^ubrey M. Kennedy, the first of which will be titled "Married Again." Some of the younger exhibitors may not be aware that Goodwin's original appearance before the camera was six years ago in a version of "Oliver Twist," one of the earliest star fea- tures. Goodwin played the role of Fagin. DOBBS LEASES STUDIO. George Dobbs, of the Palisade lab- oratory, has taken a long time lease on the Lincoln studio laboratory build- ing in Grantwood, N. J., and is equip- ping it throughout. The building is a three-story structure of steel and con- crete with floor space of approximately 15,000 square feet of floor space. Frank Hall, counsel for the Corn Products Co., and some of his asso- ciates, are the financial backers for Dobbs, who recently severed his con- nection with the Triangle laboratories at Fort Lee, after eight years of serv- ice. The interior of the building is being remodeled and hollow tile partitions will separate the rooms. It is owned by E. K. Lincoln, film actor and pro- ducer, and adjoins the studios. NEW GRIFITH-ARTCRAFT FILM. The initial D. W. Griffith-Artcraft film has been named "The Great Love" and is now being finished. Many Brit- ish notables appear in this picture and Queen Alexandria personally super- vised the scenes taken at the conva- lescent hospital of Lady Diana Man- ners on the latter's estate in England. Practically the same players that ap- peared in important parts in "The Birth of a Nation" are in the Artcraft picture, including Henry Walthall, Robert Harron and Lillian Gish. "The Great Love," although concern- ing the war, will not feature battle scenes, but rather the patriotic activi- ties of the butterflies of England. Following this production five more pictures produced by the Griffith or- ganization will be staged. PAT POWERS WELL SATISFIED. There is a rumor on Broadway that Pat Powers is so well satisfied with the prospects of his new raw stock enterprise that he is seriously con- templating leaving Universal to devote his entire time and money to the new project. TRIANGLE WINS SUIT. A decision in favor of Triangle was rendered last Thursday in the action brought against it by the executors of the estate of the late Richard Hard- ing Davis. The executors had brought an action, praying for an injunction against the company exhibiting "The Americans," alleging that the produc- tion had been taken from Davis' book, "White Mice," which book was copy- righted, and that in contradistinction to law the Triangle and the Triangle Distributing Corporation were infring- ing on the copyright. Walter N. Selisberg, counsel for the Triangle company, asked the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the copyright was invalid. After listening to the application the court, at the request of the Davis' executors, applied for leave to discontinue the case, which was granted. Computing "The Safety Curtain." The latest Norma Talmadge feature film, "The Safety Curtain," will be finished early next week. It is to be released during the latter part of June. BALBOA WILL START AGAIN. Long Beach, Cal., May 29. That the Balboa Amusement Corp., of which H. M. Horkheimer is presi- dent, is shortly to begin the produc- tion of a series released in five-reel parts for ten weeks, has had general discussion in film circles for the past week. The serial, when completed, would total 50 reels, and be the longest of its kind ever offered. It is said that "Mona Lisa," the Horkheimer discov- ery, who bears a "remarkable resem- blance" to the original of Leonardo deVinci's noted painting, is to star. ZoU Ray Back With U. There was talk recently that little Zoie Ray had severed connections with the Universal, but with her return to the Universal City camp the first of the week it was learned that her shift to the Essenay forces was only tem- porary, the Essanay borrowing the little actress for a film which has just been completed. New plans are now being made for Miss Ray's summer work under her old director. Miss Ray was with Es- sanay seven weeks. Damming the Current You can't dam a running body of water. Neither can progress in the Motion Picture business be dammed. Triangle" represents a stream of progress and profits to exhibitors. This Triangle stream has swept aside high rentals and picture evils. It has introduced fair and square, open and above board methods. Trim your sails Triangleward. Watch your pic- ture theatre show a larger profit. Overwhelming evidence of the superiority of Triangle service to exhibitors is on hand in every Triangle exchange. Sweep aside the dam to Success. Wonderful pictures are now on the way for summer release. They're no higher-priced than for- merly—and make Triangle a smashing-good propo- sition for every exhibitor. Triangle Distributing Corporation 1457 Broadway New York