The Billboard (1920)

Wm^^f^i^^WB^^ §1; OV 1". NG ; P*l C T U RES 49 STILL PICKFORD Speculative rumors this week as to the future film activities of Mary Pick- ford, due to the arrival here of her mother, Mrs. Charlotte Pickford, and subsequent conferences with Miss Pickford's attorneys regarding nego- tiations oh prospective contracts were rampant. -^ Miss Pickford has an offer from the First National and several others.. Up to Wednesday nothing "official" had developed through the confer-; enoes in the O'Brien, Malevinsky &" Driscoll offices. M. L. Malevinsky in- formed a Varibtt representative that nothing had yet been settled as to Miss Pickford's new Contract. When asked if Miss Pickford would- come to New York while her mother was here, Mr. Malevinsky said it was not improbable and might be necessary to conclusively clear up the future Pickford contract. Aaron Jones returned 'to Chicago Wednesday, at which time the indi- cations were strongly in favor of Art- craft signing up Miss Pickford once more.- 7. . . PARAMOUNT S. AMERICAN CO. John C. Graham, general' foreign representative for Famous Players- La sky, has returned from a three months' trip to South America, where * he completed arrangements, for the distribution of Paramount-Artcraft pictures in Chile, Peru and Bolivia. It will be in the hands of a new corporation known as the South Pa- cific Paramount Co., with headquarters in Chile, Eduardo Suarez, Chilean Ambassa- dor to the United States, is president of the concern. RIGHTS PURCHASED. Los Angeles, Sept. 25. Thomas H. Ince has bought the screen rights and takes an option on the legitimate production rights of Gouverneur Morris' story, "Behind .the Door," published in the July McClure's. < V Paramount has secured the screen rights to Carolyn Wells' story, "Vicky Van," to be used for Ethel Clayton. The screen rights to "Soldiers of Fortune" have been purchased by Jesse Hampton for a starring vehicle for J. Warren Kerrigan. i . SUES THROUGH LAY-OFF. Mabel La Bunyea, a picture actress, has filed suit against the World Film Corporation for. breach of contract. Through her counsel, Harry Saks Hechheimer, she claims a World direc- tor kept "stalling" her in the matter of employment and* she has conse- quently $eeh kept idle for several months. Although engaged to make a feature, entitled "Making Good," of which she has the script, she was not ordered to report, being told 'that weather conditions were the cause of the delay. ' STUDIO MATTER ADJUSTED. A wire was received at the New York headquarters of the LA. T. S. E. Mon- day from Les Dolliver, now in Los Angeles, informing the executive the agreement compiled by union opera- tors and stagehands had been signed by all the studios there. For a time the L A. situation threat- ened to develop into a serious con- dition. "LoveDefender" World Film. "Tefft Johnson begins work next week on "The Love Defender" for World, in which June Elvidge, Madge Evans and Frank Mayo are to play principal roles. The story is by Maravene Thompson and was adopted for the screen by George DuBois Proctor. PARALTA STATEMENT. John. E. DeWolf and Herman Katz, to set at rest the many rumors con- cerning Paralta's plans for future Operations, have felt called upon to issue a public statement.. The gist of it is that in about a year they produced nearly two dozen pictures, which are now in process 6f distribution here and abroad; that their only troubles have been internal, which are now adjusted; and that they are the owners of a vast majority of the common stock, and the control of the company is entirely in their hands. C. C. Petti John, Jr.. arrived at the Pettijohn home last week. U. P. IN G. F. ■ The United Picture Theatres of America is now releasing exclusively through the General Film Company and many of the United's agents in the various cities are establishing them- selves in the General Film's offices. Ira Aronson in Pittsburgh, Floyd Lewis in St. Louu, D. F; O'Dbnnell in Washington and C. S. Edwards, in Kansas City have already taken the initiative in this movement. E. J. O'Donnell, the Minneapolis represent- ative, is at present negotiating to transfer his location to the General's offices. Mario Walcamp will shortly be seen in a Bluebird melodrama feature. The Universal is now following the plan of using the dual directorship system Of its stars. Herman Wobber has been appointed direc- tor of the picture division of the Liberty Loan Publicity Department in the Twelfth Federal Reserve District. Wobber will appoint state directors In each of the state and territories In that (coast) district. I Now Pfesf 57HioteAoa[tiClttiS SELKT BUYS STANLEY HOLDINGS. Lewis J. Selznick returned from Philadelphia Tuesday, where he went to complete the purchase of the hold- ings of the Stanley Mastbaum Estate in the Select Pennsylvania exchange. The relations of Jules Mastbaum and Select continue to be most friendly and the deal was made to settle up the estate of Jules' brother. This completes the control by Select through repurchase of 100 per cent interest in its 21 exchanges. When originally organized Select sold a 50 per cent, interest in a number of our exchanges throughout the country. Jessie Reed, a principal In "The Passing Show of 1018" at the Winter Garden, was In the chorus at, that house, two seasons ago. Other graduates In the same aRKraention ate' Nell Carrinirton »«»»-• Florence wmmmss Weekof September22&- What the National' Board of Review enthusiastically terms "one of the most powerful and appealing pictures we have ever seen and the most unusual Beach picture ever made/* REX PEACHY Human Drama of Redemption -** tanking Mil Hyde wiih WILL 106EMS Directed by tiobavt Henley Mr. Rothapfel, a daring pioneer in brainy and imaginative showmanship and an inspiration to all producers committed to the policy of "better pictures," has booked Goldwyn's entire series of Rex Beach productions for the Rivoli. He says: "The humanness of 'Laughing Bill Hyde' makes it rank as one of the Mr. Beach and Goldwyn can both be proud.'.' mm mi ■ v.. i ■% fSSu m v&m I ■m .iftf ■" r 'Sm m Him .gap' ;1S ; •:■: .""* ■ •' Si ■ •■? •m ;,'»« -;••? I ' V... :.7-/%-.7;7S7