Variety (November 1921)

Friday, November 96, 1M1 PICTURES 45 By Way of Comment FJLM TITLE NUISANCE If "too many cooks, spoil the broth." how much are—no, is—"too many"? This daffydll query is prompted by the growing nuisance of preliminary screen footage that an audience has to sit through before the picture njay begins. Count 'em. First semes an Introductory strip, an animated cartoon nerving notice that the screening Is "A Neighborhood Theatre Co., Inc., presentation." prvia this there are 14 distinct steps before the play actually begins, )-wit: The title of the play, name of the star, name of the producer, otme of the distributing company, name of the author, name of the Irector, name of the scenario writer, name of the cameraman, name I the art director, name of the employe who edited the film and wrote the titles, a necessary record that the New York State Censor Commis- has psychoanalysed the picture and found it reasonably legal, together with a license number, the fact that the National Board of Review has also put the stamp of approval on it and Anally a rod or two of "lead title" setting forth in print the precept and moral of the story. And that isn't all. Once the picture starts and the audience gets Interested in its action the play is constantly being interrupted by the * distracting breaks of long titles, so elaborate that they have to be aide In type so small they cannot be read from the back rows of an "ejfftJnary neighborhood theatre. No one argues against brk f titles neces- sary to clarify the action, but the Intrusion of a title writer's comedy or philosophizing upon the attention of an audience is a gross impertinence. Presently unless someone checks the tendency there won't be any room left for the pantomimic action of the play and the title man will have the screen to himself. The theatre ushers appear to be the only group In the fifth greatest Industry (except the fans) who don't get any personal exploitation out ef the business. This Is an Injustice to an earnest, sincere and hard working class of artisans. Why do exhibitors allow this waste of time and film footage when it Is important for them to pack as much enter- tainment as possible Into their shows? And furthermore, why does everybody concerned In the making of a commercial product struggle to hook his moniker to some of the output? Which leads to the anecdote: among the list of cities killed In this manner, of which Syracuse. N. V., Is the howling example. The others are Baltimore and Atlantic City, with Washington standing an excellent chance of being doomed in the same manner unless the political transients always at the Capitol will be the deciding factor In favor of the try-outs. The legit business in Syracuse has dropped to the point where it la almost nil. One of the best known of all legit stars made a mis- erable showing recently in that town with a Broadway-rep piece. The "dog" thing -has-turned the Empire in that city over to pic- tures, leaving only the Welting as tho legit stand. A . producing manager lately vouchsafed ^fae information that the day of the "No. 2" company has pasaed. While taking the present season with its unfavorable con- ditions for his surmise, and admit- ting It, he still stated that as an extensive producer with a large list of numbers up to 7 of the originals on his past career, that the hinter- land will not again pay for any- thing but the original cast. It is cheaper in view of the,present sit- uation, he said, to send out the orig- inal and get some money than to slip ovr- the No. 2 to empty seats. The record of the road in the legitimate this season is that only a guaranteed value in the name of a player or play and at a reasonable scale gets any real money through the box office. INCE FILM TO PLAY LEGIT THEATRE ROUTE Show to Have Musical Revue as Added Attraction Bookings have been completed for an Immediate tour of tho South- ern states in which the picture "The Girl of Taradlse," featuring Enid Markey and Willard Mack, an Ince production, will be presented in elaborate form In the legitimate theatres. In addition to the film, the "Hello Hawaii" revue will be shown with special scenery, cos- tumes and such. Tho production is going forth under the direction of Jack Darrell, and will be routed as a first-class theatro attraction ex- clusively. The tour begins early in December and will include the principal cities below the Mason and Dixon line. The presenting company will In- clude native Hawaiian singers, dancers and musicians. CHET WITHEY'S OWH Los Angeles, Nov. 23. • Chet Withey Is about to organize his own producing unit. He will start work on the active organisa- tion of the company as soon as he completes the direction of his pres- ent contract with Katharine Mac- Donald whom he is now directing. MARION D AVIES BETTER International's Star Narrowly Es- capes Pneumonia Marlon Davies wanted to )< turn to the International's studio Tues- day, but her physicians forbade it. The doctor's disagreed with tho In- ternational's star as to the precise stage of her recovery. Miss Davies narrowly escaped pneumonia last week when a tem- perature of over 104 developed oa Wednesday night following her re- turn from the studio, where she had gone to work, though not feeling well that same morning. Prompt medical attendance averted the threatened danger. Miss Davies will probably be able to leave the house before the week Is out. KEEFE TAKES TOM MOORE Los Angeles, Nov. 23< William Keefe. formerly with Grif- fith and more lately interested la independent production, has placed Tom Moore under contract Moore was one of the Goldwyn stars until recently. Keefe plans an Independent pro* ducing unit for him and will start on production within a short time* Ksnn Connects With Goldwyn George E. Kann, who has* occu- pied a number of Important posts with Universal since 1918, has been engaged as foreign sales manager for Goldwyn, entering upon bia new dutlea Jan. 1. The late Shop Friedman was an able newspaper man and a hard- boiled executive of the editorial desk. It is related of him that when he was city editor of a New York Journal one of his bright young reporters handed him an elaborately written article with the timid sug- gestion, "Mr. Friedman, I think I ought to be allowed to sign this." Under city room discipline this is treason, insubordination and unbecom- ing conduct. Shep snarled and the young reporter shrank away. Later oa Friedman read the first two pages of the copy and roared for the reporter, growling when he appeared, "Smith, I've a good mind to make you sign this." LOWELL SHERMAN AND NOTORIETY The appearance of Lowell Sherman on Broadway In person in "Tho Man's Name," an A. H. Woods production, and in the Mack Sennett feature picture, "Molly O," are representative of two distinct types of -showmanship with tho legitimate producer as the winner. Woods irre- gardless of the undesirable publicity Sherman received through his con- nection with the Arbuckle case engaged him for the play, as Woods knew Sherman waa an actor and as such would carry himself through. The picture people tried to cut Sherman' out of the picture as far as they could, and eliminated him from all of the advertising matter In connection with the film. Monday night of last week when Sherman made his appearance on i the stage of the Republic, New York, he received a tremendous ovation f from those in front of the house. It gave the insiders a line on public ' sentiment in regard to the Arbuckle matter that was a surprise to a • great number of people. Saturday night at the Central, when "Molly O" was first shown, there was another tremendous round of applause when Sherman made his first appearance on the soreen. Ths Woods play with several strong openings against it drew $600 •n the opening night and built up slightly but steadily as the week went en, reaching almost $2,000 on the day Saturday with matinee and night performance. The gross on the week with seven performances was about $4,760. Sunday "Molly O," after the opening on Saturday, did a fair business in the afternoon, and at night there was a tumaway done with the overflow from the Strand with "The Three Musketeers." ROAD DEMANDS BWAY SHOWS f (Continued from page 1) x well known producers are available, they will not be accepted. Bookings this fall have brought poor offerings into town so often that the public has turned against the box office. Recently Variety stated a new show trying out lost $2,500 on the week for the house. The reference was to Baltimore. John O. Lambdin, dramatic editor of the Baltimore "Sun." In his Sun- day column, explained the situation from the playgoer'a standpoint ad- monished managers against abusing Baltimore, which is nearing a popu- lation of 1,000,000. He wrote: "It is only when we are treated to dog- town shows that we become resent- ful, and justly so. As a matter of fact the failure of so many shows on the road this season is duo en- tirely to their quality. "It is not that Baltimoreans are deserting tho drama, but that thoy are refusing to spend money on un- known plays, that are being pro- duced with unknown casts by pro- ducers lhat have no established rep- utation and of whom they know absolutely nothing. Itultimore is a grown up town in which there lives a perfectly sophisticated, trained and highly specialized theatrc-goinK Public, yet it has been treated (and rather too consistently it may be **i<l) like Stamford or Wilmington or any one of the tryout cities where plays hastily thrown together arc put on for a night or two. "What we want in Baltimore is plays that are ready for Broadway, not mere laboratory experiments. We have passed the New Haven, Stamford stage. Better a 'dark' theatre a thousand times than an experiment." The writer mentioned a number of plays which drew big patronage. It is not alono plays which have al- ready made a reputation in New York that are pleaded for, but the aim of the managements appears to be for attractions which have been whipped into some kind of shape be- fore a "cold" opening here. "The Love Letter," though it did not re- main long on Broadway, drew over $18,000 here. Last week with •Kikl" equal, if not better business was en- Joyed. Plays which came hero from New York and were strongly sup- ported include "The Merry Widow" and "Tickle Me." The "dog towns" of tho show business have been killed off as profitable stands for legitimate at- tractions. That seems to be admit- ted by producing managers of Broadway who only accept Long Branch and Asbury Park through theirs being a summer population. Even Stamford. Conn, is included The Man Who Made "The Miracle Man" Made "Ladies Must Live" FOR two years the world has been waiting for an- other production from George Loane Tucker. Here it is at last*—his only picture since "The Miracle Man," with a theme as pow- erful and as universal, with the same tug at the heart- strings. George Loane Tucker is dead, "Ladies Must Live" was his last picture. On two pictures — "The Miracle Man" and "Ladies Must Live"—his reputation rests. These two are lasting, living monuments to his memory. The crowds flocked to see 'The Miracle Man." Now watch them flock to see "La- dies Must Live." GEORGE LOANE TUCKER /? The Critics Said: "All of Mr. Tucker's power to put life on the screen, to make his people something more than marionettes, is evident. 'Indies Must Live* is many degrees better than most of the pic- tures you are likely to see in any weason."— New York Timet. "Unquestionably forceful. It will draw the people. It is a subject which will make people talk. Nora Flanna- gan's story (in 'Ladies Must Live') will be retold as long as the world turns round."— New York Telegraph. 1 MAYFLOWER PHOTOPLAY CORP. 1 Presents George Loane Tucker's Production "Ladies Must Live" with BETTY COMPSON Based on the Novel by Alice Duer Miller (X (paramountQicture fi FAMOI >8 PLAYfc R8 IASKY CORPORATION