Moving Picture World (Dec 1917) - Learn About Movie Posters

1774 THE MOVING PICTURE WOSLD December 22, 1917
as the Paramount-Bray Pictograph; and for his Christmas
offering has decided to go shopping and get his arch friend
and playmate into trouble.
Bobby's Christmas adventure, entitled "Bobby Bumps
Early Shopper," will be found in the ninety-seventh release
of the Paramount-Bray Pictograph. The opening scene
shows an alarm clock in front of Fido's kennel doing duty
at an early morning hour of a day shortly before Christmas,
on which Bobby and Fido have decided to steal a march on
the rest of the family and make a visit to toyland. As Fido
throws the clock madly over the horizon and out of sight,
the sun makes his appearance, blinking sleepily, reminding
the faithful little dog that he had better waken the other
son. A rope tied to Bobby's big toe and hung from the
window is forthwith pulled vociferously by Fido and that
young man. making a wondrously hasty toilet, starts off with
Fido at his heels, to see the toys. A family servant, bent
on the same mission, finally comes face to face with Fido
who quickly steps in line on the toy shelf and shortly finds
himself a wrapped up parcel on its way to Bobby's home.
After bathing the street with tears Bobby hurries home to
release Fido, and is forced to shed more tears at circumstances
which follow. A fine Christmas offering.
Items of Interest.
The Famous Players Company of New England, 814
Shawmut street, Boston, Mass., are following a policy of
advertising educational and other short subjects which are
handled by them in a dignified and useful manner. This
is done by means of a small booklet entitled "The Blue
Book of Short Subjects," which should be of unlimited aid
to those looking for short educational subjects, or groups
of such subjects as contained in the ParamountBray Pictograph.
In this booklet will also be found listed individually
the Bray animated cartoons, which, by the way, are second
to none. Here also will be found the Burton Holmes travel
pictures fully listed.
* * *
In addition to the pictures for the Christmas season suggested
in last week's Educator we find that Raymond L.
Ditmars is preparing a special animal picture to be released
through the Educational Films Corporation of America.
This promises to be a delight to the children, a picture in
which various animals dressed in Christmas garb, including
rabbits and monkeys, will do all sorts of amusing stunts.
Then there is the O. Henry story to be released by the General
Film Company, entitled "Whistling Dick's Christmas
Stocking," a two-part offering. And what could be more
enticing by way of comedy entertainment than the Paramount
"Tom Sawyer," a five-part adaptation of the famous
Mark Twain story.
* * *
Commenting on the large part that the moving picture is
to play in maintaining the morale of nations during the
war at the annual meeting of the National Board of Review,
held on Monday afternoon, November 26, Orrin G.
Cocks made the following interesting statement: "The
humble movie is going to have a mighty large part in maintaining
the morale of our soldiers and civilians in this
war. In the first place, it is going to help in keeping up
the morale of the civilian population. Usually war is followed
by a destruction of morale at home. Here in New
York the increase in juvenile crime already has been 33 per
cent. In London the motion picture has been found a useful
means of meeting the situation caused by the absence
from home of the heads of tire household, and many of the
•women folk who are engaged in gainful activities for the
support of their families. The motion picture has also
proved to be of major service in sustaining and stimulating
the morale at the front and in the cantonment. The National
Board is sharing with the industry in this work.
Many of its members have taken their place in activities
connected with the successful prosecution of the war.
Among them are Cranston Brenton, in Y. M. C. A. war work;
J. K. Paulding, who is the executive head of a base hospital
unit in France; Jonathan A. Rawson ; Lee F. Hammer,
of the War Department Commission on Training Camp Activities;
and Clarence A. Perry, who is now a Captain attached
to the Quartermaster's Department at Camp Upton.
These are all members of the National Board and leaders in
social welfare work."
* * *
Four subjects of interest are treated in the Pathe Argus
Pictorial No. 3, which opens with views taken of coral limestone
rocks, located on a tropical island. The rocks are
of a tough, porous composition and are sawed into building
blocks and shingles for trade purposes. An interesting
—
study of crystallization follows, showing the action of
sulphate of zinc, nitrate of silver and other fluids upon a
plate under the microscope. Prof. E. J. Thatcher of Columbia
University gives a short demonstration of "tied dyeing,"
a process for fancy designing. The last subject pictures
Helena Dayton Smith's clay figures around the banquet
board.
WHARTONS' "PROP" EXPERT INVENTS PAPER
BULLET.
While preparing the properties for some of the exciting
scenes of gunplay which will be featured in the early episodes
of "The Eagle's Eye," written by William J. Flynn,
Chief of the United States Secret Service, Leroy Baker,
head of the Whartons' mechanical department, worked out
a new method of manufacturing paper bullets which may
revolutionize the science of sham warfare, making it possible
to secure realistic effects hitherto unattainable.
The facts as above stated are vouched for by experts in
the employ of the Remington Arms Company, who have carried
out Baker's suggestions with unusual results. It is
said that immediate steps will be taken to manufacture
the new bullets on a large scale, so that they will be available
for military spectacles and plays in which firearms are
featured.
Baker gained his effect by doing something he was told
could not be done. He made a rifle shell of mixed black
and smokeless powder, the two kinds of explosive being
separated in bullet and shell containers, of hard paper.
The result is a peculiar kind of combustion, which causes
the paper bullet to disappear entirely within a space of
fifteen feet, while the black powder gives a highly effective
smoke effect.
The new ammunition is suitable for both rifle and machine
gun use, this being the first time that paper bullets have
been found practicable for use in the latter manner.
HAROLD LOCKWOOD ENTERTAINS ON
THANKSGIVING DAY.
Harold Lockwood, Metro star, was host at a Thanksgiving
dinner given to the members of his company at the Hotel
Randall, North Conway, N. H., near which place the exterior
scenes of Mr. Lockwood's forthcoming Metro wonderplay,
"The Avenging Trail," are being staged under the
direction of Francis Ford.
In the party were Mr. Lockwood, Mr. and Mrs. Francis
Ford, Miss Sally Crute, Miss Cecil McLean, Miss Jo Feeny,
William Clifford, Walter P. Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Harry H.
Poppe, Tom Blake, Johnnie Waters, Tony Gaudio, Harry
Cabot, Art Ortego, Warren Cook, Louis Wolheim, Robert
Carson, Frank Bates, Harry Russell, Austin Beattie and
Edward Draham.
Mr. Lockwood was a most excellent host and his co-workers
readily forgot that they were spending the holiday away
from their respective homes.
FRANK CRANE ENGAGED TO DIRECT PETROVA.
Announcement was made this week by Frederick L. Collins,
president of the Petrova Picture Company, that Frank
Crane will direct the third starring vehicle of Madame Olga
Petrova. Mr. Crane will start work on "The Life Mask,"
which is the title of the vehicle chosen for the third picture,
immediately. His services were secured following his completion
of the Goldwyn production of "Thais," starring the
operatic prima donna, Mary Garden.
"JOHNNIE" WATERS JOINS COLORS.
Yorke-Metro this week contributed another of its forces
to the service of Uncle Sam when "Johnnie" Waters, assistant
director in Harold Lockwood's company, left the
organization at its location in New Hampshire, where the
exterior scenes of Mr. Lockwood's forthcoming Metro wonder
play, "The Avenging Trail," are being made under the
direction of Francis Ford, to return to New York, where he
was ordered to report for military service on December 7.
KELLARD IN THE "LEGIT."
Ralph Kellard, former Pathe star of "The Shielding
Shadow," "Pearl of the Army," "The Precious Packet," etc.,
is now leading man in "Eyes of Youth," where he has been
playing since August 22, on which day the play opened
at the Maxine Elliott Theater, New York City. Mr. Kellard
expects to return to the screen at the close of the
dramatic season.