Evening Star Newspaper, March 22, 1925, Page 55

AMUSEMENTS. STAR, WASHINGTON, 22 THE SUNDAY D. C., MARCH 1925—PART 3. AMUSEMENTS. PLAY et et CORINNL = GRIFFITE~ Tivol News andComment By W. H. Landvoigt. ERIOUS discussion of the movie is leading the mind to the pro- found ologies of the high brow. Spring is near at hand, with its green fields, its wild flowers and its sunshine. The average pic- fan, it is believed, finds deeper interest in lighter things. Gossip is always available, and a great deal of it is harmless, if not in- teresting. Why not gossip this week, therefore, and leave profundity to the high brow? * ok kK AI,B: NY furnishes the interesting news that Gov. Albert E. Smith, who may always be looked to for a thrill when he is in the mood, is about to order an investigation of the Moving Picture Commission of New York. This commission is the New York board of censors, and rumor lately has been charging it with being political rather than purifying. * ok ok ok GLORIA SWANSON, probably the most interesting planet in the film heavens, has actually sailed for America. Of course, she will bring her new marquis with her. “All the world loves a love runs the old proverb, and fandom must love the marquis because Gloria may be pre- sumed to love him. Much, therefore, may be expected in the near future as to how he looks, what he likes, what he does and how he stands the gaff of feminine curiosity in America. * ok ¥ % ARCUS LOEW is alternately glorifying and lamenting the big pro- duction that has been made of “Quo Vadis,” a story that in its day was one of the very best of “best sellers.” Some of the shots, meaning the scenes, according to Mr. Loew, are beautiful enough to be worth see- ing, even without the story. “The whole thing cost us $6,000,000," he gravely adds, “and, of course, we'll never get our money back—but we realize that we've got to do something like this every now and then to educate a new public for pictures.” A costly experiment, don’t you think * k % % HIS suggests the thought that an industry that is willing to thus lav- ishly spend its money must really have higher ideas, in the main, than that of corrupting the public for the financial return it will bring. The enormous receipts and profits recorded ih the photoplay industry « certainly need a surer foundation than that. And then, too, it must not be forgotten that there is such a thing in the world as envy, and that often en manufactures many things that are not true and distorts others to suit its purposes. Will Hays’ recent address indicates that the matter of morals and manners is not being overlooked in the movies by those who are said to furnish 80-odd per cent of the pictures. * ok k% O' 2 of the amusing things of recent occurrence is the effort in the Kansas Legislature to require motion picture exhibitors to ‘supply every patron with 30 cubic feet of pure air a minute. It failed, of course, even as the regulation made here in Washington before the war to furnish cach person who patronized a street railway car with six cubic feet of space for his comfort. ‘Full many a flower of purest ray serene is born to waste its sweetness on the desert air,” etc. * ok Kk ¥ 'OLKS will quarrel in spite of religion and churches, and so it is not strange that those who have to do with moving pictures should quar- rel. A good sign of the times, however, is indicated in the news from the ‘Will H. Hays organization that more than eleven million disputes between distributors and exhibitors of motion pictures, involving more than two million dollars in consequence, were settled under Mr. Hays’ arbitration plan, which seems to furnish an item for thoughtful consideraion in the business world generally. It is lots better and cheaper to arbitrate than to fight, and arbitration often discloses that more contentions grow out of misunderstanding and lack of thorough consideration of a- subject than out of violation of high principles. * % k % AN FRANCISCO'S official who made the regulation forbidding the sale of standing room in the theaters may have disgruntled those whose negligence or misfortune deprived them of getting seats when they went to the theater, but he made a mighty good rule to insure the comfort of the great majority. And it might well be put in effect in Washington. There is really no valid reason why the motion picture houses should not and cannot provide a reserved seat system. And many believe it would add to rather than decrease their receipts. The crowds which are jammed in the picture house lobbies when an especially interesting attraction is ¢« announced are a scandal in the matter of consideration for the public. * kK K ND while ave scold, let us also not forget to praise, when praise is due. Frequent instances are reported where picture exhibitors set aside a valuable part of their receipts at benefit performances for worthy chari- ties. And the Crandall organization has frequently been cited in Wash- ington for public spirit and community service, numerous instances of which, rendered at no little cost and abor, never reach-the news columns or come to the knowledge of those who are benefited by them. But then a good deed does not warrant neglect, or a bad one, by way of compen- sation. * ok ok k N interesting news note records the decision of one of the State supreme courts that the familiar custom of aggrieved persons of “picketing” theaters and business houses is unfawful, coupled with the declaration that there is no such thing as “peaceful picketing,” meaning thereby that all picketing leads, more or less, to a breach of the public peace. Washington had that rule substantially indorsed when certain overindignant citizens attempted to picket the White House. The White House is no more entitled to the special protection against this evil than the humblest theater or business house in the judgment of those who have suffered more or less from “peaceful picketing.” . * k¥ % D JRING Easter week Washington is promised a glimpse at a very in- teresting motion picture in “The Last Laugh,” which owes its origin to foreign photoplay genius. “The Last Laugh” is ‘really a one-character story, tragic in theme, built up around an old major domo of a great hotel, whose uniform rivaled that of the empéror in'grandeur and insured to its wearer a distinction and respect from his neighbors, which quickly vanished when the man, solely because of old age, was demoted from his position and sent to the hotel lavatories to close his days. It has a novel twist, a sort of afterthought, which gives it its name and the picture the quasi “happy ending” supposed to be necessary to please the average photoplay audience. The picture has no subtitles at all, and its lighting effects are marvels of ingenuity. It was recently shown privately to newspaper men in this city ¥ % k% INOUNCEMENT is made by Mrs. Harriet Hawley Locher of &ran- dall's public service and educational department that the final per- formance in the series of special. programs. for children will be given at 14:30 a.m. Saturday at Crandall's Tivoli Theater. The series is declared .an encouraging success. The chicf feature of the last bill of the series will be one of the most amusing and most wholesome of the more im- porfant feature comedies released in recent years, Thomas H. Ince’s pic-- turization of the William Collier stage success, “The Hottentot,” with Douglas MacLean in the stellar role, supported by Madge Bellamy and Raymond Hatton. The bill will be augmented by added short reefs and spccial pipe organ music by, Harold T, Pease, Met DoOROTHY MACKAILL Strand Paris Movie Congress. AYN, International Motion Picture Congress has been called for Paris in June, and Ernst Lubitsch, who is now direeting the Warner Bros. pro- duction, “Kiss Me Again,” has been invited to attend and make an address The invitation came from the com- mittee on intellectural co-operation, which was organrized by the League of Nations and works under the aus- plces of the league. The purpose of the congress, Mr. Lubitsch explained, is to assist in mak- ing a survey of the motion picture industry in all countries and to ob- tain co-operation for making scien- tific and educational films so as to use pictures as a means to better in- ternational understanding. Representatives from every coun- try where pictures are made hav been Invited, and Lubitsch is one of several from this country who will attend. The United States, it is un- derstood, because of its outstanding leadership in the industry, will have a greater representation at the con- gress. The Spirit of Outdoors. AX_ inspection of Harold Bell Wright's workshop gives a quick insight into the reasons for this author's wide popularity and his great appeal to the public at large. The place radiates the breath of the out-of-doors. The walls, the fur- nishings and even the ceilings are in a beautiful restful green. Yet, despite all the beauty everywhere, the room is arranged for the greatest efficiency, indicative of the writer's penchant for orderliness. Mr. Wright actually is a builder of books in more than the literary sense, for he goes to work in.the same methodical manner as would the builder of a house. He first deter- mines the purpose of his story, what force it shall expound, and thus makes his theme. Then he selects from his ~acquaintanceship, which numbers thousands, those persons to be considered products of this force so0 carefully chosen. Being adverse to-the noisy tap-tap of the typewriter, Mr. Wright does his manuscripts with pen or pencil and the shelves of bis big workroom are plled high with sheets, which are filed away after having been tran- scribed by a typist. One of his stories, “The Mine With the Iron Door,” Is a screen attraction here this week. Plays With Lion Cubs. THEORIES on raising babies con- flict. There is the ultra modern that makes a great to-do about calories, vitamines and the lke, and the old-fashioned theory used by those who now are grand- mothers and who point with pride to their own offspring as evidence that the old-fashioned way is the right way. Probably no baby was ever raised in an environment like that in which baby Charles Bernard Murphy, jr., one of the cast in “The Price of Pleasure,” tge Universal-Jewel pho- toplay, was and is being ralsed. Young Murphy is the son of the zoo superintendent at Universal City, Calif, where Universal plctures are made, and his strange environment is a lion's cage. Jt is true the kid does not mingle with adult lions, but he is pecfectly happy sprawling among a bunch of lion_cubs before they are old enough to get rough. Each time new lion babies arrive, the cubs and the baby can be seen rolling around in the sunny cage, the floor of which is covered with shavings, while an the other side of a partition, the mother lion rumbles her doubts as 1o the -theory propricty of e assoclation, ropolitan Vot VIRGINIA Vardman [-ark. Theater™ Photoplays HOIO Scete from ~WAY Dowy Eas T This Week At the Photoplay Houses This Week COLUMBIA—“Sackcloth and Scarlet.” evening. PALACE—"The Denial.” evening. RIALTO—"The Price of Pleasure.” ning. WARDMAN PARK—“Way Down East.” and evening. TIVOLI—"Love’s Wilderness.” AMBASSADOR—"As evening. CENTRAL—“On the Stroke of Three.” evening. LINCOLN—"A Thief in Paradise.” ning. Columbia—"Sackeloth and Scarlet. Henry King, who directed such clas- as “Tol'able David,” “The White ster” and “Romola,” also produced a cinema dramatization of “Sackcloth and Scarlet,” the novel by George Gibbs, which, with Alice Terry, star of “The Four Horsemen” and “Scara- mouche,” in fits chief role, opens a week's engagement at Loew’s Colum- bla this afternoon. Added features will include “The Guest of Honor.,” by Richard Harding Davis and featuring Earle Foxe; the International news reel, with orchestral embellishment. The story contrasts the weak qual- ities of one sister with the patience and self-sacrifice of another. The headstrong girl becomes involved with a California guide, and the self- sacrificing sister shields and suffers for her. Palace—"The Denial.” A romance of the days of the Span- ish-American war in '98 and the pres- ent jazz-mad day, featuring Claire Windsor and a cast including Bert Roach, Willlam Haines, Edward Con- nelly, Lucille Ricksen, Robert Agnew and Emily Fitzroy, will be seen in Hobart Henley’s Metro-Goldwyn pro- duction, “The Denial,” which will be shown at Loew’s Palace this after- noon and all this week, together with Mack Sennett’s comedy, “Get Up!” the Pathe news reel and Topics of the Day. The musical setting and overture will be provided by the Palace Orches- tra, under Thomas Joseph Gannon. Miss Windsor, as the girl of '97 and the mother of today, is sald to offer a brilllant and remarkable charac- terization, and Lucille Ricksen is said to be adorable as the girl of today. Bert Reach is the unwanted suitor of the Spanish War davs, William Haines the lost sweetheart and Rob- ert Agnew an aviator, and Edward Connelly and Emily Fitzroy the father and mother of '97. Metropolitan — "As Man Desires.” This week's attraction at Cran- dall's Metropolitan Theater, beginning this afternoon at 3 o'clock, is First National's production of “As Man De- sires,” in which Milton Sills and Viola Dana are the stars, supported by Ruth Clifford, Rosemary Theby, Irving Cummings—who also directed—Tom Kennedy, Hector Sarno and Frank Leigh. The comedy will be “Our Gang,” in Hal Roach's two-reel riot, “Dog Days” and_the bill will be augmented by the Metropolitan World Survey reel, a scenic and musical pro- gram by the Metropolitan Orchestra, under Daniel Breeskin. “As Man_Desires” was adapted from Gene Wright's novel, “Pandora Le Croix,” and is based on the idea that a woman who loves shapes her life “as man desires” The action ojens at a British army post in Cal- cutta, Tndia, where, dfter a quarrel Maj. ‘John Cral, apparently deceived by his fiancee, is confronted:with a charge of murder. Unwilling to drag sic the girl's name into the affair, he| flees the country. The locale then sbifts to the pic- Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon and evening. METROPOLITAN—"As Man Desires.” Shown this afternoon and afterrfoon and eve- Shown this afternoon Shown t Shown this afternoon and evening. Man Desires.” Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon and eve- turesque pearl beds of the South Seas where Craig becomes a pearl fisher, known on account of his silence as “the sphinx.’ Here, into his life, comes a half castegirl whom he eventu: his wife. From this sit- uation springs an unusual climax when it becomes known back at headquarters that “the sphinx" is Craig. Milton Sills has the role of the officer_ who becomes the ‘“sphinx,” Viola Dana is the half-caste wanton Ruth Clifford, a beautiful and repent- ant flirt, and Rosemary Theby a tigerish siren. The musical numbers finclude “Dance of the Hours,” from “Gla- conda” by Ponchielll, as overture; as interpretative melody for the feature, “My Desire” by Charles Wakefield Cadman, and the exit number will be “At the End of the Road,” a popular hit. Rialto—"The Price of Pleasure. “The Price of Pleasure,” the Uni- versal-Jewel photoplay, co-starring Virginia Valll and Rerman Kerry, will be the feature at the Rialto this week. Virginia Valll has the part of a salesgirl in a department store. Kerry plays the part of a young man of wealth and established soclal stand- ing, who is quite dominated by an aristocratic mother. He invites the girl to go to a show with him, and there follows a week of magic joy for both. But, like a bubble, delight bursts when his people return from abroad. There is a comedy vein run- ning throughout the story, ably han- dled by Louise Fazenda and T. Roy Barnes. The Guarneri brothers, phonograph record artists, are here for a return engagement and will head the musical pogram. The overture will be Victor Herbert's “Mlle. Modiste.” An Ink- well comedy, entitled “Vaudevill and the International News will com- plete the bill. Wardman Park—"Way Down.East.” D. W. Grifiith's great spectacle. “Way Down East,” will be seen today, tomorrow and Tuesday at the Ward- man Park Theater. . For this picturization of the famous stage success, furnished by Lottie Blair Parker and Joseph Grismer, Mr. Griffith assembled a greag cast. The work ends in a -thrilling climax of spectacular scenes amid the veering flaws of a New England blizzard and the explosive breaking of a river ice Borge. The tender moments, the tragic episodes, the laughable situa- tions and the stirring scenes are ac- centuated by unusual orchestral ac- companiment,. pronounced the most ambitious yet attempted in the the- ater. Wednesday and Thursday will be seen “The Man Who Plaved God,” with George Arliss; also Lloyd Hamil- ton's comedy, “Good Morning,” and “North of 36" will be shown Friday and Saturday, with Kathieen Clifford furnishing the comedy in “Grandpa's Girl." . e DORIS Kenyon and RPONALD COLMAN Lincoln /. Muwrox 7 ¥ et CLAIRE. VINDSOR_ Paslace May Rival Pola. ILLIAN HALL DAVIS, claimed to be the most beautiful actress on the European screen, who will make her initlal appearance before the American public in “Quo Vadis” as Lygla, a Christian beauty, is being ad- vanced as a possible rival on the screen of the more famous Pola Negri. Miss Davis is a native of England She first won success on the London speaking stage and later was won over to the silent drama. She is of Grecian type, with a face like a cameo, sensitive, emotional and re- flecting the mood of the moment. A few inches over 5 feet in stature, she is slender, graceful, pliable. Tivoli—"Love's Wilderness™ Corinne Griffith wil be the star at Crandall's Tivoli Theater the first two days of this week, beginning this afternoon in First National's flim v sion of Evelyn Campbell's "Love's Wilderness,” with Holmes Herbert and Jan Keith in the leading male roles; also Neal Burns in “Sea Legs,” and a new issue of the Pathe Review. Tuesday and Wednesday will be shown Metro's production of Henry Miller's stage success, “The Great Di- vide,” featuring Alice Terry and Con- way Tearle; Charlle Chase, in “Should Husbands Be Watched?” and a fan- tasy in natural colors, ‘“The Song of the Nightingale.” Thursday and Fri- day, D. W. Griffith's production, “America,” and a new Aesop fable, “The Jungle Bike Riders.” Saturday, Patsy Ruth Miller, in “The Girl on the Stairs” together with an “Our Gang” comedy, “Buccaneers,” and, as an added matinee feature, the Cran- dall-Hahn Children's Carnival, intro- ducing the first installment of a new chapter play, “Idaho,” with souve- nirs and candy for all Ambassador—"As a Man’ Desires.” Milton Sills, Viola Dana, Ruth Clif- ford, Rosemary Theby and Irving Cummings have the leading roles in First National's production of “As a Man Desires,” to be run at Crandall's Ambassador Theater the first three days of this week, beginning this aft- ernoon, together with Cliff Bowes, in “High Hopes” and other short reels. ‘Wednesday and Thursday, Eric von Stroheim’s “Greed,” taken from Frank Norris' novel. “McTeague,” featuring bson Gowland, Zasu Pitts, Jean Hersholt, Chester Conklin and Dale Fuller, and the Aesop fable, “In Duteh.” Friday, Baby Peggy in “The Family Secret” Mack Sennett's “Love’s Sweet Piffie” and a Bruce scenic, “Just Walting.” Saturday “The Great Divide,” co-starring Alice Terry and Conway Tearle; also “Should Husbands Be Watched?" star- ring Charlie Chase, and the third in stallment of the chapter play, “Idaho.’ Central—"On the Stroke of Three. “On the Stroke of Three, shown the first two days of this week, beginning this afternoon, at Cran- dall's Central Theater, relates . story of gripping action and tender pathos, the leading roles played by Madge Bellamy, Kenneth Harlan and Mary Carr, suported by Eddle Phillips and Robert Dudley. it was adapted from Edward Payson Dowst's magazine story, “The Man From Ashaluna.” The comedy will be “Buccaneers,” star- ring “Our Gang. Tuesday and Wednesday, Jack Holt, Lois Wilson, Ernest Torrence and Noah Beery in “North of 36 and Clift Bowes in*““Merrymakers”; Thurs- day and Friday, Douglas Fairbanks in he Thiet of Bagdad”; Saturday, Bebe Daniels in Paramount’s “Miss Blucbeard,” and Jimmie Adams in “Step Fast.” Lincoln—"A Thief in Paradise.” 2 “A Thief in Paradise” is thé First National attraction to be shown for the first three days of this week at the Lincoln Theater, the leading roles played by Doris Kenyon, Ronald Col- man and Aileen Pringle, supported by, Aleo B. Francls and Ciaude Gilling- water; also Al St. John in “Love- T (Continued on Fourth Page.) L Hays and CI simply lay before you one formu- la, and that of what you must not do. You must not offend common | decency. That's all.” Thus spoke Will W. Heys. the| forceful president of the Motion Fya= | Producers and Distributors of a, in a recent address made at | wood. Mr. Hays' organization, | it is claimed, produces 85 per cent of | all the motion pictures shown in this country For more than pointed out, the motion dustry has been functioning under| a self-imposed formula, by which each of the larger producers and dis- tributors does his own censoring. On February 26, 1924, 23 corporations composing the Motion Picture ducers and Distributors of America, | Incorporaed, adopted a resolution pledging themselves to | “Prevent the prevalent type of| book and play from becoming the prevalent type of picture; to exercise | every possible care that only books| or plays which are of the right type| are used for screen presentation: to avoid picturization of books or plays which can be produced only after such changes as to leave the pro ducer subject to the charge of decep- tion; to avoid using titles which are indicative of a kind of picture which could not be produced, or by their suggestivenes seek to obtain at- tendance by deception, a thing equal- 1y reprehensible, and to prevent mis- leading, salaclious, or dishonest ad- vertising.” To make this equally effective, it is explained, a method was adopted by whick, when the scenario depart-| ment of any of the companies was offered the picture rights of a book | or play which did not meet these pro- | Mr. Hays picture in- | a year, visions, it would decline to picturize | non{,\"‘ Haye' office of {its rejection, and|declared, the book or play and would Mr. if confirmed by Mr. Hays' office such rejection would be forwarded to the other members, “thus,” as Mr. Hays | unsu { producer can MOVieS. expressed directed to the subject and giving them the avoid making into a p or play under Mr. Hays pol that during the year just passed more than 100 books and plays—including some the “best seliers” and stage ceses—were kept from the screen b cause “our members helieved them table for picturization.” And Mr. Hays added, “There have not been more than a h disputed in- stances.” Some been made have been made which made at al than 100 and plays have b the screen by this reasonable m censorship it, “having their attention in question pportunity to ure the'nov discussion.” pictures. he admitted, have might very well a few have been not have been he emphasized. questionable s tarily Kept members by which ship could bring result Mr. Hays impressed upon his hear- ers that this formula does ny possible construction catfon. limit the production or artistic pictures, as any doing that would fail absolu A e further emphasized the fact t this is good business as well as good morals.” It was fu his opinion end prefers “clean to ignore this fact is not so m to bring on political censorship as to drive customers from the box office. An instance was cited in which one is to have scrapped a motion pleture after he had pald $25.- 000 for the bo which it was adapted when he learned that it had been rejected under this sch by another producer. There has been no cheating on the part of the pledged producers, it is and cheater would quickly called to account b: lows, according to proponen formula. which itted should ore book ir d is method ther the mov de clear that in fe public in the - pictures, and that from Retrospection. T is easy for the “old-timer” to cast his eye over the cast of practically any of the better photo dramas on our screens and remark to himself, “I knew them when. While still, of course, the newest form of dramatic expression, the si- lent drama, nevertheless, is old enough in America to afford inter- esting contrasts between the first screen work of many of its promi- nent players and their present work before the camera. Who doesn’t remember the old Bio- graph days, when Griffith was just perfecting the close up and the flash back, and Mary Pickford and her blond curls were coming to the fore as “America’s sweetheart”? And it is not even so broad a span as that to recall the athleticisms of Douglas Fairbanks in the Triangle releases that first started him on his way to the heights from which he has handed down “The Three Musketeers,” “Robin Hood” and “The Thief of Bagdad.” In the lighter branches it is equal- 1y easy to recall when virtually all of the comic stars who appear individu- ally today might be seen in a single pioture. ~ For instance, in “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” Marfe Dressler, Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Charlie Murray, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling, Al St ester Conk- lin, Mack Swain and numerous others all appeared in prominent parts. Many of our feature subjects are amenable to the same retrospections Take, for example, “As Man Desires the First National attraction an- nounced for showing here this week. When the activities cited above wera at thelr zenith Milton Sills, star of “As Man Desires,” had graduated trom the Chicago University and wa leading man for the most distin- guished actresses on the stage, cluding Mrs. Fiske. la Dana, co- with Mr. Si was a stage dancer who had just finished a s cessful engagement in “The Poor I le Rich Girl,” and was essaying ir genue roles in Vitagraph productions Irving Cummings, who directed “As Man Desires” and plays a small part in it, was still a stock star in the Poli houses in New England. Rosemary Theby, instead of the seasoned “vamp” that she is now, was a slip of a girl, attempting any sort of role that was allotted her. She really got her first real opportunity with a Flor- ida producing unit some six or eight years ago in support of Pauline Frederick Today all are rated as plavers of the first rank. v star 1s, FILMOGRAMS CONNECTICUT censorship bill, pending in the legislature, aroused a verbal battle and brought out charges that the bill was being “argued under false pretenses as a revenge measure.” A proposed law in South Carolina provides for a censor board composed of two members of the State Senate, two of the House and one woman to be chosen by the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate. Westfleld, Mass, is waking up to the need of special film programs for children at week ends. Paramount is to maintain a fashion bureau in Paris all the year round. “How. far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world” A motion picture exhibitor in Terre Haute, Ind., re- cently gave a benefit performance for the widows and orphans created by a mine disaster. “Chu Chin Chow,” the photoplay, recently was condemned by the Que- beo board of censors. Eleven thousand one hundred and ninety-seven disputes between dis- tributors and exhibitors, involving $2,119,622.56, were disposed of during 1924 by the Will Hays organization arbitration plan. Allen Dwan has signed a new con- tract with Famous Players to run a year. In San Francisco Supervisor Ralph MoLeran has issued a ruling prohibit- ing the sale of tickets in motion pi ture houses to those for whom no seats are provided. The State Supreme Court of Wash- ington. reversing the lower courts, has declared picketing theaters ille- gal, declaring there is no such thing as peaceful picketing. The Musicians and “Theater Employes' Unions had been picketing theaters owned by John Danz. It seems that Glenn Hunter is not to play the lead in "My Buddy's Wife,” Tom Terriss' next picture. The Warner brothers have signed two new stars, Sid Chaplin and Johu Barrymore, the former for a period of vears, the latter for two pictures in 1925-26 Ramon Novarro has signed a five- year oontract with Metro-Goldwyn and it s said three starring vehicles have already been provided for him Although Henry King will direct ‘Stella Dallas” for Samuel Goldwyn it will not affect his contrast for two pictures to be made for Ritz Plc- tures, which has simply loaned him to Goldwyn. Rudolph Valentino is linked v with United Artists, under the man- agement of Joseph M. Schenck, with the good wishes of the management of Ritz Pictures, which seemed dis- posed to object some time ago. A committee has been appointed by the M. ‘‘on Picture Distributors’ As- ssociation to work with Will H. Haya in all matters affecting future pro= ductions, especially delicate situa- tions that might offend religious sectd and the sensibilities of foreign na< tions. The national exhibitor convention in Milwaukes in May promises to stir things up. A “call to arms” has been issued by the “independents” against trust methods. Ditto for the Minneap- olis exhibitor convention March 24. The Kansas Legislature killed a bill requiring theaters to be =0 equip« ped as to supply 30 cubic feet of air per minute for each person. It is ¥ sort of reminder of a Washington, D. C, street car regulation that each passenger must be provided with § square feet of standing or sitting room in the cars. Associated Exhibitors is to produce a new version of “The Miracle of Life.” which was originally made and released in 1916 by American Film Production in the East. “The Last Laugh,” the remarkable photoplay featuring Emil Jannings in a one-character story without sub- titles, which was recently .given a private showing to newspaper men af the Rialto in this city, will open at the Capitol in New York the last of the month, d Mr. Jannings is Coming frem Berlin for the promlzcer