Harry Handworth (1914) 🇺🇸
The accompanying cut is a splendid and characteristic likeness of Harry Handworth, the well-known director formerly with Pathé, who will supervise the production of the newly formed Excelsior Film Company. During his recent visit to this city where he organized a well balanced company of photoplayers, his arm was nearly wrenched from its socket by friendly grips of his many admirers who wished him success in his new venture.
Speaking of his company, Mr. Handworth said: “Our policy during the past three months has been one of ‘Watchful Waiting,’ watching the ever changing conditions in the moving picture field, and waiting for the 1st of May to begin operations. Our policy in the future will be the production of multiple reels of the highest order, in which Octavia Handworth, former Pathé star, will be featured; her many friends throughout the states will now be enabled to see her at her best.
“Three-reel features will be our standard, with an occasional four- or five-reel picture if the story warrants it. Padding and stretching a story will not be tolerated; our prospective buyers will be assured of three solid reels of action and story; our photography will be up to the Pathé standard, which insures a perfect and steady picture when projected. No money will be spared in the studio, a company of twelve players will comprise the roster, many of them well known as screen stars.
“The studio is located at beautiful Lake Placid, in the Adirondack Mountains, often referred to as the Switzerland of America.”
Speaking of the condition of the film market Mr. Handworth said. “The five-, six-, seven- and eight-reel picture except in rare cases; a story to run more than three reels must have exceptional merit. The public is tired of a five- or six-reel picture that is not worth more than one or two reels, the filming of dramatic plays is carried to excess, many of these plays are not good enough for a half reel, yet many producers are running into sure destruction by releasing them as six-, seven- and sometimes eight-reel features. The photoplay public won’t stand for that much longer. A change is ever occurring; two and three reels will predominate, but they must be “meaty” and contain a “punch” in every reel.
“The open market will shortly be an actual fact. Many association firms will put their product out independently and compete against each other. Merit will win. and it will be a survival of the fittest.”
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Complimentary dinner to Nicholas Power in celebration of his recent return from abroad.
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King of Siam’s Favorite Sport at Solax.
Madame Blaché and the members of her company witnessed an interesting game of bicycle polo at the Solax studio during the staging of a coming multiple-reel photodrama by James Johnson. The polo players were members of the International Bicycle Polo team, which recently completed a tour around the world and was the pet diversion of the King of Siam for several months.
The same spirit of sportmanship that prompted the king and his court to wager high stakes on the result of the games and also caused the team to be delayed in Spain for almost a year while the Spaniards enjoyed the sport, quickly spread through the studio and the cameramen were ignored while the members of the company rooted for their favorite players.
The photodrama, which contains interesting scenes staged by Director Johnson on Broadway, the top of the Metropolitan Opera House, and the Brooklyn Bridge, will present Edwin Brandt of The Garden of Allah and Svengali fame in his well-known characterization of a hypnotist, and also a leap of more than one hundred feet made by one of Barnum and Bailey’s famous acrobats from the roof of a building.
[Transcriber’s Note: The movie in question is probably The Million Dollar Robbery (1914)]
Collection: Moving Picture World, April 1914