Lessey Joins Eastern Film (1915) 🇺🇸
In announcing the acquisition to its producing staff of George Lessey, formerly of Edison and Universal, the Eastern Film Corporation, of Providence, R. I., makes the statement that Mr. Lessey will handle the five-part dramatic productions of the company and specialize in stories containing spectacular effects and large casts.
Mr. Lessey has had a long and varied career as actor and producer, and for many years was managing producer for some of the leading stock companies of the country. Four ago he joined Edison as one of their producers, and after two years of solid success with that company, was induced to contract with the Universal under a large salary to direct the world famous star, King Baggot.
At the expiration of the contract, recently, there was keen bidding among the foremost producers of the country for Mr. Lessey’s services, and the Eastern Film Corporation has secured him at an almost prohibitive salary for a number of years to handle their big feature spectacles.
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World Film Corporation.
The Master of the House (Equitable-Triumph), Sept. 27. — A five-part sentimental melodrama in which Julius Steger is starred. The story possesses little novelty, but is presented in an interesting fashion. A review may be found on page 461 of the issue of October 16th.
The Price (Equitable), Oct. 4. — As in the original stage production of this drama, Helen Ware plays the leading role. She acts with sincere feeling in a picture of good quality, reviewed on page 462 of the issue of October 16th.
The Family Cupboard (Brady), Oct. 10. — In this very well presented version of a successful stage drama, the leading role is played by Holbrook Blinn, who is given excellent support by Frances Nelson. A review may be found on page 465 of the issue of October 16th.
Blue Grass (Equitable), Oct. 11. — In addition to the humorous performance of Thomas Wise, this picture has an interesting feature in the horse racing scenes. It is altogether a very acceptable five-part production, reviewed on page 462 of the issue of October 16th.
Heart of the Blue Ridge (Shubert), Oct. 18. — Clara Kimball Young gives a capital characterization in this five-part production of a story of moonshiners written by Waldron Baily. The plot possesses little novelty, but it is made interesting by reason of the exciting action and the able acting of Miss Young and those in her support, including Chester Barnett and Robert Cummings. James Young directed the picture.
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Associated Film Sales Corporation.
Too Much Elixir of Life (Alhambra), Oct. 11. — Rather a good number with a farce comedy situation. Allan Fralick is a familiar figure among the players, all of whom do acceptable work. The story is centered around the wooing of a girl whose father, a scientist, objects to the man she wants to marry, on the grounds that he has accomplished nothing. The young man seeing a drunken man on the beach, wraps him up in canvas and shows him to the scientist as a wonderful discovery he has made. Had the entire production been treated as a farce comedy the effect would have been better.
Nolan’s Wooing (Liberty), Oct. 11. — Otis Thayer helps materially in making this picture an excellent sample of legitimate comedy. The story presents a situation of real humor, and as presented in the film is sure of a laugh anywhere. Nolan’s wooing holds at least one disastrous situation, namely, when he takes his lady love out driving behind a horse that was sold to him for a “quiet” one. Otis Thayer has directed the picture as well as playing the masculine lead.
Joe’s Devotion (Navajo), Oct. 11. — Here is an excellent sample of the western drama. In it a full-blooded Mexican excites considerable admiration for his manner of portraying the character of the villain. The story is that of the love of two men for the same girl. The Mexican’s revenge for a trifling rebuff previously dealt to him provided for some interesting work.
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Associated Film Sales Corp. Specials
A Movie Nut (Banner), Oct. 11. — This is a two-part comedy in which a dream proves a medium for various amusing situations. The man who longs to be a moving picture comedian dreams that he is a replica of Charlie Chaplin in appearance, but without this comedian’s talent the dream figure gets into difficulties. This picture is one that is suited to the average audience.
The Highest Bidder (Empire), Oct. 11. — This is a nicely produced drama, bordering on melodrama, its greatest fault lying in the quality of the photography. The story treats of how an unscrupulous employee tried to gain control of the estate of a rich man, whose only daughter was unable to cope with the villain and his accomplice. The situation is saved by the man whom the girl afterward marries. Some very pretty locations have been chosen as backgrounds, and a number of charmingly old-fashioned scenes have been introduced.
The Blind Music Master (Santa Barbara), Oct. 11. — A two-part melodrama in which some clever work appears. Lee Hill plays the role of the blind music master who falls in love with an actress who lives on the same floor. One night he makes a discovery when he hears a drunken man leaving her apartment, and in his fury at the incident he falls, strikes his head on some furniture and thereby recovers his sight. Being able to see the woman whose soft hands he had learned to love, he turns from her to another woman whose hands are hard from work, but whose face is alight with an inner beauty. The most serious fault to be found with the production is its over-melodramatic development.
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Miscellaneous Specials.
Sin (Fox), Oct. 4. — Theda Bara has an emotionally effective role in a story of Italian characters and temperament, produced by Herbert Brenon. A review may be found on page 465 of the issue of October 16th.
Flame of Passion (Picture Playhouse, October). — A fairly entertaining drama produced by Tom Terriss and his company in Jamaica. The locations are unusual and attractive and the story possesses some scenes of dramatic force. Mr. Terriss plays the principal role, assisted by Elaine Terriss, Lionel Pape, Rienzi de Cordova, Alfred Hemming and others.
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Metro to Produce “The Yellow Dove.”
The Yellow Dove, a big novel which is the latest from the pen of George Gibbs, and which is to be published by D. Appleton & Company during the present month, has been accepted from the manuscript by the Metro Pictures Corporation for production on the screen, and Francis X. Bushman will be the star. [Transcriber’s Note: A film version of The Yellow Dove was first released in 1919, under the title Shadows of Suspicion]
The story is one of international politics concerning the present European situation, in which the hero plays the difficult role of a spy. The story, while dealing with circumstances surrounding the war, is not a war picture.
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A Close Call in “The Ventures of Marguerite.”
One of the players in the company which is at work on the episodes of The Ventures of Marguerite, the new Kalem series featuring Marguerite Courtot, will never again be able to find anything particularly romantic about a mill wheel. This player was taking part in Episode No. 2, which was being filmed at Greenbrook, N. J., when he fell into a stream at a point just above a mill. But for the fact that one of the millhands saw the man’s danger and stopped the wheel in the nick of time, the accident would have ended in a tragedy.
Collection: Moving Picture World, October 1915