Rosetta Brice of Lubin (1915) 🇺🇸
Few of the photoplay favorites of the present day have had a more meteoric rise to fame than Rosetta Brice, the beautiful little Titian haired divinity of the Lubin Company.
Little more than three years ago Miss Brice, who was then a member of the Orpheum stock company of Philadelphia, attracted the attention of the Lubin management who immediately made overtures for her services which resulted in her joining their company. For many months she appeared in a series of character studies with Lubin [Siegmund Lubin] which earned for her an enviable record and soon caused her to be one of the most demanded members of the Lubin staff.
Always with the intent to play ingénues and leads she accepted her commissions with an untiring zeal, begging at times that she be cast in a minor role until such time as she felt firmly convinced that her motion picture schooling had been nearly perfected and it was not until the question of casting the Lubin V. L. S. E. feature The Rights of Man arose, that Miss Brice presented herself to the inner office and announced that she believed herself ready for leads and that the part of Princess Lohra in that production was the one in which she preferred to begin her career as a leading lady. Her intention was warmly received and she was assigned the part.
The success of her delineation has been written since that release and with the showing of A Man’s Making in which Miss Brice assumes the leading lady role with Richard Buhler, another V. L. S. E. release of Dec. 6, more laurels are added to her record.
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Kriterion Opens Boston Exchange
Among the recent accessions to the motion picture business in Massachusetts is the New England Kriterion Film Exchange at 205 Pleasant street, Boston, operated by the Kriterion Company of Boston. The office is located in the heart of the film district, convenient to the theaters and transportation companies, and furnished with new and up-to-date equipment of the most modern type. The entire plant is strictly fireproof throughout, and has two large vaults capable of storing several thousand reels. The exhibition room is one of the largest in Boston and is equipped with a fireproof, tile booth and the most approved system of ventilation. The company was organized to handle the Kriterion program, releasing eighteen reels per week.
The financial interests behind the exchange are represented by Thomas H. Mullen of Lynn, the president and treasurer of the Kriterion Company of Boston. Mr. Mullen is new in the motion picture world, but brings to the company a large and varied experience in general commercial lines. The manager of the exchange is R. Frank McKay, widely and favorably known among motion picture exhibitors of Boston. During the past fifteen years Mr. McKay was associated first with the General Film Company and then with the R. D. Marson film exchange. He has also managed a syndicate of suburban theaters and during the past summer has managed the motion picture exhibitions in the Massachusetts Metropolitan Park system in and about Boston.
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Metro Boosters Eat Again
The Metro Boosters Club released another weekly food feature at Healy’s gustable projecting room Tuesday night, November 23, in which thirty-five of the liveliest members of the Metro family appeared. The principal interior set used was the Jungle Room, where a practical grill was operated by emotional chefs and waiters, who dispensed real beefsteak and other things. Richard A. Rowland and Joseph Engel were the directors of the gripping feature production, which teemed with action and ran for five hours straight, without a cold screen. Mr. Engel furnished the copy of the spoken inserts and captions, introducing the principals as they appeared. With a shout of “Lights!” from Mr. Engel, B. A. Rolff flashed his ump-teen carat diamond ring, and the battery of cameras started to click. If any criticism could be made at all the story of the food feature did not contain suspense. But what it lacked in suspense, it more than offset with continuity and thrilling moments. Every member of the all-star Metro cast was provided with an adequate role, and met the occasion with the proper tempo.
Summed up, the fireside gathering of the happy Metro family was a unique and notable event. Numbered “among those present” were members of the executive staff, producers, exchange heads, directors, assistant directors, camera men, and the staff of the publicity and scenario department of Metro. Everyone was invited to “speak right out” and as a result a spade was called some very hard names. But the fraternal Metro spirit pervaded the gathering, proving the saving grace of the occasion. There wasn’t a single “dumb act” on the bill, and it was nothing out of the ordinary to see a camera man bob up and proceed to scold and enlighten executive officers and directors alike with suggestions as to how the standard of Metro might be improved. Even the oft-times captious directors lost their temperamental dispositions and spoke in soft and modulated voices of their plans, their hopes and their ambitions.
The demand for the high class feature, the need of good stories, the importance of expert photography and direction, the importance of capable players, the value of honest and clean publicity; these and many kindred subjects were discussed at length.
Collection: Motography Magazine, December 1915