William T. Carleton (1916) 🇺🇸

Of all the members of the supporting cast in Gloria’s Romance, the great George Kleine motion picture novel, featuring Billie Burke, perhaps none has received more favorable comment from photoplay fans and and caused more discussion among exhibitors than William T. Carleton, who enacts the role of Pierpont Stafford, Gloria’s father.

He is the same William T. Carleton, who starred for years as the head of the Carleton Opera Company, which toured the United States from coast to coast and from Canada to the Gulf. Born in London, England, he early in life developed a vocal talent that attracted the attention of Sir Julius Benedict, who was the teacher of Queen Victoria and the royal family. Now Carleton’s parents were Quakers and had a most deep seated aversion to anything pertaining to the theater, so they objected to his even considering an operatic career, but he finally succeeded in overcoming their objections and finally went on the stage.

He was brought to the United States by Maurice Grau then manager of the Clara Louise Kellogg Opera Company, and made his American debut at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, as Valentine to the Marguerite of Miss Kellogg in Faust. He scored such success that to him fell the honor of creating the title role in The Flying Dutchman the first time this opera was ever sung in America. After a brief concert tour, he returned to London to sing the leading baritone roles at His Majesty’s opera house. Following a second trip to America at the time Gilbert & Sullivan operas were at their height, he was engaged to create the baritone roles in this series of operas at the Savoy theater in London. On his next visit to the United States he became a star at the New York Casino, and then organized the Carleton Opera Company, which played successfully for more than fifteen consecutive seasons.

More recently Mr. Carleton has devoted his talents to the silent drama and has played roles of wide and varied sorts during the last few seasons. He considers, however, that his selection for the part of Billie Burke’s father in Gloria’s Romance is one of the most enjoyable engagements he ever filled, and everyone agrees that he has played the part masterful manner.

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Goldfish Goes to Coast.

Samuel Goldfish, chairman of the board of directors of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, who left last week for the studios of the Lasky Company at Hollywood, Cal., will devote a considerable portion of his transcontinental trip to a survey of motion picture conditions in various sections of the United States. Mr. Goldfish, in the future as in the past, intends to devote unusual concentration and study to general trade conditions, not only in the United States and Canada, but throughout the world.

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Robert Grau Dead.

Robert Grau, many years prominent in the theatrical world, died at his home in Mount Vernon, N. Y., on Tuesday. August 8. The immediate cause of death was an overdose of morphine taken to obtain relief from insomnia from which the deceased was a sufferer. During the past few years Mr. Grau had devoted considerable attention to motion pictures.

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Nance O’Neill Marries Alfred Hickman.

Nance O’Neill, well known actress, who has appeared in a number of motion picture features, was married to Alfred Hickman on Friday, August 11, at the home of a friend at New Rochelle. Mr. Hickman has been appearing in pictures with Miss O’Neill. They will make their home at Bayside, N. Y.

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Joseph H. Lynch

Joseph H. Lynch, favorably known in the film world for many years, has been appointed general manager of the Unity Film Service for New York State and northern New Jersey, handling the productions of the Unity Sales Corporation. The first offering to the exhibitors will be the sixteen-episode serial entitled The Yellow Menace, to be followed later on with features and comedies.

Mr. Lynch was born of revolutionary ancestry — Thomas Lynch, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, being one of his forebears — in Middletown, Conn., where he attended the local high school graduating afterward from Huntsinger’s Business College in Hartford, Conn. Mr. Lynch’s long connection with Metro as a special representative has made him a host of friends especially among the exhibitors, who always appreciated his policy of courteous treatment and a square deal. This latest appointment to a responsible position is viewed by Mr. Lynch’s friends as a distinct advancement won strictly on a basis of merit. His popularity with the exhibitors, his straightforward business dealings and his genial good humor are the assets which make his success in the new position a moral certainty.

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Florida Feature Films Absorbs Field Feature Films

It has been officially announced that the Field Feature Films, with studios at Miami, Florida, has been absorbed by a new company and the name changed to Florida Feature Films. All of the property holdings and the three five-reel features already completed and ready for state rights distribution have been transferred to the new company. It is stated on the highest authority that the change in name has been occasioned by the control of the company passing to Thomas J. Peters, a Florida capitalist.

The features already produced — The Human Orchid, The Toll of Justice and Fate’s Chessboard — will be released via the state rights plan as originally intended. These will be followed by other productions that will be marketed the same manner.

Announcement has also been made by the new company that it has established a New York sales office in the Candler Building Annex at 218 West Forty-second street, in charge of M. M. Feely, where screen examinations of their features can be made without delay.

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Advertising Scheme for Features.

Mitchell Fitzer of the Happy Hour theatre, known as a successful and enterprising exhibitor in Syracuse, N. Y., claims to have evolved a novel advertising plan for features, which in his belief will go a good ways in insuring or as the case may be in doubling the ordinary success of a feature. This novel plan, which was born of Mr. Fitzer’s long and practical experience, will be found effective, he claims, upon the slightest investigation.

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Bernfield Marries and Migrates.

Wedding bells rang out early in the week for genial Sam Bernfield, head of the Pathé exchange in Boston, but now to have a wider field on the Coast distributing the Mary Pickford pictures. His bride, formerly Elizabeth J. Snyder, is accomplished and attractive. Mr. Bernfield has made many friends in New England who will regret his departure. He will cover California, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona, making San Francisco his headquarters.

Collection: Moving Picture World, August 1916