Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-08
A. n. WOODS PLUNCES
INTO FILM PRODUCTION
Theatrical Producer to Put His
Plays Out in Movie Form for
Smaller Towns
BY the PhotopIay Editor

And now A. II. Woods is a film masnsts.
Following a period of negotiations and
preparations covering nearly the entire sea-
son. Mr.. Woods has formally and legally
organized the a. II. Woods Motion Picture
Company, with a capital OF LOOT, 900.
Both eastern and a western studio are
shortly to he opened by the new concern
The chief purpose Of the new company
is to present on the screen the accumula-
tion Of plays which have been produced by
MIR Woods in the past. Among those
scheduled for filming are Common Clay"
The Yellow Ticket" Innocent and
Cheating Cheaters" Prominent stage stars
will be employed IN each picture.
So far as his activities on the regular
stage are concerned. Mr. Woods will confne
his efforts chiefly TO the larger cities. He
viii continue to produce at the Eltinge and
Republic Theatres in New York and at the
new house now building for him in Chicago.
He does not believe. however. that there
remains much profit in the travelling at
traction In small towns When his plays
haN" oui.tNed their popularity in the large
cities, Mr.. Woods says he will transfer them
to the screen and book them for tours OF
the country as films.
In other words, MIR. Woods plans to con-
tinuc the production OF plays for the regular
stage, thereby providing material at the
same time for future screen purposes
That the Ills TO which tine motion-pic-
ture industry is heir are largely OF what
might be termed "a literary nature was the
substance Of the opinion expressed by Rex
Beach when he left yesterday afternoon for
Los Angeles
Mr.. Beach insists that the lack OF atten-
ton paid to the story element Of a picture
is responsible for more inadequate produc-
tions than any--or than every-other cause
The author of THE Barrier" the photo
dramatization of which is playing at the
Chestnut Street Opera House. is of the firm
conviction that until motion-picture COM
panes pay as much attention to authors and
plots as they do to stars and settings the
screen can never reach its fullest develop
ment.
There is little doubt about the soundness
of Mr.. Beach's reasoning Few companies
think first of the story and second Of the
details Of its perturbation yet the percent
age of value which the plot plays in the
production OF the best films is large.
II A. Walsh director of the new Fox pro-
duCtion "The Honor System" has begun a
new picture at the West Coast studios.
Miriam Cooper will again be starred in the
production. Besides Miss Cooper the fol-
| lowing have been engaged Tor roles IN inc
| picture: Ralph Lewis Charles Clarey How
| ard Davies and H. A, Barrows.
The spaghetti era in the life of George
| Beban is at end. temporarily at least For
| the first time he will essay tho role of a
| Frenchman in his next production. Spa
| ghetti rampant, Quartered in a field OF gar
| lic will be displaced as his coat of arms.
| and in it's place will appear frogs legs DOR
! mant three-quarters in a field of feur-de-
| lys.
THE Bond Between" is the name of the
| new photoplay in which Mr.. Beban will
shatter his long established precedent of in
| terpreting the Italian character for the
screen Work has just been begun on the
| picture at the Morosco studio on the coast
| under the direction of Donald Crisp.