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JESSE L. LASKY ...... PRESENTS
I 'TheCoVERE Wagon H ffu A JAMES CRUZE production HI
"The Covered Wagon" is a Paramount Picture made by the Famous Players -Lasky Corporation in the regular course of production activities dur- ing the year 1923. It was adopted by Jack Cun- ningham from the novel by Emerson Hough.
This booklet has been prepared to present to the public some interesting facts in connection Price with the production of this Paramount picture. 25 cents
- Scanned from the collection of David Pierce
Coordinated by the Media History Digital Library www.mediahistoryproject.org
Funded by a donation from David Pierce "THE COVERED WAGON"
is a Paramount Picture
and. is dedicated to the memory of THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Tim book li copyrighted 1923 by Famoui Ployen-Laak) Corporation 1 ounti > -I i ii igln, l'. S.« A.
''- II SAMOI \>l MS I \KK> IKHrOHAtlONirji
i Co., ii , Printers, \\« :
FOREWORD
THEY were dreamers, these pioneers; they saw visions and they had dreams. The dreamers are the ar- chitects of greatness. Their vision lies within their souls. They never see the mirage of fact but peer be- yond the veils of mist and doubt and pierce the walls of unborn time. Grief only streaks their hair with
silver; it never grays their hopes. In lace of stone their spires stab the world's skies.
Your homes are built upon a land a dreamer found. The pictures on its walls are visions from a dreamer's soul. A dreamer's pain wails from your violin. They are the eter- nal conquerors; their vassals are the years.
Whatever the future holds in store for us, that story of toil and suffering and final triumph should be held as sacred history by every one who honors devotion to duty in men and self-sacrifice in women. It should be taught to the children in the schools, and the one lesson that
should be impressed upon the mind of every child is, that a wrong act on his or her part would be a reproach to the brave men and women who came with plows and covered wagons in the shadow of despair and by incessant toil laid solidly the foundation of our states.
And out of the granite of the mountains should be hewn
an imperishable monument, and on it should be em- bossed words like these
"They laid down their lives in toil; they suffered without com- plaint; from nothing they created our glorified states; honor, reverence and glory be everlastingly theirs." —Herbert Kaufman The caravan, dusty, exhausted and depleted by This is the opening shot of the Indian attack. hardships, reaches Fort Bridger, where the wed- The redskins fall upon the train in overwhelming ding of Molly and Woodhull is scheduled to take numbers and are about to annihilate it when place. Here Bridger and Jackson indulge in an Banion and the soldiers arrive, summoned by old-time drinking bout and, to top it off, shoot Molly's little brother Jed, who sneaked through tin cans from each others heads at a hundred the fatal Indian ring of deatn. yards to celebrate "the days when a friend could Molly now admits she loves Banion, but her trust a friend." Joe Dunstan arrives at the Fort father stubbornly declares she must marry with news of the gold discovery in California, and Woodhull. Banion, heart-broken, declares he will this astonishing information spreads like wildfire go to California and forget. The gold fever has among the pioneers. Dunstan also brings proof taken possession of a large number of the pioneers in the train and, despite Wingate's exhortations that Banion is guiltless of the cattle-rustling to continue to free charges Woodhull brought against him. on Oregon and lands, at the parting of the trail about half the wagons split off Banion, unwilling to face Molly's marriage to and head for California. Mcily sends Jackson Woodhull, pushes on ahead. Molly is dressed in with the California train in search of Banion, frontier bride's attire, but before the ceremony while Wingate and his followers continue on into can take place, Bridger, now cold sober, steals the snows of Oregon. I into her wagon boudoir and tells her that if he A year later, Banion has made his pile in the 4 could only get drunk enough, he could remember California gold fields. On the same day that some good news about Banion. Molly plies him Jackson discovers his whereabouts, Woodhull, a with applejack until the fumes loosen his memory seeking vengeance for the loss of Molly, also and he recalls Dunstan's message that Banion is comes upon Banion's shack. Woodhull is about innocent of the charges against him. Molly re- to ambush Banion and kill him when Jackson fuses then to go on with the wedding and is about shoots first. Woodhull dies. to start out with Bridger to overtake Banion Jackson tells Banion that Molly is awaiting when she is wounded by an arrow shot into the him in Oregon, and Banion goes to a lovers' meet- wagon circle from the darkness. ing at the Wingate's new Oregon pioneer home.
TUWV uMARSHALL BRIDGER
GUY OLIVER mJOE DUNSTAN. CHARLES OGLE it JESSE WINGATE. ALAN HALE a. SAM WOODHULL. —;
How The Covered Wagon" Was Made
I >• it were possible to tike behind the scenes t fi«- 1 wenl y hej have a bad eye Al " they are II ten
IFmillion motion picture fans so thai they might gain a eemtodl III ehoi i landmen* pet lolly
slight coneeption of the tremendous t.isk involved in I hey can outrun a hoi « up lull They are qu
milking an epic picture such as "The Covered Wa and can turn on a i In le (Maybe that's why they are on
I it the five l hey would disprove the unjustified claim thai motion pic- cent ] we user charge, and
ture producers are satisfied with makeshifts and are care- come up with t heir wicked heads and horns and cv crv thing
is fish It l" less of detail. thai comes to thi ir nel tH y gel i led In one direction, When Famous Players-Lasky Corporation determined nothing can stop them, So I blem that
the picture I upon the huge task of translating to the screen Emerson confronted people was to gel I hem to run the camera. 1 lough's novel, "The Covered Wagon" as a Paramount picture, it was with a full knowledge of what was entailed. Rounding 'Em Up It meant weeks of preparation, painstaking research, gigan-
Cowboys drove the buffalo in herd I ol a hundred or so tic expenditure and a responsibility almost unequalled m across the mountain and down into the level plain where the history of the films. the bulkhead for tip ted, Sometimes Instead of acting as a det errant, this only spurred them the punchers would "spill them." which me. ins that the on to greater eff< »rt and det erminal ion to make this not only herd would split and part would take their own O an entertaining drama of a vital pcruxJ in American HstOTy, generally up hill again. The calves ran beside their moth- sufficiently recent to compel and hold the audiences of to- ers, as fast as the old ones. Three or four davs were con- day, but likewise an historical document on celluloid, pre- sumed in this way, but finally they got a big bunch to run serving for all time the accurate spectacle of the great task past, and during this the actors J. Warren Kerrigan, who of the pioneers who braved the trails across the continent has the male lead; Tully Marshall as Jim Bridgcr, another in the face of untold hardships, dangers and privations. historical old scout ; Ernest Torrcncc as Jackson, took James Cruzc, producer of "The Old Homestead" and after them. "Hollywood," was given the task of making the photo- Thus the hunt was filmed. drama. A staff of fifty or more experts was assigned to Thrills? Well, take all the wild west shows and combine him, and immediately the preliminary work of research them and you get some idea of what it was like. Work? and location finding was entered upon. Nine states Those actors never worked so hard in their lives before and California, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, never will again—for they don't make pictures like this Oregon, New Mexico and Arizona—were combed for loca- more than once in a lifetime. And it was hotter than the tions and data, material and "properties." hinges of Tophct, with alkali dust and alkali wind and salt Much Research Work Done water breezes that burned your face and blistered your lips and made your eyes water. Meanwhile the costuming department was preparing for There were no casualties, but some near ones. Karl the immense number of period garments to be worn Brown, the chief cameraman, wanted to experiment on a plainsmen, trappers, Indians, guides, emigrants, scouts, close-up of a buffalo, so the punchers roped a big bull and cattlemen, drivers, etc., etc. —all must be represented. The brought him in. Karl and his assistant with the cameras Research Department was busy collating data. State His- were in a wagon drawn by a team of horses. torical Socities were appealed to and among those who "Turn the buffalo lix>sc and then rope him right near," answered were A. E. Sheldon, superintendent of the Ne- said Brown. braska State Historical Society, who supplied valuable The cowpunchcrsturned the buffalo loose and the buffalo photographs and data about the Oregon trail in that state turned loose on his own account. 1 le went for the horses. Ennice G. Anderson, State Historian of Wyoming, gave The latter turned quickly and spilled Brown right under advice and references regarding Fort Bridgcr and other his- the bison's heels. Old Ed Jones, a movie actor, a puncher toric forts in Wyoming. So it came from all quarters until and a dead shot, calmly sighted with his sawed-off Win- the pile of material began to assume formidable propor- chester, from his hip, shot between horses, men, cameras tions. - and wagon—a space about a foot in diameter—and brought The Buffalo Hunt down the buffalo. It saved Browns life probably and When the idea of putting "The Covered Wagon" on the that's how they had buffalo meat the first day in camp. screen first came to Paramount, one of the problems was the buffalo hunt. Where in Sam Hill would there be found Scenes Made in Utah in I°22 a herd of wild bison roaming the plains at will? Then Mr. Cruze. himself, went to Nevada and Utah, Then Jim Cruze remembered hearing of buffalos on a big which had been settled upon largely as the most promising barren island eighteen miles out in Salt Lake. So they pro- spots whereon to film the other scenes for the play. With ceeded to investigate and discovered that a firm known as Otto Meek, owner of the Baker Ranch, of probably 200,000
Buffalo Livestock Corporation owned the shaggy beasts acres, largest in Nevada if not in the world —located in the for willing used for and a consideration was to let them be Snake Valley —arrangements were made whereby it might the picture. be used as the principal location. It contains a great lake
If you have never seen a buffalo close up, let me tell you which it was decided could be banl -med torrent that it is a sight not soon to be forgotten — I mean a wild to create a river which should provide the tn m
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which would later be lorded by the wagon trains, everj One thousanJ Indians, five hundred being mounted animal being obliged to swim as in the actual experiences warriors, the rest made up of squaws, papooses, old men - of 1848-9. and so on, was another order. s
Hundreds of Oxen and Horses Used Five hundred drivers for the ox teams—types of bearded, bronzed plainsmen; families of wives, children, etc., dogs, ( been had to be obtained to pull them and so 1 50 yoke of guides, wagon train captains, all were among the neces- ! steers were secured and broken to the yoke; the yokes and sities. chains had to be made.
In addition 200 mules were required, of the army type Covers had to be made for several hundred wagons. no small task in itself. A herd of 500 buffalo was utilised The country was untouched by modern equipages, there for the big hunt scenes. were no telephone or telegraph wires, no trains, no autos. A thousand horses, 100 cowponies with equipment. In fact, much of the territory used never has been trodden
several herds of ordinary cattle flanking the wagon trains by man; all of it is wild and primitive—-in none of it has a were needed. camera ever clicked. a
i Facts About "The Covered Wagon"
make "The Covered Wagon," 3,000 actors 'ped to zero and was many times six below before TOspent three months in the Utah desert, eighty morning. railroad. endured floods, miles from a They Over forty thousand feet of canvas was used in blizzards, zero temperatures and sometimes lack of covering the wagons. food. It took sixty wagons hauling material for three One-tenth of all the blanket Indians in the weeks to build Fort Bridger. United States appear in'The Covered Wagon." The Indians in the picture gave a big dance and They are Arapahoes, Bannocks, Shoshones, and elected Director James Cruze a member of their from Wyoming, Navajos from Arizona. Crows council, giving him the name of Chief Standing Nine square miles of waste prairie were burned Bear. He was presented with a war bonnet by the up for the great Prairie Fire scenes. Arapahoe chief, Yellow Calf. The snow scenes in the picture were made after The scenes in which the 500 wagons ford the an actual blizzard which providentially appeared mile-wide rushing torrent were made at great risk, just when needed. for men and horses and oxen actually had to swim for their lives. In the mess tents the cast of 3,000 ate in three
shifts, 1 ,000 being accommodated at one time. Five hundred bison were used in the Buffalo whole studio Hunt scenes. This herd, the largest in the United A was practically transported into the desert. complete comissary department, States, has now been broken up and scattered and A tents for 3,000, electric lighting plant, developing will never be seen intact again. and projecting department, blacksmith shop, pro-
I rom Camp Cruze, where the big scenes of the perty construction department, post office, cos- picture were made, to the nearest town was over tume department, doctor's office, painting shop, two steep ranges of the Wah-wah Mountains. The financial, armory, publicity and carpentry depart- motor equipment of the camp in making this trip ments, are some of the units engaged. covered enough mileage to stretch three and a half "The Covered Wagon" is the most colossal film times around the world. undertaking of all times. Nothing like it has e\ er
'I he temp' rature during the day was frequentlj been done before; probably nothing like it will
nir.ct\ in die shade; at nightfall it generally drop- ever be done again.
L-4t**,A. RAISING THE FLAG AT CAMP CRUZE
MAKING THE MAIN TITLE i i
THE LATE PRESIDENT HARDING SAID: night shots for this scene utilized enough long ago I saw 'The Covered Wagon' THE NOT electricity to light a town of over 10,000 in the moving picture. I sat entranced. inhabitants. This set covered an expanse of r There was more than the picturesque, more than more than five sorrow and discouragement, more than appeal- acres of ground. The cameras were mounted on parallels twelve ing characters and enthralling heroism. There feet high. was more than the revelation of the irresolute Eight huge sun arcs brought from Hollywood who failed in fitness to survive, more than trag- and dozens of Klieg lights, together with many edy and comedy in their inseparable blend. magnesium flares, supplied the illumination, the i There was more than the scouts who surpassed "juice" being created by two enormous generator our fancies, more than nature's relentless bar- power wagons shipped from the Lasky Studio to riers revealed. Everywhere aflame was the soul this distant location ninety miles from a railroad. of unalterable purpose." ~v%2523&EE2EfiA
Who's Who In "The Covered Wagon"
James Cruze, Producer—Born in Ogden, Utah Alan Hale—Mr. Hale is from Washington, D. C.
(the state of "The Covered Wagon") in 1884. He began his screen career in 1911 and first Started his theatrical career with medicine appeared in a Paramount picture in 1916, shows and afterwards graduated into melo- "Pudd'nhead Wilson." He was a sympathe- dramas and Shakespeare. Joined motion tic heavy in "A Wise Fool" and the villain in pictures as a character actor and had consid- "One Glorious Day." He has a splendid part erable success. Took up directing and made, as the heavy in "The Covered Wagon." among other successful productions, Wallace Reid's "The Lottery Man," "Always Auda- Emerson Hough, Author—Famous for his novels cious," and "The Dictator," and "The Old of the West. Came West himsel f in a covered Homestead." Is now working upon Para- wagon train. "The Covered Wagon" ran mount's spectacular comedy-drama of movie- first as a serial in the Saturday Evening Post i land "Hollywood," in which 50 noted stars and was then published as a novel by Apple- i i will be seen. ton. Another of Mr. Hough's frontier stories, "North of 36," is to be picturized by Para- Charles Ogle—Hails from Pennsville, Ohio. He mount. studied law but went on the stage. He was with the Shuberts for ten years and began Ethel Wales—Well known Paramount actress picture work with the Edison Company. For has an important part in "The Covered several years he has been a member of the Wagon." Miss Wales will be remembered for Paramount Stock Co., playing character roles. her excellent work in "The Old Homestead" and before that in "Miss Lulu Bett." Her Scenarist in Jack Cunningham, —Born Ionia, role in "The Covered Wagon" affords her a Iowa. Started as a newspaper and has man splendid opportunity to display her talents as written over a hundred photoplays. Fur- an emotional actress. nished the continuity for, among other suc- cesses, Elinor 'Glyn's "Beyond the Rocks," Tully Marshall—Born in Nevada City, Cal. starring Gloria Swanson. Started his theatrical career as a call boy in the old Baldwin Theatre in San Francisco. Karl Brown, Cameraman—A veteran of the busi- He began work on thescreen in 1915 and for a ness. Is James Cruze's regular cameraman. long time has been a member of the Para- Photographed "The Old Homestead" and is mount Stock Co. Has the part of Jim Brid- now "shooting" "Hollywood." ger, old time trapper and guide in "The Covered Wagon." Lois Wilson—Born in Pittsburgh, Pa. The stage lured her, and her first part was a small role in Ernest Torrence—Born in Edinburgh, Scot- "The Dumb Girl of Portici." She did the land. He went on the stage in 1^01 in "The title role in "Miss Lulu Bett." She has a Emerald Isle." Ten years of musical comedy touching role in "Manslaughter." She is and light opera work followed, and in 191 1 he leading woman in "The Covered Wagon." came to America where he resumed his career. Guy Oliver—A native of Chicago. He has been He has played in only five or six pictures. His in pictures for fourteen years, starting with the first was "Tol'able David." He was seen as old Lubin Co. In Paramount stock he plays the clown in "Singed Wings" with Bebe character roles with skill. He has a strong Daniels. part in "The Covered Wagon." Warren Kerrigan—Born in Louisville, Ky., JOHN FOX Twelve years old. Played in "The and educated at Chicago University. He is a appeared in ( n y Sparrow" With Ethel Clayton for Para- well known stage player and "The mount. Did good work as "Ek," the quaint Road to Yesterday" and "Brown of Har-
little homeless spirit in "One Glorious Day," vard." During his screen career he has ap
also a Paramount picture. 1 [e is well cast as peared in many productions. He is leading
Jed Wingatc, in "I he ( bvered Wagon." man in "The Covered Wagon." MB*
FORDING THE RIVER. . FORDING THE RIVER —
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What They Think of "The Covered Wagon"
It is a scintillant, luminou . It I incandescent affair, I an he picture in many of ii ath t-il- ing American picture but its spirit of adventure Paramount know officials declared, ("r fames < m i who made nationality. Its appeal is universal, made to all the youth the puturr, thai hundreds of nx-n and w^ uncd and the un-youth who can appreciate the pioneer wonders out on the prairies undergoing hard hipe foi months to built that have up the West To miss "The Covered give this story to movie 1( ivers, those who saw il la t night
Wagon" would be to miss a film that absolutely removes believed it implicitly Ne» York Evening Q the industry from its much-vaunted and over-advertised ''infancy." —New York American.
Wh.it makes this picture so genuinely worth while i Its
pioneer il.i . atmosphere of , n Bjpirtt Ol " til adventure, fre For natural comedy and downright human touch it is un- ol breaking new soil, of blaring h trail . surpassed. It is an enthralling spectacle, a tense and mov- of digging lor gold Herein it Is history recounted and
it ol ing drama of picturesque human interest, that take h made vivid. Herein reaches heights sin place among the modern masterpieces of screen art. rugged beauty, is magnificent and gripping and tomes near New York Journal of Commerce. to being an American epic. —New York Globe.
Perhaps it is because the Mr**] of pioneers is in our veins There is one adjective that one thinks of first. That that we acclaim "The Covered Wagon" as America's gi adjective is "honest." The picture is honest in its sim- est motion picture. It is an enduring record of the great- plicity, in its fidelity, in its sincerity and in its regard for ness of our American heritage. It should be shown to the importance of its theme. It has been extensively every citizen of this Republic. New York Commercial. advertised and exploited. Well, for once the advertise- — ments don't lie. "The Covered Wagon" is worthy of the best in the way of superlatives that its press agents have to offer. New York Herald. — An epic of stobbornncss and courage. Also it is one of the most thrilling moving pictures we have ever
You should not miss this picture. It has something for In this instance superlatives find justification and such everyone. —New York Daily News. tried and trusty terms as "immense," "gigantic," "heroic," correctly describe the scale of this Paramount production. We have heard a lot about "bigger and better" pictures Not only is epic "The Covered Wagon" is both. —New York Morning "The Covered Wagon" an pictorially Telegraph. eulogizing the early western pioneers, but it is a mar-
velous tribute to steadfast woman epitomised in the i knighting her victor with affectionate embrace so lull of
It gives you something detailed and definite for your inter- meaning as the plough strikes the snow covered ground < f est to center upon. Its scenes speak to you. Many of Oregon. It is worth all and more than the advance in- them have the quality of greatness. They are unforget- formation vouchsafed. Paramount has eclipsed itself and table. —New York Times. takes front rank with the truly inspired master product i. ms of the year with "The Covered Wagon." — Los Angeles Hxprew. It is doubtful if even the officials of the Paramount com- pany, who voted for this one the largest advertising appro- priation ever spent on any of their pictures, knew what a If you want to have a deeper appreciation of the land in tremendous impression the picture would make. It is the which you live, if you want to realize something of the first real American epic of the screen. —New York Tribune. stmggle and the toil that has gone to make the paradise
of the West, if you want to feel coming a< << the silver- sheet the bigness and the vastness of the crude wild.
where men fought and bled and conquered, I would recom- We take great pleasure in throwing back our head on this mendto you, "The Covered Wagon."—Los Angeles Times. occasion and uttering a piercing "Bravo " in recognition of the arrival from one of our own cinema camps of a pic- ture play which is as good as gold. This sounds as if we had been carried away in our enthusiasm over a motion There is a rhythm of empire building about the whole picture. That is no dream. We have been. —New York which is impelling. Ideals and adventures go hand in World hand and romance winds throughout the dim with p- tent theme. Death and hirth, hardships and rollicking
[ i imes v.ir v the ; of the picture. Lctmc.:
A marvelous tribute to the breed of real men and women you that thi - film is r» >t merely a super mi n m, far ir who settled the Northwest. Everyone should K- satisfied It is tangible evidence of the heights to which human with the results even to the extent of rising and giving nature may rise in searching for ii three cheers and a tiger. —New York Evening Journal. Examiner. — — . —— — —
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I can recall at the moment only one film alongside of which Paramount has kept faith with the public. "The Co\ ere> this celluloid takes its place and that one is Griffith's im- Wagon" is a magnificent achievement—monumental in its mortal 'Birth of a Nation." What the Griffith master - conception, sweeping in its power to stimulate patriotism piece did permanently to establish a certain colorful and heighten the imagination. It is a work which is accu- period in the history of the South, so the Cruze production rate, which carries superb coloring and vital action, which does for the West. Another way of recording the triumph is a living, throbbing page from history. It is Paramount's which the photodrama is surely to attain is the fact that biggest and best document, which ranks with "The Birth a print of it will be placed in the Smithsonian Institution of a Nation" in its epochal record of America in the making. for safe-keeping for the coming generations of Americans. —Motion Picture News. —Los Angeles Herald.
One of the greatest, if not the greatest, production in the "The Covered Wagon" represents, in the opinion of this history of the industry. With a more than capable cast, reviewer, the finest picture of America by Americans. It an utter disregard for costs in the preparation of the mas- is a magnificent and thrilling spectacle. We recommend it sive settings, the retention of the historical atmosphere in unqualifiedly to everyone whatever his taste in the theatre a manner almost magical, "The Covered Wagon" has to or in movies.—New York Sun. the nth degree every point of appeal that could be de- 1 manded by the most critical audience. No man, woman 3 or child of thinking age can sit through a showing of this picture without leaving the theatre a better American. John S. Spargo in Exhibitors Herald. With great artistic skill this thrilling period of American history is pictured. The production leaves one with a genuine feeling of patriotic love and admiration.—New York Evening Post.
In many ways "The Covered Wagon" is the great American picture. Never have we seen a picture in which theme and character and situation seemed to blend more perfectly. "The Covered Wagon" is a great picture, not so much be- It has everything necessary to make it an overwhelming cause it is based upon a magnificent theme as because it success. It is one of the few big pictures of screen his- has been produced with genuine skill. They have re- frained from trimming Mr. Hough's story with any movie tory; and it marks a tremendous leap forward in the progress of this art and this industry. Exhibitors Trade hokum. Life. Review.
One of the most notable accomplishments of the American film. An eloquent document on Americanization. Prob- "The Covered Wagon" typifies screen progress and sets a ably no other picture ever screened contained the depth new production mark to shoot at. It meets the challenge Dean, of action of "The Covered Wagon."—James W. of the public for better, and still better, pictures. And it Newspaper Enterprise Association. achieves these things without sacrificing one single clement of entertainment value. Every picture theatre in the United States ought eventually to show this picture.
Every person in the country should see it. Exhibitors Trade Review. Here is a photo play told in pictures. If it didn't have a sub-title it would be intelligible. It is free from "cut- backs," close-ups and all the other old tricks. And as its photography is superior to anything yet shown it is en- The tale is as big as a Walt Whitman poem, as superb in titled to be regarded as the highwatcr mark of the cinema. its homespun dignity and courage as a speech by Abe Lin- —Karl K. Kitchen, World Syndicate. coln. Just think of the film which has given you the big-
gest thrill you ever had. No matter which one it may
happen to have been "The Covered Wagon" eclipses it completely. A new frontier has been reached and a new standard set up in motion pictures. —New York Evening I he Covered Wagon" is a rival of "The Birth of a Nation" as the (.rcat American Picture. Small boys will cheer, Telegram Old boys will feel a re-awakening of true patriotism love of the "il of America—as they watch it, -Lewis F.
in ni A/.ir it W cekly. Ai lai we have a motion picture that was not made up.
lis entertainment alone is tremendous, while its historical
mill, i is unsurpassed, il indeed (.-quailed, by am picture yet made. Our National Scout Commissioner Daniel
1 i c as 1 .in* I in .1 l.i with the best productions ever made ( larter Beard, who served a critic in one of the prelimi-
;
I mei i theom Western pit ture nary exhibitions of the picture, is enthusiastic about the
i he li' ni sol Am< m< in i' irevei I a» reni e picture. I le said he was t remendouslj impressed w il h the
in Moiton I 'ii it"'' Journal realism -<\^\ general accuracy ol the film, Scouting.
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THE PIONEER TRAIL
THE tNU OF THE HUNT —
Is "The Covered Wagon" the Qreatest Photoplay Ever Made?
GREAT numbers of people are asking the question whether "The Covered Wagon" is the greatest picture ever made. Some of them link "The Birth of a Nation" with "The Covered Wagon " as the two greatest. This astounding production was made in the regular course of Paramount's creative activities. It was made during the same season that produced such great Paramount Pictures as "Blood and Sand," "Manslaughter," "The Old Homestead," "To Have and To Hold," "Clarence," "Back Home and Broke," "Kick-In," "Java Head," "Bella Donna," "Grumpy," "Prodigal Daughters," "The K_ = Ne'er-Do-Well," "Hollywood," "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife," "The Rustle of Silk," "Only 38," "The Woman with Four Faces" "The Cheat," "The Silent Partner," and "The Ten Commandments." Consider the organization behind these leading photoplays.
Independent directors, stars, players and craftsmen, equipped with adequate resources of every kind, each working on his own creative plans and calling on the tremendous backing of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation for personnel, for equipment, for finance to the limit.
Motion pictures as one of the permanent great arts of world that ideal is Paramount's most treasured possession!
So powerful is this impulse to rank the screen with the glories of classical literature, music and painting, that in but a few years it has brought envied leadership to Paramount.
And it is to you, in more than eleven thousand theatres, that the ever-new art of Paramount will be regularly presented.
^Paramount ^Piciuras
1*1 i:f***;. FAMOUS \> IKS I ASKY CORPORATION ';4Mt^
: ~^L, ,:L.: ::-. _=^5-V- it's Pa ra iount Picture it's the best