The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

January 31, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW tl Los Angeles ^otes of Interest in the Realm of Photoplay By RICHARD WILLIS By special command from the pow- ers that be, Francis Ford is preparing I series of about twenty . photoplays, w hich he is writing with Grace Cunard and in which this clever lady will be a sort of "Lady Raffles" and Francis I-"or J will be at his mysterious best as Phil Kelly, the detective. The first I aie will be The Leopard Lady, and in it Miss Cunard will wear a won- derful set of leopard skin cloak, mut¥, rtc. * * * Burton King's little family l)arty. That is how it strikes one out at his cozy studio at Glendale. The director likes his company and they like him; he studies them and they appreciate it. Under the Usona brand llurton King is producing some de- Ilightful "heart interest" stories. He is at present putting on Mother's Birthday, with Eugenie Forde as the mother, Robyn Adair as the son and pretty Virginia Kirktey as the daugh- ter. It is a simple, engaging story very finely acted. A mother asks her two children, who are married, to cheer her loneliness on her birthday. They have other engagements but meet and recall all their mother has gone through for them; they hurry to her and find their places set and their •mother sorrowing because she is for- gotten. Burton King has infused lots of charming sentiment into this pic- ture. * * * Harry C. Matthews and Elsie Albert are writing the .scripts for Mr. Matthews' big multiple reel features at the Miller "loi" ranch in Oklahoma. * * * As an example of the risks that motion picture actresses run, Adele Lane of Selig's recently anneared in a series of three Venus pictures, in which she wore some draped gauze and on one occasion was in the water twice and had to perform with wet filmy garments. This with a damp atmosphere and in more or less foggy weather. She caught a bad cold of course. This is just a sample of what happens many weeks in the year. * * * Phyllis Gordon, recently with the Universal, is now acting with the Kalem studios in The Raid of the Red Vultures, a semi-Indian story. Mona Darkfeathcr takes the part of an Indian girl. * * * Clever Victoria Forde has been installed as Al. E. Christie's leading woman at the Uni- versal. *** Hetty Gray Baker is work- ing upon two Jack London stories for the Hobart Bosworth company— Smoke Bellew and Son of the Wolf. * * * Remember Mary Magdalene, featuring Pauline Bush, is being pro- duced at the Lhiiversal by Allan Dwan. The synopsis of the story makes one think that there is no actress on the screen today outside of Florence Tur- ner who could so .successfully inter- pret this part as well as Pauline Bush, the silent suffering of a woman who has made a mistake and who is finally brought back to the joy of living by a child and a broad-minded minister. * * * Wilfred Lucas has been out on the desert for a week producing his big feature. Unfulfilled. P>ess Mer- edyth, who takes such an inijKjrtant part in the picture, gives an interest- ing account of what they had to put up with. It rained and then rained some more and then some, and they all got very soggy and damp, and al- though they tried to keep their spirits up, conversation grew very short. However, it is all in the game, and they spent much time watching the sky, and if there was a break they were all ready to take advantage of any light which kindly came their way, and in such wise, and with fifty feet here and twenty feet there, they gradually got their desert scenes. They arrived in Hollywood a "Dorothy Draggletail" crew, and have been us- ing embr(jcation on their joints ever since. Both Wilfred Lucas and Bess Meredyth are giving sterling" per- formances in this International fea- ture, which will go out under the Cri- terion brand. * * * Edwin August is taking a well-earned rest and is going East by his doctor's orders, h'or a long time Mr. August has been giving the exhibitors and the public photo- ])lays much above the average, and no one grudges him a respite from his work, and he takes with him the best wishes of every one for a pleasant time and a speedy return. * * * Grace Cunard will, from now on, produce a split reel or single reel comedy every week or so, or whilst Francis Ford is cutting and putting his feature films together. Miss Cunard will still be h'ord's leading woman and will still write scenarios, thus occupying an ab- solutely unic|ue position in the motion picture world. Her first comedy caused the management to call for more, and Grace Cunard is now put- ting on a parody on Sheridan's Ride and is calling it Sheridan's Pride. * * * Lule Warrenton is making a change by not changing, in other words the directors at the Universal are not able to clamor for her services as of yore. She must not be a society dame, a Chinese mandarin and a squaw all in one week for different producers, for she is now attached to Donald Mac- donald's comedy company and Don- ald has acquired a mighty clever ac- tress and a genuinely witty woman. * * * J. Farrell Mac lonald has started upon the first two-reeler, of which he will put on several before attacking another big feature. The present photo-play is entitled By Woman's Will, and contains some fine parts for J. Warren Kerrigan, Edith Bostwick, Cleo Madison, William Worthington and George F'eriolat. Fortunately, Mr. Macdonald does not suffer from swollen headitis, otherwise he would have a bad case of 'em from the con- gratulations which have poured in on him for his wonderful production of SauLson. * * * The rainy weather has at least given Carlyle Blackwell a chance to give some personal attention to his mail, and it is through the po.st- office that his wonderful popularity can be gauged. There are many unreason- able people who think this busy young director and actor should enter into a regular correspondence with them, but Mr. Blackwell makes a point of acknowledging every person who writes to him, but he will not enter into corrcs])ondcnce with any one. If he did he would have to employ two secretaries instead of one, and spend all his time dictating. He is such a whole-souled, uns]:)oiled young fellow this Carlyle Blackwell, and .so clever withal. * * * There are those who be- lieve that when a performer joins the motion pictures .said performer has a slim chance of going on the legitimate stage again, and it is surprising what good otters these people often receive. Cleo Madison of the Universal has just received a very tempting offer in- deed, both as regards .starring possi- bilities anil money, so much so it had her thinking, but she is doing so well now and has so quickly jumped into popularity that she can see no reason for making a change. She has simply jumped into the front rank by sheer ability although her beauty has also been a big factor in this rapid advance. Lleo certainly has a big future. * * * Edith Bostwick is what is generally known as a "good fellow" and is sen- sible and kind hearted. "What shall I do?" asked an ingenue the other day, "some of the boys stare at me so?" Edith gave her the following advice, "Stare at their feet for a while, then giggle and turn away, it will rout them every time." Miss Bostwick is a stunning dresser and a bright con- ver.sationalist and always has a ready answer. * * iMe.xandra Phillips Fahrney has had the honor of being selected as the representative lady "scenario" writer to be interviewed by the Los Angeles Tribune, who are ]niblishing a series of articles upon the leaders amongst women's vocations. She thoroughly deserves it. * * * Hel- en Case is in receipt of a request from a prominent Chicago photographer for the rights to photograph her exclusive- ly. This is a somewhat unique dis- tinction and it is probable that Miss Case will accept. * * * At times one wonders why Pauline Bush is an ac- tress. She is a philosopher and ac- knowledged writer of considerable merit, t his question was put to this serious little lady recently and she said: "In my writings I can reach a good number of people I know, but they look small when you think how many I can reach on the screen, and Allan Dwan gives me such wonderful chances of sending a silent message on occasions. It is an absorbing study, endeavoring to convey one's inner thoughts by means of expression, and I have often been discouraged on look- ing at my own pictures, but my friends are so encouraging and tell me that I do 'get my ideas over,' and as I have amjjle time to study my characters and can lose my identity in my parts, I hope, not only to be a favorite with the public, but to be a factor for good." Pauline Bush is already an established favorite and she does get her ideas "over." (Jeorge Kleine has struck another big winner with his latest production, Antony and Cleopatra. The critics of San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle, Columbus, Nashville, and in fact everywhere it has been presented, unite in pronouncing it a masterpiece of the age, the peer of Quo Vadis, which was produced by the same company. Thousands of jjeople are used in the war scenes, which ecliijse anything of the kind ever before con- ceived. George Kleine has established fifteen branch offices around the United. States and Canada, each of which is the base of operation for a big tributary territory. From these offices he books in the leading picture theatres, Antony and Cleopatra, The Last Days of Pompeii, Quo Vadis, 'Twixt Savage and Tiger, and all new productions. I le has also conceived a ]ilan to furnish one theatre in each city an exclusive program for one day a week that will be equal to anything that has ever been tendered to the public. The resources of Mr. Kleine assure both the exhibitor and the pub- lic of at least one day of genuine qual- ity. Johnny Williams is Dead Johnny Williams ( h'risco) was bur- ied in this city Tuesday, Jan. 27. For many years he had been in advance of some of the best companies on the Coast and was very popular with everyone whom he came in contact with. He was formerly a .song and (lance artist, being a partner of Tom Christy, and under the team name of Chri.sty and Williams they played all the variety houses of a decade ago. At the time of his death he was 58 years, 9 months and 17 days old. His death took place on Sunday, Jan. 25. He was a native of New York, but had lived in this city since childhood. He leaves a father and sister. Jule Mendel and Monte Carter Great rivalry will be the good- natured tonic at the Majestic and Wig- wam theatres, commencing at the mati- nee Sunday, h'eb. i. xMendel and Car- ter both worked together in the same company in Los Angeles, and now as each is a star at the head of his own company, the battle is on to see who will win the plaudits of their many friends out in the Mission. Let the battle be to a finish and may the best man win. They are both well known and well liked out in the Mission. Music Prizes Offered Prizes aggregating $25,000 for mu- sical com])etitions at the Exposition in 1915 were announced Monday by the 1915 Eisteddfod Association, an or- ganization of Welsh people. The first prize of $10,000 will be given for the chief choral competition for mixed choirs of not less than 150 voices. It is expected that hundreds of the great- est choral societies of the world will com])ete for these prizes, the largest premiums ever offered for musical contests in the history of the world. The musical program will consist of fourteen events, including women's choral competitions, children's choral competitions and instrumental music. A prize of $2,000 will be offered in a military band competition. The pro- gram for the chief choral comi)eti- tion for mixed voices limited to be- tween 125 and 150 voices is as fol- lows: Recit., Haste Ye, My Breth- ren ; chorus. Hear Us, O Lord; cho- ruses 4 and 5 from Phoenix Expirans, with piano accomi)animent, and In- dian Serenade, unaccomjianied. Two ])rizes of $10,000 and $2,500 will be offered for this competition. Prizes of $1,000 and $250 for the second choral competition for not less than fifty and not more than sixty will be given. The third competition for the same number of singers is limited to male voices and jjrizes of $3,000 and $750 will be offered. A special fea- ture will be a woman's comi)etition for the same number of voices, two prizes of $i,ooo' and $500 being offered. ()ther prizes will be given for chil- dren's choral competitions and for contests- ranging from quartets to solos. Mrs. Cii.\s. M. Bki.siiaw, wife of the owner of Belshavv's Theatre, commit- ted suicide by shooting herself la.st week during a period of melancholia.