Camera - April 14, 1923 to February 16, 1924 (April 1923-February 1924)

Page Six "The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry" CAMERA I Flaskes from Frisco b? agnes kerr crawford SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.. April 16th.— Zasu Pitts has been confined to her apartment at the Fail-mount Hotel most of the past week with a bad attack of tonsilitis. but she now is improving, and hopes to be able to begin work in a few days in Eric Von Stronheim's production of "Greed." Marjorie Bennett, sister of Enid Bennett, and herself a star of the stage and screen, arrived in San Francisco from Australia on the "Son«nia" last Tuesday. She, during the last year in Australia, has been leading woman for Louis Bennison, wellknown American actor in his play, "Benvennto." Miss Bennett spent part of her short stay in town seeing her sister Enid in "Robin Hood," and later went on to Los Angeles for a visit with her mother and sister. Gibson Gowland is now playing the dentist in "McTeague's" very lifelike office on Von Stroheim's set at Hayes and Laguna streets, where the picture is making fine progress. Off the set Gowland probably attracts more attention than any other man in San Francisco, as MeTeague bad to be a blonde, so he has had his fine and curly crop of hair i" "i ■ i Tom Santschi has been signed for the "heavy" role in the new play soon to be made at Universal City under the direction of Harry Garson, famous as the producer of Clara Kimball Young's best known films. The play, a story of Java, will present J. Warren Kerrigan and Anna Q. Nilsson in the leading roles. The title has not been decided upon yet. "The Daughter of Crooked Alley." one of the best known stories of Jack Boyle, has been purchased for screen use, according to announcement at Universal City. This is one of the "Boston Blackie" stories, several of which have proven decided screen hits. Adrian Johnson is now working on the continuity, and an all-star cast is to be assembled for the production. Walter Whitman, one of the pioneer character actors of the screen and who is perhaps best remembered as the priest in "Hearts of the World," has been engaged to play the role of Father O'Shea in "McGuire of the Mounted," a production of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, starring William Desmond, now being made at Universal City. "McGuire of the Mounted" is an original story by Raymond L. Schrock, head of the Universal scenic department, and was written especially for Desmond. It is Desmond's first starring vehicle under his new contract with Universal which calls for feature production only. With preliminary research work practically finished, designing of costumes and scenery for Frances Hodgson Burnett's "A Lady of Quality," is about to be commenced at Universal City. Hobart Henley is to direct the quaint story of the London of 1700. Animportant cast will be chosen, in which Virginia Valli will li introduced, and also Milton Sills. . Ann Little and Herbert Fortier. photoplay bleached a wonderful light, bright yellow, with the result that he looks like a very large and lively yellow crysanthemum. Leigh Smith, assistant director on "The Fog," has finished his work here and went to Los Angeles on Thursday night. On the bill at the New Portola Theatre last week was a most delightful travelogue of Holland made by the Castle Film Corporation of San Francisco, who have otlices in the Spreckles Building. The Castle Films have been making good and su< < essful travelogues and educational pictures for several years, but so modest is the management, and so successfully have they hidden their light under a bushel that few people in San Francisco even know there is such an organization. Judging, however, from this picture their output is well worth seeing. Al Christie of Christie Comedy fame, Dorothy Devore, Vera Steadman, Hademan, assistant director, and several other members of the company, spent last Saturday in San Francisco en route to Westwocd, a lumber camp in the mountains, where they favorites, and Al Wilson, famous "stunt aviator," had narrow escapes from injury. Bill Noble, cameraman, was partially scalped and his valuable camera damaged, and Duke Worne, director, caught a flying grease cup neatly with his left eye, as the result of an odd mishap in one of the "stunts" filmed at Universal City. The actors were in an automobile that was to have sped over a specially made track covering a pit in which the camera was placed, on a level with the ground. Following the accident repairs were made to the auto, camera and cameraman's scalp and the "stunt" repeated successfully. Jack Dillon, who directed Mary Pickford in "Suds," and who has directed many other notable screen successes, has been engaged by Universal to direct the "Self Made Wife," which will be produced with an all-star cast. Production has just started. "The Self Made Wife" was written as a serial for the Saturday Evening Past by Casts of the Week Richard Walton Tully presents "TRILBY" Director, James Young Assistant Director, James Ewens CAST Trilby Andre Lafayette Little Billee Creighton Hale Svengali Arthur Edmund Carew Taffy Philo McCullough The" Laird Wilfred Lucas Gecko Francis McDonald Zouzou Maurice Cannon Mme. Vinard Martha Franklin Dodor Max Constant Durien Gordon Mullen Laundress Rose Dione Orchestra Leader Clifford S. Saum will do location work for the next Christie Comedy. N. Ragomanovich, head of the West Coast Films, went to Los Angeles on Thursday last to spend the week-end and attend to some business for the company. Mildred Harris having finished her work in "The Fog" which the Graf Productions are just completing at the Pacific Studios at San Mateo, left for New York last Monday night. She will go to London for a short holiday, and return to play the lead in the Graf's next production, "The Grain of Dust." Robert Warwick beloved of cinema as well as stage fans, made his first appearance Sunday of last week as a visiting star at the Fulton Theatre in Oakland. The present play is "The Masquerader," to be followed by several others during Warwick's stay of five or six weeks. His fine looks, charming voice, and good acting won him a very warm reception in his first appearance in this part of the country in several years. (Continued on Page 21) \ ) I" "i Elizabeth Alexander, and later published in book form. It was adapted to the screen by Edward T. Lowe, who wrote the continuity for "Under Two Flags, rhe Prisoner" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Among the well known screen players who have already been chosen for the cast of "The Self Made Wife" are Ethel Gray Terry, Crauford Kent, Virginia Ainsworth and Dorothy Cummings. Mary Philbin, whose clever characterization of the little hand-organ girl heroine in "Merry Go Round" furnished one of the surprises of the season at Universal City, is to have an important role in "A Lady of Quality." This was announced at Universal City yesterday by Hobart Henley, who is to direct the play. Miss Philbin will be seen in support of Virginia Valli in the new picture. "A Lady of Quality" is a (ilmization of the famous novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and will be presented at Universal City by a large and important cast, and in an elaborate setting of historical as well as technical interest. The world's youngest film star has "arrived." She's not quite four years old yet — but she's now a "great big star," with one of the best known directors in filmland. She won it all through clever acting. This is the news from Universal City, with the announcement that Baby Peggy is to make her debut in a big feature play. Raymond L. Schrock, scenario editor at Universal City, and King Baggot, famous actor and director, are now engaged on the story in which s..e is to play, and King Baggot himself will direct the offering, to be released as a Universal-Jewel photoplay. The title has not been announced yet. A big cast of well known grown-up" actors and actresses will support the diminutive star in a seven or eight-reel elaborate special. (Continued on Page 22) From U to You By ben westland