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

Page Twelve Weekly Wake-Em-Up — CAMERA'S News Section CAMERA! MAYER INCREASES EEFORTS TO CORRAL In order to keep up with his increased program of production and to further establish his position as an independent film producer, Louis B. Mayer is gathering together a number of stage and screen celebrities who will be placed under long term contracts for featuring in the allstar productions made by the John M. Stahl, Fred Niblo, Reginald Barker and other units now assembled under the Mayer banner. Jack Roach, popular leading man in the East, is the latest to sign his name on the dotted line, having been engaged by Mr. Mayer immediately upon the latter's arrival in New York last week. While no definite announcement has been made as yet, it is rumored that he will take the colorful and romantic role of the Portuguese in the old New England classic, "Cape Cod Folks." The starring contract with Mr. Roach followed closely upon a similar one recently awarded by Irving G. Thalberg to Robert Fraser who is now playing in "The Desert Healer" at the Goldwyn Studio opposite Anita Stewart. Among the other stars who have been placed under contract to play in Louis B. Mayer productions are Renee Adoree, a former Broadway favorite who is giving an excellent performance in the leading role of Reginald Barker's new picture, "The Master of Woman;" Norma Shearer, selected by John M. Stahl for one of the principal parts in "The Wanters;" and Huntly Gordon, signed as a result of his striking success in Fred Niblo's "The Famous Mrs. Fair." Mr. Gordon is working at the Lasky studio at the present time, having been loaned by Mr. Mayer to play the lead with Gloria Swanson in "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife." TRAVESTY BECOMES THE FAD AMONGST COMEDY PRODUECRS Takes Over Faire Contract. Associated First National Pictures announce that the company, this week, took over the long-term contract which Virginia Browne Faire recently signed with Richard Walton Tully. Miss Faire will not immediately appear in First National pictures, however, as the casts for the early pictures to be made by this company have already been engaged. It is very probable, according to information from the First National studio offices, that Miss Faire will be seen in a number of independent productions before given a role in a First National picture. With the completion of "Whop Is My Wandering Boy This levelling?" the initial Ben Tiupin comedy which Mack Sennett will release on the Pa the program, the producer announced that he has plans for the continuation of this caliber of screen satires, based on the popular sob-stuff drama, which will insure for lovers of the comedy a series of travesties such as have made the name of Sennett a byword the world over. Under this classification is included the popular "Shriek of Araby" and the second of Ben's new comedies, on which production was started this week under the direction of Herman Raymaker, is to be a sequel of "Where Is My Wandering Boy?" It will deal with the Boy's adventures in the city while the first relates his downfall and subsequent parting from home and mother. Tin working title is "Pitfalls of a Big City." Mack Sennett's plans include filming several other travesties of some of the famous multiple reel cinema s< nsations. His scenario department in conference with F. Richard Jones, supervising director of all Sennett productions, is now working out two or three stories based upon "sob-stuff" dramas. THAIS FINDS OUR LANGUAGE A PUZZLER Victor Seastrom considers his best picture was a tragedy of Iceland called "Eyvind of the Hills," made in 1917. It has never been shown in America. Thais Valdemar, a young Russian lady recently escaped from the land of the Bolsheviks, is one of the many extra people appearing with Bert Lytell and Blanche Sweet under Eddie Cline's direction in the Principal Pictures production of "The Meanest Man in the World." Though an actress of recognized standing in ht>r home land. Mile. Valdemar has trouble with the English language even in its meagre use in pictures. Director Cline, recognizing the young artist's native ability, picked her for a small role and was rehearsing her in the action. She was supposed to speak a line which, after she had "lipped" it, was to be used as a substitute on the screen; but the lady's voicing of the sentence was so very far from coinciding with the words to be flashed on the screen that the discrepancy became humorous, as when one would be supposed to say, "Oh, yes," and the words would appear "Gracious, no." i After several ineffectual efforts at getting a proper registration, Mr. Cline suggested to the young lady: "Never mind speaking the words that way; say it in pantonine." "Say it in what?" the lady enquired. "In pantoniine," repeated Eddie. "I could say it in French, or Russian, or German, but of that language Pantoniine I know not one word." "Here," says Eddie, "is a modest actress, for like most Russians she is most eloquent in pantoniine. Perhaps if I had said 'pantominiovitsky' she would have understood." STAHL, UNAFRAID, STARTS FRIDAY, THE 13TH Waving the megaphone of defiance at the god of superstition and all of its Hl-oniened subsidiaries, John M. Stahl started work on Friday the 13th on the production of Leila Burton Wells' "The Wanters,' as his next big picture for Louis B. Mayer-First National release. Ready to begin after many weeks of painstaking preparations, the director refused to be overawed by superstitious beliefs, and opened his first camera barrage on the successor to his latest triumph, "The Dangerous Age," at a Santa Monica seashore location. With the signing of Gertrude Astor for one of the leading roles in "The Wanters," Mr. Stahl practically completed the list of principals for this picture. Miss Astor, who is a noted screen beauty, will play a snobbish society girl of the type most symbolical of the chronic "wanters" in life. Among the other stars in the cast are: Marie Prevost, Norma Shearer. Robert Ellis. Lincoln Stedman, and Cyril Chadwick. Paul Bern and J. G. Hawks wrote the scenario which will be produced with Ernest G. Palmer officiating as chief photographer. Prcbably no other industry in the world harbors and nurtures as many superstitions as does the theatrical business, but John M. Stahl proves himself an exception to the rule by openly disregarding the mystic powers said to be connected with broken mirrors, standing ladders, black cats, two-dollar bills and other agents of bad luck. Thirteen and Friday, said to combine in the strongest jinx of all, is his favorite date on the calendar for it was on a Friday the 13th several years ago that he arrived in California to start work at the Mayer Studio as head of an all-star production unit. SUN OF A SON OF FILM MAGNATE RISES EARLY Lawrence J. Kane, Yale senior, who is the younger son of Arthur S. Kane, president of Associated Exhibitors, was elected recently to the editorial staff of the Yale Daily News, a position much coveted in university circles. He was placed in charge of the pictorial section, and. without loss of time, gave a demonstration of organizing and business getting ability which even Dad never surpassed. The pictorial section had been started as an independent publication, but not long ago was incorporated with the Yale Daily News and issued as a supplement every other week. Young Kane proceeded to make a weekly of it and in the three weeks since he took charge has so filled it with new and interesting features that its circulation has risen from 1,000 to 10,000. The pictorial section is a mirror of student activities, and besides being of deep interest to the undergraduates, is of immense value to the university. With its ten-fold increase in circulation its worth to Yale is, of course, vastly enhanced. Arthur S. Kane, Lawrence's father, was a newspaper man before he went into pictures. "POPPY BRIDE" TO BE MAX MILLER'S NEXT Coincident with the engagement of Patricia Palmer for the feminine lead and "Ranger" Bill Miller for the principal masculine part, Max Miller, president of the Max Miller Productions of San Francisco, announces his next production as "The Poppy Bride," by J. Stewart Woodhouse, a Los Angeles scenarist. The production is to be made with an all-star cast and Mr. Miller is combing the field for the best obtainable talent. Of especial interest is the fact that this feature, the action of which ranges from a western cattle ranch to San Francisco's Chinatown, will present some very remarkable camera work through the medium of a new stereoscopic leans, on which Mr. Miller holds the patents. Carewe Completes Masterpiece Edwin Carewe this week completed the picturization of David BeJasco's greatest stage success, "The Girl of the Golden West." After three months of strenuous work, the word "Finis" has been written to the production which Carewe hopes will be his masterpiece. No effort in either expense or time was spared to make this one of the steller pictures of 1823. It is to be released the latter part of May.