Motion Picture News (Apr-Jul 1915)

66 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 11. No. 22. Theodore Wharton Is Graduate of the "Legitimate" "Elaine" Producer Gained First Experience as an Actor in St. Louis in 1895, Later Playing with Sothern and in Augustin Daly's Stock Company TROPICAL DAYS FAIL TO WILT FOX PLAYERS The company sent to St. Augustine, Fla., by William Fox to screen in the sub-tropical clime the exotic scenes for "The Vampire," based on Gabriele D'Annunzio's "La Gioconda," has met with a very warm reception from the hospitable St. Augustinians. On the day of their arrival the thermometer registered 98J4 degs. and stayed there for some two days. Mrs. and Mr. Henry Muller, proprietors of the Hotel Marion, at which the company is stopping, placed Mr. Muller's 85-foot motor yacht, Hilda, at the disposal of Frank Powell, the director of the company, and Sam Kingston, the business manager. The scenes of "La Gioconda" call for many situations on the beach in filmy costumes and the company combined business and pleasure at a bathing resort called Summer Haven by cooling plunges into the surf. In the company besides Miss Bara, the star, are Doris Hayward, formerly a Lubin star, who plays Sylvia Settala; Jane Miller as Francesca Doni, sister of Sylvia; Paul Duse, who plays Lucio Settala; Robert Wayne, as Lorenzo Gaddi; Victor Benoit, as Cosimo Dalbo; Edward Durand; Elaine Ivans and the symbolic character of La Sirenetta, and three-year-old Jane Lee, as Little Beata. This child's actress' remarkable work in "The Clemenceau Case" will be recalled by all who saw that production. The scenes of the picture have been largely made at the Villa Flora, belonging to Dr. Garnett, of St. Augustine, who kindly placed his beautiful mansion and grounds at the disposal of Mr. Powell and his company. Scenes were also made at the Hotel Ponce De Leon and at the Hotel Alcazar. La Gioconda provides a splendid Vampire part for Miss Bara, who has specialized in sirenic ladies. In the play, as prepared for the screen, La Gioconda wrecks the lives of several men, including a famous artist, and finally meets with a sensational end. "PLAYING DEAD" FINISHED BY DREW The Richard Harding Davis story "Playing Dead," recently purchased by the Vitagraph company, has been picturized by Mrs. Sidney Drew and is now in course of production under the direction of Sidney Drew, Mr. Drew playing Jimmie Blagwin ; Mrs. Drew, Jeanne; Donald Hall, Proctor Maddox, and Charles Wellesley, Carlton Adams, and will be released as a Vitagraph Blue Ribbon feature in five parts. As the character portrayed by Mr. Drew is that of a millionaire clubman and society favorite, he made arrangements to have the action in the interiors in private houses, clubs and on steamships, where richness of furnishings and ornamentation breathe the atmosphere of unlimited wealth. At the crux of the story, where Jimmie Blagwin disappears from the transatlantic liner, Mr. Drew enacted and photographed the scenes in what is known as the J. Pierpont Morgan suite on the St. Louis, of the White Star Line. THEODORE WHARTON, Pathe producer and maker of "The Exploits of Elaine" whose name is known wherever people see good pictures, is like so many THEODORE WHARTON men in the business, a graduate of the "legitimate." He is a native of Milwaukee, but was raised in Texas, where for nine years he was treasurer of the Dallas opera house. Feeling that life would be more interesting on the stage than "counting the house," he joined the Hopkins Grand opera company as an actor in St. Louis in 1895, and remained with that organization for two reasons, when he went with E. H. Sothern. Hi's next engagement was with "The Sporting Duchess," after which he was transferred to Charles Frohman's Empire theatre company, which at that time was famous for the number of stars it developed. In 1889 he joined Augustin Daly's famous stock company, and later managed "The Great Ruby." Then he became assistant treasurer of Hammerstein's Victoria theatre, which position he held for five years, leaving it to manage Hanlon brothers' "Superba." Wharton was first attracted to motion pictures in 1907 when he began writing scenarios, with what success was proven by his selling twenty-eight of his first thirty scripts to the Edison company who then made him scenario editor and studio supervisor. When Pathe Freres established their American studio he went with them and became their first director. Since that time with the exception of short intervals he has been associated with Pathe, first as director and now with his brother. Leopold, as producers for Pathe. "The Exploits of Elaine" is the latest of their work. Winter Sports Staged in Vitagraph Comedy "Love, Snow and Ice," Now Showing to Large Houses in New York, Presents Pictures of Life in Adirondacks as Elopement Background A DIVERSITY of subjects, »;very one a feature, will characterize the program arranged for the Vitagraph theatre for the week commencing Sunday, May 30. The Broadway star feature, "Love, Snow and Ice," a three-part comedy of merry chases and winter sports, with scenes iaid in the Adirondacks, is the feature that heads the program only on account of its greater length. "Love, Snow and Ice" was written and produced by Wally Van and enacted by Mr. Van, Nitra Frazer, Albert Roccardi and Donald MacBride, who were ably assisted by participants in the Ice Carnival and parade at Saranac Lake, N. Y. An elopement serves as the theme for "Love, Snow and Ice," while a pursuit on skates and skiis and by sleigh, toboggan and ice boat adds the thrills that are scenically background by remarkable winter scenes and exterior and interior views of the beautiful ice palace during a masqued ball. The action is swift and the comedy fast and furious. "The Goddess," the Vitagraph serial produced by Ralph W. Ince, that has taken New York City picture fans by storm, has the initial showing of the succeeding chapters, in two parts, on Sunday, one day ahead of the regular release, and this is attracting capacity audiences. For the week commencing Sunday, May 30, Chapter Four of "The Goddess" will be the second feature of the program and will introduce sev eral new characters that further the adventures of Celestia (Anita Stewart), an angel from heaven, and Tommy Barclay (Earle Williams) on their arrival in New York City. FILM MEN EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR OLDKNOW Film exchange men over the entire South have extended sympathy to William Oldknow, manager of the Consolidated Film and Supply Company's Atlanta office, in the death of his wife, who died on May 16. New Orleans exhibitors and exchange men knew Mr. and Mrs. Oldknow very well and the announcement of the latter's sudden death shocked any number of their Crescent City friends, who have extended their sincerest sympathy to Mr. Oldknow in his hour of bereavement. BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORDS WITH "COLLEGE WIDOW" The Adelphi theatre, located on Broadway at 86th street, one of the finest residential districts in New York City, broke all box office records last week, when Lubin's "The College Widow" was shown. The business done with this feature exceeded by fifty dollars the box office receipts on any feature previously exhibited.