Motion Picture News (March 1917)

1554 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 15. No. 10 Scenes from the General Film Company's Series Emily Stevens Rejoins Metro for Four Pictures Contract Calls for $75,000 — Magazine Publication of Stories Simultaneous with Releases — " Opportunity " First Film EMILY STEVENS, one of the best known emotional stars of screen or stage, has signed a new contract to appear in four big feature plays which will be released by Metro. Her agreement calls for a $75,000 payment for the work. The series of pictures planned will be made under the supervision of B. A. Rolfe, president of Rolfe Photoplays, Inc., and Maxwell Karger, general manager of the Rolfe and Columbia studios. An unusual feature of the deal by which Miss Stevens again comes to the Metro banner from the stage, is that simultaneously with the release of her first production, the story of the play will appear in fiction form in a big magazine, with illustrations taken from the production,. Such a co-operative arrangement between motion picture producer and magazine editor never before has been carried out, it is claimed, and the result will be watched with keen interest. The first production in which Miss Stevens is to appear will be " Opportunity," by Edgar Franklyn. On the release date ■of the play the story will be published in Munsey's Magazine. George D. Baker will direct Miss Stevens. Negotiations for the screening of " Opportunity " were made by Mr. Rolfe and Mr. Karger with Robert H. Davis of the Frank A. Munsey Co. Miss Stevens's first screen play, " Destiny or the Soul of a Woman," scored a great success, as did her most recent one, " The Wager." Miss Stevens is the niece of Mrs. Minnie Maddern Fiske, and a daughter of Robert E. Stevens and Emma Maddern, both of whom are prominent in the history of American dramatic art. Her debut on the stage was made, with her famous aunt, Mrs. Fiske, when she played the role of a maid in " Becky Sharp," the premiere being in Bridgeport in 1900. Her first distinct success came when, as Leah •Kleschna, in the play of that name, she came to Broadway. Critics quickly appreciated her art and her successes have followed in rotation since she essayed this trying role. In the leading female role of George Arliss's production, " The Devil," she scored another triumph, which was followed by her performance in " Septimus." Her last great stage achievement, one that has kept her in the role more than three seasons, is "The Unchastened Woman." High Praise for Marguerite Clark's Latest Though picture fans are still praising the last two Marguerite Clark subjects, " Snow White " and " Miss George Washington " as the best she has ever appeared in, Jesse L. Lasky, vice-president of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation declares her next picture, " The Fortune of Fifi," will prove more popular than her former successes. " The Fortunes of Fifi " is a serio-comic tale of a tiny French actress and the Famous Players production is an adaptation of the play which came from the pen of the late Molly Elliot Seawell. The War," illustrating Activities of the British Forces " Innocence," California Subject, Is Completed The first of the pictures produced by Norval MacGregor under the banner of the California Motion Picture Corporation has been completed so far as the photographic end is concerned, and is now receiving its finishing touches in the cutting room of the California laboratories at San Rafael. According to studio reports, the picture will soon be sent East for its debut. The picture is titled " Innocence," and was produced from an original scenario by Captain Leslie Peacocke. Press notices describe it as a story of the California mines, with an entirely original and unusual plot twist. Lois Wilson and Albert Morrison take leading roles in the production. Suffrage Leader Assists in Harron Play In working out the plot of " An Old Fashioned Young Man," the Triangle-Fine Arts play in which Robert Harron will be starred on a three thousand mile tour of the United States, Frank E. Woods, the author, and Director Lloyd Ingraham have called into consultation Mrs. Estelle Lawton Lindsey, the well-known suffrage leader of California, and member of the Los Angeles City Council. The story of the drama has to do with the efforts of a youth to shield his mother, who is a candidate for the office of mayor of a western city, from a gang of unscrupulous politicians who set out to besmirch her name. During his journey in search of witnesses and evidence, Harron meets with many unusual adventures, and several times nearly becomes the prey of a seductive brunette, who has been employed by the politicians to lead him away from the object of his quest. Emily Stevens (Metro) INo Casting as Yet in McClure New Series Although plans are progressing rapidly for the next series of five-reel features to follow " Seven Deadly Sins," McClure Pictures is not yet doing any casting for the new series. Despite that, the McClure offices have been crowded with actors and agents since announcement of the proposed productions.