Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1917)

July 21, 1917 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 411 Alice Lake, Star, and Herbert Rawlinson, Co-Star, in " Come Through," Universal Production at the Broadway Milton Sills and Edmund Lawrence with Ivan Originator of the Joseph Stanton in " The Honor System " to Be in Leading Part in Great Feature Programed for Next Release " Divine Sara " Pays Tribute to Pearl White, Pathe Star Sara Bernhardt on her farewell tour found she was in the same city with Pearl White, then posing for the Pathe serial, " The Fatal Ring." The Frenchwoman sent for Pearl and, according to the announcement, said to her : " I have wanted to meet you since I first saw 'Les Mysteres de New York ' (the Parisian title of ' The Exploits of Elaine') in Paris. Ah, if you but knew how our poilus in the trenches worship you, you would feel that you have accomplished much." It may not be generally known that Pearl White got her start on the stage when a tow-headed youngster by reciting " Hamlet's Soliloquy " to an astonished theatrical man. She played " Little Eva " in " Uncle Tom's Cabin." Though very young, she became leading woman in a stock company playing road engagements. After recovering from a long rest ordered by her physician, she applied for a position at the Pathe studios in Jersey City. The casting director liked her looks and employed her. That was the beginning of fame and fortune. She first played in Western pictures, and because of her ability as a horsewoman was soon a featured member of the company. Jackie Saunders to Frolic in "Betty, Be Good" Jackie Saunders, one of the younger screen stars, is happily placed in her latest offering, " Betty, Be Good," released by Mutual, July 16, the play that permits full display of Miss Saunders' frolics of the tomboy type. She is supported by Captain Leslie T. Peacocke. " Betty, Be Good," is a Mutual-Horkheimer feature written by William M. Ritchey, author of "Who Pays?" " Sarello," " The Unseen Hand " and many other screen dramas. The play is directed by Sherwood MacDonald, " The Man from Yale," who was a successful lawyer before he entered the motion picture field, and who wrote " Just in Time," " The Goal," " Straws in the Wind," " Rose Among Briars " and many other well-known screen successes. Camera Misses Rescue of Viola Dana, Metro Star In a scene requiring bareback riding in " The Girl Without a Soul," Viola Dana, Metro star, lost control of her horse at Nyack, N. Y. John H. Collins, author and co-director, caught the horse and rescued the star. Unfortunately the rescue was out of range of the camera. King Bee Comedies in War Equipment In General Pershing's equipment, were prints of the first three King Bee Billy West Comedies, " Back Stage" ; " The Hero" and " Dough Nuts." In the trenches it is said there are several hundred motion picture theatres and comedies are popular with the soldiers between battles. MILTON SILLS, who gamed stellar honors by his characterization of the role of Joseph Stanton in " The Honor System," is to have the leading male role in the next release of the Ivan Films Productions. Edmund Lawrence, who directed Mme. Olga Petrova in " The Scarlet Woman," has been added to the directorial staff. He will direct Mr. Sills in the coming feature. Mr. Lawrence has expressed his great satisfaction with the work of Mr. Sills. As leading man in Broadway productions, Milton Sills was in " This Woman or this Man " and " The Happy Marriage " by Clyde Fitch. He was with Blanche Bates in " The Fighting Hope," and with Mme. Petrova in " The Law of the Land " and " Just Boys." Mr. Lawrence reached the height of his career in the legitimate as co-star with Raymond Hitchcock. Going to the screen he UPON completion of " The Whim," nearing its final scenes, Lois Weber will begin a screen version of Mary Roberts Rinehart's novel, " K," published a season or two ago. This will be the second of the Lois Weber productions released under the new arrangement with Universal, film rights to the story having been secured from Mrs. Rinehart during the past week. Mrs. Rinehart paid a tribute to Lois Weber when closing the deal for the presentation of " K " in motion pictures. " I have refused other offers for ' K,' " she said, " because I have been loath to see my pet novel experimented with by companies who might wish to rework the story, according to their own notions. But when I learned that Lois Weber wished to put became director of the Kalem Company on leading productions, and then director for World Film and Equitable pictures. It was with this latter company that Mr. Lawrence produced ''The Warning" and " The Ransom." Before the screen Mr. Sills created leading male roles in such PeerlessWorld features as " The Deep Purple " and " The Pit." For Universal he made big features, " Under Sunny Skies " and " The Woman Who Lied." Mr. Sill's greatest success on the screen was as Joseph Stanton in the twelve-reel production, " The Honor System,*' which has placed him among the foremost leading men. Coming to the Ivan Films with such a record of successes, it is with a feeling of assured success that Director Lawrence commences filming his first Ivan play with Mr. Sills. it on the screen, I just shouted with joy, because I knew that ' K ' would receive the most artistic and truthful presentation possible at her hands. " For several years past I have admired the work of this unusual woman. I consider her one of the great feminine personalities at work in this country. She is a thinker and an artist, every atom of her. I would rather have Lois Weber film my book than anyone else, because I know that she will bring out every salient point in the character of 'K' with sympathy and vivid pictorial effect. " And after seeing results I was more than rejoiced, for my every sentiment, my every motive, my every reasoning was so faithfully reproduced that I absolutely had no fault to find." Lois Weber for Universal to Produce Mrs. Rinehart's 44 K "