Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1917)

1126 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 16. No. 7 Frohman Stars Rush Work Even in Hot Spell Ann Murdock, Edna Goodrich and Olive Tell and Their Companies Getting Productions Under Way for Mutual's Release in Fall EASTERN studios at which Charles Frohman's stage stars are at work on the picturization of Frohman stage successes for release through the Mutual Film Corporation are said to be the scenes of great activity. Ann Murdock has completed " Outcast " from the story by Henry Hubert Davies, scenario by Anthony Kelly; "The Impostor " by Michael Morton and Leonard Merrick, and " The Beautiful Adventure " by Robert DeFlers, C. A. DeCaillavert and Ettienne Ray. All three productions were under the direction of Del Henderson. She is now at work on " My Wife " from the pen of Paul Gavault and Robert Chamay under the direction of Del Henderson, while her next production, " The Richest Girl," written by Michael Morton and Paul Gavault will be directed by Albert Capellani. Edna Goodrich has completed " Reputation " and " Queen X," and will soon have finished the last scenes of " A Daughter of Maryland.'' These productions have been directed by John O'Brien, while "American Maid," selected for her fourth picture, will be directed by Albert Capellani. "American Maid " was written by Julius Rothschild. Olive Tell's first picture will be " The Unforeseen " by Robert Marshall, scenario by Charles C. YVhittaker and directed by John B. O'Brien. Julia Sanderson is at work under Del Henderson's direction on " The Runaway " by Pierre Weber and Henry DeGorsee, adapted from the French by Michael Morton and scenarioized by Joseph F. Poland. The Western studios which contribute to Mutual's release schedule are as active as the Eastern studios with Mary Miles Minter, William Russell, Gail Kane, Juliette Day, Jackie Saunders and Margarita Fischer, all at work on five-reel features for Fall release, full notice of which will be given in due course. Charles Brabin to Be Director for Metro Charles Brabin, who for the past ten years has been a factor in motion pictures both as a director and actor, has been signed by the Metro Pictures Corporation to direct Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne in a series of features. Maxwell Karger is personally in charge of the master Metro releases. Gripping Corral Fight in "Under Handicap Harold Lockwood and Lester Cuneo in Spirited Encounter Is Scene in Metro-Yorke Drama Filmed on Arizona Cattle Ranch n Madge Evans Co-Star with Lew Fields Little Madge Evans will be the co-star with Lew Fields in " The Corner Grocery," shortly to be issued by World-Pictures Brady-Made. Many of Mr. Fields' most effective scenes are with the little orphan girl who finds a way into the affections of the gentle-hearted old store-keeper of this comedy of the screen, with its blending of broad humor and tender pathos. It is said by those who have witnessed the early private showings of the picture that all the essential qualities of Adolph Phillip's speaking play have been preserved in the transition from stage to film. In this case it is apparent that the photo version faces a long and happy career, inasmuch as " The Corner Grocery " in its original form ran for 1,007 performances in New York, establishing a record in serio-comic theatricals. HAROLD LOCKWOOD, in "Under Handicap," a Western drama picturized from the novel by Jackson Gregory, and filmed in California and Arizona under the direction of F. J. Balshofer, is announced as the next MetroYorke release, ready for showing in August. This feature, which is Harold Lockwood's first western photoplay under the Metro banner, furnishes contrast in subject matter to the pictures preceding it, " The Haunted Pajamas " and " The Hidden Spring," and also to "Paradise Garden," the society drama which is now under production. " Under Handicap " is the production, during the making of which the MetroYorke Company recently camped for three weeks on a large cattle ranch near Prescott, Arizona, securing a setting in harmony with the story as written by Gregory. Supporting Harold Lockwood are Anna Little, playing the daughter of John Crawford, owner of the Half Moon ranch and promoter ot the irrigation enterprise; Lester Preacher's Script Tells of Church Hypocrites Rev. Clarence J. Harris, pastor of the Unity Church, Yonkers, N. Y., wrote: " The Little Samaritan," Erbograph-Art Drama for early release. The plot is laid in a clerical atmosphere, but the church members practise hypocrisy, avarice, selfishness and injustice, using their religion as the minister writes " as a cloak to hide their sins — not as an armor." Little. Lindy, played by Marian Swayne, is just the opposite— a true Christian. Her charities and small kindnesses to the poor are interwoven in the story of the play. Cuneo, as Brayley, the Branch foreman ; William Clifford, as Roger Hapgood, companion to Conniston in his idle days ; W. H. Bainbridge, as John Crawford, and James Youngdeer, as Lonesome Pete, cowboy characterization. One of the strong episode's in the story is the fight between Conniston and Brayley. This scene, photographed in a ranch corral after Lockwood had ridden a bucking horse, brought in from the range where the picture was made, is declared to be the most spirited and realistic fight among those in which Lockwood and Cuneo have figured in recent pictures. Mutual Puts One Over in Minneapolis Six of the seven downtown theatres in St. Paul, Minn., showed Mutual productions last week. None of the bookings were for less than three days. The theatres were : New Majestic, Mary Miles Minter in " Periwinkle " ; New Princess, William Russell in " The Masked Heart " ;' New Palace, Helen Holmes in " The Railroad Raiders " ; Starland, Margarita Fischer in " Miss Jackie of the Navy " ; Alhambra, Charlie Chaplin ; Blue Mouse, Charlie Chaplin. Scene from " The Midnight Man," Jack Mulhall featured (Butterfly Pictures)