Motion picture studio directory and trade annual (Oct 1916)

October 21, 1916 STUDIO DIRECTORY 165 Well-Known Screen Players Appearing Exclusively in Christie Comedies | i^s££->,"i«* Eddie Barry, Miss Billie Rhodes and Harry Ham Featured Leads in Christie Comedies THE names of Miss Billie Rhodes, Eddie Barry and Harry Ham have within the past few weeks been heralded as the leads for Christie Comedies, as the producer of these attributes much of the success of his past films, as well as his present releases, to the very excellent performances given by these players. Miss Billie Rhodes needs no introduction on the screen, for she has been playing before the camera for more than three years. One year she was under the direction of George Melford in drama for the Kalem Company, where she was featured in " Daughter of the Underworld," " Perils of the Sea," and a number of others. For two years she has played under the direction of Al. E. Christie in Nestor and Christie Comedies. Prior to her engagement in pictures, Miss Rhodes had three years' experience in vaudeville and musical comedy. She played through the entire Orpheum circuit, and had one year's excellent experience in dramatic stock. Of her Nestor releases she is particularly fond of " Keeping It Dark," " Following Father's Footsteps " and " Molly's Malady." Miss Rhodes was featured in the first Christie independent two-reel release, " Bride and Gloom," and in another forthcoming picture she plays the name part of " Little Billie Buttons." She is particularly well-known for her work in the burlesque melodrama of two reels entitled " Foiled," recently released. Miss Rhodes has dark brown hair and brown eyes, is but five feet in height, weighs one hundred and seven pounds, and because of her winsome smile has become known as " the sunshine girl of the films." She is an artist at dancing, either fancy or ballroom, and rides, swims and motors. EDDIE BARRY has in less than a year won for himself a name as a screen comedian. He is a Philadelphia boy, and was the principal comedian in "Madame Sherry," "Knight For a Day," "Coming Through the Rye," " Stubborn Cinderella." He had stock experience at Keith and Proctor's, and other leading companies. He played " Mr. Newlywed " in vaudeville, and was one of the original Lasky Hobos. His screen experience is confined to the direction of Al. E. Christie, and he is so original and comedy antics so natural for him, that it is impossible for him to do a stunt twice the same George French> SteUa Adams way. Besides being a Players of the Christie comedian, he is an expert at golf, tennis and polo, and owns one of the best polo ponies in California. Barry lacks two inches of being six feet in height, weighs almost one hundred and forty pounds, has auburn hair and brown eyes. HARRY HAM is the juvenile lead of this trio, and came to the screen without previous theatrical experience other than amateurs at Yale. He played first with Famous Players, supporting Elsie Janis for Bosworth, was with Metro, one of the boys in the Digby Bell " Father and the Boys," and has played with Christie since April. He appeared as lead in " The Seminary Scandal," " By the Sad Sea Waves," " His Friend the Elephant," " Bride and Gloom " and others. Mr. Ham was an automobile racer for three years, driving Fiat, Cadillac, and Chalmers in road and track races. At this he was successful, winning first and second prizes in a number of contests. Although his screen career has been a short one, he made good from the start. GEORGE FRENCH is known in a number of cities for his excellent dramatic stock work and characterizations, he having played on the legitimate stage 15 years. He has been under the direction of Al. E. Christie for more than a year, and always gives a good performance. He has appeared in almost every Nestor and Christie Comedy made during this time, and among his associate players he is known as the minister-actor. STELLA ADAMS, principal character woman, has played leads for a number of motion picture companies following twelve years' experience in dramatic stock. She appeared with Hobart Bosworth and Frank Montgomery in the first Selig subject made in California. She was featured in "When Aunt Matilda Fell," " Making Over Mother," and an excellent part Twixt Love and the Iceman." IjfSRRY L. RATll TENBERRY, playing character leads, is a convert from the legitimate stage where he had twenty years' experience in opera in a repertoire of one hundred and forty-six different ones, playing in all the principal cities of the United States. He has been under the direction of Christie for three years, and never fails to and Harry Rattenberry, Sterling register a finished per Comedies Stock Company formance. in Be sure to mention " MOTION PICTURE NEWS " when writing to advertisers