Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

February 16, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 317 Miss Clark Starts Work on "Prunella" Diminutive Famous Players-Lasky Star Has Part in Quaint European Picture Well Fitted to Her Capabilities M' work on her next photoplay, "Prunella," for the Paramount program. Her role in this play is in striking contrast to that of her last picture, "The Seven Swans," and a comparison demonstrates the great versatility of the diminutive star. Prunella's mother ran away with a French landscape gardener and a year later left Prunella, a new born babe, on the door step of the home of her maiden sisters, Prim, Prude and Privacy, and disappeared, to die alone. The three old maids guarded Prunella very carefully and she grew to young womanhood entirely innocent of worldly things. One day mummers — strolling players — came to town, and Prunella accidentally met Pierrot, one of their number. He made passionate love to her, and bewildered and delighted, she was easily persuaded to elope. They were married and for two happy years they wandered together from place to place, seeing the world, the people and the gay towns. Then married life palled upon Pierrot and he ran away. Soon he discovered he could not live without Prunella, but when he returned seeking forgiveness he found she had disappeared, leaving everything he had given her, including her jewels, dresses and trinkets. In the garden was a small stone on which was written: "Here lies Pierrette," his pet name for her. Not knowing if she lived, he wandered back to the town in which he met her. Aunts Prim and Prude had died and poverty had overtaken Privacy, so she readily sold the home to Pierrot when he offered to buy it. To help him forget, Pierrot invites a number of merry acquaintances to his house. That night, broken-hearted, Prunella comes back to the old home. Overcome with grief, she sinks, half-fainting to the ground, and there Pierrot finds her. In the weird moonlight she seems at first an apparition, but he weeps for joy when he discovers she is alive and still loves him and Prunella has no difficulty in exacting his promise to abjure his gay life and devote himself to her happiness. Like "My Own United States" Seldom has there been aroused a more generally complimentary endorsement than that which has been accorded the latest Frohman Amusement Corporation's super-attraction "My Own United States," since its private showing in New York at the Rivoli Theater, a compliment which has been extended along to acting and technical staffs and executives alike. More than three thousand members of the theatrical professions, together with a distinctly representative gathering of army and navy and public officials, viewed the screening at the Rivoli and without a dissenting voice have acclaimed "My Own United States" as a war drama that sets a standard for America. It is expected that "My Own United States" will be shown at an early date to the President and his cabinet, together with all other department heads and secretaries. Despite an unusual influx of applications for booking of this drama, the Frohman officers have not as yet decided upon the method of release, whether the production will be marketed as a state rights attraction, booked direct to the larger theaters, or shown as a road attraction. A tense moment in 'Rough and Ready," a William Farnam picture now being filmed for Fox in the Adirondacks. Ray Starts Sixth Paramount Activities on Charles Ray's sixth Paramount picture, which will follow "His Own Home Town" and "Let's Go," have just 'been commenced. The new picture is as yet unnamed, but it is announced that Doris Lee, who supported Mr. Ray so ably in "His Mother's Boy," is again playing opposite him in this production. The cast includes Melbourne MacDowell, Billy Elmer and other well known Ince players. Victor Schertzinger is directing the film under Mr. Ince's personal supervision.