Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1913)

22 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS JUST GOSSIP By The Mahoney Benny Schulberg. Modest, thoughtful, practical, gifted, inventive, analytical, logical, flowery. Your richly worded "psean" on the Cinematographic art in the elaborately embellished Screen Club programme, is a symphonic blending of word-coloring, worthy a place among the best efforts of the late Robert G. Ingersoll, Elbert Hubbard, Richard Le Gallienne, William Marion Reedy, and other word painters. Keep it up, Benny. * * * * Mahoney Fred Held, tanned by the sun of the tropics and fairly exuding an atmosphere of health and vigor, acquired through strenuous outdoor work, as camera expert, with the World's Best Film Company at Tampa, Florida, made his appearance last week among the Mahoneys who gather on the "off days'' in Exchange Alley. Fred is a true pioneer in the technical department of the industry, with a record of fifteen years to his credit, with the foremost manufacturers in this country. He is not an importation, nor did he graduate from "die Technicum, Ilmenau," or "die Technical gewerbe schule" at Berlin; but when everything is "set," and Fred looks through his finder and says "ready !" you can depend upon absolute focal precision. He has a perfect vision, a well-balanced, level head, and is easily classed among the most efficient experts in the camera world. * ^ ^ ^ Mahoney Hayes Hunter's retirement from the Imp studio has cast a shadow of-gloom over that "Bide a Wee" home for the regulars. Hayes' diplomacy, patience and pyrotechnic method made a great and lasting impression with those who worked under his direction. His terpsichorean antics, waving of arms, and shouts of encouragement to the artists, are strongly suggestive of his prototype, Creatore, the quaint Italian musical director, popular in vaudeville a short while ago. One enthusiastic admirer said of him : "He's the best 'gink' in the business. We'd jump off the Woolworth building for Hayes, and— jump back again if he asked us." Courtly, suave, and smiling John Gorman, known the length and breadth of this country, Australia, and England, is the eldest of the "Gorman Brothers," celebrated in minstrelsy and musical comedy for more than a quarter of a century past. John is responsible for many of those intricately arranged, delightfully illuminated singing and dancing ensembles seen in the musical comedy productions of Broadway. He is a true Mahoney, being one of the first real professionals to work before the camera, away back in the "Nineties," at which time he directed and acted in a comedy production for one of the leading manufacturers of today, who was then in the beginning of his career. * * * * The Mahoney passed up Broadway a day or so since and tarried for a brief moment in front of that theatrical landmark of three decades ago, the "Bijou." The lobby appeared dingy, faded, sere and yellow. Posters of wild animals in crouching attitudes of ferociousness adorned the bill-boards, while the figure of a forlorn doorkeeper was dimly outlined, leaning sleepily on the rail, with a — "Come in; don't be afraid; the animals are perfectly harmless !" sort of expression on his face. Then came a dissolve. The Mahoney saw the house brilliantly lighted, Broadway a moving mass of pedestrians, a long line of private equipages, public hacks, and cabs (autos and taxis were practically unknown) discharging their human freight, the lobby packed with beautiful women and well-groomed men, while at the curb, at various times, stood "Bob" Miles, Ed. E. Rice, "Jim" Barton, "Bob" Comly, "Johnny" Russell, "Charley" Hoyt; and back of the curtain, Lillian Russell (the Madame Recamier of to-day), Louise Searle (with a marvelous voice, who lived, and died, too socn), Eliza Weathersby, Amelia Summerville, Ada Gilman, Flora Walsh, Henry E. Dixey, Willie Collier, Charley Reed, Henry Donnelly, Eddie Girard, Harry Brown, and later, Amelia Bingham and Madame Nazimova. Then came the philosophical thought : "Tempori parendum," And with bowed head, the Mahoney passed on. * * * # The Mittenthals, Harry and Aubrey, who a few short seasons ago occupied a prominent niche in the Melodrama Hall of Fame, are the most recent seceders from the theatrical ranks to enter the field of the motion pictures. It is their intention to film all of their successes of the past ten years and more. Ed Wynard, the veteran, will be their camera operator, and Theodore Marsden, who, it is said, made a brilliant record with the Pathe people, will direct the productions. * * * * With a plenitude of libraries,, and a superabundance of authentic records on historical subjects, how is it that directors will make such glaring errors as are disclosed in so important a film as "Robespierre"? * * * * Where is the "King"? Report has it that he has not been seen at the "Palace" in Eleventh avenue for more than ten days. Can it be possible that he has gone incognito on a hunt for big game? * ^ % # Mine host Schmidt, of the Kaiser Keller, whose reputation for hospitality and generosity is a subect of constant comment among the regulars, it is reputed, intends early in June to "blow off" his numerous patrons among the Mahoneys with — his electric fans. * * * * To Beat the Brush William Alfred Corey is a-going to "beat the brush" in San Francisco, and see how many script writers he can "scare up." He will scare up a good many judging from our correspondence from that garden-spot-of-the-world. Mr. Corey thinks the scribblers should talk right out in meeting and assert themselves, and that the results will be better work and better recognition. Our columns are always open to you for that purpose, Corey, and to all other script writers. The American Film Manufacturing Company promises something exceptional in spectacular pictures in the near release of "Marine Law." Two railroad trains and the ocean-going steamship, State of California, were extensively used. The vessel was obtained for use while lying in the harbor of Santa Barbara. Several hundred school children were utilized. The scenario is by R. D. Armstrong. Leo Maloney, an old Bison actor, has returned to the Universal fold appearing under his old director, Milton H. Fahrney. Louis Fitzroy has been advanced to the position of assistant director to Mr. Fahrney. His military training is valuable to him in the production of the 101 Bison. THE SQUASHVILLE LADIES' FIRE BRIGADE \estor release, May 12th.