The Moving Picture Weekly (1920-1921)

36 -THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY— Headache? No. Sleepingf No. Posing BY BILLY LEYSER (Frovi the Cleveland News) Time Recently Place There Scene Boss OflSce THE CAST Boy Himself Boss Himself Thelma Herself "gOY, stop that check." "And boy, don't wind the clocks, feed the cat or answer the phone. Take a day, week, month or year off. Draw your pay for a couple o' years, take a note to my wife that I've lost my memory and wandered away — throw my trunk out the window and let the house bum down. I'm not in." The boy tore a couple hundred pages off the calendar, tried to think of something that'd take two years to finish, decided to buy something on the installment plan, then wandered out around the state asylum to play with the squirrels. Thelma Percy had sent in her card to see the boss. The card bore her reproduction which is pictured above. (No. It's on page thirty-four.) Editor. The boss looked so long and often at the card while swiving in his swivel chair that he contracted whirling sensations in his head. The picture as you can plainly see, is one of descriptive attitude. Thelma is either a muscle dancer posing as looking at the muss the muscles are making in her arm, or she had the headache and is seen in the position of holding one's head tryinf to remember what occurred the night before, or she is taking a nap while standing. The boss tried to figure out whether Thelma was a waitress in a Greek classic restaurant or a high diver with a circus. He wasn't sure and didn't care. He knew Thelma wasn't like anything he had out home — and was equally positive that she wasn't a relative of any of his wife's folks. "This Jane," mused the boss as he wggled his mustache, "is either an advertisement for some Rock of Gibraltar insurance company or the advance agent for a hokus-pokus outfit of dancing burlesque damsels. Anyhow, she's good to look upon." And the black screen of forgetfulness fell between the boss and those dependent upon him. He opened the door and bade Thelma enter. "Whither which?" asked the boss. "I'm an actress," answered Thelma. "Art from Heaven?" asked the boss. "From New York," answered Thelma. " 'Tis the other place," mused the boss. "I want to go into pictures," said the girl. "What's holdin' you back?" asked the boss. "An opportunity," said the girl. "You're hired," said the boss, shifting gears on his mustache. And Thelma went into moving pictures. The boss claims credit for her advancement, and for the good judgment he showed in engaging her. Since his family left him he seeks only the Greek expression of beauty, not acquired by the eating of ham and or buckwheat cakes, or food with varying degrees of fat-producing power. Anyhow, and seriously, Thelma Percy is Universal's new serial star. In a comparatively short time she has surprised the picture world with her artistic work, and has been acclaimed by sculptors and artists as one of the most perfect types of American beauty on the screen. She is appearing next in Universal's big serial, "The Vanishing Dagger." Eddie Polo plays opposite her. Eddie, it is generally known, very recently broke his leg. He isn't recovering quite as rapidly as he should, which recalls to our mind that song of recent popularity about a man not wanting to get well. Boy, come back to work. Tke Full H ouse Fi gOM E bright individual in the Sales Department of the Universal conceived the idea that the uncertainty of the success of serial bookings could be eliminated and the run absolutely safeguarded to an exhibitor by an adaptation of the series plan of booking which has proven itself so satisfactory in the booking of feature pictures. It was a daring plan and if it could be put through would relieve the exhibitor from the greater part of his booking worry and would enable him to plan his serials almost a year in advance. Sure, it was a fine thing for the exhibitor, but could the production department at Universal City possibly manage to produce five serials at almost the same time? That was the big question. It was put up to the studios and Tarkington Baker, general manager, who is personally in charge of all production activities at Universal City, devised the plan of serial making which made it possible for the huge studios at the coast to put on five seiials at once. It cost a lot of money, but it will be worth it in the end. And it will give the exhibitor something he has never had before. That is how the Full House Five came into existence. Now a word about what constitutes this full year ive of serial successes. First there is "The Lion Man" with that pair of interesting and daring performers, Jack Perrin and Kathleen O'Connor and a cast of supporting players which includes J. Barney Sherry, Gertrude Astor, Leonard Cl^ham and Henry Barrows. The story was a famous novel entitled "The Strange Case of Cavendish" and the serial was directed by Albert Russell, brother of William Russell. The second serial in the series is "Elmo the Fearless," starring Elmo Lincoln. He is assisted by Louise Lorraine, a beautiful new leading lady, and Gordon McGregor, William Chapman, Frank EUis, Ray Watson and V. L. Barnes. The storj' was written by Henry A. Gooden and was directed by J. P. McGowan. "The Moon Riders," with Art Acord and Mildred Moore, is being directed by Reeves Eason, while Eddie Polo himself is directing the serial in which he is to appear as the star, "The Vanishing Dagerer." Polo is to have a new leading lady also in Thelma Percy, whose sister Eileen has appeared in a number of Universal Pictures. The last serial in the series is Marie Walcamp in "The Dragon's Net," a story of the Far East and produced in the Far East by Henry McRae.