Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

January 1, 1927 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 35 Marion Davies Announced in Barrie Drama “Quality Street,” one of Sir James Barrie’s most brilliant contributions to literature, will be Marion Davies’ next starring picture for Metro-GoldwynMeyer, according to an announcement last week by Irving Thalberg. Franklin to Direct Sidney Franklin, wbo directed Miss Davies in “Beverly of Graustark,” will handle the megaphone for the new film. “Quality Street” will be put in production at the M-G-M studios immediately after the completion of the current Marion Davies production, “Tillie the Toiler,” a film adaptation of the newspaper cartoon series, which Hobart Henley is directing. Ford Sterling Signs to Stay With Famous Ford Sterling, Paramount featured comedian, has signed his name on the dotted line to remain with Famous PlayersLasky for an extended period. His first assignment under his new contract will be a role in “Looie the Fourteenth,” second only in importance to that of Wallace Beery, who will be starred in the title role, according to announcement by B. P. Schulberg, West Coast executive for Famous Players-Lasky. At present Sterling is playing a featured part in Beery’s first Paramount starring vehicle, “Casey at the Bat.” Johnny Walker in a New Sterling Film A print of the new Sterling melodrama, “Wolves of the Air,” from the story by J. Francis O’Fearna, has been received at the offices of Sterling Pictures Distributing Corporation. After viewing it, Henry Ginsberg, president of Sterling, pronounced it the equal of any picture he has released. It is filled to the brim with punches, thrills and sensational air shots. Johnnie Walker and Mildred Harris are the featured players, with Gayne Whitman, Lois Boyd, Maurice Costello, Jay Hunt and Edmund Cobb in important roles, Francis Ford directed. It is being prepared for early release. Paramount’s Qreatest Studio Activities for 1927 Program More Than Thirty Productions Scheduled for Eastern and Western Ateliers; First Emil Jannings Film THE BIGGEST production boom in Paramount history is now under way at the East and West Coast studios. Within the next two and one-half months, more than thirty pictures will have been launched at the big 26-acre plant in the West and the Long Island studio. January 15 productions will be launched. ing American youth; “Deer Drive,” a Zane Grey Western, and Clara Bow’s second starring picture, “Rough House Rosie.” In February, the pictures slated for production on the Coast include Gary Cooper’s first Western picture, as yet unnamed; Bebe Daniels’ “Mile. Jockey,” “Soundings” with Lois Moran; “Glorifying the American Girl,” Harry D’Arrast’s first directorial assignment for Paramount ; “The Greatest Show on Earth,” with Wallace Beery starring as P. T. Barnum, and the Florence Vidor vehicle which will follow “Afraid to Love.” Meighan Heads List Six pictures are scheduled to go into production within the next three weeks at the Paramount Long Island studio. One will begin immediately after Christmas and the others will all be in work before the middle of January. Thomas Meighan heads the list with “Blind Alleys,” an original story by Owen Davis, which is to be directed by Frank Tuttle, Becky Gardiner is now working with Davis in finishing the continuity. Evelyn Brent is the only member of the cast so far chosen. The starting date is December 27. Gilda Gray Next This brilliant little star appears in the Metropolitan P. D. C. picture, “For Wives Only.” Gilda Gray is to begin her second starring picture for Paramount shortly afterwards. This story will be called “Cabaret.” It will have a New York background, as its title implies. Owen Davis is also the author of this, and Becky Gardiner is assisting on the continuity Ed Wynn, “the perfect fool will begin his career as a screen star on January 3. The story is being written by Wynn in collaboration with Tom Crizer and Sam Mintz and Director Victor Heerman. Final details are being agreed upon and the cast will soon be chosen. Associate Producer William LeBaron has (Continued on page 371 Rod LaRocque and Dolores Del Rio in the United Artists “Resurrection.” Marie Prevost in Pensive Pose The pictures which have already been started on the West Coast as the opening guns of the big drive are “Children of Divorce,” Frank Lloyd’s all-star production, Bebe Daniels’ new vehicle, “A Kiss in a Taxi,” Zane Grey’s “The Mysterious Rider,” with Jack Holt and Betty Jewel in the leading roles. Before the end of the year work will begin on Raymond Griffith’s new comedy, “All Women Are Beautiful,” James Cruze’s next picture, “Looie the Fourteenth,” with Wallace Beery as the star; “Evening Clothes,” starring Adolphe MenjoU, and “Ritzy,” Betty Bronson’s first starring vehicle. The January fare on the Coast will include “Afraid to Love,” starring Florence Vidor, “Too Many Crooks,” with Mildred Davis in the featured feminine role, “Special Delivery,” Eddie Cantor’s second screen comedy; Emil Janmngs’ first American picture, “The Man Who Forgot God.” Pola Negri’s next vehicle, “Confession”; Csther Ralston’s first starring vehicle “Fashions For Women”; “Sheiks and Shebas,” the Hector Turnbull production glorify Bebe Is Jockey In Her Next Film As the next step in her sports enreer before the camera, Bebe Daniels will mount a race horse. Her next starring vehicle for Paramount following “A Kiss in the Taxi"’ will he “Mile. Jockey,” adapted from the successful French stage play of the same name by Rene Fauehois, according to B. P. Schulberg, AVest Coast executive for Famous Players-Lmsky. The play opened in Paris recently and scored an instant success. Old World Drama