The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

270 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 29, 1926 What^s Become Once "The Medicine Man '* of ^^The DOC^^^ Hollywood, He Now Addresses Industrial By CHARLES EDWARD HASTINGS Workers on Behalf of Motion Pictures UT in Hollywood, where film folks are too busy to worrj about very \^ much more than their own affairs, a director, star or player strolls out of the lights into a gray space, and turning to the next fellow, asks : "What's become of the Doc?" The answer is a "dud." Means nothing. ' Nobody seems to know just what became of the Doc, or where he went, or why. He came and went the way of thousands of chaps, thousands of girls, and had it not been for the overshadowing fact that the Doc had written his name indelibly on the heaths of hundreds of movie people — had stamped his personality on one studio after another — the likelihood is that his coming or going would have gone unnoticed. The soothing hand of "the medicine man," the soft spoken word in a bedlam of sounds, professional advice quietly > given and promptly acted upon, the fascinating personality of a man dominant, the military figure, the man with the imperial beard, had indubitably left more than mere impressions in studios where "Son of the Sheik," "The Volga Boatman," "Beverly of Graustark," "The Love Thief."' "The Better 'Ole," "The Gay Deceiver," "The Temptress," "Devil's Island," "The Marriage Clause," "The Duchess of Buffalo," "The Rainmaker," "Yellow Fingers" and "The Fighting Buckaroo" ramong others) were made. What's become of the Doc? Let's see! « * * * He Addresiea Workers The noon whistle turns 5,000 men and women, boys and girls, out of the colossal workshops of a great industrial factory in the cluster of those surrounding Newark, X. J.; a big automobile has dirven into the great yard and the gates are closed behind it ; a man hops out of the driver's seat and greets the workers in a cheery voice. "Hello, everybody! Take your time, and eat your lunch. I'll be ready for you, with a little chat, as soon as you get back." Then Dr. L. Lee Krauss clasps the hand of one of the factory managers, and they discuss factory conditions until the growing size of the returning crowd interrupts the pair, and Dr. Krauss mounts the little platform built over the back of his automobile, and a ten, or fifteen, minute "chat" is under way. "Movies and Morals" was the topic under discussion when we completed connections from New York City and our taxi whisked us up to the gates of the big factory. We joined the throng of listeners, and thoroughly enjoyed the speaker's interpretation, from actual experience, of life as it is lived in the world's greatest studio city, Hollywood; human little stories of the big-hearted stars — Doug and Mary, and the late "Rudy," and Irene Rich, Marion Davies, Greta Garbo, Norman Kerry, Syd Chaplin, Lon Chaney, Monte Blue, Rod LaRocque and others— the story of these women and men as they are, not as gossip would represent it I Underlying everything Dr. Krauss has undertaken to do in his self-imposed task fsurely a splendid effort when we learn that he is defraying every penny of expense himself), is the insistence with which he drives home to his hearers the fact that they (boy or girl) make a great mistake in rushing pell-mell to HoUj-wood, seeking a career. Dr. Krauss relates in detail some of the adventures, many none too pleasant, of girls who have left their homes to go to the Cinema capital only to find themselves disillusioned at the journey's end. Protect Stranded Dreamers N'arious institutions in Hollywood, Dr. Krauss pointed out when we heard his lecture, devote time and attention to caring for "stranded" dreamers. The Y's and other associations and clubs have their hands full returning girls to their homes, where possible. Some drop out of sight. Tragedy stalks rampant, in many cases. The supply of "extras" exceeds the demand a thousand fold. Dr. Krauss told the boys and girls in Dark's Mills (ONT.), the big thread factory. Dr. Krauss had talked at forty big plants including the Edison plant in West Orange ; Durant Motors, in Elizabeth, N. J. ," Singer Sewing Machine Company, Elizabeth ; Westinghouse, several lectures ; Sprague Electrical Works. Bloomfield, N. J.; the CrockerWheeler Electrical plant, at Ampere, N. J. ; Dougherty Bros. Silk Mills, Oifton, N. J.; Celluloid Products Company, a branch of the du Pont de Nemours Company and the Western Electric Company, manufacturers of electrical instruments. The doctor closes his chat five minutes before the whistle calls the employees back to work, in order to permit the employees to get back to their various departments. Dr. Krauss was born in Syracuse, N. Y., on Washington's Birthday, 1876, attended school in Albany, N. Y., and graduated in New York City. After qualifying as a physician he studied for the stage, played many roles, and acted before the camera twenty years ago for Thanhouser. He toured the world ; took an active part in the Spanish Dr. L. Lee Krauss, who is doing a big work for motion pictures. .American War and in the World War ; has a record of twenty-one voyages terminating in Paris each time : has written many books, including "Humanity," "Human Nature," "Father and Son." "Mother and Daughter," "What Every Father, Mother, Boy and Girl Should Know" and "Humanity's Language — the Movies." In mid-summer, a year ago. Dr. Krauss was heralded by the Los Angeles newspapers as among the prominent arrivals on an old stamping ground, and when Lois Weber was making "The Marriage Clause" and needed a doctor, Dr. Krauss chanced to be visiting with an official in Universal City, and he was rushed into "Make-Up" — and remained on the Coast more than a year. Dr. Krauss is carrying on a work that might well carry the full sanction of everyone interested in motion pictures. What he does is done for "the movies." We need more men doing something for the movies. Paramount Marks Progress Of Pictures (Continued from Page 2(3) comfortable and from every angle beautifuL It is an example of refined taste that still further marks the departure of the picture from the old nickelodeon days. Larger theatres may be built, but it would seem impossible to achieve greater elegance. To list the notables present would be impossible within the confines of these pages. A complete list of guests would be an index of the film industry plus the roster of Broadway. It is more simple to say that "everybody was *here."