The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

December 18, 1926 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 495 W. C. Herrmann With P. D. C. in Nineteen UniversalJewels New York City In Fivst Six MontJis of 1927 William C. Herrmann has just 6een appointed manager of the P. 'D. C. New York exchange. Mr. Herrmann has been eight /ears in the motion picture business. For four years he was service manager and for four years general manager for Universal, the "Big U" exchange, in New York. He has a wide acquaintance and is extremely popular with the exhibitors, so P. D. C. may consider itself fortunate in securing his services. Mr. Hermann is a resident ol New York City, is married and has one son. Russian Star In. Paramount Group Vera Veronina, Russian screen actress, has been signed to a long-term contract by Paramount, according to announcement by B. P. Schulberg, West Coast executive for Famous Players-Lasky. Miss Veronina is now on her way to the United States from Europe and is slated to arrive in Hollywood shortly after the first of the year. Her most notable role was that of leading woman in the film of "Michel Strogoff," which is playing on Broadway. Plans for Cortez Ricardo Cortez left New York Sunday, returning to California to spend the Christmas holiday and await his next assignment in a Paramount picture. Elinor Fair brought back a Iamb when the Metropolitan I*. D. C. company returned from Arizona after making "Jim the Conqueror." Olive Borden, of Fox Films, pictured against her Parisian hat. Wallace Beery to Make Air Comedy Wallace Beery, the greatest cliaracter comic in pictures, whose portrayals in "Behind the Front," "We're In the Navy Now" and "Old Ironsides" have made millions curl up with laughter, is now planning to do a comedy in the air, with dirigibles, airplanes and parachutes as the piece de resistance. No title has yet been chosen for the comedy which will follow his portrayal of Barnum. Beery is now completing "Casey at the Bat." His next comedy will be "Looie the Fourteenth," with James Cruze directing. He also will produce "Fireman Save My Child." Ranch House Built In De Mille Studio A ranch house, complete in every detail, has been constructed on the back lot of the Cecil B. De Mille studio for filming scenes of "White Gold," the William K. Howard production starring Jetta Goudal. It is planned to shoot all interiors and porch sequences there before the company departs for Arizona where the outdoor scenes will be taken. Kenneth Thomson plays opposite Miss Goudal with George Bancroft, Robert Perry and George Nichols in a strong supporting cast. Theatre Openingr The new Grove Theatre, Willow Grove, Pa., chose Columbia's "The Lone Wolf Returns," as its inaugural bill on Dec. 2. "Michael Strogoff" and "The Cheerful Fraud" Are Scheduled; Famous Stars, Directors and Authors in List AN EXCEPTIONAL ARRAY of Universal Jewels has just been announced by Carl Laemmle for release during the early part of 1927. Nineteen Jewel productions, including five Hoot Gibson Jewels, and two special pictures "Michael Strogoff" and "The Cheerful Fraud" make up the list. This line-up is hailed as the greatest list of Universal pictures ever scheduled for consecutive release. It included productions by Universal's leading stars and made by the pick of Universal direcorial talent. The two "specials" include the great Universal Film de France production adapted by the Societe des Cineromans from the famous Jules Verne romance, "Michael Strogoff," and a Reginald Denny comedy, made from K. R. G. Browne's story "The Cheerful Fraud." Coming on the heels of the many John Taintor Foote, Byron Mor box-office successes put out by Universal during the last six months, the announced schedule for 1927 is considered by Universal executives and others who have seen the pictures as further proof that the Universal product is constantly improving and that the current output of that company is clicking profitably at the boxoffice almost without exception. Laura La Plante Busy The 1927 line-up includes three productions starring Laura La Plante, the petite blonde star whose ascendancy in the movie firmament during the past year or so has been notable. The list also includes such favorites as Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry, Hoot Gibson, Marian Ni.^on, Pat O'Malley, Billie Dove, Mae Busch, Huntley Gordon, and other film celebrities. Reginald Denny, Universal's ace star, whose Universal productions take second place to none in entertainment value and popularity, is represented in the Spring schedule by "The Cheerful Fraud," whch enjoys the distinction of being the first outside picture booked into the new Paramount Theatre on Broadway. Denny also may complete another special production in time for release during the latter months of the early 1927 season. He is at work on this picture now, under the title "Slow Down." The newly announced Universal Jewels represent the pick in big names in so far as authors are concerned. Never has that company put out a series of pictures from such famous pens. Included in this list of authors are Gertrude Atherton, Johnston McCulley, George Broadhurst, Ralph Boston, Andrew Soutar, Gabriel Rcuter, Arthur Somers Roche, Owen Davis, A. Erode, Ernest Pascal, George Weston, Bayard Veiller, gan, B .M. Bower, Katherine Newlin Burt, George Ogden and Lynn Reynolds. Universal directorial line-up on the announced product reads like a citation of medal winners. It includes King Baggot, Edward Sloman, Scott Sidney, Herbert Blache, Lois Weber, Edward Laemmle, Melville W. Brown, Harley Knoles, Lynn Reynolds, Wesley Ruggles, George B. Seitz, and others. "Michael Strogoff," now enjoying a long run in the George M. Cohan Theatre, Broadway, will officially reach the screen January 8th. "The Cheerful Fraud" is scheduled for release January 16th. (Continued on page 504) "An apple a day" for Vilma Banky, in the Samuel Goldwyn presentation, "The Winning of Barbara Worth," for United Artists.