The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

December 18, 1926 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 497 First Woman Director At Paramount Studios Dorothy Arzner Appointed By Ben Schulberg To Direct Esther Ralston's Next; Worked On "Old Ironsides" HOLLYWOOD has given the megaphone to a woman., Dorothy Arzner, the girl who single-handed cut and edited "The Covered Wagon" and "Old Ironsides," two of the most successful photoplays in screen history, was to-, day signed to a long term contract as a Paramount director. Artclass Has Listed Many Foreign Sales Several foreign sales were -consummated this week by Artclass Pictures Corporation, embracing distribution in Brazil, Spain and Portugal and Africa. Six features in the Buddy Roosevelt, Buflfalo Pill, Jr., and Leo Maloney series of Westerns were sold to Jacobo Glucksman for Brazil. Sells Four Westerns These pictures, as well as four leries of Artclass comedies, were «old by Jacques Haik, of Paris, "France, for Artclass to TransDortes Mitjavale of Barcelona ior Spain and Portugal. Max Weiss sold to African Films, Limited, four series of Western features, including Buddy Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill, Jr., Wally Wales and Leo Maloney. Wide Foreign Sales These sales further increase the widespread distribution of Artclass product in foreign fields accomplished by Max Weiss during his recent extended trip to England and the continent, when he sold the Artclass comedies to Jury Metro Goldwyn, Limited, for the United Kingdom. Monte Blue Likes Nothing Better'n A Red Hot Fight An unusually thrilling se■quence in "Wolf's Clothing," starring Monte Blue, the Warner Bros, star, with Patsy Ruth Miller in support, marked the conclusion of that film last week. Monte Blue, piloting a subway train, has a battle with a maniac for control of the train. Advices from the coast indicate that this sequence marks one of the most terrific battles ever staged for a film. Rin-Tin-Tin Star of "Hills of Kentucky" "Hills of Kentucky," starring Rin-Tin-Tin, is in its second week of production. Howard Bretherton, recently signed to a long term directorial contract by the Warner Bros., is directing the dog star. Others in the cast are Jason Robards, Dorothy Dwan, Tom Santchi and P.illy Kent Schaefer. The production is based on the story, "The Untamed Heart," by Dorothy Yost. Helene Costello is leading lady in "While London Sleeps," a Warner Bros, picture of the mystery and romance which shroud a great city in the hours of night. Finis Fox on "Quality" for Inspiration Finis Fox has been signed by Inspiration Pictures to write the scenario for "Quality," the Dixie Wilson story recently chosen as the first vehicle for Gardner James. Mr. Fox's most recent scenario is "Resurrection," now being produced by Inspiration Pictures and Edwin Carewe. Whiskers In Style In Western Wilds Harry D. Wilson, on the Edwin Carewe lot writes "The House of David clan might well rise in their graves should they witness happenings in Hollywood these days. The beard has come into its own in movieland. Every man who can support whiskers is working in the film, production of Tolstoy's 'Reslurrection.' Harry winds up by saying that some of the beards are so long that their owners can get by without neckties. "Art for art's sake in the movies," he apologizes. There is hard talk among the barbers, but they make up their profits, after all, on odd bobbing jobs for the girls. Announcement of the signing of Miss Arzner was made by B. P. Schulberg, associate producer, who stated her initial directorial assignment will be Esther Ralston's first starring vehicle, "Fashions for Women," soon to go into productions. ^ Not only is Miss Arzner the first woman in the history of Paramount to be given the megaphone, but she is also the only woman in the industry to be made a director in the past 10 years. The selection of Miss Arzner, herself the product of Los Angeles, comes as a result of seven, years of untiring labor as script girl, film cutter and scenarioi writer. To her it fulfills a dream of 21 years ago when she was a child at the old Hoffman Cafe in Los Angeles, the rendezvous of almost every motion picture pioneer on the West Co^st. Came to Paramount Louis Arzner, her father, operated the cafe and scores of the, present day film celebrities, almost unknown at that time, would take Dorothy on their knees and relate to her their ' fascinating film deeds. Late in 1919 she came to the Paramount studio asking for a chance to enter motion picture work at the bottom and at her own request began by typing scripts. From that lowly post she rose through script girl on the set to cutter, then writer, returned to editing, at the insistence of James Cruze, to do what is declared to be one of the most nearly perfect examples of film editing in screen history on "Old Ironsides." Then she received her reward in the opportunity to become a director. Glyn Story for Betty Bronson dinor Glyn, wIiohc Ntory, "It," Iiln.<« Jn.Ht been produced by Pnrnmount with Clara Bow Ntnrrlnc, In now wrltlniar nn orlKlnnl story for Betty Bronnon. The title of the new Bronnon vehlele will be "RIt>iy," a »tory of inndem youth.