American cinematographer (Nov 1921-Jan 1922)

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10 THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER December 15, 1921 The Spirit of Cheerfulness Sculptress Ella Buchanan's Conception of Theda Bara's Rummydum Is a Sunbeam Imprisoned in Clay RUMMY DUM, the God of Successful Days, has been materialized by the well known sculptress Ella Buchanan, of Los Angeles, and the secret of Theda Bara's success is out. Miss Bara says that since early childhood she has been haunted by the spirit of one RUMMY DUM, who is a beneficent little imp and who presides over successful days. According to Miss Bara, when RUMMY DUM is on the job the day is unfailingly a success in every way, and she calls her successful days RUMMY DUM days. To insure the presence of RUMMY DUM one must be cheerful— that is the great secret — then he bosses the job and every day is a success. Before she was six years old and ever since Theda Bara has been able to forecast her days by the presence or absence of RUMMY DUM at the time of awakening in the morning. If she is cheerful when her eyes open on the new day the great god RUMMY DUM abides with her and all is well, but if not he flys far away and the day is bad or indifferent. When in her baby days Miss Bara would feel the beneficial presence of RUMMY DUM she would run to her mother with: "Goody, mother dear, I'm going to have a RUMMY DUM day," but she never could tell where she got the name RUMMY DUM. Theda Bara never dreamed of coming face to face with RUMMY DUM, and Miss Buchanan's embodiment of the spirit of RUMMY DUM in clay was the surprise of her life. Imagine having an idea present with you almost constantly for two decades and then to be confronted with it suddenly, visualized in an object of art. It is like meeting one's fairy god-mother or guardian angel or like a dear friend returning from the dead. Two years ago Miss Buchanan heard from a mutual friend Miss Bara's story of the mysterious god of successful days, and ever since she has dreamed of imprisoning him in clay, but he successfully eluded her genius until recently when one morning he jumped right out of the mass of wet clay she was playing with, and now he belongs, not alone to Miss Bara, but to all the world, and henceforth everyone may have RUMMY DUM days. Miss Buchanan's RUMMY DUM is indescribable. He may be said to be a shriek of joy in clay and seems destined to conquer the world. Notable Work in Color Dr. E. R. Walters, of the Kosmos Film Laboratories, 4811 Fountain Avenue, Hollywood, has been specializing in color work for several years and to date has been able to produce fifteen tints, ten tones, six double tones and two triple tones, a record unsurpassed in color development. Some of Dr. Walter's subjects, photographed and developed by himself, show the possibilities of color placing in the laboratory such as could not have been imagined even so recently as two years ago. Of course, the proof of both photography and color placing is to be found in the screen effect through competent projection and it is in this crucial test that Dr. Walters has scored heavily. To put on the screen, for instance, a scene three dimensional in photographic effect and showing three distinct color, tones each melting into the other with a mark of delineation no less soft than may be noted in rainbow is a distinct triumph in laboratory practice. / fr ft Ask About Us CROUSE-DAVIDGE HAROLD BELL WRIGHT LABORATORIES 1511 Cahuenga Avenue Hollywood PHONE HOLLY 2366 vs X Editor The American Cinematographer — Herewith find $3.10 to pay for one year's subscription to The American Cinematographer. The extra ten cents is to pay for postage and packing on a replica of Rummydum, the God of Successful Days, which you promise to send at once to Name Address Place State V