Camera (May 1922-April 1923)

Page Eight The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry' C A M E R A I Chatter of Southland Folks By.... Harry Bums Charles J. Parrott is driving a classy limousine these days, and when one stops to think what Mr. Parrott has to oe thankful for, just glance at this lineup. He is one of the leading directors of the Hal E. Roach studio; has two of the cutest daughters that the writer has had the pleasure of seeing grow up from tiny tots; owns his own home, beautifully located next to the hills; and Mrs. Parrott is, well, the sweetest .... world. What could any one ask for better than this? Eddie Gribbon is acting in a villainous way in the Johnny Walker company at the R-C studios, trying to put the kick into his work a la Wallace and Noah Beery style. Fat Karr is still disporting his funny acting wares at the Fox studios. John Brown worked in the Chris Martin picture for a couple of days, but, he had to have his trainer with him at all times, Bud White told John what to do, and the bear obeyed instructions to the last letter. William Duncan has written finis to his last efforts at the Vitagraph and, after a brief rest, should be back on the lot once more. LIge Conley was given a breathing spell in between pictures the other day by Jack White. The reason for this rest was that Jack White slipped away to the mountains, in the mean time Lige's bruises and bumps were given a chance to recover while he rested. Cliff Elfelt has some great plans lined up for his units working at the Brentwood studios. J. B. Warner is to go on making the series that he started, and there will be other companies making anything from a feature to a short reel fun-film. Cliff just got back from New York, where he talked things over with his producers. Chris Martin is being directed by Harry Burns in an Indian comedy drama of two reel duration. The company have been working on location, and expect to finish the story this week. Martin will take the picture to Mexico to release it, and bring back Mexican capital to make a series of such subjects. George Nichols is working in "The Pride of Palomar," at the Hollywood studios. Doc Joos expects to affiliate himself with a well known comedy producer. Then watch the fun, for Doc will be busier than a bird dog after a scent, and just doesn't know which way to turn first. Gordon Mullen has joined the Ruth Roland company as character heavy. Gordon is making his first venture into serials. George Marshall is directing, with Joe McCloskey his assistant. They have been on location for the past week at Victorville. Mervyn LeRoy, late of LeRoy and Cooper vaudeville brigade, acts as assistant to the assistant director, or sort of a handy Andy man about the Lasky Famous Players sets. His latest work was with George Fitzmaurice during the filming of "Kick In." Al St. John and a company of seven slipped away from the Fox studios and journeyed up to the Sieri-a Mountains and fished and hunted in the hills. All voted Al a prince of a good fellow — it was he that footed the expenses for the trip. The company have started on another comedy. Jimmy Bryant has fixed up a set of block and tackle to do wire stuff which will mean greater safety to the actor. Robert McGowan is on his eighth "Our Gang" comedy that he and Tom McNamara are making for Hal E. Roach. J. A. Howe now signs his name to all comedies that he produces, just as Marshall Neilan and D. W. Griffith do on their features. Howe is alternating with James Davis in the handling of Paul Parrott, whom the Roach studios have high hopes of making into another star of the Harold Lloyd magnitude. Larry Semon revealed some secrets on how to make successful comedies when one of the spectators asked, "What are the rudiments of making comedies that will be laughed at?" He said: "Let your actors act natural, and put their own personality into their scenes. Don't rehearse them until they become mechanical, but let them ad-lib their action. Start your picture at a certain tempo and never let it drop until the final scene has been screened, and you have a picture that theatergoers will enjoy." ♦ Clyde Cook returned from the East where he had Bonesatter Reese adjust his injured limb and is now able to start working on a comedy that he just started when he met with the accident. Sam J. Mintz, brother to Jack, played in "You'll Never Know," which is being produced by Vitagraph with Earle Williams as the star. Jack Duffey turned to a new line of endeavor, when he acted as barber and trimmed Reginald Lyons' mustache so it looked as though he had visited one of the city's best tonsorial parlors. The pair are working with Larry Semon, and when the boys saw that Jack was a handy fellow with the scissors, they lined up and wanted everything from a haircut to trimming their upper lip adornments. Danny Crimmons played the proprietor of a French restaurant, while Bull Montana ■was the cook in a Hunt Stromberg comedy which Hughey Fay is directing at the Metro studios. Billy Armstrong seems entrenched at Fox's and is lined up to stay there for some time. The funster was going great at Sennett's when they closed down for a brief spell, and he turned his attentions to the Sunshine comedy lot. H. M. Horkhlemer has the producing bug working again and was about the Fine Arts studios looking over some sets and talking things over with some of the people that he expects to do business with in the near future. Art Acord was out at Universal the other day, by the aid of a cane, and said that he is feeling very fit considering the accident he had lately. It looks as though Art won't be able to work for some time if outer appearances are to be taken for any value, as to making a decision. Peggy Coleman made up part of the acting artillery on the Harry Carey set the other evening at the R-C studio. Joe Harris and Vester Pegg are playing a couple of villains for Harry Carey in his present picture. Rollle Asher and Al Santell are taking the Hall Room Boys company to Frisco to film some scenes. Ed Labbe, owner of the Kiser studios of Portland, is a Southland visitor, and Joe O'Donnell showed him the making of motion pictures in Hollywood. Clyde McAttee registered his hundred and forty-fifth butler role, when he filled such a position for l5ric Von Stroheim at the Universal. Chas. (Dick) Rush is directing Dick Hatton in a five-reel western. Hatton is the star, and takes a hand in the direction as well. Scott M. Seal finished al Long Beach where he was aiding Hampton Del Ruth produce a five-reel feature, and with this out of the way Scott returns to the Thos. H. Ince fold to take up his old position with one of the Ince directors. Eddie Sowders and Jack Sullivan have had their hands full supplying the demands of Eric Von Strohiem, who has started working on a much improved schedule to what he started off on "Foolish Wives." Ed Yeager has plenty of help to make "The Harvest Barn Dance," that the Reliable Photoplayers Association are ta hold the 16th of this month, at the Fine Arts studios, a great big success. A number of committees have been appointed and they are bringing in encouraging reports of a banner sized crowd "Buying tickets for the doin's." Irving Pringle has been cast for the Eric Von Strohiem story at Universal. Irving has got to have his hair cut so that he will look exactly like they did in the days of Franz Joseph's rule. Stanley Laurel has hit the mark with his comedies under the managerial wing of G. M. Ander.son. Last Monday they started another subject at the Fine Arts studios with Gilbert Pratt directing, Percy Pembrook as studio manager and Fred Church as business representative. The latter is soon to go to New York in the interests of the AndersonLaurel comedies. Walter Wilkinson has a pet rooster and some trained ducks who trail him wherever he goes. New York artist passing by the Wilkinson home the other day was so impressed with that combination, that he hired Walter and his animal pals to pose for him.