Camera (May 1922-April 1923)

Paee Sixteen The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry" CAMERA ! Theodore Roberts, Vera Reynolds. Italph Graves, Louise iJresser. Eric Mayne and others, enacts the various roles in Miss Swanson's support. "Prodigal Daughters" is a story of an ultra-modern girl. Greenwich village scenes, a great gaml)ling establishment, a thrilling aeroplane flight through a storm and a general variety of situations, absolutely unique to the screen, add to its entertainment value. Thalberg Joins Mayer Irving Thalberg, who at the age of 23, held the position of Director General of Universal City, has resigned from that organization and will henceforth confine his energies to the Louis B. Mayer producing unit. The change is said to be the result of Mr. Mayer's unusually attractive offer given the youthful genius, who, but a few years ago, fulfilled the duties as stenographer for Mr. Carl Laemmle. Three years ago he journeyed to California with Mr. Laemmle as his secretary. Shortly after their arrival, Mr. Laemmle sailed to Europe, where he sent back a cablegram appointing Mr. Thalberg the directing head of Universal productions, the position he has held until this time. Returns From Orient Eva Gordon, who played in support of Alice Lake, Viola Dana and Bert Lytell, has returned to Hollywood to resume her motion picture career after an extended tour of the Orient. Miss Gordon has just bi'en signed by Universal for an important role in support of Lon Chaney in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," which Worsley is directing. Sada Cowan With Warners The popular novel by Kathleen Norris "I..ucretia Lombard," has been purchased by Warner Brothers and will make its bow on the screen as a Harry Rapt production. Sada Cowan has been selected to adapt the book for filming. Miss Cowan will be remembered for her work in doing stories for Clara Kimball Young, also the writing of "Fool's Paradise" for Cecil B. DeMille. "Jockeys" Choose Trainers Interest in the great "Three Star Handicap," in which Jack Pickford, Douglas MacLean and Reginald Denny will participate, has been greatly intensified as a result of the three contestants' latest announcement to the effect that they have already chosen their trainers for the comin.g event. Jack has selected Charlie Chaplin, who says he intends training the horse, and not the rider. Doug has picked our good-looking friend "Bool" Montana to help him in his efforts, and Reggy says he will enjoy the assistance of Emile Coue, and thereby get the "better and better" benefit. British Novelist Joins Ince Talbot Mundy, one of the best known of the British novelists, has joined the writing staff of the Thomas H. Ince studios. Mundy, who has a number of "best-sellers" to his credit is now at work on a book which is titled "The Devil's Own" and which will be adapted into an Ince screen feature for early fall release. The book will be published by the Bobbs-Merrill Company which has contracted with Mundy for six novels to be widely exploited by the publishing house. Mundy, whose best known novel is "King of the Khyber Rifles," has rounded the globe several times and spent many years in India and Africa. One of his biggest achievements was a walking trip of exploration across Africa which took him seven years. Mayne Makes Record To be seen supporting four prominent stars in four different prominent productions, shown at four prominent theatres in one city at the same time, is something out of the oidinary. This has been accomplished by Eric Mayne, popular character actor, who supports Gloria Swanson in "My American Wife" at the Metropolitan, Mabel Normand in "Suzanna" at the Mission, Richard Dix in "The Christian," at the Califor | nia, and Harold Lloyd in "Doctor Jack" at the Alhambra, all of which are in Los Angeles. Mickey's Been III Little Mickey McBan, interesting child actor and swimming champion, who has been playing a prominent part in Gloria Swanson's latest starring vehicle. "Prodigal Daughters," has been on the "sick list" for a week, during which time Director Sam Wood has switched things around so that the scenes in wliich Mickey appears have been held over for him. Mickey is now well on the road to recovery, and will be back on the set very soon. Meeting All Comers ' George O'Hara, star of the H. C. Witwer "Fighting Blood" series, is now engaged at Powers studios on his seventh picture, "The Knight That Failed," for F. B. O., Mai St. Clair directing. Mr. O'Hara, who faces in each production a different ring veteran, has for adversary this time in the fight scenes George La Vigne, who has made a record on the coast. "The Call of the Wild" is now being cut and titled. The cast for this picture supporting Mr. O'Hara includes Clara Horton, playing opposite, Albert Cook, "Kit" Guard, Arthur Rankin, William Courtright, Marie Astaire. Jack Josephs and "Petie," clever canine actor. Al to Tour Via Plane To make a personal appearance tour by aeroplane is the latest plan being considered by Al St. John following the completion of his present series of two-reelers at the Fox studios. Al is an enthusiastic aviator and recently purchased a Pacific bi-plane in San Diego. Dick Grace, well-known stunt flyer, who has been seen in several of the St. John comedies, will accompany the comedian on the tour. Al is at present making a comedy of a South American revolution, with bombs bursting in the air every few minutes and knives hurtling through the atmosphere at frequent intervals, hence sky voyages with an experienced pilot along have little terror for him. Judge Wars on Gossip Declaring that eighty per cent of the divorces that come before his tribunal are directly or indirectly the result of malicious or careless gossip about the woman in the case. Judge Summerfield, who presides over the domestic relations court of Los Angeles county, has agreed to write a special article on the subject to be used as propaganda a.gainst unleashed tongues in connection with the national showing of ''Slander the Woman," the Allen Holubar production, starring Dorothy Phillips, which is to be distributed by First National. Shy on Flappers Casting for "Wandering Daughters," the initial James Young production for First National release, has begun at the United studios. Hollywood, so often slandered as the home of wandering daughters, has not yet offered a "flapper" acceptable to Director Y'oung. Booking agents have sent every young woman they can think of to try for the role and are now wildly tearing their hair because they are unable to find a girl who is the exact type desired. 4-Year-Old Starts 36th Film Muriel MacCormac, four-yearold, has just started to work in the thirty-sixth motion picture of her career, which started about tvio years ago. She has been assigned an important role in Thomas H. Ince's production of "Atonement," starring Lloyd Hughes, and is now in Truckee doing her share of the histrionic work in the exterior "shots." Gets Black Eye at Finish On the last day of "perpetrating villainous deeds" in the William Fox special directed by Colin Campbell, the popular French actor, Leon Bary, received a black eye in a fight with the hero. "It's a good thing it came last, because I was supposed to be a bright-eyed villain," Bary explains. Correcting an Error The published statement to the effect that Lucy Beaumont, the famous character actress, had appeared in the stage play of "The Tailor-Made Man," was erroneous and Miss Beaumont asks that a correction be made. She did support Grant Mitchell in "The Champion," playing the part of his mother, and, probably would have enacted the same role in the Paramount screen version of it in which Wallace Reid appeared had it not been for previous stage contracts, which made it impossible for her to leave New York. English Versus American "In England when ^ cameraman is ready to photograph a scene he turns to the director and says, 'Already, old top, everything is in readiness for the action,' " said Fred Esmelton, who is playing one of the leading supporting roles with Ethel Clayton in her latest production, "The Greater Glory," at the F. B. O. studios. Esmelton said that he could not help comparing the British photographer's remark with the terse command of the American cameraman who says, "All set, let's shoot." Taking Pains for Realism Milton Sills, who has the leading male role in the Maurice Tourneur production for First National of "The Isle of Lost Ships," is wearing a "beautiful" black eye, the result of an honest-to-goodness battle with Walter Long, who has one of the principal roles in the Tourneur production. The fight between Sills and Long is one of the most thrilling scenes in the bi,g melodrama said to be one of the best pictures Tourneur has ever produced. Tourneur called for realism for the fight sequence, with the result that Walter's fist landed squarely on Sill's eye. De Mille Delivers Lecture William C. de Mille delivered an interesting address to the entire Palmer Photoplay Corporation staff of instructors on the latest developments of photoplay technique, and other subjects of much interest concerning the future of our "infant industry," in the auditorium of the Palmer Building, Hollywood, .ast week . This is the first of a series of weekly lectures to be delivered by noted producers and directors to the Educational Department of this institution, for the indirect benefit of the Palmer student body. Back in Old Role Russell Simpson, the veteran character actor, who has been engaged to play Sheriff Jack Ranee in Edwin Carewe's production of "The Girl of the Golden West" for First National will create the same role on the screen which he played on the stage for more than a year. A decade ago Simpson was touring the country in "The Girl of the Golden West" and he was playing the part of Sheriff Jack Ranee. Because of his ability to play the role Director Carewe engaged him for the picture.