Camera - April 14, 1923 to February 16, 1924 (April 1923-February 1924)

Page Ten Weekly Wake-'Em-Up — CAMERA'S News Section CAMERA I ASHTON DEARHOLT WILL HEAD HIS OWN INIT LATIN COUNTRIES ANXIOUS FOR "BAD MAN" Edwin Carewe's "The Bad Man," which is now being filmed at the United Studios, will be hailed as the greatest picture America has ever produced, in Mexico, Central America and South America, according to General Manuel Perenz Trevino, Chief of Staff in the army of President Obregon of Mexico. General Trevino was Carewe's guest at the studio and watched several scenes in which Holbrook Blinn portrays the character of a border "bad man." General Trevino evidenced such an interest in the production that Carewe permitted him to read the film version of the story. "Undoubtedly," said the General, "this production will be acclaimed the finest picture the Latin-American countries have ever seen. It is a picture that the Mexicans, Central Americans and South Americans will love. They will delight in Mr. Blinns characterization." Extensive efforts are already being made to exploit "The Bad Man,' through the entire south. In all probability the distribution plan will be as comprehensive in Mexico, Central America and the South American countries as it will be in the United States and Europe. WARNER BROTHERS SIGN FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER John Ellis, credited with being one of the best-known pictorialists in and out of the industry, has been engaged by the Warner Brothers to photograph the many high-lights in the organization's forthcoming series of eighteen classics of the screen. Mr. Ellis has the distinction of having photographed all official Washington, in addition to having served a number of years with the Columbia Stock Company, Washington, D. C. During his sojourn in the Capitol city he is said to have taken special photographs of Woodrow Wilson, Champ Clark, scores of prominent senators and representatives and many New York celebrities of the political and theatrical world. While with the Columbia Stock Company, Mr. Ellis appeared in a number of wellknown theatrical plays with such players as Charlotte Walker, Guy Standing, John Mason and Julia Dean. Shortly after leaving the Capitol city, he became identified with Thomas Ince and First National, and is reported to have photographed "Omar the Tentmaker," "Peg o' My Heart," "The Famous Mrs. Fair," "Trilby," and many other screen productions. Filming of the initial Ashton Dearholt production is scheduled to commence this week under the direction of Jack Hatton. Dearholt, for the last four years, has served as production manager for the Ben Wilson Productions. He will continue to serve in this capacity as well as to personally supervise the producing of his own features which will be made at the Ben Wilson studios. The new organization has contracted to film twelve five-reel features of the western variety during a period of one year, and they will be released through the Arrow Releasing Company. This series of photoplays will serve as a "come-back" for pretty Helene Rosson, who will be remembered as the star in American and Mutual pictures "GOLD DIGGERS" ONE THIRD FINISHED NOW "The Gold Diggers," David Belasco's noted stage success which is being produced by Warner Brothers, with Hope Hampton in the leading role, will be approximately one-third completed today. Up to the present Miss Hamp ton has been engaged almost exclusively in interior scenes. There still remains some interior work to be shot. In the near future the exterior scenes, most of them surrounding fashionable streets and beautiful homes will be taken. From the preliminary view of the "takes" so far, "The Gold Diggers" promises to be one of the outstanding pictures of the year. Miss Hampton is reported to be doing the finest work of her career in this production. BERN I E IS MEMBER OF THE A. C. C. NOW Arthur Bernstein, the energetic production manager for Principal Pictures Corporation, arrived home after having spent two months in Prescott, Arizona, with the "When a Mans a Man" Company. "Bernie," whose smile is sometimes as scarce as rain in August, had a grin from ear to ear as he hopped off the train. The reason for this smile was soon discovered. In respect for the work accomplished by Principal Pictures Corporation in conjunction with the recent Hopi Indian dance celebration staged in Prescott this month, the citizens of that community have elected Bernstein a member of their Chamber of Commerce. Now when one of the studio attaches wants an "O. K.' on a bill he has to visit Pernie's official secretary and make an appointment with the film executive-civic worker. made several years ago at the Santa Barbara studios. Miss Rosson will be starred in the entire series and will be supported by Edmund Cobb, who will interpret the leading male roles. Wilbur McGaugh, who scored a personal triumph for his characterization in Roy Sttwart's "One Eighth Apache,' has been engaged for supporting roles and will also assist in the matter of direction. McGaugh has been affiliated with the Bi n Wilson Productions for the last two years, both as an assistant director and character actor. E. R. Hickson, in charge of the art direction for all pictures filmed at the Wilson studios, will personally supervise the art direction for the Dearholt productions and J. C. Hutchinson, veteran cameraman, has been engaged for the series. BOY SCOUTS IN UNIQUE TRIP SEE MOVIES MADE A group of fifteen Boy Scouts are today "seeing America first" from the quarter-deck of an auto-truck in what is said to be one of the most novel motor tours ever undertaken by members of this big juvenile organization. The trip is in charge of Arthur E. White, deputy scout commissioner of Ensign District, Salt Lake City, and the first leg of the journey was from Salt Lake to Hollywood where the boys watched movies in the making at the Pickford-Fairbanks Studios. After watching preliminary work for "The Thief of Bagdad," Douglas Fairbanks entertained the Scouts with an abbreviated field day which finished up with a plunge for them in the star's famous studio pool. After leaving the studio tin1 Scouts started north. The remainder of the tour will include San Francisco, Portland, Ore., a trip up the Columbia riven, then a look-in on Boise, Idaho, from where they will turn south toward Salt Lake City again. Mr. White said they expected to be gone at least a month. "Bull" Montana in Special "Bull" Montana, the screen's original cave-man comedian, suff e r e d bitter disappointment when he was forced to cancel his intended trip to Great Falls, Mont., where he had planned to help Jack Dempsey wind up his training siege. The cauliflower eared screen player will enact the sympathetically humorous role of a reformed crook in "Held to Answer," the second of Metro's new series of all-star specials. Although "The Bool" is still under contract to Hunt Stromberg, who stars him in two-reel comedies, he was loaned to Metro especially for this part during the absence of Mr. Stromberg in New York, DECIDES TO STICK TO ORIGINAL TITLE "Ashes of Vengeance," the title of the H. B. Somerville novel from which Norma Talmadge's recently completed romance of 16th century France was adapted, will be retained as the name of the film, it was announced by Producer Joseph M. Schenck. This supplants "Purple Pride," to which the title was changed a few weeks ago. After three months of production had elapsed, Mr. Schenck consented to a change from "Ashes of Vengeance" to the shorter name of "Purple Pride." The strength of the original title, however, asserted itself. From many sources the producer received declarations in praise of "Ashes of Vengeance. With the film well along in the stages of cutting and titling the decision to revert to the book title lB made. "Ashes of Vengeance" is being cut under the supervision of Director Frank Lloyd. It is Lloyd's last production with Norma Talmadge, as the famous director has signed with another organization to make his own production. The picture will be in ten reels, and is portrayed by the greatest array of stars ever assembled in one production, including Conway Tearle, Wallace Beery, Courtenay Foote, Betty Francisco, Andre de Beranger and Josephine Crowell. TRAVERS FINISHES ONE AND CONTINUES ANOTHER Richard Travers has completed his role in Marshall Neilan's "The Rendezvous" and now is engaged in enacting one of the leading parts in the Universal-Jewel production of "The Acquittal." This leaves Travers in what is for him a comparative state of idleness, for when he came to Hollywood recently he undertook the portrayal of the two parts at once. "The Acquittal" is a photodramatization of George M. Cohan's stage success, written by Rita Weiman. The direction of the film version is by Clarence Brown. Moranti Writing Stories Milburn Moranti of the Milburn Moranti Comedy Company, and Joe Kane have retired to a corner of their office and put their noses to the grindstone for the purpose of writing stories for future situation comedies. Work will begin as soon as they have completed their stories. Morris Schlank, President of the Anchor Film Distributors, Inc., who is distributing the comedies, is out on the road with the first three now.