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

Page Twelve Weekly Wake'Ern-Up— CAMERA'S News Section CAMERA ! FROM ALL WALKS THEY WALK Pola Negri Takes Some Dancing Lessons Another star of the first magnitude in the motion picture world lias enrolled under Ernest Belcher, of the Celeste School of Dancing, for dance instruction This time it is Pola Negri, world famous star and dancer who is now filming "The Spanish Dancer" at the Famous Playcrs-Lasky Studio. After inquiries regarding all the dancing instructors in Los Angeles, Miss Negri decided to place herself in the charge of Belcher. "I am delighted with Mr. Belcher's method of teaching," said the star. "He is a master of the dance and despite the fact that I am called upon to do a very intricate dance in my new production, I have had no difficulty in learning the steps and movements under Mr. Belcher's direction." Miss Negri is being coached at the Celeste School of Dancing. She is taking private lessons and Belcher devotes two hours a day to her three times a week. In the production Miss Negri is called upon to do several dances of Old Spain. No list of screen kiddies could be complete without the name of Maxine Tabnac, for she has appeared in many notable productions. While heretofore she has had no parts of great magnitude she has of late come into considerable prominence through her fine work in recent pictures, and the general prediction is that it will be a matter of only a very short time until she finds her place among the recognized child artists of the shadow stage. She is gifted with a mass of blonde hair, unusual almond-shaped eyes of a dark gray color and an exuberant personality that will go far toward making her universally loved. Her most recent engagements were with Dustin Farnum in "A Man" at the Fox Studios, and with House Peters in "Held To Answer," which is being filmed at the Metro Studios. Interesting, possibly above all other tacts relating to the cinema industry, are the actual circumstances attached to the manner by which the various actors, from i hose simply enacting "atmosphere" to the loftiest of stars, came to enter the ranks of filmdom; which is, truly, a "melting pot" in every sense of the term, drawing its material from all walks of life. An outstanding example of this latter • circumstance can easily be found in Kenneth Gibson, who recently finished his role as "Captain Harrington," the juvenile lead with Constance Talmadge in "The Dangerous Maid," a First National release being made at the United Studios by the Joseph M. Schenck Productions, under the direction of Vic. Heerman. Mr. Gibson was educated in France, at Sorbonne, the University of Paris and the Alliance STALLI NGS JOINS MAYER Chas. P. Stallings, former Production Manager for Universal on over fifty productions, has joined the Louis B. Mayer forces, where he will have charge of production for units under the Mayer banner. Stallings has just completed the management of the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" for Universal which speaks for itself as this picture taking over five months to film and having bigger crowds and sets than any picture heretofore filmed anywhere presented production difficulties greater than any recent picture in this country. Stallings has been through every branch of the business for the last twelve years and has filled nearly every capacity in the studio from property boy to directing, and has shot second camera as well, but is one man in the business who has no desire to direct which probably accounts for his success in the production and technical end of the game. Irving Thalberg, General Manager of the Mayer organization, under whose directing Stallings handled so many successful productions at Universal is responsible for bringing Stallings into the Mayer organization. Francaise. Returning from Paris, he accepted a temporary political position which brought him to San Francisco in 1920, expecting to shortly return to Washington to take up his career in the diplomatic service for which he had been educated. On the way back, however, he stopped off in Los Angeles for a visit and to recuperate after being gassed while at Chateau Thierry, he having enlisted in the World War six days after war was declared, when but eighteen years old, and it is interesting to note in this connection that four of his great great grandfathers were in the army of the Revolution and that he has had ancestors in every American war that has been fought, thus truly conies he of fighting stock. Simply as a means for temporary support while on his visit he decided to try to get in the motion picture game and succeeded in getting cast in the "atmosphere" of a current production. He found the work so much to his liking that he stuck to it and in but three months secured a leading role at the Fox Studio playing opposite Miss Eileen Percy, and in quite rapid succession played important roles in "The Masqtierader", "Broad Daylight", "Daytime Wives", "Ashes of Vengeance", "The Dangerous Maid," and others. Kenneth Gibson is now looked upon by producers and directors alike as being one of the younger men with a brilliant future in the realm of the silent drama. DULCIE COOPER PRAISED In his criticism on the initial opening of Marjorie Rambeau's latest stage play, "The Valley of Content," which opened at the Capitol theater, San Francisco, Monday night, Walter A. Rivers, dramatic critic for the San Francisco Bulletin, extends wonderful praise to the dramatic and emotional talents of Miss Dulcie Cooper, a local girl and the daughter of Ashley Cooper, well known character and screen actor. "The Valley of Content," in which Miss Cooper essays one of the leading roles, promises a great future, and in it, this rising young star is bound to achieve triumph success in her characterization of the role Elinor Benton. "Dulcie Cooper," writes the famous critic, "is charming and emotionally a revelation in her part, possessing every dramatic requisite which forecast a brilliant future in her profession." Miss Cooper is a protege of Clara Kimball Young, Stanley Orr, recently business manager for the Dallas Fitzgerald Productions, is now filling the chair of assistant business manager for the Associated First National Pictures Corp. Gets Job Offer 6 Months In Advance Alberta Vaughn, who is ap-1 proaching the half-way mark hv the fulfilling of her year's con-: tract with Mack Sennett, thli week won the distinction of being offered a contract with an advance bonus to start with another company more than six months hence. Seldom has a producer seen fit to make an ar*, rangement of this sort; the usuaB custom being to start such negotiations a few weeks or even! days before the expiration of anold contract. Miss Vaughn's rise to popular-: ity as a comedy leading lady has been meteoric, she having ad-; vanced herself to a cinema position of pre-eminence in tw« short years or since she made' her advent on the William For lot. Of course, she has been in pictures about four years, but her initial work was done in dramatic pictures in which she' did not gain the proper chance. Although she owes her present enviable position to her aptitude' at comedy interpretations, herj forte is really drama after all. it is said, and she probably will get into that field eventually with every possibility of early stardom. Miss Vaughn has rejected the unusual offer which has just] been made to her on the ground; that it would be unwise for her to tie up her future so far in advance. McKENZIE HERE TO ARRANGE FOR RELEASE Capt. M. McKenzie, production manager for the Balmac Educational Film Company of San Anselmo, Calif., made a Hying trip to Hollywood this week to arrange for the release of the first four of his films entitled, "The Land of Everlasting Snow," "From Forrest to Mill," "Thej Land of Burned Out Fires" and "Modern Whaling," having just returned from location at three widely separated points on the North Coast, at which he is filming three more, "Gold Mining, Past and Present," "North Coast Sea Lion Story" (including the modern glazier period). All who have attended the previews of Capt. McKenzie's productions have been unanimous and unstinted in their praise of the results which he has obtained and have unhesitatingly predicted that his films will become as popular with the motion picture loving public as are the feature films. The remaining eighteen entertaining and dramatic educational productions, comprising the total of the first series of twenty-five which Captain McKenzie will produce are scheduled for action immediately.