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

Page 12 Camera! News Section Camer HYPNOTIZES WITH ACCORDION Music hath charms to soothe the savage beasts; but it takes an accordian to make Freddie go thru his paces. Such is the experience of Syd Chaplin who is now in Yuma, playing the featured male role in Thomas H. Ince's present production, "The Galloping Fish." The title part of the story is being created by Freddie, a trained seal. Many of Syd's scenes ,are played with the amphibian. In one of them he tries to put the seal through its paces but it refused to listen to his commands at all. Accordingly, Syd tried the influence of the studio orchestra. He even bought a harmonica and tried that — but to no avail. Finally, Syd had the inspiration— an accordion; it worked worked like a charm and now the seal goes through his stunts just as a well-trained movie actor should: with just one rehearsal. Thus keep Under the supervision of Dirk Jones, Roy Del Ruth is holding daily rehearsals with a new comedy unit, expecting to be in production with his company in a few days for the screening of a special situation comedy story, for which a carefully selected all-star cast has been assembled. Would Alter Old Epigram Although King Baggot denies that he is considering the modernization of ancient epigrams, he gave an inkling of his thoughts in that direction during a discussion on literature at Universal City the other day. Baggot agreed that Aesop, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelious and other fathers of epigrammatic thought had a keen insight into human nature, but he insisted that the saying of "a word to the wise is sufficient" doesn't "get across" in these days. "Possibly it is because the people of today do not give sufficient thought to the meaning of a word," said the famous director who will handle the megaphone on Mary Philbin in her next picture, "The Inheritors," a Super-Jewel production, "or it may be that oft-repeated sayings fail to impress us. but if I were writing a book of max ims I'd make a word to the wise is sufficient read something like this: 'A word to the wise speaks more than volumes to the foolish." Mcdonald film to new york William Beaudine, who directed "Misunderstood," the latest Tarkington story, has supervised the editing and titling himself at the Hollywood Studios and the prints will be forwarded to New York within a week, fo rFirst National release in January. Ben Alexander, of former Penrod fame, is again a featured player in this J. K. McDonald production. illg down the overhead, that dreau bugaboo of the motion picture industry. Incidentally, Syd threatens to bring his accordion home! SOCIETY QUEEN IN SEA STORY Martha Marshall, one of the most beautiful of the younger screen actresses, has her first important part in "Superstitution," a sea story now being titled and edited by Louis Weadock at the Hollywood Studios for Creative. Miss Marshall comes from the younger social set of Chicago, where her family has been prominent for years. In "Superstitution" she and Marguerite de la Motte divide the feminine acting honors, while the male cast includes John Bovvers, Edward Burns, Joseph Dowling, Caesare Gravina and Spottiswoode Aitken. MUST BE EDISON STOCKHOLDER An amateur photographer wrote to the Hollvood Studios to ask the amount of light needed to film scenes on interior sets. Harry D. Brown, supervising engineer of the studio had the question put to him, and replied simply: "Not very much is needed. On the Russian thione room set in Halperin's 'Souvenir,' a medium sized set, we had on about 1,200,000 candlepower." Brown, who installed the Universal City lighting plant, evidently thinks in big terms. L1YES ARE SIMILAR Jack Jungmeyer, prominent writer and Los Angeles manager of a leading newspaper syndicate, and Carmel Myers discovered a common bond during the course of a recent interview granted by the motion picture star ot the news writer. Both were children of a minister. Both spent their early years as models for other youngsters and were forced to repress their spontaneous desires and act as befitted the tradition of their families. They talked for hours of the things they had wanted to do as youngsters and had not been able to do until they grew up. "One reason so many ministers' daughters turn to the stage or screen and so many ministers' sons became w riters or actors is because they have to live within themselves, to suppress their natural expressions, for many years," the news writer declared. "When they are released from their bondage, naturally they have much stored -up within themselves which they must express." "You are right, emphatically right," came the quick reply. "I have known that ever since I emerged from the limitations that bound me. But never before have I found anyone who understood just what I meant." DOT LAUGHS LAST Craufurd Kent, who is playing the heavy in Richard If'alton Tully's screen version of Rex Beach's ''Flowing Gold" for First National, teas once a marine underwriter in London. For years Dot Farley, known to moving picture patrons as star, leading and character woman ( also an interpreter of ingenue characters, has laughed at the idea of being associated with Mack Sennett pictures over a period of eight or nine years, without even once being reepjested to appear in a bathing suit. Some thought there were good and sufficient reasons for her not appearing as a sea-going actress, while the lady herself admitted to "perfect form." Well, at any rate, and to shorten the story, Dot is laughing louder now than ever, for after all these years she has finally been asked to don the beach attire, and Oh! boy. Dot stands out in the cast of "Trifling," the new Sennett two reel comedy special, like a million dollars. We can just imagine what envy she would have created among the former Sennett bathing girls, had she so appeared in competition with those who have since become stars. INV ENTS NEW IVI \H JONGG MOORE VICTOR IN BEARD TOURNEY "Let your beard grow." This was Maurice Tourneur's order to Owen Moore, Jean Hersholt, Joseph Kilgour, Morgan Will Ice and George Cooper recently. The beards were necessary for a sequence in "Torment," M. C. Levee's newest First National film depicting the characters of the story as they appear from day to day when entombed in the vaults of a bank in Japan following the earthquake. The following morning Morgan Wallace appeared on the scene with a thick stubble on his face. "I'd like to see someone beat me in beard growing," was Wallace's reply to the murmurs of admiration over the rapid growth of his hirsute adornment. "I'll beat you," exclaimed Moore. "Watch out for me tomorrow." The next day Moore appeared with a beard. And what a beard! It dangled to the ground and got twisted around his legs when he walked. It would have made the Smith Brothers green — yes, even red — with envy. "No one can beat me as a beard raiser," exclaimed Moore, adding: "Not as long as there's a bed mattress in the house." /. //'. Irving is selecting a cast for his first proto-drama for the United Producers and Distributors, the working title of which is "Devotion." Gladys Bracknell. Sheldon Lewis and June Norton are among his first choices. A real Italian restaurant has been reproduced for "Racing Luck," Monty Banks' first five reel feature directed by Herman C. Raymaker. There are many such in New York where the scene is laid. The red table covers, the typical crowd, minus only the "vino de pasto" which used to be the most important note, are the characteristics of this realistic Alfred Allen, the "Uncle Wl ley" Sinton of Gene Stratton-Pv ter's book and screen product! ' "A Girl of the Limberlost," is | inventive genius in addition \ having been a university profes>( editor, playwright, author of si eral books and stories, and scnl player. Mr. Allen's latest invi tion and contribution to a red I tion in the high cost of enterta'ing guests, is a playing card editi of the famous game of Mah Jon . Ordinary playing cards with I Mah Jongg characters printed \ the face of the cards, are used, tl only is the game much more ei nomical in the initial purch:i price than the elaborate impor sets, but its compactness makesi most convenient to carrv about. LLOYD WON'T MAKE CHANG1 Harold Lloyd, who is now til ing his first independent ventii at the Hollywood Studios, sta he plans no changes in his pro<J tion or releasing arrangements t a result of the general tighteni; of the motion picture industj Lloyd thinks that "The Girl rf pert," now in production, is bei made very economically and dil not think that charges of ineffici production will hit his compai His plans to release a new picti) at least twice a year, remain ij same, the first coming out n Spring. John F. Gai-in, who plays J part of the father of "a fighti family" in the comedy-drai. "Somewhere in Missouri," now . ing made by Hal Roach, produt the first feature length photopt ever made in Australia. It «' called "Thunderbolt." Gat played the lead. SEAS! ROM WANTS FRISCO SCENE Victor Seastrom, Swedish fil director under control to the Go!] wyn studios, has returned fnj] San Francisco, looking for lo(j tions for his next production. Although the name of Seastror next picture has not been a| nounced, most of the picture wl. be made in San Francisco, it I known. "Name the Man," Seastrorl first American-made picture, now complete, and will be releas soon. Mae Busch, Conrad Nag' Patsy Ruth Miller, Hobart B< worth and Creighton Hale play tl major parts in the production. MELODRAMA IN HKR HOME Virginia I' alii, who is bei\ starred in Universal productio has two pets — a cat and a canai Sounds like a mystery play, l\ around the I alii household it moi nearly resembles a melodrama, i Billy Engle plays the part Will Rogers' ranch foreman in t Rogers comedy nowbeing made the Hal Roach lot.