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

Page 10 Camera! ISetcs Section Camera* U. P. D. SIGNS SEAFARING MAID Joan Lowell, a land-lubber of only two short years and with a record of seventeen years as a sailor back of her, has landed the first long-term starring contract with the newly organized United Producers and Distributors. She owes this distinction to the fact that her histronic work in the important role of Madge in the Associated Authors production of "Loving Lies" is so impressive that it was decided to feature her strongly in the advertising for this picture. She already had received her primary education in the cinema art at the Goldwyn studios, where she attracted the attention of such celebrities as Rupert Hughes. Upon seeing a preview of "Loving Lies," W. F. Wood, vice president and general manager of the U. P. D., lost no time in getting the young woman to affix her signature to a contract which calls for her exclusive professional services for a period of three years. Miss Lowell was born aboard the ship her father commanded and with which he cruised in and out of every port touching the Pacific and Indian oceans for many years. Her mother died in her infancy and she was reared mostly by an old souwester, a pig-tailed sailor with a tatooed arm, whom her father appointed as her nurse. A tarpaulin served as her cradle and goat's milk was her initial bill-o'-fare. Up until two years ago when her father retired from East Works With West In Hollywood East is East and West is West and ne'er the twain shall meet! This old adage was cast to the four winds this week at the studio of Principal Pictures Corporation in Hollywood, when Harry T. Morey, one of the best known character men of the screen, arrived in Hollywood and greeted Hobart Bosworth, a member of the cast of Baby Peggy's feature picture, "Captain January," now in production. Morey has been in pictures since their very beginning. He was starred and has played feature roles in dozens of popular films. But with all his years before the clicking cameras, he has never before taken part in a film made in Hollywood. Hobart Bosworth is often called the Dean of the Silent Drama. He also has been in filmdom since its inception, and strange to say, Bosworth has never made a picture out of California. Now Morey and Bosworth are appearing together with Baby Peggy and between scenes, one may often see the two popular iictors in the "side lines" telling each other of interesting episodes in their careers — one in the East, the other in the West. The "Somewhere in Missouri" (ompany of the Hal Roach studios has gone to Chatsworth where Roy Clements, co-direfting with Hal Roach, will shoot the final scenes for that comedy-drama. the copra trade in which he was a pioneer and settled in San Francisco, she never had known a woman. Now at the age of nineteen, she is catching up on her schooling, unavoidably neglected during her sea-faring career due to the fact that she had to take her place as "one of the hands," earning a promotion to the position as second mate. Mr. Wood predicts that she will become one of the sensations of the screen, not alone because she is an unusual "new face," but because of her ability as an interpreter of emotional dramatic roles. Besides, she is said to be a beauty of an extraordinary type, her complexion being of a coppery bronze while her eyes are dark brown and her hair is a chestnut brown. Graf Will Lead Scribes to 'Frisco Max Graf, supervising director and his brother Louis, president of the Graf Productions who have produced most of their pictures at San Mateo, are both working for the success of the Wampas ball which will be held in San Francisco, their birthplace. Max Graf will be the special delegate to leave Hollywood on the night of Jan. 17th to escort the hosts and baby stars as an envoy de luxe to San Francisco. As is quite natural, Max Graf is always a booster for San Francisco and is optimistic about its future. Likewise since he spends so much time in Hollywood, he is also one of its best boosters. The competition between the two is only friendly and good for both, he insists. TOURNEUR IS ASSEMBLING "TORMENT" Maurice Tourneur is placing the finishing touches to "Torment," his newest M. C. Levee production for Associated First National release. Scenes photographed in Japan especially for the film, have just been received at the United Studios and conclude the final "shots" for the picturization. The work of editing under Mr. Tourneur's supervision will be completed within the next week when the production will be shipped to First National in New York for early release. "Torment" is considered the most sensational of all Tourneur melodramas. The Japanese earthquake and the Russian Crown jewels figure prominently in the story and afford picturesque plot material that is said to keep the photoplay replete with high lights of action. Practically half of the production is staged in the bank vaults in which all the characters are imprisoned following the first shock of the Japanese earthquake. Thus, within the confines of a limited space not much larger than that afforded the theatrical producer in the presentation of stage plays, Tourneur is said to have concentrated the most thrilling situations of his story. In the cast are Owen Moore, Bessie Love, Maude George, Joseph Kilgour, Jean Hersholt, Morgan Wallace and George Cooper. Scott R. Real, Tourneur production manager, assisted the director in the picturization with Arthur L. Todd in charge of the photography. ANDERSON DISTRIBUTES HARRIS CLASSIC The first release of the Theatre Owners Distributing Corporation through Anderson Pictures is "After the Ball," a film version byCharles K. Harris of his famous song of a generation ago. Mr. Harris, who is one of the most successful song-writers of the day, prepared his own story, from which James Colwell made the scenario. Dallas Fitzgerald directed the picture, and the cast includes Gaston Glass, Miriam Cooper, Edna Murphy and Robert Frazer. "After the Ball'" "was oroduced by the Renco Film Company of Los Angeles, which, under the management of the late Harry J. Reynolds, will be remembered as sponsor for a number of successful productions extending over the past three years. It is doubtful if any popular song of the past quarter-century ever enjoyed the nation-wide vogue of "After the Ball." To date more than 8,000,000 copies of this popular ballade have been sold in this country alone. Its foreign distribution has been equally as successful. J. Aldrich Libbey, "The sweet singer of vaudeville" was first to realize the depth of pathos in the Harris song, and for many years it formed the backbone of his repertoire. Since his first rendition of "After the Ball," it has been sung many times over in virtually every vaudeville house and music hall in the English-speaking world. Its melody may well be said to be familiar not alone to the present generation, but there is hardly a member of the younger generation who has not waltzed to its fascinating measures. "In our first release for the Theatre Owners Distributing Corporation," said Carl Anderson in making the announcement, "we have sought to keep our promise of giving the exhibitor exploitable \ alues in every picture that goes out under our banner. 'After the Ball 'is a melody thoroughly familiar to millions of people all over the world. Its appeal is one r, fdeep pathos and intensely human. Mr. Harris in developing his story, has overlooked none of the qualities htat go to make for solid entertainment, and we all feel that in 'After the Ball' we have a genuine showman's picture." Might Have Bolts and Latche Josephine Crowell, of the Rid ard Walton Tully company, no engaged in the making of R< Beach's "Flowing Gold" for Fir National, is considering the ciro lation of a petition to the crin commission, enlisting their aid forcing modistes to simplify tl methods of entry into their crt tions. She suffered a trying t perience yesterday with a go? designed by Mme. Schlaud ai herself. She was asked by Jose] De Grasse, the director, to chan her costume. She hurried to h dressing room and proceeded get into the gown in question, b became gloriously entangled in t numerous straps, trimmings, et and was unable to extricate hi self. Time passed. The compa waited. At last, after much si fering amidst groans and ne strangulation, a maid found M Crowell crfiuched upon the flo half in, half out of the marvtlc creation. There is a standing offer complimentary tickets to "Flowi Gold" to anyone who can tell h< Miss Crowell manages to get il the dress. Rci'eals Limits of Stage and Sera The student of dramatic o struction can find much that interesting whenever he sen screen adaptation of a stage plr: because a comparison will rev the limitations of the two mediu^ of expression. Albert Ken? well-known scenario writer, poi this out in explaining the prot of translating a dramatic pi from the footlights to the fil as he is doing at the present ti with "The Monster" Crane V bur's stage success which will I go into production by Rol: ' West. As in the case Universal picture which yon also adapted, the process" scenarization of "The Moul includes the addition of what finally be about three reels of finished picture in order to p the characters and motivate action. With the background tablished in the spectators' n in the first half of the film, screen play proceeds much U stage play, with minor differ*!' in technique. of "Bavu," D which AI. Klj Scenarist Has Hoim On Hotel R( Charles Kenyon, the emi 1 playwright and scenario wri works in what is undoubtedly ' of the most unique studios in orful Hollywood. He occupi'1 suite of rooms on the roof of lywood's most famous hotel. I the open windows he sees the '' of the entire town, on this aid' the hills which shelter Los A' les. This is the only roof studi * Hollywood; although there '»t other well-known studio of • nature in New York.