Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr-Sep 1918)

vage Rixtecn NEW PLAY FOR THEDA BARA ‘‘THE SIREN’S SONG.’’ Theda Bara has just begun work on a new play, which has for its temporary title, ‘‘The Siren’s Song.’’ The picture is being produced at Hollywood, Cal., under the direction of J. Gordon Edwards, ‘‘The Siren’s Song’’ being the twenty-ninth picture which Mr. Edwards has made for Wiiliam Fox. ‘*The Siren’s Song’’ was written by Charles Kenyon, author of ‘‘ Kindling’’ ” and other well-known stage and screen, plays. Miss Bara started work on ‘‘The Siren’s Song’’ after taking only a brief rest following the filming of ‘‘The She-Devil,’’ a powerful drama of a beautiful woman without a conscience. Following the completion of ‘‘The Siren’s Song’’ it is expected that Miss Bara will return to New York for the winter. Ora Carew says that it is surprising to see how few buttonhooks there are around a motion picture studio. Last week at the Lasky studio, where Ora is playing the feminine leaa opposite Wallace Reid in his latest Paramunt feature, she jumped into her second change in the picture, and when she went to button up her shoes, she found that she had forgotten to bring a button hook with her. Naturally she felt certain one of the other women would have one handy, so she started at the next dressing room and inquired. There was not one to be had, and finally after inquir ‘in eight more dressing rooms, Ora re turned to her own abode and resorted to a hair pin to do the trick. THRILLS VIE WITH TERROR IN NEWEST MAE MARSH GOLDWYN. Mae Marsh, usually seen in charming situations in her sereen plays, is disclosed in any number of tense moments in her newest Goldwyn Picture, ‘* Money Mad,’’ released August 25. But of course they are relieved by smiles of her own particular kind. One of the most novel as well as dramatic moments in the new play oecurs at a seance around a table in the home of Elsie Dean(played by Mae Marsh). Her stepfather is under the spell of a Hindu and is also preyed upon by a beautiful woman of doubtful reputation. They arrange a session at the big table, prevailing upon the Hindu to go into a trance and giving Elsie and her sweetheart permission to join them. The young man has misgivings, but Elsie, with the enthusiasm of youth, is glad to be allowed to take part in the proceedings. The five seat themselves, their hands touching as they 1est lightly on the table. Then the Hindu begins his ineantations, growing more and more impassioned. The weird light on his face, his strange words, and the solemn silence of everyone cause Elsie to break into a giggle. Digitized by Go gle ‘‘LAUGHING BILL HYDE.”’’ Will Rogers, the rope thrower and shrewd wit from Texas, who from the day of his debut on the stage in New York has been the biggest individual favorite of America’s largest city and beloved of country-wide vaudeville audiences, has lent his talents to the screen. Rex Beach and Goldwyn Pictures Corporation have won him over and Regers is now at work in the Goldwyn Studios at Fort Lee in the name role of ‘‘Laughing Bill Hyde,’’ one of Rex Beach’s biggest stories, announced for release in late September. HARRY CAREY Universal Film Co. Star WELL SUPPORTED. Cast of ‘‘Peck’s Bad Girl’’ Names of Notables. Contains Players of exceptional merit, wellknown for their work in stage and screen productions, give .Mabel Normand admirable support in her newcst Goldwyn Picture, ‘‘Peck’s Bad Girl,’’ by Tex Charwate, this star’s first production of Goldwyn’s new year. For her leading man the star has Earle Foxe, fo several years a contributor to the success. of prominent sereen productions and before his entry into. motion picture work identified with many stage successes. On the screen Foxe has done his best work in ‘*The Eseape,’’. ‘‘The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,’’ ‘‘The Love Mask,’’ and in the Pathe serial, ‘‘The Fatal Ring.’’ Caroline Barker, an actress of exceptional beauty and dramatic talents, plays. THE CANADIAN. MOVING PICTURE DIGEST. STORIES OF THE PLAYS AND PLAYERS | | pon Spe sal Sta nae ee chtek: anaes i ateaene AD | ee a plays the role of Hortense Martinot in ‘‘Peek’s Bad Girl.’’ Miss Barker enjoys an enviable screen career and, played a prominent | role with Mae Marsh in her latest Goldwyn picture, “*Money Mad.”’ Ryley Hatch is entrusted with an important part in the Mabel Normand production. Hatch is known for his work in several successful stage plays, the most noteworthy of which was his performance in Morosco’s ‘‘ Help Wanted.’’? On the screen he has been equally suecessful. Blanche Davenport, well-known on the stage and screen for her splendid characterization, also supports Miss’ Normand. Leslic, Hunt who played with William Faversham during the long run of ‘*The Squaw Man,’’ is well cast in ‘“*Peck’s Bad Girl.’’ He, too, has played important roles in successful sereen “ Edward M. Favor, long a favorite vaudeville comedian, lends rare touches of comedy. m8 Others in the splendid. cast of ‘«Peck’s Bad Girl’’ are Edwin Sturgis well-known for his comedy work in several recent screen productions; Joseph Granby and Auge Becker. SAMMY SHOOTS CRAPS. In several scenes of the comedy *Buttons’ recently finished at the Diando Studio with Sunshine Sammy’’ the little four year old colored comedian as the featured star, it was necessary that he ‘‘Shoot Craps.’’ : Walter MacNamara, a past master at the art was directing the said scene: very beautifully and everything was going along smoothly when suddenly the following burst of outrage was heard coming from the mouth of Mammy, an old colored lady who takes care ef ‘‘Sammy’’ while at the studio. “Yuh, Sammy’’ she yelled. ‘‘Stop that crap shootin’ you heah me. Come right heah this heah minute. You ought to be ashamed of yo’self Mr. MacNamara, teachin’ that little boy to shoot craps. What’s the use of me taking him to chureh and teachin’ him religion, if you all goin’ to teach him bad games like that. You come heah right away Ernest.. Come on.’’ Ernest came and that ended MacNamara’s work for that day. Al Whitman is still black and blue from his fall off a horse in his last Triangle feature. Al was handcuffed, and .riding down a steep grade with several boys in a scene, when his horse slipped and fell.’ Both Al and the horse went tumbling over down the grade until they reached the bottom. The horse was alongside Al, and in trying to get up rolled over towards Al crushing him under the saddle. The others arrived just in time to prevent the horse from rolling completely over the Triangle star, which would surely have injured him severely. “One of my closest ealls,’’? is how Whitman describes it. Original from NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY