Close Up (Oct 1920 - Sep 1923)

: V THE MAN BEHIND ‘CLOSE-UP’ GLADYS BROCKWELL IRENE BLACKWELL For many years now the subject of this sketch, Miss Gladys Brockwell, has been before the public eye. as an individual star in her own right. It is true that she has never yet been ; able to show the world how much better she is than wliat has been shown of her, but time will answer this, we believe, in a satisfactory manner. The other day we happened to , to be out at a certain large studio and we saw that philosopher of directors, Mr. Edgar Lewis, taking several hundred feet of Close-Ups of Miss Brockwell. We couldn’t help but exclaim, “What a film appetite!” when Mr. Lewis remarked that Miss Brockwell was a worthy film gormand. They were taking about four hundred feet of this star as she appeared as a woman of the old West as a “sage hen” of the sixties. Incidentally the name of this Edgar Lewis production is “The Sage Hen.” It is a story dealing with the West that our romantic natures loved to delve into in our early teens. At last we see Miss Brockwell surrounded with an allstar cast worthy of her well known talent as an actress. Lillian Rich is the ingenue, then there are Jim Mason, Wallace McDonald, Alfred Allen, Helen Case, little Hendrick, while a certain horse is featured in the cast. Mr. Lewis is assisted by Cliff Saum. We believe that this is the first time that Miss Brockwell has been seen in a character* in which she first appears as a young woman and ends up as the owner of a gambling hell in the far West twenty or thirty years afterwards. From some of the shots we saw taken, we believe that the public will have a veritable treat in sight when Miss Brockwell finally appears before them in the first production she has been starred in since she left the Fox Film Company. We have an idea that this latter company will be metaphorically kicking itself that they were penny wise — after they have seen a few hundred feet of “The Sage Hen.” “SHADOWS OF THE WEST” One of the most unique endeavors in screen production occurred recently when Paul Hurst, who directed “Shadows of the West,” which opened at Philharmonic Auditorium yesterday. It is an achievement that Charley Hickman and the director can congratulate themselves upon. Two weeks ago or less the final scenes were being filmed and here you see the finished product. Hedda Nova costars with Lieut. Pat O’Brien in this feature, dealing with a vital California problem. Virginia Adair plays an important part, while Seymour Zelliff, who wrote the story, plays a conspicuous role. Among other players are Arnold March, Benny Corbett and Yvette Mitchell. HE DOESN’T WEAR GLASSES A1 Stein, director for Jack White’s Mermaid Comedies, has an artistic eye for symmetrical formed bathing girls. While on location last week at Balboa one of the mermaids came on the scene with a one-piece, pink silk bathing suit, and asked the appraising Stein how he liked the suit. “Ah!” he answered. “I see only you.” Dusty Famum is working on the “Trail of the Axe”. Maybe he wants to “cut up”. Doug Fairbanks is working on the “Curse of Capestrano”. Sounds as if some very hard language was used. They say sometime’s you’re worth your sale, but what about your sugar? The latest dance is the “get-away closer”. — Boy, Page Doraldina. Many years ago a family by the name of Blackwell came into New York state and during the course of time managed to impress their signature upon a certain famous island which is known the world over. Who hasn’t heard of Blackwell’s Island? It is an island from which sighs of contentment arise, and groans of despair are current. And the family who left this monument upon the American continent had among other members of its family a certain young, vivacious lady by the name of Irene Blackwell. If you will take the trouble to look on one of the covers of this issue you will notice that she is wearing a Lucille gown, and other appointments which can only be afforded by the rich. Frankly speaking, Miss Blackwell, although as it were born to the purple, decided to step out in a democratic fashion for herself. It all started over a trivial little bet made by several of her social friends in her particular New York set. The consequence was that one morning she appeared at a local studio and asked Mr. Robert McIntyre if he thought she was fit for moving pictures, and although she drove to the studio in her own limousine, she was accepted as an extra girl for the munificent sum of $5 a day. The mere fact that Miss Blackwell is unashamed to proclaim this fact proves how deadly in earnest she is to succeed as an actress. Of course, she had previous stage dramatic experience, but which of our modern stars are proud to acknowledge how they started in their chosen career? After a time the possibilities of Miss Blackwell’s beauty and talent were seen and she was given her first important part playing opposite Montague Love. At this writing she is playing the sympathetic lead opposite Frank Mavo under the direction of Jacques Jaccard in “The Throw Back.” We have been enabled to witness a great deal of her histronic ability before the camera and there isn’t a doubt in the world but that if Miss Blackwell will continue unswervingly to follow her career she, like others, will wear the crown of stardom without having the crown made an extra size larger to fit her well-poised head.