Close Up (Oct 1920 - Sep 1923)

6 L'^d 0 With Comedians in Comedy Lane AUBREY IN FULL SWING; WARD HAYES DIRECTING Jimmy Aubrey is right in the middle of his first picture that he is making under the supervision of Leon Lee, who has signed to produce a series of twelve two-reel comedies which have been contracted for by the Chadwick releasing corporation. The company is working at Universal City, where they have erected some costly interior sets for the "Russian” story, with its American variations, as “Joimes” is a U. S. A. agent that drops into the troublous country of the Bolsheviks, falls in love with a charming girl (played by Miss Ruth Hill), gets into all sorts of trouble, and makes his getaway with his prize, and all ends well. Mr. Aubrey is being given every care and attention, so that he can ‘get his stuff” over before the camera, and those who are helping him are: Fred De Silva, the “VILLAINIEST VILLAIN” in comedies, and those Metzetti and Yakanelli Boys, who are noted for daredevil stunts, and who are usually put into the pictures whenever there is something that no one else dares to do. WORD FROM “AL” A1 Christie cables from Venice, Italy, where he is presumably looking over boats and gondolas, judging from his interest in yachting at home. He has recently joined the California \ acht Club, and is studying the best types of cruisers in home and foreign waters. Mr. Christie will return to his studio about the 1st of July and in the meantime his directors are working on pictures which were planned for fall release. Mr. Christie reported from London last week that Betty Compson has created an enormous popular following in the British Isles and her forthcoming pictures to be made over there are an important topic of conversation in film trade circles in London. It is not often that a beauty contest winner is suited to motion pictures, but the exception which proves the rule is found in the fact that Mary Philbin, selected in a Chicago beauty contest, has made good on the screen. She is to play one of the leading parts in Borzage’s new production. ENDANGERS MOVIE FOLK Making desert episodes for a picture is not an easy task. Evidence of this fact was established this week in the case of Principal Pictures Corporation's company making Harold Bell Wright’s story “When a Man’s a Man” in the desert territory of Arizona. The company, which includes many well known screen artists, left Prescott, their headquarters while away from the studio, and drove some twenty miles into the desert. Here tents were pitched and sets erected for “shooting.” During the evening of the second day, a strong wind arose which increased as night fell. The natives of Arizona warned the film people to return to Prescott, but early morning filming was on the schedule and after a hasty consultation writh the members of the company, Director Edward F. Cline decided to remain over night. A few hours later a huge sand mountain was seen forming in the distance and as it moved toward the movie camp, it enlarged itself into mountain size. A property boy, realizing the danger, warned the sleeping film folk who rushed away to safer quarters. The mountain of sand demolished the sets and ripped the canvass from the tents as a clown dog would do with a hoop in a circus ring. Natives of the desert state these sand mountains form quickly and move with the wind, tearing up shrubs and all obstacles in their path. They subside almost as fast as they form, it is said. The company returned to Prescott and hereafter will rise early each morning and drive to location, returning at night fall to safety in Prescott. Among those whose lives were endangered were Marguerite de la Motte, John Bowers, Robert Frazer, June Marlowe and a host of others equally popular in filmdom. Bobby Vernon has taken a cottage at the beach while his “boss,” A1 E. Christie, is in Europe, and as soon as the company is ready to shoot hts next picture he will move back to Hollywood. There is a great deal of gossip making the rounds that Mr. Christie is looking Europe over for the express purpose of taking Bobby Vernon over next year and make some Comedies there. GEP'rlPTTr*F °T1c'VENS Comedy Ingenue