Close Up (Oct 1920 - Aug 1923)

13 Hand-Outs Along the Rialto HUNT STROMBERG PROUD FATHER Hunt Stromberg, who produces the “Bull” Montana comedies for Metro, is passing around the cigars and wearing one of the proverbial smiles that won’t come off. The cause of it all is Hunt, Jr., an eight-pound arrival, who already gives promise of a screen career. Eddie Cline, the Principal Pictures director, who is now directing an allstar cast in “When a Man’s a Man,” has this to say about a tombstone salesman’s idea of efficiency: “Sympathizing with a widow at the cemetery, and then dating her up, on the way back!” Louise Fazenda will wear ’em all — sports togs, afternoon, dinner and evening gowns, furs — many kinds — millinery, expensive and variegated, hair ornaments, enough to fill a bureau drawer and “lingery” most fascinating. For her days are given over to fittings for the many sumptuous gowns she will wear as “Mabel” in Warner Brothers “The Gold Diggers,” while the comedy queen’s conversation these days is luminous about the dictates of fashion. * * * Fat Karr is dividing his time between comedies and dramatic productions, and making good in both directions. Give Fat a chance to put somi comedy relief in a drama and he will just run away with the picture. % * * W. S. Campbell is so wrapped up in a mine proposition that he is hard to bring down to earth long enough to have him start directing a picture. Producers have made him all kinds of offers, but he just won’t listen for the time being. * * * Ma Lavernie seems to be hitting her proper stride of late, getting calls from the different casting directors to play all sorts of eccentric characters. Her latest efforts were at the Berwillia studios. * * * A1 Santell has a new car which makes him loom up as one of our most prosperous directors, and to think only a short spell back he was directing two-reel comedies with neargreat comedians. Director Santell is at present working on “Lights Out,” an R-C production. HERE COMES ANOTHER! The Marcell Cafe on West Eighth street this week starts on the second year of its existence under the supervision of A. E. (Eddie) Brandstatter, and congratulations on the success of the first twelve months under his direction have been pouring in on the “little Napoleon of the cafes.” Since taking over the Marcell, Brandstatter and his associates have branched out by opening Brandstatter’s Montmarte in Hollywood, the Brandstatter Coffee Shop in Hollywood, and now “Eddie” is planning to open the exclusive Picadilly Coffee House on West Seventh between Hill and Broadway. The best of food, superior service, refined environment and an eternal willingness to please are the reasons Brandstatter assigns for the success of the past year. MATTER OF ANA-TUMMY Gertrude Astor has time between sets to do a little punning. Oscar V. Rubbish: “Milk disagrees with me — and besides, it makes you fat.” George W. Balderdash: “I see — a casus belly.” Any time “Jimmie’ Morrison, popular leading man of the pictures is downtown late and does not care to drive out to his Hollywood apartments, he will have a royal welcome at the new Biltmore hotel after it is opened next October. “Jimmie’s” full name is James Woods Morrison, and he is a namesake of James Woods, who has come here to be general manager of the new hostelry. * * * Peggy O’Day, who recently finished work on the serial, “The Fighting Skipper,” in which she will be starred, has been engaged to play the leading role in “The Battling Buckaroo,” a special western production being made by Rocky Mountain Productions, Inc. * * * Frank C. Griffin, recently a member of the Famous Players-Lasky scenario staff, has joined forces at the Warner Bros. West Coast studios, and is now occupied as staff man on the “Little Johnny Jones” company, in which Johnny Hines is starred, and Arthur Rosson the director. Stroock’s Genuine CAMELS-HAIR OVER-COATS $65 Piccadilly Model 548-550 South Broadway National Shirt Shops A1 St. John gives autos away just like they were two-bit neckties. First he presents his wife with a McFarland limousine, and the next week he drops into an auto agency and buys his father and mother a Hupmobile sedan. This latest purchase increases the St. John family motor fleet to ten, and not one of them is a flivver, either. 5»C Chas. R. Seeling is getting lined up to start a picture with George Larkin, while he is cutting on Big Boy Williams’ last story that he just completed. WHEN YOU’RE RUSHED FOR TIME AND MUST EAT Make a Bee Line for the CALIFORNIA CAFE Where Prompt Service and Fresh, Good Food Awaits GUS HARITOS, Proprietor 353 South Spring, Near 4th