Close Up (Oct 1920 - Aug 1923)

BY THE MAN BEHIND ‘CLOSE-UP’ TROUPE RETURNS FROM ARIZONA “When a Man’s a Man” company returned to Los Angeles the other day after having spent the best part of two months in Prescott, Arizona, making exterior episodes for the noted Harold Bell Wright story. A special car, thick with dust and piled high with props, cameras and picture equipment, carried the players and their valuable film from the Arizona town. Among those that stepped from the platform of the car this morning were Marguerite de la Motte, John Bowers, Robert Frazer, June Marlowe, George Hackathorne, John Fox, Jr., Fred Stanton, Charles Mails, Forrest Robinson and a host of others equally popular, including Edward F. Cline, the director, and Arthur L. Bernstein, business and production manager. “Glad to be home?” The members of the Wright cast looked at each other in silent approval. “You bet,” laughed Miss de la Motte. “We had a wonderful trip and the Prescott folks treated us royally, but there’s no place like home, you know.” The next few weeks will be spent by the company making interior episodes. Work will be continued at Principal’s Hollywood studios at once. “When a Man’s a Man” is the first of the series of Harold Bell Wright novels to be filmed by Principal Pictures Corporation. Others will follow in line. There are nine volumes in the series, all of which have been purchased by the picture company. Other players can invest in real estate but Peggy O’Day, star of “Thundering Hoofs,” “The Storm Girl” and other productions, has a little side line of her own. She is nothing other than a chicken fancier. Peggy recently bought a ranch out on Ventura Boulevard, about three miles from Hollywood, and she has there established a farm of thoroughbred White Leghorns. * * * Alvin Wyckoff, camera man for Fred Niblo, has a laboratory on top of his home in Hollywood. Well, this is “exposing” and “developing” something new. “My Mamie Rose,” from the wellknown novel of the same name, will be the next production to feature Mary Philbin, young actress who has scored such a hit in the Universal production, “Merry Go Round.” Big things are predicted for Miss Philbin and Universal has specially assigned Lenore J. Coffee to the task of doing the scenario and continuity of “My Mamie Rose.” Miss Coffee, who recently signed with Universal to do a series of important adaptations, is the author of “Havoc,” “Daytime Wives” and a score of noteworthy photoplays. Stroock’s Genuine CAMELS-HA1R OVER-COATS 548-550 South Broadway National Shirt Shops ABSENTMINDEDNESS Frances Hatton, playing an important part with Abraham Lincoln in a picture of the great emancipator’s life, tells a funny story about a certain Hollywood actress, recently married to a famous director. One evening, so the story goes, his beloved seemed unusually cordial in her reception, which encouraged him greatly, as he planned that night to ask her to marry him. “You look all in,” she said sweetly, “did you finish those horrid double-exposure shots today?” “No — but we worked hard enough— I’m so tired my head is swimming.” He sat still a few moments. “Look here, girlie, I haven’t had time for much love-making, but I want you to marry me.” “Oh — what can you mean?” “I mean I love you, dear, I must have you — for my wife.” She went over and looked at him pityingly, then put her arms softly around his neck. “You poor boy. You must have worked too hard today. Don’t you remember, darling? We were married yesterday at lunchtime!” Then he did a fade-out and took her home. BULLIED JACKIE; NOW HIS PAL Raymond Lee has just been added to the cast supporting Jackie Coogan in “Long Live the King,” which Victor Schertzinger is directing over at Metro. Raymond describes himself as a “boy heavy,” and he certainly gave Jackie a tough time in “The Kid,” young Coogan’s first picture. Now Raymond is playing the part of Bobby Thorpe, the American boy whose father runs an amusement park in the capital city of Lavonia, where Jackie is the Crown Prince in this Mary Roberts Rinehart story. Between scenes, the two youngsters — Raymond is about four and one-half years older than Jackie — swap reminiscences of the good tinies they had during their long engagement on “The Kid.” C. L. Theuerkauf’s latest wheeze: A girl may draw you to her, and then she usually “draws” on your checking account.