Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1923 - Mar 1924)

February 23, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 47 Coast Activity Is Cut IS Per Cent {Continued from page 4^) Sophie Kerr's story, "Worldly Goods," which will go inio production as soon as Miss Joy is through with "Triumph." The picture's completion also will release La Rocque to play the chief masculine role in "The Code of the Sea," written by Byron Morgan and directed by Victor Fleming. Lois Wilson also will be featured. But the most significant fact is the selection of Irvin WJIlat to direct the picturization of Emerson Hough's great cattle story, "North of 36." The epic will be produced as originally planned, in the exact locale of the story, and Jack Holt will head the cast. Willat. who succeeds to Cruze's laurels as maker of "The Covered Wagon, "_ is now in Arizona directing Zane Grey's "Wanderer of the Wasteland," the first Paramount photoplay to be made entirely in colors. The West Coast studios will lose one producing unit when Herbert Brenon goes East to make William J. Locke's "The Mountebank" on Long Island. Ernest Torrence and Anna Q. Nilsson will accompany him as leads in the picture, which is being adapted by Willis Goldbeck. Brenon now is completing Mary Roberts Rinehart's "The Breaking Point," with Nita Naldi, Patsy Ruth !Miller, Matt Moore, George Fawcett and Theodore \'on Eltz in the cast. Miss Nilsson was especially signed by Paramount to play in "The Mountebank." Metro Busy on "McGrew" "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" is Metro's leading activity. An extraordinary, unique, story has been worked out for the picturization of the famous Robert W. Service poem, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew," now being produced as a Sawyer-Lubin special by Clarence Badger. Taking the poem which is an epic of Yukon and its many strange characters as a basis for the story, Winifred Dunn, scenario editor in chief of Metro has written a story which carried the principal characters from New York to the South Sea Isles and thence to the famous Yukon country of Alaska. There various locales afford great opportunity for picturesque atmosphere, interesting characters and types, and a colorful variety of costumes and background. It appears to be a far cry from the South Seas to Alaska but the opportunities for contrast in settings, characters, etc., give the picture a startling variety of action and locale. The intimate glimpse of New York night life presents Earabara LaMarr as the premiere danseuse of New York's leading white light dance hall. 'The settings in this sequence are especially gorgeous, showing the interior of a magnificent New York resort. One of the outstanding features of these scenes is the giant Buddha, decorated with gold and standing thirty-six feet high. After this sequence of gaiety, dazzling costumes and beautiful lighting effects, the action of the story is then carried into the locale which Service made famous in his poem, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew." The scenes in the Malamute Saloon where Jim, the husband of the "Lady known as Lou." finally tracks down Dangerous Dan McGrew. are absolutely faithful in every detail. Harry Beaumont has returned to the Metro studios after an absence of more than a year and will direct Vio!a Dana in "Don't Doubt Your Husband," her newest starring picture. "Don't Doubt Your Husband" is an original story by Howard Higgins and Sada Cowan. Neilan Back With Goldwjm Marshall Neilan is to return to the Goldwyn fold and continue work on his contract, interrupted since last spring for a long vacation and for his direction of . Marv Pickford's "Dorothy Vernon of Hadden Hall." His first picture will be the many times postponed "Tess of the D'Ubervilles" with his wife, Blanche Sweet, as "Tess." Camera w'ork is aw^aitlng the release of Miss Sweet by Thomas H. Ince. who has had her at work behind closed doors for many weeks on "Those Who Dance." *'When "Tess" is started it will be the first time that Miss Sweet has worked under the direction of her husband since 1918, when they did "The Unpardonable Sin" together. "True As Steel," Rupert Hughes' lat est film, is almost complete, according to announcement from the author-director, who is spending his waking hours in the cutting rooms at the Goldwyn studios. Fox Expected on Coast The band is getting all ready to play out at the Fox studio, where William J. Fox, president of the Fox Film Corporation, is expected any day now. When he gets here, he is going to start the ball rolling at once looking toward the building of the handsome new studios at W'"estwood, where 150 acres of ground are being reserved for the purpose. Twelve companies will be going by the beginning of next week and this will envolve the engagement of a number of new stars. New directors, also, are being added to the studio forces. Dennison CHft, who made "This Freedom," and other noteworthy features, has been engaged, and will be here within the week. He is to direct special production, the name of which is not yet announced. Jack Conway, whose latest success was "Flaming Passion," has been signed on a long term contract. His first feature will be a Tom Mix picture called "The Trouble Shooter," the story of which was written by Frederick and Fanny Hatton. George Archainbaud is shortly to direct a new picture, the title of which has not yet been announced, but casting for which is now going on. Shirley Mason, whose contract with Fox expired a few weeks ago, has signed again, and is to start soon. Rumor has it that William Fox has finally decided to film Dante's "Inferno" and that production will start here in the Hollywood studios within a few weeks. Edmund Goulding has done the scenario and Henry Otto will direct, it is said. Lloyd Returns to Studios Returning to the United studios after five weeks at sea, Frank Lloyd last week filmed the most pretentious Moorish village scenes yet brought before his camera, for his First National picture version of Sabatini's "The Sea Hawk," at the L^nited Studios. The scene comprised four different Moorish streets, a slave pen, a market place and an elaborately dressed palace set for the Basha. More than 500 men and women in Moorish attire, 50 corsairs and all but two of "The Sea Hawk" principals appeared in the scene. Kathleen Key. talented young Goldwyn player recently chosen for one of the principal parts in "Ben Hur." plays the character of the Andalusian girl. LeRoy Stone has completed the editing of Richard Walton Tully's picturization of the famous Rex Beach novel of the Texas oil fields, "Flowing Gold." and the negative has been shipped to Chicago for printing. The production is scheduled for release by Associated First National Pictures, Inc., February 25. This is said to establish a record for speed in the production, cutting and distribution of a First National picture. It is portrayed by a cast headed by Anna Q. Nilsson, Milton Sills and Alice Calhoun. Joseph Dc Grasse is to be credited with the direction and the script was prepared by Tully himself. Constance Taimadge is getting ready to begin production on "Penelope," her next film, within the month. While costumes are being created by Clare West, and tlie scenario and sets are undergoing the final supervision of C. Gardner Sullivan and Director Al Green, who is to have charge of^the coming production. John McCormick is all pepped up over two forthcoming productions of Associated First National. In fact, he waxed more and more enthusiastic about them all the time Richard Rowland was here and declared that he looked for two world beaters in the coming releases of Norma Talmadge's "Secrets." in which he says. "I believe she has exceeded 'Smilin' Through' in this shadow analysis of a woman's heart, and the new picture will give us a record of the gifted actress' most inspired work." The other film about which Mr. McCormick is so enthusiastic is "The Woman On the Jury," in which Sylvia Breamer is playing the title role under the direction of Jack Hoyt. Expand at F. B. O. Plant With the appointment of B. P. Fineman as new general manager of the F. B. O. plant at Melrose avenue and Gower street, production activities have undergone swift expansion. First to get under way was the new "Telephone Girl," series based on the H, C. Witwer stories glorifying the telephone girl, and which are now appearing in monthly installments in Cosmopolitan Magazine. . Mai St. Clair, who directed the first series of "Fighting Blood," and sprang into national prominence as a director as a result of his good work, is supervising "The Telephone Girl" series. In the cast is Alberta Vaughn, Miss Vaughn has the leading role of Gladys Murgatoyd, the sweet-souled and sophisticated telephone operator in a big town hotel. A new comedienne of high promise also has been added to the cast in the plump and pleasing person of Gertrude Short. Each episode of the twelve will feature a new leading man to play opposite Miss Vaughn, who will retain stellar honors throughout. Eddie Hearn, popular young actor under contract to F. B. O., plays the leading male role in Episode No. 2, while George O'Hara serves in like capacity in No. 3, which is titled "When Knighthood Was in Tower." O'Hara will also be starred in a production to be directed by Al Santell. who recently surprised the industry with the big crook mystery drama, "Lights Out." Melodrama and romance will be the outstanding elements of the plotEmory Johnson is shooting some of the big scenes for his production Swords and Plowshares." Johnson will shortly take his company to San Francisco to film big battle scenes under the auspices of the U. S. Army. More than 1,000 soldiers, 600 cavalry horses and other army equipment embracing airplanes, motor lorries, big guns and tanks will be used in the battle scenes. Johnnie Walker and Mary Carr are the leading members of the cast which includes Dave Kirby, Rosemary Cooper, Gloria Grey and many others. The story is by Erailie Johnson, Emory Johnson's talented mother. Chester Bennett will start a new Jane Novak production within the next week. He has not yet determined upon a story but the choice has narrowed down to two. The widespread popularity of H. C. Witwer stories in national magazines has impelled F. B. O. executives to prepare the noted author's "Alex the Great" stories for early production, George O'Hara is now playing a leading role in Bill Setter's production of "Listen Lester." Harris in Truart Film Mildred Harris has been engaged to play the lead opposite Richard Taimadge in the comedy drama. "In Fast Company," for Truart Film Corporation which is being made at the F. B. O. studio by Carlos Productions. James Home who recently completed "The Yankee Consul" starring Douglas MacLean, is the director. The story was written by Al Cohn, with the continuity by Garrett Fort. Others in the cast are Douglas Gerrard, Charles Clary, Sheldon Lewis, Lydia Yeamans Titus, Snitz Edwards and Tom Kennedy. At the Sennett studios, F. Richard Jones is making ready to direct Mabel Normand in "Mary Anne;" Sid Smith is being featured in "Turn to the Left," which Del Lord is directing as a feature comedy; Harry Langdon, Sennett's new comedian, is in a fun film as yet untitled w-hich Earl Kenton is doing, while Roy del Ruth is directing "The Kid From Hollywood." with an all-star cast. Grand Perfecting Details Samuel V. Grand is East for a brief visit in order to perfect certain details of his big distribution plan for independent producers, as recently outlined, but before leaving he signed up enough important productions to be made at the Grand studios to be released by GrandAsher.