Exhibitors Herald (1927)

38 EXHIBITORS HERALD July 30, 1927 which Lois Moran and Edmund Lowe will take the leads. Some of the coming Fox pictures that are adaptations from plays are : “The Girl I Left Behind Me,’’ “Two Girls Wanted,” “The Comedian,” “None But the Brave,” and others. FBO Sends Ince and Company to New York Ralph Ince and his entire company arrived in New York last week to begin work on “Coney Island.” The greater part of the film will be shot in and around Coney Island. Ince’s wife, Lucille Mendez, will play the leading feminine role, and Ince takes the part of a barker. “The Great Mail Robbery” has been dedicated to Colonel Charles Lindbergh because it is the first film to be distributed using aviation as its theme since “Lindy” made his famous hop. The film is now current at the Hippodrome, New York. Another erstwhile stage show, “The Gingham Girl,” opened at the Capitol, New York, last week. George K. Arthur is in this FBO picture and that is one big reason why we want to see it. Arthur deserves the success he has been having recently. First National Plans Ambitious Schedule First National has a rather ambitious schedule planned for summer production. Nine new pictures will be in production by the middle of August. Prominent among them are “Helen of Troy,” with Maria Corda acting the title role; ‘The Gorilla,” from the successful burlesque mystery play, featuring Charlie Murray; Harold Bell Wright’s “The Shepherd of the Hills;” and “A Texas Steer,” starring Will Rogers. Billie Dove will take the Lead in “Louisiana,” a George Fitzmaurice production. Photography has just been completed on Billie Dove’s second feature, “American Beauty,” and “Rose of the Golden West," which carried the tentative title, “The Rose of Monterey.” Harry Langdon’s latest comedy to be released August 28 carries the title, “Three’s a Crowd.” Production on Barthelmess, “The Noose” will begin early in August, which will set back “The Little Shepherd of Kingdon Come,” which was to have followed “The Drop Kick.” First National has just purchased the rights to “The Man and the Moment,” another of Elinor Glyn’s romances. Corinne Griffith Gets New Director Corinne Griffith has chosen the youthful Lewis Milestone to direct her next United Artists picture, “The Garden of Eden,” a stage hit of former years. Milestone was the director of “Two Arabian Knights,” which will be released by United Artists August 20. This picture brings together Louis Wolheim and Willaim Boyd who were a tremendous hit in the stage play, “WTiat Price Glory.” Wolheim has recently signed a long-term contract with Caddo Productions. D. W. Griffith’s first picture for United Artists will be “A Romance of Old Spain,” instead of “La Paiva,” which was first scheduled for Griffiths initial for United Artists. “La Paiva” will probably be Griffith’s second picture. Estelle Taylor, who was to have had a leading roll in this picture, will be given a similar cast in the new picture. Work will be started as soon as casting is completed and three week’s time should see the company shooting. Mary Pickford’s latest addition to the cast of “My Best Girl” is Evelyn Hall, English dramatic stage star. In London she played Shaw, Galsworthy, Hauptman, and other modern playwrights. IF ar tiers to Start on New Costello Picture Dolores Costello will start work early in August on her next film, “The College Widow,” the famous George Ade stage play of a good many years ago. Michael Curtis, who directed Costello in “A Million Bid” and “The Third Degree,” will direct this forthcoming film. We confess we are fond of Dolores. We have been ever since her splendid work in “The Sea Beast.” Warners’ summer production is heavy with one extended run production and three “Warner Winners” completed last week. “Ham and Eggs” is the extended run picture and is now in the cutting rooms. Louise Fazenda and others appear in blackface in this one. Louise can’t seem to keep the comedy makeup off long at a time. “Slightly Used,” starring May McAvoy and Conrad Nagel, and “Jaws of Steel” with Rin-Tin-Tin, have also been completed. “The Broadway Kid,” temporary title for George Jessel’s new vehicle, is now in its second week of camera work. “The Bush Leaguer,” starring Monte Blue, with which Warner Brothers will open their new season’s program of releases, was given a preview last week at the Westlake theatre, Los Angeles. Syd Chaplin’s next picture will be released under the title of “The Fortune Hunter.” This is another stage success adaptation. Charles F. Reisner, director of “The Better ’Ole,” and “The Missing Link,” will direct the new picture, which will be one of the company’s extended run pictures. Complete Camera Work on “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” After almost two years of work. Universal announced this week that camera work had been completed on the screen adaption of Harriett Beecher Stowe’s classic, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Ever since I was knee high, I have annually seen “Uncle Toms” and “Little Evas” do their heart-rending stuff under canvas, so I anxiously wait to see the pair in pictures. Universal announces that due to the success of “Alias the Deacon” at the Roxy theatre recently, the release date of the picture has been changed from July 22, 1928 to October 23, of this year. The comedy stars Jean Hersholt. Universal announces a new schedule for its releases on “Jewels,” as follows: “Back to God’s Country,” starring Renee Adoree with Robert Frazer, September 4; ‘The Lone Eagle,” September 18; “Painted Ponies,” September 25; “Silk Stockings,” with Laura LaPlante, October 2; and “Cheating Cheaters,” featuring Betty Compson and Kenneth Harlan, October 9. With Ralph Lewis getting the lead. Universal has chosen its cast for its drama of the police, “The Shield of Honor.” Burr McIntosh has been given an important role in hte Universal-Jewel, “The Fourflusher,” an adaptation from the stage play, and a long term contract with Glenn Tryon, who did good work in “Painting the Town,” has just been signed. De Mille Makes Alan Hale Actor Again Pathe announces that Alan Hale will give up the megaphone and become an actor again. When Hale made such a hit in “Vanity” Cecil De Mille felt he should continue in featured character portrayals for a time. He is now scheduled for a conspicuous part in “The Wreck of the Hesperus.” Herman Raymaker is directing “An Ace in the Hole,” Monty Banks’ second feature comedy on the Pathe program for 1927-28. “A Perfect Gentleman,” the first of the new series, was recently completed. Raymaker directed Banks in his old two reel-comedies four years ago. Pathe will release two pictures August 7, “White Pebbles,” a Western, and “Hidden Aces,” with Charles Hutchison and Alice Calhoun in the leading roles. Another screen team has come to the fore. This time it is a pair of juveniles, Frank Marion and Virginia Bradford. They will appear in “The Wreck of the Hesperus.” Deaths Earl E. Connelly Earl E. Connelly, well known manager of the Colonial theatre. Green Bay, Wis., was drowned while vacationing. Royston B. Hall Royston B. Hall, Baltimore, Md., picture man and manager of the Community theatre, Hamilton, died from stomach trouble. He was 38 years old. Henry B. Durkee Henry B. Durkee, 67 years old, a Maryland theatre chain owner, died in Cantonsville of a complication of diseases. Mrs. Vivian Preston Mrs. Vivian Preston, wife of First National’s booker at San Francisco, died following a long illness. She is survived by her husband and a daughter, Doreen. Charles Neumann Charles Neumann, 44, a pioneer screen actor, died in Glendale, Cal., hospital after a brief illness. Neumann had been in pictures 20 years. He had a collection of 5,000 photos of players. Nuptials Milton Watson and Peggy Bernier, entertainers with the Paul Ash bandshow at the Oriental in Chicago, were married last week. Announcement is made of the marriage of Pat McGee, manager of the Criterion, Oklahoma City, and Bertha Menz of El Reno. The couple honeymooned in Chicago. Ed Rather, organ man of Dallas and connected with the firm of Herber Brothers & Wolf, was married this month tO' Cecile Dunavant, concert artist. Viola Newman, daughter of Frank L. Newman, director of Publix theatres in Los Angeles, and Pandro Berman of the FBO studio, were married Sunday in San Francisco.