Exhibitors Herald (1927)

August 13, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 45 THE FILM MART Eight companies are now in production at Fox Films West Coast studios and a number of others are scheduled to start in the near future, according to Sol Wurtzel, general superintendent. George Marshall, supervisor of Fox comedies, has started production on the 1927-28 comedy schedule and has mapped out one of the biggest years for his unit in Fox history. The lay-out calls for 26 pictures, including 10 “Imperial” comdies, eight animal comedies and eight of the Van Bibber series. “Beau Geste,” a Paramount picture, has established new house records for box office receipts in a number of theatres throughout the country. Among the theatres reporting new records during the showing of the picture are the Riviera, Omaha ; Des Moines theatre, Des Moines ; Palace, Dallas ; Howard, Atlanta ; Strand, Birmingham, Paramount Will Put Wings’^ in Four Cities Paramount has announced that “Wings,” which is to open at the Criterion theatre, New York, on Aug. 12, will be exhibited in the Tremont theatre, Boston, on Nov. 14; the Aldine theatre, Philadelphia, Oct. 1 ; and at an unannounced theatre in Chicago about Nov. 1. “Old Ironsides,” James Cruze’s historic epic, will soon begin indefinite engagements in seven cities. Mary Brian is to play the ingenue lead in the first Paramount picture co-starring Chester Conklin and W. C Fields, “The Side Show,” and Richard Arlen will play the juvenile male lead. Arlen is one of the busiest young actors in Hollywood these days. He is to appear with Bebe Daniels in her next picture, “She’s a Sheik.” The title of the Paramount picture starring Esther Ralston has been changed tentatively to “After Working Hours” ; it was previously known as “Heaven Help the Working Girl.” Another picture is being planned for this young star and is now being written under the title, “The Glory Girl.” Florence Vidor will next make “Honeymoon Hate,” an adaptation of the Saturday Evening Post story by A. M. Williamson. Louise Brooks has started work as leading woman in the new BeeryHatton comedy, “Now We're in the Air,” which is being directed by Frank Strayer. The company is now on location at the Venice Amusement Pier, where a Gying circus exhibition has been pressed into service. And word comes from Anita Loos that it is quite certain that Louise Brooks will play the part of Dorothy in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Scores of actresses are striving to win the part of Lorelei, but as yet no one has been cast for the part. Hundreds of girls go out to Hollywood with the ambition to become stars, and wind up by becoming perfectly good little stenographers, or perhaps even waitresses. But here is a case where the usual procedure is reversed. Shirley Dorman, who went to Hollywood just a year ago "with and the Victory, Denver. “Romona,” Helen Hunt Jackson’s story of California, which Inspiration Pictures and Edwin Carewe will produce for United Artists will be released Jan. 14, 1928. Dolores Del Rio will star in the picture, and the only other players thus far cast are Don Alvarado and Vera Lewis. Johnny Mack Brown has been cast to play opposite Marion Davies in “The Fair Co-ed.” Two years ago Brown was the star football player on the Alabama State team. Warner Bros.’ picture starring Irene Rich, “The Desire Woman,” will be released Aug. 27. This picture which is Irene Rich’s first picture on Warner’s new schedule, was produced under the title, “The Outpost.” “Camille,” starring Norma Talmadge, will be released Sept. 4 by First National. the intention of becoming a secretary but became a player through an introduction to Lois Weber, this week signed a long term contract with Paramount. The new contract was awarded her because of her showing in “One Woman to Another,” “A Gentleman of Paris,” and “The City Gone Wild.” It would probably pay a few other girls to try this procedure. Paramount announces that Adolphe Menjou will be the first actor to profit by the recommendations of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which decried the practice of starting to shoot motion pictures without an absolutely completed story. Menjou will go with his director and scenarist to Catalina Island and stay in seclusion there until the continuity of his next picture, tentatively titled, “The Musician,” has been completed. First National Buys '‘W alley of the Giants’’ First National has just announced it has purchased the famous Peter B. Kyne novel, “The Valley of the Giants,” as a starring role for Milton Sills. Wid Gunning, who has just completed “Hard-Boiled Haggerty” with Sills, has been assigned the production of this story. It is a story of the Big Tree district of California. Billie Dove’s first stellar picture, “The Katterjohn Runs New Writing Depmrtment (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9.— Monte Katterjohn has been placed in charge of developing original stories for the screen for Paramount players and bringing out latent writing talent in Hollywood. The purpose is to prepare stories far in advance of production and work out new material not to be produced until after the current program, which still has months to run. Stolen Bride,” will be released this month. This is the first picture directed by Alexander Korda under his First National contract. Korda is another of those European directors, all of whom seem to find their way to Hollywood sooner or later. He is to direct “Helen of Troy,” and his wife, Maria Corda, will have the part of Helen. Photography on Dick Barthelmess’ latest picture, “The Drop Kick,” has been completed, and will be released in time to cash in on the football season interest. Harry Langdon’s latest comedy, “Three’s a Crowd,” is to be shown in some of the larger theatres of the country in September. It is said to have some very realistic snow scenes in it, and they were taken during all the hot weather Hollywood has been sweltering under lately. I like the sad eyed Langdon. He has given us some good chuckles in the past. Jack Mulhall, whose best drawing power is a winning smile, will be seen in two pictures shortly. “The Poor Nut,” featuring Jack and Charlie Murray, is now having a number of pre-release showings, and his next picture will be “Smile, Brother, Smile,” in which Tack capitalizes his smile as a salesman. Dorothy Mackaill is the young lady in the story, and Roy T. Barnes, Philo McCullough and others have supporting casts. Included in the first series of First National’s “Showman Group,” is the new Constance Talmadge picture, “Breakfast at Sunrise.” Don Alvarado is the leadingman, with Marie Dressier, Bryant Washburn, Burr McIntosh, Paulette Duval and others in the cast. The picture is based on a successful French farce. “The Life of Riley,” starring Charlie Murray and George Sidney, is completed. A large carnival was used in the filming of this picture, and the popping of thousands of fire crackers kept everybody on the lot jumping for weeks while the picture was being filmed. Production on “The Gorilla” started last week in First National studios. The pic