The Film Mercury (1926-27)

Page Ten THE FILM MERCURY, FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1926 Hollywood, Calif. MABEL NORMAND SIGNS CONTRACT WITH ROACH Mabel Normand has signed a contract with the Hal Roach studios to be starred in Roach comedies for the next three years. Miss Normand is in New York at present to see the premiere of “Raggedy Rose,” the comedy which she recently made for the Roach studios under the direction of Richard Wallace. She is to start on her new contract about June 10. * * * TO SELECT NEW TITLE FOR TALMADGE PICTURE A new title is to be selected for Richard Talmadge’s first production for release by Universal. The production was to be called “Here He Comes,” but will have to be changed because Universal had previously released a picture with the same title. • • • CLARENCE BROWN’S NEW PRODUCTION FOR M-G-M Clarence Brown’s initial production under his new M-G-M contract will reach the screen as “The Flesh and the Devil.” Benjamin Glazer is preparing the scenario from Herman Suderman’s story, “The Undying Past.” • • • HOLLY HAWKS TO STAGE BIG FROLIC The El Patio Ball Room plans a special affair on the night of May 13th, when the Holly Hawks stage their racket. The program calls for a baseball game between two selected teams of girls from the MertroGoldwyn-Mayer studios and the West Coast Theatres. Also, a dancing ballet, Apache contest, Fashion show, Midnight waltz, screen tests of three thousand girls engaged in the Owl Drug Company’s 1926 beauty show, to be directed by Monta Bell and Edmund Goulding, fireworks, vaudeville and music. Souvenirs and refreshments will be given all who attend. <Rg£o TRADE MARK STUDIO LIGHTING EQUIPMENT 923 Cole Avenue HO. 8923. HE. 3930. v ' That color, like music, has a language is a scientific fact. To my way of thinking quite a percentage of the success of Fairbanks’ opus, ‘The Black Pirate,’ can be attributed to the able work of technicolor. It absolutely talks the story to you. The only fault is that there seems to be a color missing, technicolor evidently being a two-color process. The Handschiegl method, which I believe is lithographic, or of a stencil type, is especially beautiful for exteriors, but costly and slow in operation. However, the color field is virgin so far as motion pictures are concerned. We are only on the fringe, the utmost edge of its possibilities. The alleged lack of story material for screen treatment is a confession of ignorance on the part of the powers that be. Since Herbert Brenon’s picturization of J. M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan,” the fantasy type of story has gained a firm foothold with the picture-going public. I can think of no better vehicle than ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ for Mildred Davis, Mary Brian or Jobyna Ralston. It should be treated in color, or, better still, photographed on Pan stock and tinted. Supersensitized or Pan stocks, color-washed, give you all the delicate shadings and pastels. Though color photography is inclined to be hard and detracts from the action of the story, and also covers bad photography, to say that fantasy stories have no box office value and are only fit for children is stupid. The only difference between children and adults is in size and age, and any clean story, intelligently directed, will go over. —SUB ROSA. * * * CHADWICK PLAYING IN LA ROCQUE PRODUCTION Cyril Chadwick is playing the heavy in “Gigolo,” Rod La Rocque’s latest starring vehicle at the DeMille studios, under the direction of William K. Howard. Others in the cast are Jobyna Ralston, Louise Dresser and George Nichols. GEORGE O’BRIEN CAST IN NEW FOX PRODUCTION George O’Brien has been selected by the William Fox organization for the leading male role in “Midnight,” based on the life story of Gaby Des Lys, the French actress. Howard Hawks will direct from the scenario by Benjamin Glazer. * * * RICHARD WALLACE LEAVES HAL ROACH Richard Wallace, who directed several Hal Roach comedies, including those starring Theda Bara, Claude Gillingwater, Ethel Clayton and Mabel Normand, has severed connections with the Roach studios and is to enter the free-lance field. • • * ROY D’ARCY IS HEAVY IN GILBERT PRODUCTION Roy D’Arcy is playing the heavy in “Bardelys, the Magnificent,” which King Vidor is directing for M-G-M. John Gilbert is starred in the production. • • • LORD ON SCENARIO OF McLAURIN PLAY Robert Lord has adapted “Whispering Wires,” Kate McLaurin’s stage play, and is now writing the scenario for the production to be made by the Fox studios. • • • ADDED TO CAST OF NEW GRIFFITH PRODUCTION Lawrence D’Orsay has been added to the cast of D. W. Griffith’s picture, “Sorrows of Satan,” now in production at the Paramount Long Island studio, with Adolphe Menjou, Carol Dempster, Ricardo Cortez and Lya de Putti in principal roles. P. D. C. TO HOLD FIRST CONVENTION ON COAST The Producers’ Distributing Corporation are to hold their first convention in Los Angeles May 3-8. Visitors to the convention will include sales managers, exchange managers, foreign representatives and all officials. * * * JOE ROCK STARTS NEW BLUE RIBBON COMEDY “Vamping Babies,” a Joe Rock-Blue Ribbon comedy, went into production this week under the direction of Harry Sweet. Lewis Sargent and Alice Ardell have the featured roles. * * * DAVIES FILM STALLED It is undrestood that the next Marion Davies picture, “The Red Mill,” has been called off indefinitely insofar as production is concerned. * * * “The Troupers” will hold their next rehearsal at the Writers, Club, on Sunday evening, May 2. ■■■■■■■■■ E. Burton Steene AKELEY CAMERA EXPERT Latest Equipment HEmpstead GRanite 4161 4274 Bell & Howell Cameras For Rent j Roy Davidge j FILM LABORATORIES! QUALITY and SERVICE THAT’S ALL \ i 6701 Santa Monica Blvd. j HO. 1944 King Chamey says: — Agfa “A Good Film Always” ALFRED WEISS, Pres. 6370 Santa Monica Blvd. Phone HE. 9574