The Film Mercury (1926-27)

Page Sixteen THE FILM MERCu*. Y, APRIL 30, 1926 Holly wood^ Calif. WARNERS AND “U” Raw OVER FAZENDA Warner Brothers will register a formal complaint to the Association of Motion Picture Producers against Paul Kohner, Universal casting director, on the grounds that the latter entered negotiations for the services of a screen player to be used by that concern before obtaining authority to do so, according to a story in “Variety,” which says: “About a month ago Kohner called up Raymond Schreck at Warner Brothers and told him that they would like to use Louise Fazenda in a picture for about four weeks. “Schrock explained the working schedule for the next few months called for the continued services of Miss Fazenda. He did not see how they could loan her. Universal insisted until Schrock took the matter up with Harry and Jack Warner and they revised the schedule to permit Miss Fazenda a release for four weeks. “Miss Fazenda was then sent to Universal to discuss the matter with Kohner and the production officials there, also to bring back a contract. “Miss Fazenda came back DOROTHY FARNUM SIGNS M-G-M CONTRACT Dorothy Farnum has signed a new contract with M-G-M. Among the recent stories which she has adapted are, Ibanez’s “The Torrent,” Ibanez’s “The Temptress,” and Sabatini’s “Bardelys, the Magnificent,” all for M-G-M. without a contract. An hour later a phone message was given to the Warner Brothers that the director who was to make the picture could not use Miss Fazenda in it. “The W a r n e r production schedule had been upset, it is claimed, another person had been engaged in the cast for the picture in which Miss Fazenda was to appear, with the result that Warners will have to carry her for four weeks on the payroll without work.” It is reported that other studios are also preparing to enter complaints against Kohner. The Universal casting director is said to have aroused the antagonism of several players and coinpanies through questionable methods and in regard to contract promises that were not fulfilled. Rftimn lllllltlHtlHIMtllttllliltlllllftllllltMlllltllllllllllllltllllllllllltpillltlll TITLED “HER BIG NIGHT” THE LAUGH SENSATION JUST COMPLETED AT UNIVERSAL STARRING LAURA LA PLANTE DIRECTED BY MELVILLE BROWN —COMPLETE WARDROBE— GRanite 7881 S S miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiniiiniiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiij | 1 JOSEPH JACKSON 1 ! 2007 14 Cahuenga Ave. S S Hal Kane’s Opinion Note: — Thi« is the fifth of a series of articles supporting my opinion as to who are the ten men who have given most to the Motion Picture Industry. —HAL KANE. HARRY L. KERR I have chosen Mr. Kerr because he formulated the idea and established the Standard Casting Director’s Directory which, for the first time, enabled the actor to obtain a one hundred per cent representation at a nominal cost. This idea has proven of more value to both actor and producer than any other single idea in the history of Motion Pictures. Mr. Kerr’s original idea was, in a great measure, philanthropic, and because of his desire to further serve the actor and producer he has conceived another idea (of which I am thoroughly familiar) which will increase the efficiency of his original idea a thousand-fold, and in addition will decrease the cost of the actor’s representation to a remarkable degree. In the production field he has accomplished the impossible. During a six months’ period of last year he produced eighteen feature length pictures with all-star casts at an average cost equal to approximately one-tenth of the average cost of feature productions made by the large producing organizations, and each one of these productions merited exhibition in any theatre in America. This also is an accomplishment never before equaled in the history of Motion Pictures. HAL KANE Address Box Z, 620 TAFT BUILDING Sixth Argument Next Week 5 s 1 E i = £ r.immi, minim MIIIII 1 1 1 II i II . . I . II . . 1 1 1 1 1 1. Ill 1 1, 1 II „| I ,,T Jiiimiiiimimiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii«iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin»HiiMiuiiiii7