The Great Selection: "First National First" Season 1922 - 1923 (1922)

Many of First National's Finest Were Made Here Bird's eye 'view of the United Sud.o; av.'ierc Nor n t aid Constance Talmadge and Guy Bates Post are making First National Attractions THE UNITED STUDIOS A Tower of Strength for Independent Producers THE statement that "a workman is only as good as his tools" applies to the motion picture industry as well as to any other. In addition to the unlimited resources furnished by the Ince studios, the producing units of Richard Barthelmess, Miss Hope Hampton, the Talmadge studios in the east and other independent producers whose pictures are released through First National, the makers of First National Attractions have recently availed themselves of the unsurpassed facilities of the huge United Studios at Hollywood. Formerly known as the Brunton Studios, this plant offers every facility for the production of quality pictures. With more than 33 acres of land, and a studio building comprising more than a million square feet of floor space, the United Studios has room for twenty companies operating coincidently. As a rule, however, there are usually not more than six companies at work there; and the limitation to this number offers a freedom of space and movement, providing for range of action and size of sets insured to no other producing units in West Coast studios. For interiors seven covered stages continually guarantee adequate working facilities. Thirty acres of land surrounding the building provide a wide radius for exteriors that can be taken around Hollywood and that do not require "locations." The studio equipment, in addition to the floor space already mentioned, includes office buildings, dressing rooms, property rooms and space for technical and experimental work. A recent inventory or props shows more than 350,000 pieces with a discriminating range. A director filming an ancient spectacle would find sufficient material on hand to supply the appointments for a dozen fountain gardens in Pompeii, while another director filming 'The Garden of Allah" could take his selection of Egyptian scenery without draining the resources of the property room or stepping outside the building. Continuous day and night service is one of the features at the United Studios, a feature that has made it possible for directors availing themselves of the plant to make scenes requiring the subtle shading of night-time and artificial lighting without running up heavy expenses for their productions or going to farfetched makeshifts for effects. Some of the most important productions of filmdom have been created at the United Studios. Guy Bates Post's initial picture, "The Masquerader," about which there are richest predictions, was made there. So, too, was the Allen HolubarDorothy Phillips production "Hurricane's Gal", while the Unitcd's Cooper-Hewitts shone, too, on Norma Talmadge in * The Eternal Flame." First National's activity there continues. Among the present occupants of the stages are Constance Talmadge, who is filming interiors for "East is West"; Guy Bates Post bringing "Omar The Tentmaker" to the screen; Norma Talmadge making advance preparations for "The Voice from the Minaret." Mike C. Levee is the president of United Studios and it is largely to his far sightedncss and wide experience in the motion pictuie industry that the studio has reached its present high grade of efficiency.