Hollywood Topics (Oct 1926-Feb 1927)

HOLLYWOOD TOPICS 5 Laemmle Gives Long Term Contract Special Supervisor Gets Yule tide “Plum” From Universal’s Chief William Lord Wright, supervisor of Westerns and short subjects at Universal City, has been given a long term contract by Carl Laemmle. Before Wright joined the motion picture industry, he was on the Motion Picture News and wrote the first interview with Carl Laemmle, in the then budding industry. He is an old time supervisor, as motion picture history goes. He started with Selig and was then with Edison, Essanay and finally with Pathe. At Pathe he supervised serials with Dustin Farnum and Kitty Gordon. Seven years ago he first joined Universal, supervising and writing the first historical chapter play, “The Days of Buffalo Bill,” which was directed by Edward Laemmle. Three years ago Wright was placed in charge of serials. Then last winter he took over Westerns and followed later by assuming supervising capacity over short subjects. Under Wright, Universal will spend more than $2,000,000 next year on Westerns, short subjects and serials, in the most ambitious program of the kind ever attempted. The schedule includes five serials, fifty-two two-reel “Junior Jewels,” twenty-six feature Westerns and other fast moving program products of the highest possible quality. With this year’s serials all scoring heavily in the theaters, Universal will enlarge this field of production on the next program. All five chapter plays will be picturizations of stories by wellknown writers and will be given everything possible in the way of casts and production values. They include “The Trail of the Tiger,” by Courtney Ryley Cooper; “The Scarlet Rider,” by Frank Howard Clark; “The Diamond Master,” by Jacques Futrelle; “The Phantom Raider,” by Frank R. Adama; “The Jade Box,” by Fred Jackson. The two-reelers will vary from the usual type of comedy made in the past. A “Second Collegian” series, written by Carl Laemmle, Jr., and directed by Nat Ross will follow the first group of ten just completed. George Lewis, Dorothy Gulliver, Eddie Phillips, Hayden Stevenson and Churchill Ross will be i nthe fast. Ten stories written especially for the screen by Octavus Roy Cohen, who is possibly the most popular humorous writer in America today, will be filmed with Charles Puffy in the starring role, under the direction of Harry Sweet. Ten other stories by the same author will also be made under the WL Junior-Jewel brand, this series dealing with the humorous side of negro life. Cohen first became famous with his short stories of the colored folk, and his leading characters, including Florian Slappey, Lawyer Evans Chew and the “Sons and Daughters of I Will Arise” are now almost household favorites. Wright is also busy preparing for the twenty-six feature-length Westerns on schedule. Four popular Western stars soon to be announced, will be featured in the productions. To meet the increased production needs, Wright is organizing a large staff of directors and scenario writers who will work with him on the several score pictures which will be made under his supervision in the next twelve months. Miranda on Job Tom Miranda has been assigned the task of writing the adaptation of “Quality,” the first picture which Gardner James will make under the Inspiration banner. “Quality” is the love story of a young country boy, and Gardner is said, by the author, Dixie Wilson, to be exactly suited to the role. Tom Miranda is now acting as title editor for “Resurrection” which is being produced by Inspiration Pictures and Edwin Carewe. Women Writers Better William Lyon Phelps of Yale, in a recent lecture at Town Hall, New York, under the auspices of the League for Political Education, made the claim that America has eight women authors superior to any eight of its men authors and pre-eminent above contemporary women writers of any other country. Those incuded in the professor’s “famous eight” class are: Edith Wharton, Ellen Sedgwick, Willa Cather, Dorothy Canfield, Zona Gale, Ellen Glasgow, Margaret Deland and Edna Ferber. Now will somebody please start another deadly paralell, and what would probaby be a hotter argument, by comparing the abilities of our contemporary scenarists? SALLY O’NEIL SLATED FOR BEAUDINE PICTURE Sally O’Neil, who is now playing the feminine lead in “Slide, Kelly, Slide,” opposite William Haines, will be the leading lady of William Beaudine’s first picture at the M-G-M studios. This is the announcement of Harry Rapf, associate executive, in making public the choice of Miss O’Neil as the lead for “Frisco Sally Levy,” new play of American city life soon to go into production at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. The new story is by A1 Cohn and Lew Lipton, with scenario by Cohn, and is a lilting comedy romance with a unique twist. It’s an absolute cinch that D. W. Griffith will direct his next picture right here in Hollywood. And it will be for United Artists, make no mistake about that. Sistrom Enters Lists As Film Columbus Not to be outdone by the Griffiths, De Milles and Neilans, William Sistrom has been snooping around for new talent and claims to have discovered a top notcher in Mildred Walker, well known in beauty circles as “Miss Pittsburgh.” Last week Miss Walker signed a contract to appear in a forthcoming production at Metropolitan Studios only a few days after her arrival here. At the time she was spectacularly welcomed by the Pennsylvania State Society and greeted at the City Hall by Mayor Cryer. BOYS, MEET MISS PALMER The bird who asked “what’s in a name” never met Violet Palmer. Miss Palmer has been too busy living up to the reputation of her first name to let the world know about herself, and our nosy reporter found her playing in “King of Kings” last week. He also found that Violet Palmer is the girl who always played leads up to a couple of years ago, when she embarked on a concert tour of the country. Violet happens to be one of the best known concert pianists in the country as well as a leading lady for fillums. Even the publicity department of De Mille’s was unaware of the fact that she has recorded with Zez Confrey, headlined the Keith-Albee Circuit, packed audiences into concert halls until Nosy, the inquiring rep, recognized her. SEASTROM CHOSEN TO DIRECT LILLIAN GISH One of the most important directorial assignments made at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in some time was announced by Irving G. Thalberg, who declared that Victor Seastrom had been selected to direct “The Enemy,” Lillian Gish’s next starring picture. This means that actual work on “The Enemy,” Channing Pollock’s famous drama of war propaganda, will commence very soon. “The Wind,” selected some time ago as Lillian Gish’s next picture under the direction of Clarence Brown, has been postponed because of the latter’s immediate work in “The Trail of ’98.” “The Enemy” will be Seastrom’s first picture since the completion of “The Scarlet Letter.” The director but recently returned from an extended visit to his native land, Sweden. June Mathis is doing the adaptation and continuity of “The Enemy.” It is reported that John Barrymore will leave shortly on an European trip. Naturally, Paris will be his headquarters. In a scene from “Don’t Tell the Wife,” Director Stein explains to Irene Rich and Huntly Gordon the “Wedding Ring Gag.” It’s a Warner Brothers Picture.