Motion Picture Classic (Jul-Dec 1928)

Soul of Film Publicity, Captained by Cedric Belf rage Another supreme sacriBce for Art reported b\ the Paramount publicists: "Eight years ago, the late Thomas H. Ince offered Rowland V. Lee a big salary and a long term of stardom. Lee refused point-blank and continued his twenty-fivedoUars-a-week job as an extra and bit player . . . Lee wanted to become a director, and explains that he did not want to do anything that might ruin this opportunity." Meaning That She'll Dress Where Necessary: "Another orgy of gowns will be indulged in by Alice White for her next First National Picture, 'Ritzy Rosie.'" "When Alice White starts work on 'Ritzy Rosie' . . . she will again have a perfect whirlwind of clothes." (First National broadsides.) It's Also an Old Studio Custom: "'Off with the uppers' is Gilbert Roland's slogan since his return from the beach at Waikiki. Gilbert adopted the Hawaiian custom of dispensing with the hampering top-piece of his bathing suit during his recent visit to the Land of the Lei and declare's he will continue to go upperless." (Tattle from the United Artists gossip-gatherers.) Lending the beneBls of enlightened modern art to make bigger and brighter history in celluloid; disclosed by that present-day Art Temple, the United Artists studio: "The picture is to attain epical qualities and will be presented on the United Artists program as a Griffith special. The decadence of Napoleon the Third's riotous court; the affairs of nobles; the intrigues of the diplomatic corps and several battle sequences of the early stages of the war with Prussia will be synchronised with Movietone and Vitaphone atmospheric accompaniment arranged by Irving Berlin." Hollywood contributes another brilliant gift to the world of science, again demonstrating its unapproachable leadership in this field; as made public through the medium of Paramount's publicislsat-large: "The 'Lafograph' is a word coined by Harold Lloyd to describe a new invention in the field of comedy . . . The device scientifically records and classifies the laugh reactions to his pictures ... At least a dozen performances were checked and listened in on with pad, pencil and stop-watch, until an e;cact evaluation was arrived at for each separate episode . . . Six audible graduations of laughter were settled upon: the titter, the chuckle, the laugh, the outburst, the scream and the screech; the six pretty well covered, the range of an assemblage's degrees of responsiveness." F'etching little anecdote from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, proving any number of things: "Sumner Getchell, who plays the comedy r6le in 'Gold Braid' with Ramon Novarro, thought he'd 'get a laugh' by slipping on the gang-plank of the airplane carrier Langley. Instead, he got a sprained ankle." After years of futile research by the world's ablest critics, Joe Polonsky, modest member of the M-G-M publicity band, wrenches forth into the light of day the closely-g\iarded secret of secrets: "The amazing response which the general public have given to Eva le Gallienne's high class dramatic offerings is due in large part to her amazing acting ability and vivid personality." Hollywood puts another feather in the cap of America by beating all non-existing records for getting out of one chorus-girl uniform into another; reported by the First National whoopee boys: "Alice White made a complete change of costume in twenty-eight seconds during the filming of scenes with a large number of extras in which speed was essential. Alfred Santelf, speaking by virtue of long experience as a director of stars of every variety, declares this feat deserves rankiiig with Lindbergh's trans-Atlantic flight and George Young's swim from Catalina Island to the mainland. ' A clear case of downright, though unintentional, honesty in a film studio, faithfully chronicled by the worthy TilTany-Stahl announcers: "Gertrude Astor carelessly placed a valuable diamond ring on a table just before starting a scene with Eve Southern. Several hours later, one of the prop boys walked over to Miss Astor and remarked, 'It beats all how they have got fake jewelry down to a fine art now-adays.' Props, however, had seen Miss Astor remove her ring and he took it for safe-keeping until she was through with her part." 35