Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1264 Motion Picture N e w I Big Plans tor Paramount Pep Ball Affair at Hotel Commodore, New York, to Be the Theatrical Event of Season ELABORATE plans are being made for the third annual ball to be held at the Hotel Commodore, New York, on Friday evening, under the auspices of the Paramount Pep Club. According to word from the Paramount headquarters there will be rare turn-out of theatrical talent for the occasion. Practically all the motion picture stars now working in the East will be there, it is stated, including Thomas Meighan, Agnes Ayres, Nita Naldi, Alice Brady, Lila Lee, Laurette Taylor, Johnny Hines and others. The entertainment, which will start at about midnight and will be staged under the direction of Ned Wayburn, is being arranged by Nils T. Granlund. Through his efforts the appearance of several entire musical comedy companies now playing in New York is assured. These are reported to include the Ziegfeld Follies, "Lady Butterfly," "The Gingham Girl"' and " Sunshowers " companies. Lew Leslie's Midnight Frolic from the Boardwalk and the entire choruses from the Greenwich Village Follies and the Music Box Revue. Among those who will appear in individual acts in the entertainment are Will Rogers, Johnny Dooley, Evan Burrows Fontaine, the Lorraine Sisters, Bert Beri, Charles King, the Fairbanks Twins, Johnny Hines, Bob Nelson, Harry Delf, Berta Donn, Cortez and Peggy, Alice Maison and Wes Totten, Evelyn Law, Will Morrissey, Savoy and Brennan, Muriel Stryker, Janet Stone, Peggy Hope, George Hale, Lovey Lee, Lou Lockett, Edythe Baker and Eddie Dowling. John Emerson, president of the Actors' Equity Association, and Hon. Murray Hulbert, representing Mayor Hylan, will act as chairman of the reception committee for the professional talent. The big feature of the evening will be the beauty contest, the winner of which will be given a contract to appear in a Paramount picture to be made at the Long Island studio. The judges of the contest will be Thomas Meighan, Agnes Ayres, Ned Wayburn, Fanny Brice, Tessa Kosta and Laurette Taylor. Mae Murray Begins Work on "The French Doll" Mae Murray has begun work on " The French Doll," a Tiffany production, presented by Robert Z. Leonard, to be released by Metro. This is her second picture to be made in California this season. It will be an elaborate version of the stage play of the same name by A. E. Thomas. Robert Z. Leonard, director of Mae Murray's Tiffany productions, has surrounded the star with a cast that includes Rod La Rocq'ie, Willard Louis, Orville Caldwell, Madame Rose Dione, Bernard Randall, Paul Cazeneuve and others. The adaptation for the screen was made by Frances Marion. New J oh nson R elease Na med "Westbound Limited" Emory Johnson's third production for the Film Booking Offices of America, which was made under the working title of " Westbound !)!)." will be released to exhibitors early in April under the title of " Westbound Limited." This title was selected by Mr. Johnson and the executives of Film Booking Offices of America as more appropriate for the railroad ilraina. Scenes from " Racing Hearts." the Paramount picture starring Agnes Ayres. Educational Wins Injunction on Coue Picture A restraining order was granted on Thurs j day, March 1, by Judge Leslie E. Hewitt in | the action brought by Educational Film Exchanges, Inc., in the Superior Court of California at Los Angeles against S. M. Herzig, Lyle W. Rucker and others. The defendants, according to word from Educational Film's home office, are enjoined and restrained from selling, leasing, releasing, exhibiting, showing or using in any manner a picture entitled " Da}' by Day," produced by Herzig and Rucker, and from advertising or giving publicity to this picture. Educational Film Exchanges, Inc., is distributing " The Message of Emile Coue," produced by Motion Picture Arts, Inc., under the direction of John L. MeCutcheon, which is the only motion picture in which M. Coue appears and which M. Coue has stated formally, over his own signature, is the only picture he h^s authorized. Universal to Distribute "Hunting Big Game9 1 Universal Pictures Corporation has acquired " Hunting Big Game in Africa " for distribution in the United States. The distribution arrangements for the wild animal picture were closed this week when a contract was signed by Eugene Roth and representatives of the LTniversal organization. The picture has been showing for several weeks at the Lyric theatre, New Y'ork, under the direction of J. J. McCarthy, and has met with a liberal measure of praise both from the local critics as well as in trade circles. The picture was made by H. A. Snow, but the distributing rights were taken over by Eugene Roth. Doris May to Play Opposite William Farnum Doris May has been engaged to play opposite William Farnum in his new William Fox production, " The Gun Fighter." which has just been started in the Fox West Coast studios under the direction of Lynn Reynolds.