Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1.378 Motion Picture News A ND so it came to pass that the Paramount Pep Club gave its third annual ball at the Commodore Hotel last Friday night. Everybody connected with Famous Players in the East was present and the list of guests included divers and sundry persons associated with other film companies. The dancing began at nine o'clock and was interrupted at midnight by large groups of entertainers who occupied the stage for two hours. PICTURES AND PEOPLE The choruses of several Broadway shows, " The Gingham Girl," " Wildflower," " Lady Butterfly," " Sun Showers," and the Tiller girls from the " Follies," went through their evolutions in putting over the song hits. Various interpolated numbers were introduced by comedians and comediennes from current attractions. And then on with the dance until four in the morning, at which hour the girls from several cabaret shows put over their stuff. If we had any vote in the matter we would hand the ensemble from the Boardwalk the grand prize for executing their steps with oodles of pep and ginger. The cold gray dawn found hundreds still parked in the big ballroom. Among the screen and stage celebrities who attended were Dorothy Dalton, Tom Meighan, Glenn Hunter, Ann Forrest, James Rennie, Dorothy Gish, Texas Guinan, Mahlon Hamilton, Hope Hampton, Lew Cody, Johnny Hines, Sheldon Lewis, Virginia Pearson, Edward Earle, Olin Howland, Duncan sisters, Arthur Housman, Allan Dwan, Victor Herbert, George MacQuarrie, Mabel Withee, Reine Riano, Andrew Tombes, Carl Randall, Penrhyn Stanlaws, Mary Carr, May Collins, Shannon Day, Joe King, Zena Keefe, Ben Hendricks, Mary Thurman, Nita Naldi, Johnny Dooley, Ed. Gallagher, Benny Leonard, Evelyn Law and several others — not forgetting film executives, publicity experts and ladies and gentlemen of the press. W ORD reaches us that the Hollywood Studio Club is making a Drive this week for a one hundred and fifty thousand dollar building fund, thirty thousand to be secured from citizens of Hollywood and Los Angeles and the balance from people and firms of the film industry. The club is under the supervision of the Y. W. C. A. and serves as a home for girls working in pictures. The present buildings accommodate thirty and the proposed enlargement will increase accommodations to one hundred. Mrs. Cecil De Mille is chairman of the Drive Committee. W ATTERSON R. ROTH ACKER, accompanied by a rare coat of tan and golf paraphernalia, etc., — the tan having been picked up at Palm Beach and the golf stuff at various sporting goods stores on his own Mich. Boul. — has left Chicago for Los Angeles. He plans to spend two weeks on the Coast and will confer with Joe Alter, resident head of the Hollywood laboratory, besides visiting several western studios. Mr. Rothacker has disposed of his stock in United Studios, following its sale to Joe Schenck, and has resigned from the United board of directors. # # * THE many friends of Robert Brunton are shocked to learn of his death in London on the fourth of this month after two weeks' illness of cerebral hemorrhage. Mr. Brunton came to the United States from Scotland several years ago, having served as a scenic artist for Sir Henry Irving— with whom he continued after the English tragedian visited America on one of his tours. He then became associated with the Shuberts as a scenic artist and later acted in a similar capacity for Oliver Morosco. During the days of InceTriangle he began his screen career, serving as art director and production manager. Of late Mr. Brunton has been executive head of Robert Brunton studios, Los Angeles. The film industry mourns the loss of such an energetic leader of the screen. SfB 3|C 3fS THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW gave its asterisks last week to "Daddy," the Jackie Coogan picture, released by First National, " Where the Pavement Ends,'' produced by Rex Ingram for Metro, and " The Covered Wagon," Paramount 's big special. * * * TAMES CRUZE, who will henceforth be pointed out as the J man who directed " The Covered Wagon," has arrived in New York to be present at the theatre premiere of the big feature when it is launched at the Criterion this Friday night. While in the metropolitan sector Mr. Cruze will film a large number of scenes at the Long Island studio for his production, " Hollywood," which he started several weeks ago in the West. * « * SPEAKING of "The Covered Wagon," we are keeping our ears to the ground and the rumblings which we have caught indicate that Paramount has its biggest and best production in this vital record of the pioneer days of '49. Certainly the company has been justified in putting over an expensive advertising campaign, exploiting 24 sheets, fillers on the programs of their theatres, and a telegram campaign in which the United States Senators have co-operated with enthusiastic messages. Just now John C. Flinn is speeding cross-country from Los Angeles, traveling the very route of the pioneers — with safety and comfort. His telegrams to Jesse Lasky which are featured in a two-column box among the theatrical advertisements of the New York dailies, point a strong contrast between the sure and swift journey of today and the hazardous journey of the pioneers — when ten miles a day was considered good speed. Mr. Flinn is bringing back a print of the rich and vital epic. * * * ARTHUR H. SAWYER, who has returned to Los Angeles from New York, announces the formation of Associated Pictures, capitalized at two million dollars — with Marcus Jacobowsky as president. The company will make eight features during the year — the first production to start work upon the completion of ' ' The Shooting of Dan McGrew ' ' for Metro. * # * OTHER transcontinental travelers include F. M. San ford of San ford Productions, who is journeying to New York with a print of his special, " Follow Me," and James R. Grainger, ivho has returned to New York from Los Angeles where he has been for a few weeks in connection with Goldivyn and Neilan productions. m m m THE FILM RENTER and Moving Picture News, over its editor's signature pleads for a Will Hays to preside over the destinies of the British film industry. Ernest W. Fredman, the editor, after showing what Mr. Hays has accomplished in America, states that the time is ripe to appoint a Will Hays as the head of affairs in the trade — a man who would command the confidence of the Government, the Press and Lombard Street. Mr. Fredman argues that such a man could be the arbitrator between exhibitor and renter, and there would never be the slightest recourse to law suits. The censorship board would come under his control, and both sides of the industry would know where they stood. To quote the editor: " If we had a similar personality over