Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

2698 Motion Picture News J. C. JESSEN'S PRODUCTION NOTES BY WIRE Studio and Player Brevities LITTLE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE ON THE LOT Warner Brothers Items THE cast for the "Gold Diggers," under the direction of Harry Beaumont, includes Hope Hampton in the lead, Alec. Francis, Wyndham Standing, Louise Fazenda, Gertrude Short, and Margaret Seddon. Production is to start upon the arrival of Mr. Belasco. Raymond Cannon has signed a contract with Warner Brothers under the terms of which he will appear in " The Printer's Devil." This Julian Josephson photoplay will be directed by William Beaudine and features Wesley Barry. With Paramount Units C. B. De Mille has started actual production on " The Ten Commandments " on a spectacular set of the throne room of the Palace of Rameses II, on completion of which he will take 2,500 people to location at Guadeloupe, Calif. The opening scenes were witnessed by delegates to the convention of the Pacific Coast department of distribution, under the chairmanship of S. R. Kent. The feature of the convention was Lasky's announcement of the production schedule for the coming year. Herbert Brenon starts direction about June 1 of "The Spanish Dancer," Pola Negri's next. George Melford is nearing completion of Bret Harte's " Salomy Jane " Melford's next is to be "North of Thirty Six," the latest novel by the late Emerson Hough, the same to feature Ernest Torrence of " Covered Wagon " fame. Jerome Storm and company are at Catalina Island for location for "Children of Jazz." The cast includes Theodore Kosloff, Ricardo Cortez, Eileen Percy, Robert Cam, Irene Dalton, Frank Currier, Alec. Francis and Smitz Edwards. Final scenes for "The Heart Raider," a Paramount picture starring Agnes Ayres under the direction of Wesley Ruggles, were shot this week at the company's Long Island studio. Alfred Hustwick, title writer since 1919 with the Paramount West Coast studio, has just been signed to a long-term contract to continue in that capacity. Thomas Meighan and a company of players have gone to New London, Conn., where exterior scenes will be made for " Homeward Bound," a Paramount picture adapted by Jack Cunningham from Peter B. Kyne's sea story, " The Light to Leeward," under the direction of Ralph Ince. Antonio Moreno, having finished his work in " The Exciters," with Bebe Daniels has returned to the Lasky studio at Hollywood where he will play opposite Pola Negri in "The Spanish Dancer," an adaptation of " Don Caesar de Bazan," which Herbert Brenon will direct. Jerome Storm's company making " Children of Jazz " for Paramount has returned to Hollywood after a week's stay on location at Catalina Island. Ferdinand Gottschalk, and Lucille La Verne, who recently completed work in " The White Rose," have been chosen by Allan Dwan for two important roles in his next Paramount production, " Zaza." Mr. Gottschalk will play the part of Duke DeBrissac and Miss LaVerne will be Aunt Rosa. Gloria Swanson will have the title role of Zaza and H. B. Warner will play Bernard Duf rene. Maurice Campbell has completed the filming of " The Exciters," with Bebe Daniels and Antonio Moreno, at the Paramount Long Island studio. The cast includes Burr Mcintosh, Diana Allen, Cyril Ring, Ida Darling, Jane Thomas, Allan Simpson and George Backus. F. B. 0. Production Notes Ruby Miller has been engaged for the feminine lead in " Alimony," under the direction of Emile Chautard, beginning this week. The cast includes Warner Baxter, Jackie Saunders, Viola Vale, Ralph Lewis. Mary Beth Milford has been engaged for the feminine lead in the new " Fighting Blood " series under the direction of Mai St. Clair. Director Al Santell is completing "Lights Out." At U 1 City niversa " Havoc," an all-star Jewel directed by Harry Carson, is to be completed in four weeks. Completion of " The Hunchback of Notre Dame " is expected in the same period. Harry D. Brown, chief engineer, has completed a one hundred and ninety thousand power plant. The William Desmond company has returned from two weeks location in the Feather River country, making " The Skyline of Spruce," under the direction of Robert Hill. Virginia Brown Faire is opposite Desmond. Mary Philbin, who plays the little hand organ girl in " Merry-GoRound," the Universal spectacle of Vienesse life, soon to be released as a Universal-Jewel production, has been cast for the leading feminine role in "Where is This West?" in which Jack Hoxie is starred. Miss Patterson Dial has been cast by Fred Datig, Universal casting chief, and Hobart Henley director, to play in " A Lady of Quality," the Henley production starring Virginia' Valli that now is being filmed at Universal City. With Roach Comedians Harold Lloyd starts for New York next Wednesday as a result of the completion of his latest seven reel comedy still untitled. Elmer Pearson, Pathe general manager, arrives Friday to confer with Hal Roach on a production schedule. Director Kitty Howe with comedian Paul Parrott has completed a burlesque on " The Covered Wagon," titled " The Uncovered Wagon." On the Goldwyn Lot Marshal Neilan company including Lucile Ricksen and Conrad Nagel are in San Francisco making waterfront scenes for " The Rendezvous." Claire Windsor returned from New York to prepare for her new production. Richard C. Travers has been engaged by Neilan for a part. Director Tod Browning has started photography on " The Day of Faith." He has added Winter Hall, Ruby Lafayette and Henry Hebert to the cast which already includes Eleanor Boardman, Raymond Griffith, Tyrone Power, Ford Sterling and John Curry. Pauline Starke, who recently was declared by Miss Neysa McMein, celebrated illustrator, to be the most beautiful actress of the screen, has an important role in Emmett Flynn's first Goldwyn picture, " In the Palace of the King." News of First National Chester Franklin and Frances Marion have been engaged by Joseph Schenck to co-direct Norma Talmadge in " Dust of Desire," from an adaptation by C. Gardner Suilivan and Willard Mack. Sullivan goes to New York, Wednesday, to select plays as the Talmadge sisters' vehicles. William Collier, Jr., has been engaged by Arthur H. Jacobs for the Frank Borzage production, " Dust in the Doorway," with Virginia Pearson and William Truesdale. James Young is preparing for production of Cynthia Stockley's South African story, " Ponjola," with Anna Q. Nilsson, James Kirkwood and Ford Sterling. It is rumored Cynthia Stockley is to come to the Coast to collaborate. Richard Walton Tully, producer of " Trilby," plans a screen version of "The Bird of Paradise" as his next subject, with scenes in the Hawaiian Islands. Maurice Tourneur is cutting and editing " The Brass Bottle " and plans a new production within two weeks. " The Huntress," featuring Colleen Moore and Lloyd Hughes, under the direction of Lynn Reynolds, is on location in the high Sierras at Mammoth Lake for two w eeks. Others in the cast are, Russell Simpson, Walter Long, Snitz Edwards, Wilfred North and Charles E. Anderson. Robert McKim, Virginia Brown Faire and Edwin Booth Tilton have been added to the cast of " Lord of Thundergate," featuring Sylvia Breamer, under the direction of Joseph De Grasse. Here and There Several additions have been made to John M. Stahl's cast for his new Louis B. Mayer-First National attraction, " The Wanters," in the signing of Eddie Gribbon, Lillian Langdon, William Buckley and George Fisher to play in the picture. Louis B. Mayer has placed Hedda Hopper, former Brodway star, under contract for future Mayer productions. Director Reginald Barker is finishing " Master of Woman," many scenes of which were taken in the Canadian Rockies. Director W. S. Van Dyke has heen loaned to Associated Authors for direction of " Bar Harbor," upon completion of which he will return to the Mayer studio to produce " The Span of Life," a spectacular circus story. " Sky Larking," Mack Sennett'sthird for Pathe, has been shipped to the Pathe New York headquarters. Roy Del Ruth completed " Knipand Tueck," Wednesday, for Sennett. " Three O'Clock in the Morning,"" the latest C. C. Burr production, has been completed. East and West with Fox Director Jack Ford is beginning production of " Cameo Kirby," with Jack Gilbert, Gertrude Olmstead, Allan Hale, Richard Tucker, Jack McDonald. Scott Dunlap is starting direction of Charlie Jones in " Skidproof,'r with Jacqueline Gadsen, Peggy' Shaw and Earl Metcalf. Henry Otto is to make the " Temple of Venus," an allegorical phantasy on Undine theme, with exteriors in Santa Cruz. Tom Mix leaves Wednesday for Prescott, Ariz., where he will make " The Lone Star Ranger," from a story by Zane Grey, under the direction of Lambert Hillyer. Shirley Mason is recovering from an appendicitis operation and is soon to go to New York for production at the Fox eastern studio. ' Mad Love " ad run by the Century theatre, Baltimore