Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1176 Motion Picture News Baby Peggy Signs Lesser Contract Huge Sum Involved for Services of Child Star for Coming Three Years BABY PEGGY, three and a half years old, and famous throughout the world as a starlet in motion pictures, has received one of the biggest cash considerations for her services on the screen, ev.?r paid in the history of the picture industry, it is claimed. The contract was entered into and closed between Sol Lesser, president of Principal Pictures Corporation, and the child's parents, James and Mrs. Montgomery. The deal for the baby's services for the next three years, was started in Los Angeles, but was not verified until this week by Sol Lesser who is in New York en route to Europe. It is said that Baby Peggy's salary and the pictures she will make each year, will exceed $1,500,000. Lesser placed Jackie Coogan under contract after the now famous youngster completed his work with Charles Chaplin in '" The Kid." Under Lesser's direction, Jackie has made all of his photoplays and just recently signed a contract with Metro Pictures Corporation. " It is not my desire," said Lesser, " to er-tablish the fact that Baby Peggy received a tremendous salary. So many inflated reports of picture stars' salaries have been circulated, that I would rather refrain from stating the amount of money the little girl will receive each year. I am convinced, however, that she will rank among the highest paid film actresses in the world." A huge cash advance was made to the little actress' parents who in turn, have placed it in a trust fund in Los Angeles, it is said. According to Lesser, Baby Peggy will start her new contract not later than October and she will be seen in big feature productions adapted from world famous books and by noted authors. Her pictures will be made in Hollywood. Baby Peggy-Jean has made countless millions laugh. Her fan mail resembles that of a post office during the holidays. When her picture appear, the theatres are crowded with eager kiddies and smiling parents. She has appeared in many comedies but has never participated in feature length productions. She is now in Hollywood completing a contract with another picture company. Seek Original Rinehart Story for Jackie The Coogan agents in New York are reported to be negotiating with Mary Roberts Rinehart, who has just arrived in Gotham from her home in Washington, D. C, for an original screen story to be filmed by Jackie as one of his series on his Metro contract. " Long Live the King," the novelist's " pet " story, has just served Jackie as his first vehicle for Metro. Although all of Mrs. Rinehart's stories find their way first to the printed page of the book and magazine, Coogan, Sr., hopes to win her over to writing one direct for the screen by giving a private showing of Jackie in " Long Live the King" in the novelist's suite at the Waldorf-Astoria, where she is now registered. Johnston Will Publicize Lloyd Productions J. L. Johnston, former Associated First National Picture exploitation representative in Seattle, Portland. Butte and Alaskan territories, and more recently associated with the Thomas H. Ince studios, has been appointed publicity director for Frank Lloyd Productions, Inc., an independent producing company recently organized and to release through First National, General Manager Harry Weil has announced. His appointment to the Lloyd post came at the conclusion of a trip around the United States in the interest of publicity. A motion picture set which, it is claimed, surpasses in magnitude and exceeds in expense any ever designed for the filming of a photoplay in the East is that which has just heen completed behind the Cosmopolitan studios at 127th Street and Second Avenue, New York, and which will be used in the making of " Yolanda," Marion Davies next superfeature for the Cosmopolitan Corporation. This set. representing the castle of Charles, Duke of Burgundy, father of Princess Yolanda, covers almost a square citv block. The castle, which is 600 feet long "bv 250 feet wide, entails one tower that stands 113 feet above the ground and measures 25 feet in diameter. It also includes two other towers 56 feet high. The castle itself spans a huge moat. The moat is 300 feet long bv 55 feet wide and 17 feet deep. It holds 15 feet of water. Another feature of the castle is a huge steel drawbridge, and circling the castle itself is a wall 40 feet high. The set was designed by Joseph Urban and involved weeks of research work. "No More Women9' Company at Lake Arrowhead The company engaged for Elmer Harris' "No More Women," which is the third Associated Authors' production for autumn release through Allied Producers and Distributors Corporation, is at Lake Arrowhead in the Southern Sierras. They will remain there two or three weeks making exteriors before returning to the studio. Lloyd Ingraham is directing. The cast which was recently completed includes Matt Moore, Madge Bellamy, Kathleen Clifford, H. Reeves-Smith, Clarence Burton, George Cooper, and Shannon Day. "Broken Wing" Booked for New York Rialto " The Broken Wing " has just been booked to play the Rialto, New York, earlv in October. This is the first of the fifteen' Preferred Pictures which will be released during the new season. A musical comedy version of the play is to be presented by Oliver Morosco this season. Warner Brothers' "Gold Diggers," personally supervised by David Blesco, has been completed. Here are scenes from the production in which Hope Hampton has the leading role.