Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

September 30, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2027 given a material boost by Business Manager E. H. Allen, of the Ince studios, last ■week, when it was found necessary to engage fifteen geisha girls for scenes in a roof garden. To get the correct atmosphere. Director Charles Miller, who needed such players for a sob sister story starring Bessie Barriscale, insisted that girls from Los Angeles tea gardens be secured. Investigation brought out the fact that they drew more salary than the ordinary extra girls emplojed at studios, and consequently would not leave their positions until assured of pay equivalent to what the}' would earn should they remain in their regular positions. This picture will be completed shortly, and Miss Barriscale will then be granted a four weeks' vacation. William S. Hart and his horse-opera troupe from Inceville frightened the natives of Culver City one night last week, when he shot up the town from the studio. The scenes made on an interior setting at the studio required enough shooting for a Mexican attack on a village, and the chief of police and a score or more villagers rushed to the studio with thoughts of murder or riot foremost in their minds. " John Law," who stands guard at the front gate, sent them home, assuring them it was nothing but another scene being made. All of the principals of the Ince Culver City studios, with the exception of Business Manager E. H. Allen, who was busy signing weekly salary checks, were used as extras in a court room scene made by Director Charles Miller. All regular members of the stock company not playing scenes were sent to Inceville to take part in war stuff being filmed by Reginald Barker. At this time Miller needed a number to fill a court room, and so every office in the administration building, men from the shops and women from the wardrobe department, were quickly costumed and put in the scene. Frank Keenan, Howard Hickman, Monte M. Katterjohn, Lanier Bartlett and Cameraman Otis !M. Gobe occupied seats in the front row. Director Ra>Tnond B. West and Superintendent of Production David M. Hartford played the part of lawyers. Director Walter Edwards filled a chair at a counsel table, and Art Director Robert Brunton and William Desmond were court reporters. Bessie Barriscale, star of this picture, was thereby given the highest salaried supporting cast that any picture player has ever had. The twenty Ford machines, property of the Ince plant, were this week converted into Red Cross ambulances of the type used in the present European war, and as such did dut}' in the war scenes made under the direction of Reginald Barker at Inceville for the production which serves as the second starring vehicle for Clara Williams, who appears as a Red Cross nurse. More than five hundred people daily took part in the battle scenes made in the trenches on Inceville plateau. " Tri-Star Combination Director " Raymond B. West has become known as the " tri-star combination " director. He last week made the final scene for an Ince Triangle play which offers Dorothy Dalton, Enid Markey and Howard Hickman as principals. This is a drama of the vampire type, in the making of which Miss Dalton has gone after the honors of sirens of the screen. West is now ready to begin the filming of a psychological story with Miss Dalton, Charles Ray and Louise Glaum. Monte M. Katterjohn prepared the scenario from a story by Alice P. Brown, and the Ince staff author claims to have written into the working script the largest and most costly cafe sets yet made for the screen. Other important players in this production will be Margaret Thompson and Charles K. French. C. Gardiner SuHivan, chief of the Ince scenario department, last week wrote an original Southern story in which Frank Keenan will be starred under the direction of Walter Edwards. In it the character actor takes the role of a miserly mill owner, and the plot is said to contain the most powerful situation ever presented in an Ince subject. Mr. Sullivan is spoken of as the most prolific author for the screen, he having written about forty original stories for the Triangle program in addi tion to reading and passing upon every script received at the big Ince plant. Perhaps his greatest success is " Civilization." " The badest bad-man " ever seen on the screen is the way Monte M. Katterjohn speaks of the role he has created for William S. Hart, which is shortly to be filmed. It is said to be of the type of " Hell's Hinges," which was written by C. Gardiner Sullivan. Enid Markey is to have a starring part in a college life story, she taking the role of a chorus girl. A big supporting cast has been chosen to support the principals, which includes such prominent Ince players as Howard Hickman, Margaret Thompson, Charles Gunn, J. Frank Burke, Louis Durham and others. The story is by John Lynch, author of several Ince subjects and one of the most recent additions to the scenario staff. Director Otis Turner has completed his first Fox subject, which stars George Walsh and Juanita Hansen, but no name for this has been selected. Mr. Turner will immediately take up another subject in which these players will have the featured parts. Director R. A. Walsh will shortly take up the filming of a picture which will offer Harry Carey in the leading role. Monroe Salisbury, who is best known for his work as Allesandro in " Ramona," has been engaged by General Representative Carlos and will play in the Walsh picture. Oscar C. Apfel is shortly to begin the filming of a story dealing with the lives of people of the best and lowest social circles. Reid Heustis, publicity writer at the Fox studio, is responsible for the story. The only player selected is Eleanor Crowe, whom Mr. Apfel thniks is destined for stardom. The two Fox comedy companies have completed two subjects each, and beginning last week took up additional ones, each company retaining its former personnel. At the studio it is stated Fox comedies will not be released for several weeks yet, so it will be possible for the companies to get far ahead of the program and thus be in better position to make subjects of a higher qualit}'.