Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2526 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 16 " Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea," Universal Director Henry Otto has asjain rut on the makeup, the first time for more than three years, and he will appear in an important part, acting in the current YorkeMetro subject, " Big Tremaine," which has Harold Lockwood and May Allison as its stars. Otto, previous to his work as director, was actor on the legitimate stage, and played heavy parts in many Selig productions. Director Otto was an extremely busy man, for he used more than one hundred extra players in scenes depicting political campaign rallies. Equal suffrage pla3-s an important part in a number of scenes for this production, when May Allison campaigns for her sweetheart, who is a candidate for Congress. She leads a throng to his home, a beautiful colonial mansion, built especially for the scene, and from the porch of this Lockwood delivers an important address, in which he promises every voter he will buy them a Ford automobile if elected. Fire at the Rolin studios at Court and North Olive street, last week, caused damage to the property estimated at a thousand dollars. The fire is thought to have been caused by spontaneous combustion. It was discovered by carpenters about eight o'clock in the morning, and the quick response of the fire department saved the entire building from destruction. All negative and positive prints at the studio at the time were first removed. This served to prevent the spreading of the flames, and being confined to one part of the building. The work of the technical staff prevented serious loss to the company. General Manager D wight Whiting, who puts in his time now directing the juvenile Rolin Slapstick company, has finished the making of a boarding house comedy, which has Fatty Lampton and Margaret Nichols as principals. Billy Fay of the Rolin stock company, who was injured about two months ago in an automobile accident, has returned to the studio, and will shortly be seen in a Rolin comedy. Half of the stage space at the Rolin studio is being enclosed, and an equipment of lights is being added to make possible undclayed production during the rainy season, which will l)egin in December. Final Scenes at Selig Both producing organizations of the Selig Company are making the final scenes for their respective productions. Helen Ware has completed her work before the camera, for the eight or nine-reel production " The Garden of Allah," and has departed for the east to take up another engagement. Director Colin Campbell has a few additional scenes to make, and will then depart for Chicago, where he will supervise the laboratory work on the making of prints for this picture. About the same conditions are true with the " Light of Western Stars," the tenreel western picture with Tom Mix and Bessie Ej-ton in the principal roles. Director E. A. Martin is now busy with the cutting of this picture, and upon the completion of this task, will go East to complete plans for the filming of the big twelve-reel subject dealing with the history of the United States. " Ham the Mechanic " brought woe to members of the Kalem Comedj^ Companj', under the direction of Llojd V. Hamilton. The script provides that Ham and Bud, who build a garage in a lonely road, should sprinkle puncturing material on the highwaj', and thus secure business. The tacks, glass and nails failed to work, when they ran the company cars over in the making of scenes, but the nails were very effective when another auto driver came by in a big touring car. Everyone of his tires picked a nail or a tack. All laid the blame on poor Bud, and for a moment they were afraid it meant the hospital for him, but Bud's meek explanation won favor with the angry man, and instead of a hospital bill the company has sent a check for tire repairs. Walter Morton, late director at the Universal, has been engaged to direct the production of future Hazard of Helen subjects, made at the Glendale studio of the Kalem Companj-. Nevada Company Off for Tropics Members of the Nevada Film Company producing staff, which is to make " The Planter," adapted from the South American story by Herman Whitaker, will leave Los Angeles October 9 for New Orleans, where they will take the United Fruit liner for Post Barrios, on the east coast of Central America. From there they will go inland to Guatemala City, which will be used as a base for their activities. The producing organization will remain in the tropics for twelve weeks securing a greater portion of the scenes for this rubber plantation story. Herman Whitaker, the author, has gone to Guatemala in advance of the company, and he was accompanied by technical men, who took all props and effects necessary, and will have a studio ready for work upon the arrival of the organization. Seventeen people will comprise the producing organization, and this is said to be the largest ever leaving Los Angeles for a tour of such length as this. John E. Ince is director, Joseph Boyle, assistant director. William Black and Roberto Turnbull, cameramen, and Carlyle Robinson, private secretarj to Ince and director of publicity. Tyrone Power will have the star part, that of Dom, an Austrian Jew of brutelike character with respect to human beings; Lamar Johnston, juvenile lead, and the supporting cast includes Edith Sterling, Jean Taylor, George O'Dell, Louis Fitzroy, and Mrs. Harry Davenport as principals. After the Guatemala scenes are made, the company will go to New York, and there select a new cast for all parts except that taken by Johnston, and will then go to location in the New England states for scenes in the early part of the story. C. J. W'ard, general manager of the Nevada Compam-, will maintain office in Los Angeles, and supervise the management from here. Director Jack Conway has completed " The Main Spring," which gives Ben Wilson the dual role of the son of a financier and a newspaper reporter, and Conway will next have the direction of Ella Hall in a five-reel photodrama " Man, Keep Your Feet Still." The cast is now being made up. In " The Main Spring," a reporter is sent to learn of the condition of a leader