Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1917)

2542 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 16. No. 15 The Moral Is: Always Keep Your Hand on Your Watch Pocket When Conversing With Maiden; Who Dress Their Hair in This Volcanic Fashion. Here Are Seen Eddie Polo. Priscilla Dean and Emery Johnson in Universal's Successful Serial, " The Gray Ghost " First Mae Murray Dance Film Meets Official Approval THE first of the Mae Murray dance films, to be used as " trailer " on regular Bluebirds, arrived at headquarters last week and met the approval of Bluebird executives. Miss Murray was a dancer in vaudeville, as well as in New York's dancing cafes, before she became a member of Ziegf eld's " Follies." Bluebird intends to introduce her to the program, on November 5, as star of "Princess Virtue," but will, meanwhile, create interest in her arrival by the presentation of her dance films, as an adjunct to the regular releases that proceed VIOLA DANA, youngest star among Metro players who rank in the star dass, is making plans to depart in the near future for Cahfornia, where she will continue in Metro wonderplays, under the double director system. John H. Collins and William C. Dowlan are the two directors who will endeavor to keep this little star busy. Mr. Collins will complete one picture with Miss Dana as star, then retiring to cut and assemble his picture, while Mr. Dowlan begins and completes the direction of the star in her next Metro multiple-reel feature. The first feature on which Miss Dana will be engaged on her arrival at the Pacific coast studios will be " The Winding Trail," under the direction of Mr. Dowlan, who is now completing a six-act wonderplay, " The Outsider," with Emmy Wehlen as star. " The Winding Trail " is an original story, the work of Katherine Kavanaugh and June Mathis in collaboration. Its scenes are laid in a Western mining camp. Miss Dana will play the part of a high-class vaudeville entertainer who, for reasons of her own, goes to the mining camp and pre " Princess Virtue " on the program. In working out the idea her director, Robert Z. Leonard, has applied a little story to each dance, thus creating a short suljject comprising interesting pantomime. Miss Murray will have one of these introductory films for each of her features, previous to presenting her different photodramas in the Bluebird series. She will have the short film carry a dance and story that fits into the character she is to play, whether it be a society belle, a ragamuffin or a hoyden. The idea was tried in conjunction with " Princess Virtue." tends to be an ordinary dance hall girl. When " The Winding Trail " is completed, Miss Dana will at once begin work on a screen version of Myrtle Reed's story, " A Weaver of Dreams," under the direction of John H. Collins, who is now completing the direction of the little star in a screen version of Joseph Arthur's old-time stage success, " Blue Jeans." Edgar Lewis Picture, " The Sign Invisible," Ready Soon " The Sign Invisible," a feature on which Edgar Lewis has been working, will be ready soon for the market. The story was prepared by Anthony P. Kelly, who wrote Mr. Lewis's previous picture, "The Bar Sinister." Mitchell Lewis, who was in "The Bar Sinister " and Rex Beach's " The Barrier," has a role of even greater power in this latest production, it is said. It is one of the principal parts in the story. " The Sign Invisible " was made at Fort Ticonderoga, on Lake Champlain. Practically all its scenes are exteriors. Bluebird will Feature Published Narratives The management of Bluebird photoplays has come to the conclusion that printed stories, either in book form or as magazine features, make the best photoplays. With that determination arrived at, arrangements have been made to show screen versions of popular novels and fiction narratives in a majority of future releases. Several of the more important contracts have been announced. "Anthony the Absolute," by F. Hopkinson Smith, along with "The OldFashioned Gentleman," by Richard Harding Davis, will become Rupert Julian productions with Ruth Clifford starred and Monroe Salisbury featured. Another story by the late Mr. Davis will be prepared by Joseph De Grasse, with Franklyn Farnum the star of " The Scarlet Car." Mae Murray will have Louise Winter's novel, " Princess Virtue," as her first Bluebird subject. "One Clear Call," from the pen of Samuel Merwin, will be presented by Carmel Myers as her second Bluebird. " Heart's Blood," a story from the pen of Elaine Sterne, will have Dorothy Phillips as its star when it reaches the screen shortly after the new year begins. " The Desire of the Moth," created by Rupert Julian, with Ruth Clifford the star will be presented Oct. 22, and " The Girl by the Roadside," from Varick Vanardy's pen, will become a Violet Mersereau Bluebird during December. "Follies" Girls Help Ann Pennington Out Ann Pennington mixed business and pleasure in her new Paramount picture, " The Antics of Ann," by taking her " gang " from the " Follies " with her over to the Famous Players Studio recently to break them in as screen players. As a result the studio has been more like a girl's seminary than a motion picture plant. " I was surprised," smiled Miss Pennington, " to discover that a lot of the ' Follies ' girls didn't want to work in pictures — whether they were bashful or what, I don't know. Anyhow, where at first I was very particular and bent on selecting each and every one with an eye to their exceptional prettiness or grace, I had to be less exacting before I finished. So I went around pointing my finger at every girl in the chorus, saying : ' Do you want to work in my picture? And you? And you?' Still, I think I got a pretty nice looking crowd — what do you think?" Work is progressing splendidly on the " Antics of Ann," which will be an October release. New Fox Production Under Way Last Week A new William Fox production was begun last week in the West Coast Studios, with Richard Stanton supervising. The cast includes Enid Markey, Frankie Lee and Fanny Midgley. Miss Markey was leading woman opposite George Walsh in " The Yankee Way," and Frankie Lee has been seen to advantage is several Fox features. This picture will mark the debut of Miss Midgley as a William Fox player. Viola Dana to Have Two Directors at Coast Studios