Motion Picture News (Mar-Jun 1920)

Motion Picture N e ; 4807 Bebe Daniels, who will star in multiple reel features produced by Realart by Record Duplicated "The River's End The statement first started at the New York Strand in connection with Marshall Neilan's initial independent production, " The River's End," that this picture proved the biggest attraction in the history of this theatre has again been duplicated by the Empire theatre, Portland, Me., it is stated, in a telegram from Manager Boucher of that house. After the usual run of three days, it was extended another day. The business of the fourth day was so great that Manager Boucher again extended the booking two more days. Mr. Boucher's telegram to the Neilan company read as follows: " The River's End proved a most successful week's run of any picture in the history of our house. Truly great production. You have a real winner. Congratulations." Universal Announces Tsuru Aoki Release Universal announces as a special attraction the release of "The Tokio Siren," with Tsuru Aoki (Mrs. Sessue Hayakawa) , June 14th. Norman Dawn directed this production, which is a enmedydrama of modern times with a touch of picturesque antiquity including old Japanese ruins and the religious ceremonies of the Buddhist worshippers. The picture is based on Gwendolyn Logan's story " Sayonara." Percival Forms Company in New Jersey Earnest P. Percival, formerly connected with the Lubin company, has opened his own studios in Gloucester City, N. J., to specialize in the production of 'two reel comedies and a series of features The first comedy will be entitled ' I heir Troubled Honeymoon." Mr. Percival is president of the new company; Charles P. Thompson, vicepresident, and Henry A. Miller, secretary and treasurer. Do Fans Like Actors or Types? "D OES the moving-picture public want to sec Actors or Types? Is it more profitable for the producers to carry in stock a few players, with sufficient ability and training to portray any number of characters with convincing realism, and such expert knowledge of make-up that their appearance is thoroughly satisfactory; or to use time, which means money, in a constant search for persons whose resemblance of the character needed is indubitable, but who may or may not possess dramatic ability? " These are the pertinent questions put forward by an actor who should know what he is talking about, a man with twenty-five years' experience in big and little repertaire companies, a man who has been through the mill of presenting nine parts a week — Leslie King — creator of such unforgetable characters as One Lamp Louie in " The Shielding Shadow," Evil Eye in " The Evil Eye," the poor Coolie in Herbert Kaufman's " Content," the secretary in " Here Comes the Bride," and Blinky Bill in " The Fatal Fortune.' Mr. King maintains that with ultra-finesse in the practice of the art of make-up, an inventive genius can devise means that will completely eradicate any lines indicating where nature leaves off, and artificiality begins— the straight, pronounced lines denoting the artificial beard, putty nose and blend of the wig. Flis make-up is absolutely camera-proof, he asserts, and his book of 'stills," none of which has ever been retouched, he assures us, proves his assertion. This being true, certainly public taste is unquestionably in favor of the real actor, who can create a character beyond the latitude of his own personality, and present it with •all the fine transitional acting which actually "puts across" a part, as opposed to a player chosen for a Leslie King Champions Cause of Character-Actor on Screen part because of certain physical peculiarities, who can satisfy m> fat as appearance noes, but through lack of experience anil training, or through inability to visualize any personality foreign to his own, inevitably loses the line shadings thai are the greatest joy of the play lo tile observing playgoer. We can assume, then, that the only reason for the producers ever casting types rather than actors is due to the one remaining argument in their favor — namely, the commercial clement — money saving. J' It's an important factor," Mr. King admits, but he is quite ready with impressive facts on that point also. " It takes the time of the casting and assistant directors, and often of the director himself, lo look up certain types," he says. "Time costs money 1 Frequently a set may be ready. Suddenly an overlooked character is called for. There is no one suitable at hand. The set, the star, the director, with their salaries going on, arc kept wailing, while llie necessary search is made. Whereas, a competent characteractor might have stepped into the breach and filled it." "In selecting the type," Mr. King continues, " there is always the chance of pulling a lemon. Again the star and the other players wait, while the director exhausts patience and energy trying to squeeze out of the lemon what isn't there — ability to ' put it over.' That time costs money I " " Furthermore, there arc often times when the good character act, u can play more than one brief part in a picture. And the really worthwhile actor shouldn't object 111 P.Iaying a small part, when Ins services are not otherwise required, provided of course, thai lie is under contract, and that there an times when fie is given opportunity to prove Ins ability to the publii So i; another salary saved." Mr. King's recommendation to producing companies is thai they carry in slock two character-actors who have had long experience in dramatic stock work, which insures their being versatile, and, as a rule, make-up artists. One of lb, should be tall, (he other medium sized. The director hands the script of his play lo these men, and tells them to submit characterizations for certain parts that be designates. These two men may play four or niOre, * , i only tWO pails in tin play. The director may have ideas, himself, about the physical cl ti n tics of the types required. He states them and his slock actors act upon bis suggestions. Thev appear before him with the characterizations called for. The chances arc thai they will be exactly what the director wains. If not, they will serve as a basis upon which lo arrive al the desired result. We can only add lo Mr. King's statements that we arc thoroughly in sympathy with his ideas. We prefer, and we believe sincerely thai the public prefers, actors lo types. Everyone knows how frequently a character part is responsible for spontaneous applause during the showing of a film applause that means infinitely more to the box-office power of the play than a polite band-clapping at the end. And we hope with Mr. King, than whom we have never met a more ardent and sincere devotee of In. profession, that the producers will realize this, and accord the Capable actors the recognition they so fully deserve. — Marguerite Jones. Artist Will Be A Director BigS^ Penrhyn Stanlaws Signs Contract with Famous Players-Lasky Corp. A LTIJOUGH at the height of his fame as a painter and illustrator, Penrhyn Stanlaws, creator of the famous Penrhyn Stanlaws girls for magazine covers, and author of several successful plays, has given up painting and in the future will devote himself entirely to motion pictures, it was announced yesterday by Jesse L. Lasky, first vice-president of the Famous Players-I-asky Corporation. Mr. Stanlaws, who has signed a long-term contract to devote all his time to Paramount Pictures, will spend the next twelve months in the Famous Players-Lasky eastern studio studying the motion picture art to become a writer and director of Paramount pictures. In directing pictures it is Mr. Stanlaws' purpose to apply his knowledge of drama and artistic effects to the staging of photoplays that will combine dramatic story with artistic charm. The engagement of Mr. Stanlaws, Mr. Lasky said, was in line with his policy of obtaining the services of noted writers and ar.tisis to work directly for Paramount Pictures. Mr. Stanlaws' decision to abandon painting in favor of motion pictures is said to be due to his belief that the production of beautiful motion pictures is more worth while than the painting of pretty girls' heads. " The motion picture, because it is a picture of moving things," said Mr. Stanlaws, " gives an artist a vastly greater opportunity than oil or water color or pen and ink drawings. With the immense worldwide audience which the motion picture affords I do not think an artist or a writer can afford to ignore this great artistic force. . I have always been a student of the drama and, therefore, am intensely interested in this new great dramatic medium." Philadelphia, Chicago and New York are leading in Pathe's booking race on Blanche Sweet's newest Jesse D. Hampton release, "Simple Souls," which was adapted from the celebrated novel by John Hastings Turner, and published by Scribners. The principal circuits in the M et ropoli tan a rea have booked "Simple Souls." The most important theatres in the Loew, Moss and Fox chains of theatres have been granted exhibition dates on the productions. Jack Dillon in^East; on Brief Vacation Jack Dillon, Mary Pickfords director, is at present in New York, enjoying a short vacation after completing " Suds." It is expected that Mr. Dillon's stay in the East will be limited to two weeks as he is scheduled to direct Douglas Fairbanks' fourth "Big Four" production and must leave shortly for the Coast to make necessary preparations.