Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1920)

4122 Motion Picture News The Drew Post is made up of a membership of actors and other workers of the theatrical industry who served in the army, navy and Marine Corps during the war with Germany. Standing was a member of the Second U. S. Division and served in France for twenty-one months. His Victory Medal has six bars which designate the number of major engagements in which he participated. Word comes from the Famous Players studio announcing the completion of the filming of " Voice of the Blood," the forthcoming Realart picture in which Edith Stockton plays the principal female lead to Alice Brady. It is a story of the home life of the lesser people of the theatre and Miss Stockton and the star play the parts of a couple of chorus girl pals who share the same hall bedroom, eat in the same hash house, play in the same show and go so far as to both be in love with the same man. It is a rather unusual tale and has been treated in the highly dramatic and naturalistic way that brings forth the best qualities of the star and her company. Miss Stockton, it will be remembered, has recently appeared as the star in several independent productions, prior to which she played important roles in a number of feature pictures. Dorothy Gish will be seen in the paramount picture, " Flying Pat," early in December. The story, which is by Mrs. Chet Withey, wife of the director, deals with a young wife's efforts to please her husband upon his return from France. James Rennie, who plays opposite Miss Gish, will take the " young wife " up on an airplane, and there will be no faking the incident, as Mr. Rennie was in the Royal Flying Corps for two years during the war, and has all the flying qualifications attributed to the character he is playing. Miss Gish said in speaking of this play, " Its a chance I've been hoping for ever since I've been in pictures, and I wouldn't miss it for anything." The famous David Belasco play, " The Heart of Maryland," will soon reach the picture theatres. Vitagraph is making it, and Catherine Calvert is the star who will prevent the curfew from " ringing tonight." Mabel Julienne Scott who has joined the Goldwyn players and has an important part in their production of " The Concert," says her advice to anyone going into motion pictures, is to learn the jargon of the profession. It will save a lot of wear and tear on nerves. Miss Scott was panic stricken one day to hear the camera man call out, " Hit her with the ash can." She wanted to run, but decided that like a soldier she must stand and obey. Her relief was great when she discovered that " ash can " is an electric light which takes its name from its resemblance to that lowly object. Percy Marmont, the distinguished leading man who recently completed his work opposite Hope Hampton, and who is one of the featured players in Vitagraph's special, " Dead Men Tell No Tales," returned this week from a short vacation at Lake Placid. Prior to his departure, Marmont signed a contract with Famous Players, upon which he will commence working next week. The latest production in which Marmont was seen was " The Branded Woman," in which he played the lead opposite Norma Talmadge. That old saying about " The third time being the charm," was playfully revived on the " Sentimental Tommy " set at the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation studio the other day for the benefit of Kempton Greene and Leila Frost, who for the third time were married to each other in a scene for motion pictures. ABOUT DIRECTORS John L. McCutcheon, director of "Determination," is a "stickler" for detail. When he is ready to shoot, everything else must be ready to the smallest item. For instance, there is a set constructed in Grantwood, N. J., where " Determination ' is being filmed, which is supposed to represent (and is said to do so to a fine point) streets in London. Whitehall Chapel looms up importantly, and though conceded as an artistic structure, proceedings were held up until the streets could be paved, for, as Mr. McCutcheon explains, in England paved streets are very much in evidence. " What good would the replica of the London district be without the details carried out to the very limit?" asked Mr. McCutcheon. If his entire picture is constructed with the same care, we can count on something to talk about when the big picture is complete. of a meerschaum pipe, which he says is the largest in the world. At least it is so big that when he puts it in his mouth, he looks as if he were hiding behind it. It is no wonder that the pipe is such an elaborate one, for it belonged originally to Baron Rothschild. That famous financier gave it to Frederick J. Titus in appreciation of his ability as a music hall performer. After the death of Mr. Titus, his wife, Lydia Yeamans Titus, who is one of the Goldwyn players, gave it to Mr. Lloyd. The promotion of Al. J. Kelley to the post of a Metro director will keep intact a trio that has been working together for five years. In the old Edison studio, New York, when Viola Dana first started work in pictures, her assistant director was Mr. Kelley, and her cameraman was John Arnold. For Miss Dana's new starring picture, " Sorrentina," Mr. Kelley will co-direct with George Probert, while John Arnold will photograph the production. John Robertson, in his production of " Sentimental Tommy " for Paramount, has gone in for " a cast with a past." The latest illustration is Cora William, who is a direct descendant of one of the early burgomasters of New York, and is related to such notables as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Wendell Phillips. Mr. Robertson credits Miss Williams with bringing a bit of real Scotch — atmosphere into scenes taking in a tea party, in which she donned a bonnet which belonged to interested in the screening of her famous Ogilvy ramily, of Scotland. Director Robert G. Vignola is " shooting " again. This time, upon " Redemption Cove," a story by Donn Byrne, for CosmopolitanParamount. A mid-winter Paramount release, "The Passionate Pilgrim," directed by Mr. Vignola, is anticipated happily. It is the screen version of Samuel Merwin's novel, which, under the well-known director's competent guidance, should gratify the fondest hopes. The cast, also, will bring again to the screen some favorites of days of old. It includes : Charles Gerrard, Matt Moore, Claire Whitney, Arthur MacDonald, Rubye De Remer, Frankie Mann, Helen Lindroth, and Tom Ryan. Victor Herman, a member of M. P. D. A. coast lodge, is in New York, and was slated to attend the New York lodge at their first semimonthly meeting, for November. Frank Lloyd, who directs Goldwyn pictures, is the proud possessor Gertrude Atherton will be able to qualify, if she desire as a motion picture director. She is at the Goldwyn studio, now where her first story written directly for the screen, •" Noblesse Oblige," is being screened, and she is on the set before the actors have their makeup on and stays until Director Wallace Worsley calls it a day's work and dismisses the company. Mrs. Atherton has been deeply interester in the screening of her stories ever since Samuel Goldwyn and Rex Beach organized Eminent Authors' Productions. Her first picture was " Out of the Storm," made from one of her most popular novels, " The Tower of Ivory," in which Barbara Castleton played the lead. When Director R. William Neill wanted a faro bank dealer for the Aurora Borealis saloon and dance hall, one of the principal scenes in "CANNOT BE EQUALLED ON AMERICAN CONTINENT!" "After being in the projection end of the business for ten years I find that SIMPLEX cannot be equalled on the American continent for Durability, Reliability and Simplicity." PATRICIA THEATRE 21 LONDON, ONTARIO John Griffith Wray, director of " Homespun Folks," the first of the Ince Associated Producers Specials, also directed the Thomas H. Ince's second big special, which has been given the permanent title of " Lying Lips," co-starring House Peters and Florence Vidor. T. Roy Barnes and Grace Darmond In Robertson-Cole's farce comedy, "So Long Letty" the new Dorothy Dalton-Paramount picture, " The Teaser," he had to search among the old timers who are playing in the picture. None of the younger generation of actors could depict the character of a faro bank dealer, that form of gambling being one of the lost arts these days. He found H. D. Blakemore, well known on Broadway for his work in " The Traveling Salesman " and other plays, who in his barnstorming days thirty years ago, played stock in Montana. Faro banks in those days were popular adjuncts to all Western saloons. Blakemore had watched many a dealer manipulate the cards so he fitted perfectly into the work which Neill wanted done, " according to Hoyle." Every big director, being supposedly temperamental — whatever that badly overworked term means — is accorded the right to have hobbies. Lois Weber has hers. Although an all-round executive in every sense of the word, doing nearly everything that's done in Lois Weber Productions except the acting, she takes to the open road in a good many things in her directing. It is one habit of hers to explain things, to discuss frankly and convincingly with an actor a difference of opinion that exists between them in regard to what is the true and appropriate interpretation of a scene. There are several directors, Miss Weber among them, who like to sit down and talk things over. They find it easier to explain than to criticize and repeat action. Perfect unity of purpose and wholehearted support is said to characterize the attitude of the cast toward Miss Weber, as a result of :his method. Hodkinson Release for S. Barret McCormick S. Barrett McCormick, managing director of the Rivoli theatre, Toledo. Ohio, lias booked from the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, " The Coast of Opportunity," the forthcoming J. Warren Kerringan released producted by Robert Brunton and directed bv Ernest C. Warde