Motion Picture Story Magazine (Aug 1912-Jan 1913)

172 THE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE D. M. G., Portland. — The foolish questions you read are not faked. No sane person could imagine some of the questions that are asked monthly. Dimpled Marie. — In Essanay's "A Soul Reclaimed," Miss Beverley Bayne is the girl who takes the veil. If you would read this department regularly you would avoid such questions as Miss Lawrence's return to the Lubin Company, and some others you ask. Interested Reader. — Miss Miriam Nesbitt was the girl, in Edison's "A Man in the Making." The Photoplay "The Orleans Coach," released by Pat-he Freres, was originally titled "The Lyons Mail" when produced in France. Miss Elsie Glynn was the wife in Lubin's "The Compromise." Read back for answers to your first two questions. Curious Sailor. — Ask us something easier than "Why do girls ask such foolish questions?" but remember that the girls are by no means the only offenders in this regard. As our English cousins say: "What price you?" M. S., West Philadelphia. — First three questions answered. Miss Gauntier writes most of the plays the El Kalems produce. They are expected home in the fall after a summer in Ireland, but you never can keep track of those peripatetic Kalems. Vitagraph and Thanhouser produced "St. Elmo" a few years ago. The casts are not available. The broken statuary in Vitagraph's "Days of Terror" is made in the Vitagraph shops in plaster. An artist is regularly employed. How houses are burned down is too broad a subject to be treated here. Sometimes a real house is faked with smoke pots, and sometimes a scenery house is set ablaze. It all depends on the effect desired. There used to be a company making pictures somewhere out Germantown way, but they have not been heard of lately. The Lubin players work all thru that section, tho the factory and studio is in Tioga. Dummies are frequently used in pictures when players are supposed to be tossed over cliffs and the drop is too great for a real player to take, the dummy mostly being used in trick pictures. C. E. P., New York. — To which "The Greater Love" do you have reference, Vitagraph or Reliance? P. M., Braddock. — The title you give is not listed, and you do not even give us a hint by stating the name of the makers, Norrine. — There is no "Tall Puncher" cast in Essanay's "Western Hearts," but at a guess we think you mean Victor Potel. Not much market for verse. In making a scene the directors tell the players what to do, and they do it. Generally there is no study, and no dialog parts are given out. The players fake their lines, more or less appropriate to the scene, save when they enunciate certain vital speeches. R. H. P., St. Louis. — Harold Shaw was the young reporter in Edison's "The Man Who Made Good." We've told who Winsome Winnie is. M. E., Oakland. — All of the Essanay Westerns are now being made in the vicinity of Niles. W. D. W., McKeesport. — Cines and Eclipse are the trade names of the films handled by George Kleine, of Chicago. Kosmik is his trade name. James Morrison was the cub reporter in Vitagraph's "Lulu's Anarchist." M. M., St. Louis. — Better stay where you are. The field here is overcrowded and much jobbing is done. In St. Louis your chances are better. E. H., Terre Haute. — If you have written a play send it out, but you stand small chance of disposing of a script dealing with the early Romans. There is not much demand for costume plays. E. P., St. Louis. — The Photoplay stories in this magazine are in fiction form. Photoplay form is very different; the story being told by the action and without conversation. Photoplays must be typed, if you want to have them read. Do not send us plays. We can use only those already produced. We are not interested in scripts. Dollie B., Little Rock. — Warren J. Kerrigan was the wandering gold digger in American's "The Simple Love." Miss Neason is with Kalem. H. E. E., Reading. — Read the notice at the top of this department. C. B. W., Crown Point. — In Selig's "The End of the Romance" John Strong was played by Hobart Bosworth, Kittie by Miss Bessie Eyton, Jack Lee by Al. E. Garcia, Alice Gray by Miss Eugenie Besserer, and Dupree by Herbert Rawlinson. T. R. M., Los Angeles. — The "dark brunette" in Vitagraph's "Stenographers Wanted" is not cast. Miss Lillian Walker was the blonde. Fergus Harcourt was the office boy. Your five-word poem, at least, has the merit of brevity and, better still, its feet are mates. L. F., Birmingham. — Melies' "The Cowboy Kid" was that company's release for July 4. G. A. M., De Land, — Your questions are all right, but have been previously answered. Very trying situations are not rehearsed in detail, as a rule, tho we recall one time when the late Florence Wragland, of the Lubin Company, fell out of an automobile five times, just to make certain that she could. Sometimes, house-fronts are hired, but more often they are just borrowed. In more or less bird's-eye views, advantage is taken of some elevation of land, or a tower may be built. Scenes made at the bottom of a well are generally made in a scenery-well in the studio.