Moving Picture Weekly (1915-1920)

28 THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY This is the Earl of Paivtucket. |NIQUE in the film world is Harry C. Myers, wellknown actor-director, who joined the Universal about a year ago, after spending five years with the Lubin, in Philadelphia. Although comparatively a young man, this talented director has gained for himself an enviable reputation as a finished and artistic producer of films. This is due to many reasons. To begin with : Mr. Myers adopted the stage as his profession when a young boy, although he possessed rare talent for sketching and painting. He is the only son of a mother who is known in Philadelphia for her magnanimous work among the poor and for her religious work. Harry Myers is very proud of his pious mother, and always carries her last letter in his big leather document case. However, it is the remarkable talent for drawing and designing which we will discuss. Ever since he can remember, Harry Myers could draw pictures. Whether on his way home from school. Harry Myers Directs "The Earl of Pawtucket" drawing pictures on the sidewalk in New Haven, or at the breakfast table between courses, it was and always has been his hobby. When Mr. Myers joined the Lubin company about six years ago, he played leading roles in many big productions, and always made it a point to especially note the technical stage-craft which was particularly effective. Oftimes he would make mental notes which later stood him in good stead. It is just about two years since the Lubin company recognized the inherent talent for directing which Mr. Myers possessed and he was given a company headed by Rosemary Theby and told to "fire away." And. he did. The first thing he did was to resort to his beloved art of sketching. He drew up a plan for his first production which was considered at the time to be one of the most artistic sets ever built. Then he made a model, and this in turn was delivered to the scene painter and builder, who constructed the stage set under the Last August, the Universal contracted with Harry Myers and Rosemary Theby to produce films for the Big U comjpany. Since then they have achieved many notable successes, the most recent being "The Hard Road," "Baby," "Mumps," "The Cheval Mystery," "The Prize Story," and "The Earl of Pawtucket," in which the famous star, Lawrance D'Orsay, is being featured. One of the most remarkable sets ever conceived is the "black and white" set in "The Prize Story." The fashion for black and white stripes so prevalent these days gave Mr. Myers the idea for this unique scene. It took him many days to built his model from his sketch, after which he had the scenes and furniture made to conform with his original idea. At the studio, every one scoflFed at the "ridiculous" idea, but when it was completed even the hardened film folks ( accustomed as they are to all sorts of wonders) admitted that it was the most artistic and beautiful scene they had wit Harry Myers constructing a scene in his studio. supervision of the talened director. The idea proved immensely popular and Mr. Myers' services were in great demand by other directors, who came to him for original ideas. In spite of the fact that Mr. Myers has been busily engaged in building a career for himself, he has never relinquished the hold which art has had on him since his birth. He takes private lessons from noted teachers and paints, sketches and models every spare moment that he can call his own. nessed in many a day. The play called for a big fire, and the entire scene was demolished. Our illustration shows it just starting to burn. In "The Earl of Pawtucket," the big feature in which Lawrance D'Orsay is starring for the Universal program, Mr. Myers, in conjunction with Frank Beresford, technical director of the Universal Coytesville studios, designed an exact reproduction of the lobby, lounge, and restaurant of the Waldorf-Astoria for the biggest scenes in the play. The>