Motography (Jul - Dec 1915)

490 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIV, No. 10. Tom Terriss, the director of the Terriss Film Corporation, is doing big work at his studio in Yonkers. Next month the two big features, which he went to Jamaica, West Indies, to produce, will be released one after the other. They are "Flame of Passion" and "The Pearl of the Antilles." The Lubin company has decided to name its great war play, now being produced under the direction of Jack Pratt, with Rosetta Brice and Richard Buhler in the leading roles, "The Rights of Man; The Story of War's Red Blot." The filming of Hoyt's "A Stranger in New York" has nearly been completed at the Chicago studio of the Selig company. T. N. Heffron is the producer in charge, and Otis Harlan, king of American comedians, will make his second bow in motion pictures in this Hoyt comedy. Grace Darmond also figures largely in the fun making. Already the officials of the Universal's Pacific Coast Studios are making ready for the arrival of that favorite of the speaking stage, Henrietta Crossman, who is expected sometime within the next two weeks. Several novels are being considered by the scenario department as possible vehicles. Maurice Tourneur, the peerless director of the World Film Corporation, suggests Wagnerian operatic dramas for the film. "It is a field," he said, "which has not been touched, and offers a wide scope for the silent drama. I should like to produce 'Tristan and Isolde,' with but two players. Accompanied by Wagnerian music, the people in the audience would be imbued with the spirit of the beautiful story." Latest of the entrants in the recent Universal Film Company's National Beauty Contest to enter the motion picture game under the banner of that concern is pretty Lois Wilson, candidate from Alabama. Edgar Lewis, the director of big features, has invented a simple device with which the director can signal the photographer when to begin grinding his camera, without letting the actors know that the picture is actually being taken. The new device, consisting of a tiny rubber tube and two bulbs, one held in the hand of the director and the other by the operator, resembles that attached to some snap-shot cameras. After many weeks of hard work, the new Marie Dressier picture, which will be released by Lubin in September, "Tillie's Tomato Surprise," is completed. Of course, Miss Dressier plays Tillie. But she was not the only one who worked hard to make a success of this amazing five-act farcical comedy. E. J. Le Saint and his company of feature players have returned from a short stay in the back country near Los Angeles and are again busy with the production of a filmization of Peter B. Kyne's "The Long Chance," picturized by Harvey Gates especially to meet the requirements of the Broadway star, Frank Keenan, who is being starred in the leading role. Helen Relyea, who formerly was prominent on the legitimate stage, was elected a member of the Vitagraph Stock Company on Friday, August 13th. Pathe announces the cast of Donald Mackenzie's production of Richard Carle's play, "Mary's Lamb," as follows: Richard Carle, Jessie Ralph, Marie Wayne, Lillian Thatcher, James Renne and W. J. McCarthy. The labor organizations of Los Angeles, Cal., will engage in a great Labor Day celebration at the Selig Jungle-Zoo, on September 6th. One of the most extensive and interesting programs ever planned for the day has been arranged. There are to be races, contests of strength, a big base ball game, and one of the features of the day will be a wild animal show. Such is the popularity of Charles Chaplin that the Columbus (Ohio) Chamber of Commerce has arranged, as a special feature of one of the "big days" of the Ohio State Fair, to hold a statewide "Charles Chaplin contest." It will be the first affair of its kind conducted on such a large scale, and amateur "Chaplins" from all over Ohio will compete. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbs, of the BobbsMerrill Company, were recently guests of the Selig Polyscope Company, Chicago. The head of the big publishing company and his wife came from Indianapolis, Ind., to Chicago to view the Selig Red Seal play, "The House of a Thousand Candles," written by Meredith Nicholson. An interesting announcement is made by the Vitagraph of the first of a series of Sunny Jim comedies by Elaine Sterne, featuring Bobby Connelly. Two of America's greatest stage stars, Ethel Barrymore and William Faversham, will soon be working side by side and under the same roof and for the same releasing company as soon as work of production can be started on the Rolfe-Metro feature in which they will be seen. Ethel Barrymore will appear in an original play, especially suited to her talents, written by George Scarborough, author of "The Lure" and other stage successes. William Faversham will appear under the direction of John W. Noble in "One Million Dollars," the scenario of which has been prepared by George D. Proctor from the novel, "One Million Francs," by Arnold Fredericks. Mary Miles Minter, the Metro star, and supporting company, including Niles Welch and Charles Prince, who will be seen in the Columbia Pictures Corporation five-reel production of "Stork's Nest," left recently for Delaware Water Gap to photograph the exterior scenes amid the beautiful scenery. Wid Gunning, formerly connected with the New York Mail, has recently become affiliated with the Universal Film Company. Mary Boland, renowned in theatrical circles for her many remarkable performances as John Drew's leading woman, has arrived at Inceville and is preparing to make her photodramatic debut under the supervision of Thomas H. Ince. Almost simultaneously with the arrival of Miss Boland, Bruce McRae, the popular Broadway leading man, reached Los Angeles also and reported to Producer Ince, under whose supervision he has been signed to appear. A third arrival of note at Inceville this week was Monte Katterjohn, the wellknown eastern ' free lance photoplaywright, who has been engaged by Ince to write scenarios for Triangle productions. Huge tract of grc upper Manhattan purchased for Famous Playe