Motography (Jul - Dec 1915)

October 16, 1915. MOTOGRAPHY 819 NOTES FROM ALL OVER One of the interesting features at the Strand Theater in New York last week was the picture, "Guarding Old Glory," a patriotic American theme illustrating the efficiency of the U. S. Army service. Harry Franklin, who has appeared on the screen in many motion pictures, has just been appointed assistant director to Edwin Carewe, whose latest picture was the Rolfe-Metro feature, "Destiny," or "The Soul of a Woman," with Emily Stevens. Mr. Franklin is already at work at the Rolfe studios assisting Mr. Carewe with his next production, "The Final Judgment," in which Ethel Barrymore will 'be starred. Pedro, a timber wolf, is the first occupant of the newly built "domestic menagerie" at the Vitagraph plant. It is Mr. Sturgeon's intention to collect a fine assortment of picture animals — dogs, cats, horned toads, snakes, lizards, coyotes, etc., and keep them on hand, to be available at any time. William S. Hart, America's premier exponent of Western character interpretation, with Clara Williams, his leading woman, and Jack Standing, the "heavy," returned to the Ince-Triangle studios this week from the Mojave desert, where they have been filming some important scenes for the current feature in which Hart is to be starred. An unusual picture of the bleak and barren Northwest is now being produced for the American Film Co., Inc., by Director Charles Bartlett. It will be two reels and called "A Key to the Past." President Fred J. Balshofer, of the Quality-Metro studios, in Hollywood, Cal., is away on a belated summer vacation. He is in the Sierra Madre Mountains with his guide, Pedro Leon, where he is hunting deer, mountain quail and ducks. Pell Mitchell, who has charge of the Mutual Weekly, is receiving congratulations for his quick work in getting on the job at the Seventh avenue subway cave-in. Even before the city officials had arrived, Mr. Mitchell was present with his camera men, recording history as it was being made. The film was finished and shown in three sections at the Strand Theater the evening of the accident, less than ten hours later. The crisis in the illness of Miss Mabel Normand, featured Keystone star, is passed and the beautiful comedienne is well on the way to recovery. Los Angeles dailies printed extras stating that Miss Normand was near death and later that she passed away. The latter report was denied immediately, however, and the following day Miss Normand was reported better and has been improving ever since. Walter Edwin is now at work on "Canavan, the Man Who Had His Way," a film play written by himself from Rupert Hughes' story "Canavan." Arthur Hoops plays the title role opposite Miss Ruby Hoffman, while opposite Miss Delia Connor, the ingenue, Billy Sherwood, the handsome Southern juvenile, from New Orleans, plays the part of the young lover. Although a mutual admiration for each other's work on the screen has existed for a long time, Francis X. Bushman, the J. Warren Kerrigan. Quality-Metro star, and J. Warren Ker Harold Lockwood, Miss May Allison rigan, the Universal favorite, have just and the American company directed by met for the first time. Kerrigan called at Thomas Ricketts is working on the San the Quality Pictures Corporation studio Diego Military Reservation taking scenes for the big feature written by Kenneth Clark of The Saturday Evening Post, to be called "The Buzzard's Shadow." A new process in color photography, the discovery of William Alder, cameraman in charge of the cinematography laboratories at the Quality-Metro studios in Hollywood, has just been shown in a public exhibition for the press and public at the Majestic theater in Los Angeles. "Heredity," by Seymour Galland, one of the manuscripts submitted in the Vitagraph Scenario Contest, is the next feature to be produced by Director William Humphrey. Robert Harron, who created the part of younger "Stoneman" in the Griffith success, "The Birth of a Nation," has been assigned to portray the star part in a Fine Arts Films production, from a story by Eleanor Talbot Kinkead, author of the popular novels, "The Invisible Bond" and "The Courage of Blackburn Blair." An old fashioned barn dance is being planned on completion of the immense stage at the new Vitagraph plant in East Hollywood. The affair will be strictly informal — rather an apron and overall affair — and the refreshments will include gingerbread cookies and cider. Mr. Frank Schade, "Keystone Fritz," the jolly rotund comedian, _ and Miss Frida Fedderson were united in marriage on September 14th in Los Angeles. After a trip to the San Francisco exposition they returned to the pretty new bungalow which Mr. Schade recently purchased. Jack Pickford, the well known motion picture star, will make his initial appearance as a Selig player in a two-reel Selig Special, "The Making of Crooks." He is supported by a strong and well balanced cast. It is interesting to note, since the announcement of the release of Richard Bennett in the screen version of "Damaged Goods" through the Mutual Film Corporation on October 4th has been made, that Henry W. Pemberton, the actor who played the lead in that same play in one of the road companies last season, will appear on the Mutual program regularly in the future. He had joined the stock company of Mr. William F. Haddock at the Gaumont studio and will play leads in the Rialto Star features produced by that company for the Mutual. Carlyle Blackwell is glad_ to be back at work again after his inaction. He has a wonderful part in "Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo" and is enthused over it. Carlyle has named his new home "Blackwell Lodge" and the latch string is out at the gate of his lovely residence. Neva Gerber, the little "Beauty" brand actress, collapsed at the end of a recent photoplay and her mother promptly took her to Los Angeles from her work. She will take a short holiday and deserves it; she has been acting for months without scarcely a day off and like so many other willing^ girls overdid it. Neva is at present visiting friends in Los Angeles. in Hollywood, Cal., and the two_ motion picture artists had a long social chat and visit. An indication of the lengths to which the more exacting picture actors and actresses are wont to go to insure absolutely correct detail in their impersonations, may be found in the fact that Beatriz Michelena, the beautiful "California" star, has recently become a student of hypnotism. The result of her investigation is intended to assist her in one of the big scenes of "The Unwritten Law" which is now being produced at the "California" studios. Edwin Middleton, the man who is directing "Casino Comedies," released on the regular Mutual program, is an old hand at the production of motion picture comedies. He was with the Lubin Company for years, and was more recently with the Biograph company as one of their directors. One of the novel features of the new brick and concrete producing plant of the Keystone Film Company, now under construction under the supervision of Mack Sennett and Business Manager George Stout, will be the day and night cafe which will never close after its doors are opened. The new eating place will be up to date in every detail and the service will be equal to that of any restaurant. Director Jack Conway, the Fine Arts Films producer, for the personal amusement of his company, recently staged a huge fiesta, which took place during the evening at Chatsworth Park, California. It is there that Mr. Conway and an exceedingly large cast are engaged in the filming of scenes to be used in the dramatic Triangle film, "The Penitentes." Wyndham Standing, one of the famous brothers of that name, has arrived at Inceville under contract with Producer Thomas H. Ince, and is making preparations for his initial appearance before the Ince camera in a forthcoming InceTriangle feature. John Emerson, who produced the Max Chappelle translation of "Old Heidleberg," at the Fine Arts Films studio, and also played the stellar role in "The Scarlet Band," has turned again to producing and is on his way to New York, where he will produce a picture play of a light comedy nature, with Douglas Fairbanks in the chief role.