Motography (Jul - Dec 1915)

November 20, 1915. MOTOGRAP.HY 1075 GAUMONT SIGNS HARRY YOKES Comedian for Thirty-One Years Member of Team of Ward & Vokes to Be Featured in Two Casino Star Comedies The list of prominent thespians who are making America laugh at Casino Star comedies which the Gaumont Company is making for the Mutual program, has had another addition in that king of laugh-makers, Harry Vokes. Mr. Vokes is working at the Flushing studio under the direction of Edwin Middleton. He has just completed "Beauty in Distress," a comedy by Miss Dorothy Rogers and Sully Guard, and is now at work on "The House Party," a comedy by Adrian Gil Spear. In the former, Mr. Vokes has the support of Miss Dorothy Rogers, who has been appearing recently as a headliner in vaudeville. The supporting cast of "The House Party" has been strengthened by giving Mr. Vokes the assistance of Miss Eleanor Fairbanks, who closed as star in "A Pair of Sixes" to join the Casino Star comedy company. The comedy of Harry Vokes is well adapted for r mmmmm !-*• ■ ';■■■:■ -.;!/ r j t t;*# fm> ' Wmml * 1 : ff "' 5 y $£Jmb UK m :** M mm \ •■ screen purposes. His name itself will draw well, since for thirty-one years he was a member of the team of Ward & Vokes, touring the country from coast to coast. Wherever comedy along broad, farcical lines was welcomed — and that was everywhere — Ward & Vokes always played to standing room. Consequently, he is both well and favorably known. How little is required to start an entertaining personality on the road to fame and fortune is well illustrated in the case of Vokes. The first production in which he and Ward starred cost just $625 to raise the first curtain. After that it was just a question of counting the money. Of course both men had had long experience in the theatrical business, and before that Mr. Vokes had secured his groundwork for broad comedy by clowning in a circus. Pictures are a novelty to him, but he is demonstrating that the methods which brought him fame upon the stage register with equal ease upon the screen. On November 20, when the Screen Club for the second time holds its ball at the Hotel Astor, the famous World Film star, Clara Kimball Young, will lead the Grand March. Universal Entertains Odd Character Universal City has had quite a variety of visitors, but was treated to a new one last week, when a woman "hobo" dropped in. She was Mrs. Emma Enault, who had left her home in Chicago to make a journey across the continent as best she could. She slept in barns, box cars — seldom in a real bed — and most of the time on the ground. She encountered all kinds of weather in the seven months she has been on the road, having left Chicago March 10. Mrs. Enault claims to have encountered three mountain lions while sleeping in the open, but she trusted to her .38 calibre revolver and felt safe. She sold postal cards of herself to raise money for her food, and says the largest amount she ever obtained in any one place was at Leadville, Colo., where the dimes and quarters came in to the tune of $20.25. She was known along the route as the "Queen of the Hoboes," and she takes pride in holding this title without having any jealous contenders. She intends to write a book of her journey from Chicago to Universal City, and then make an effort to journey around the world. Equitable's Casting Director William Sheer, formerly with William Fox films, and before that one of the youngest headliners in the Keith vaudeville theaters, is now a permanent member of the Equitable staff and, in addition to playing principal male roles opposite women stars, occupies the important position of general casting director, whose duty it will be to engage no less than two thousand people a week for the seven companies now actively engaged at the various Equitable studios. Last week Sheer successfully cast Gail Kane's company, which will leave the city for distant locations, within the next few days. His recent work in supplying a theater full of exceptionally well dressed extra people and in a very short time, was an example of his efficiency. The theater seated sixteen hundred people and Sheer had the house dressed an hour before the director and his crew arrived. William Sheer created his most favorable impression by his work in "The Regeneration," in which he carried off the honors of the production. He was with Keystone for a year and his work opposite Alexandra Carlisle in "Creeping Tides," which goes over the Equitable circuit shortly, stamped him as a thorough screen artist and he became forthwith a permanent Equitable asset. Mr. Sheer began his professional career as a dancer. His rise was rapid. Four months after he appeared as an amateur at Miner's Bowery theater he