Movie Age (1927)

PAGE 8 MOVIE AGE Eight F B O Companies Now in Work on New Season’s Schedule Los Angeles. — Setting a record for the number of F B 0 producing units actually working simultaneously, eight companies from this organization are now in production both in the studio and on locations distributed from the Atlan¬ tic to the Pacific seaboard, according to an announcement by William LeBaron, vice-president in charge of production. With more than half the 1927-28 pro¬ duction schedule already completed, F B 0 officials anticipate that next year’s program will be finished sometime in January or February and are putting into effect every effort to establish this record. Ralph Ince, veteran director and star, is at present on location in New York with his wife, Lucia Mendez, former musical comedy star, shooting scenes for “Coney Island,” a story of the great amusement center. On the other side of the continent, Jerome Storm is directing ‘“Ranger of the North,” starring Ranger, among the forests and crags surrounding Mammoth Lake in the High Sierras. With him are Lina Basquette, former “Follies” dancer, and Hugh Trevor. All three of F B O’s Western stars, Tom Tyler, Bob Steele and Buzz Bar¬ ton, are at work in various locations about the California desert, making re¬ spectively, “The Gambler’s Game,” “Driftin’ Sands,” and “Wizard of the Saddle.” The remaining F B 0 units, including “Little Mickey Grogan,” starring Frankie Darro, “Deadman’s Curve,” and “Jake the Plumber,” are working either in or near the studio in Hollywood. “U” To Make “Cohens and Kellys” At Once “The Cohens and Kellys in Paris” Universal’s heralded sequel to last year’s box office sensation, “The Cohens and Kellys”, will be put into immediate pro¬ duction, it has been announced at the Universal home office. An intense in¬ terest on the part of exhibitors and re¬ quests that the picture reach the screen as early as possible is stated as the reason for the change in production plans. The new Irish-Jewish screen farce was to have been made late this fall with a release late next spring. Production will start on “The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris” on September 3. William Beaudine is to direct it. He was in the midst of plans for the makng of “Give and Take,” the Aaron Hoff¬ man play, with Jean Hersholt and George Sidney, when the decision to make the Cohen-Kelly picture was ar¬ rived at. Universal Buys 2 Rex Beach Stories for 1927-28 Universal, last week, purchased two Rex Beach novels for its 1928-29 pro¬ gram. “The Mating Call” which was serialized in Cosmopolitan Magazine this year, the concluding episode appearing in the August number and was brought out as a novel by Harper Brothers in July of this year, will be used for an all star special. “The Michigan Kid” which was nov¬ elized by Harper Brothers, appearing in December, 1924 after its appearance in Hearst International Magazine, will be used as a Jewel. With Ward Russell’s novel, “The Worm Turns” Universal has twentythree productions already purchased and in work for the year after the current season. Jules Cowles To Play Dinty In “Bringing Up Father” Jules Cowles is to play the famous cartoon character, Dinty Moore, in the motion picture version of “Bringing Up Father,” which Cosmopolitan is produc¬ ing as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. Others announced to play leading roles in this film are Grant Withers in the ro¬ mantic lead, Gertrude Olmsted as the pretty daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dinty Moore, J. Farrell McDonald as Jiggs, and Polly Moran and Marie Dressier, the starring comedy team, to play the roles of Mrs. Jiggs and Mrs. Dinty Moore, re¬ spectively. Jack Conway is to direct this Cos¬ mopolitan film after an adaptation by Frances Marion of the popular cartoon strip by George McManus. Morgan Dancers in “Helen Of Troy”, A F. N. Picture The famous Morgan Dancers will ap¬ pear in ancient Greek dances in First National’s screen version of John Erskine’s novel, “The Private life of Helen of Troy,” according to announcement from the Burbank studio by A1 Rockett, West Coast production manager for the company. The Morgan Dancers are the best known group of outdoor dancers in the country. They should add materially to the box office strength of this special which Alexander Korda is directing un¬ der the production management of Ca¬ rey Wilson who also prepared the adap¬ tation. Players thus far announced for the cast include Maria Corda as Helen, Lewis Stone as Menelaus and Virginia Lee Corbin as Hermione. “What Price Glory” To Be Generally Released Throughout the Country The Fox screen version of “What Price Glory,” during its year in New York and on the road in key cities, has been seen by two million people — onehalf the number of American troops in service during the war. The StallingsAnderson drama will be viewed by many more millions beginning with the end of August, when the photoplay will be released generally everywhere in the United States. “What Price Glory” sketches with strong lines the sardonic comedy of two marines who struggle for the love of the same woman. The action sweeps along, contrasted sharply against a background of wax'. But the story is centered on these three — the girl and two fighting men. Victor McLaglen as Captain Flagg, wins the girl by dominance and then Sei’geant Quirt steps into the scene — the sei'geant whom Flagg has hated all his life because Quirt with a swag¬ gering confidence that would provoke any man to violence — and any woman to infatuation. Ci’itics throughout the United States declare that the director, Raoul Walsh, has created a picture of power, which incidentally established for all time the ability of the featured players. Doloi'es Del Rio and Victor McLaglen will again be seen together in “Loves of Carmen,” which the same director made for Fox Films. Edmund Lowe is now working in “Publicity Madness” under Albert Ray’s direction. 360,000 Attend Municipal Opera In First 8 Weeks Motion picture exhibitors who have been singing the box office blues during this Summer season should take a lesson from the record set by the St. Louis Municipal Opera Association during the current season. During the first eight weeks of the opera season more than 360,000 per¬ sons attended the open air performances at Forest Park. Of those attending 273,000 paid from 25 cents to $1.50 each to witness the performances, while the remaining 87,000 occupied free seats. Three of the 56 performances were abandoned be¬ cause of rain. The season of twelve weeks closes on August 27. The total receipts for this year are expected to set a new high record for not only the St. Louis opera association, but also for any musical en¬ tertainment or other form of amusement playing to a $1.50 top with the excep¬ tion of a pennant-winning baseball club.