Moving Picture World (Jun 1916)

June 17, 1916 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Carried to the bottom of the ocean when he became ensnared in the body of an automobile which he drove from the end of the municipal pier at Santa Monica one day this week during the taking of a moving picture James Keating, an actor employed at a local studio, narrowly escaped drown motion picture field several years before he became associated with the "Big U" organization. He was conected with the Biograph Company, for which concern he wrote a number of notable photoplay stories of recent production. With four other men in the machine. Keating boldly drove into the sea. Failing to appear with the others after the plunge, the life guards rushed to his aid and brought him to the surface in an unconscious condition. Emergency treatment at a hospital quickly resuscitated him. More than a dozen stage and film favorites gathered at a banquet given by Miss Marian Strauch in honor of Douglas Fairbanks prior to his departure for New York. The banquet was held in the beautiful supper club room at Hotel Alexandria. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Fairbanks, Mr. and Mrs. De Wolf Hopper, Mr. and Mrs. Dustin Farnum, Mr. and Mrs. William Farnum, Mrs. J. Lasky, Miss Marie Doro, Mr. Elliott Dexter, Mr. Robert Milton, Mr. W. D. Taylor, Mr. Benjamin Ziedman, Mrs. Lew Jefferey and the hostess, Miss Marian Strauch. The Selig Zoo will be the scene of a big benefit entertainment on June 4. Enid Markey of the Ince forces will go to New York and appear in the prologue of "Civilization," at the Criterion theater. Thomas H. Ince this week became the namesake of a full blooded Sioux Indian baby born at Inceville. The infant is to be christened Thomas H. Ince Thunder Bull, and is the son of Chief Charlie Thunder Bull and Mrs. Nancy Thunder Bull, both of whom have appeared in several Ince-Triangle dramas to date. The child is the first Sioux Indian to be born in California, this tribe having just come from the North Dakota reservation to take part in Ince moving pictures. San Francisco's famous Barbary Coast is being duplicated at Culver City this week for some scenes in a current InceTriangle drama in which H. P. Warner is appearing as star, under the direction of Charles Giblyn. The story was written by J. G. Hawks and several hundred persons are appearing in the mob scenes. Five Triangle exhibitors of San Francisco and its suburbs were among the visitors this week at Thomas H. Ince's new plant at Culver City. They are H. C. Smith of the Marquee theater, in Palo Alto; W. Nasser of the Palace theater, San Francisco; George Roy of the Burlinghame Photoplay theater, in Burlinghame, and E. R. Freidburg of the Lyceum theater, San Francisco, and W. E. Corey of Corey and Fairland theaters, San Franci/co. Norma Talmadge of the Fine Arts, with her director, John Emerson, his assistant, Erich Von Stroheim, and his cameraman, have departed for the New York studios where they will start immediately the production of a new five-reel Triangle drama. Miss Talmadge will play the star role, which was written for her by Anita Loose. The Fine Arts players were accompanied to the train by a number of their friends and studio associates, which included Mae Marsh, the Gish Sisters, Robert Harron, Mary Alden, Co-Directors C. M. and S. A. Franklin, Millard Webb, Bernard McConville, Chester Withey. W. S. Hart of Inceville and Miss Talmadge's two younger sisters, Constance and Natalie. The Fine Arts star found her drawing room crowded with choice flowers, candies and literature, and as the train pulled out of the Santa Fe station, the Fine Arts studio folks gave three cheers and a tiger for the departing party. Lois Weber returned this week to Universal City after a month's rest from her strenuous labors at the film city. Miss Weber spent most of her vacation in New York, where she was entertained by President Carl Laemmle and Vicepresident and General Manager H. O. Davis of the Universal Company and other officials of the motion picture concerns. Eugene B. Lewis, who recently came to the Pacific Coast from New Pork, has been made the head of the scenario department at Universal City. Mr. Lewis is an old newspaper man who drifted into the Melies Offers New Comedies Series of High Class Subjects from Vim Studios for Release on General Film Program. FEATURE comedies in the regular service of the General Film Company form the subject of an interesting announcement issued this week by Melies Manufacturing Company, releasing Vim Comedies and Knickerbocker Star Features. Harry C. Myers and Rosemary Theby, one of the most popular comedy teams on the screen, will appear each week in a high-class refined single reel comedy directed by Mr. Myers. It is probable that the first picture will be released late in June. Wednesday of each week will be the regular release date. Mr. Myers has already completed eight productions, five of which have been screened in New York for the private view of a number of film notabilities, including exchange managers and prominent exhibitors. "Housekeeping," the first release, presents the Newlyweds in their Harlem flat, which is barren of furniture. It will be followed by "Spring Cleaning," "The Connecting Bath," "Will a Woman Tell?" and "Hubby's Relatives," in this order. A strong appeal to the public is expected from the nature of these comedies, because of their refinement and unique manner of production. In the five pictures already screened the comedy depends entirely upon quick perception of the funny side of human foibles. There is not the slightest suggestion of vulgarity, even in "The Connecting Bath," whose title is capable of a risque interpretation. So far Mr. Myers has smoked only one cigarette, entirely for the purpose of introducing a very funny bit of business; and there is absolutely no drinking or rough handling of woman. The many interior sets are all designed by Mr. Myers, who is a pupil of the celebrated Josef Urban. Included among those already seen are several sets which are bound to win enthusiastic comments upon their striking originality and effectiveness. Rlack-an-white effects are boldly used. Harry Keepers, one of the most highly endorsed cameramen in the business, is responsible for the excellent photography. Mr. Keepers has introduced many unusual "shoots" into the five pictures above mentioned. It is his practise, upon returning to a scene after a cut, to present an entirely different view of the room. This, in combination with frequent close-ups, greatly enhances the interest of the scenes. The scenarios for these releases have been carefully selected by a committee comprising Louis Burstein, managing director; Mr. Myers and Bert Tracey, scenario editor. They include the work of several of the best-known writers of refined comedy. Strand Theater Books "Tess" Broadway's Big Theater Presents Famous Players — Mary Pickford Masterpiece During Week of June 4. THE unprecedented screen career of "Tess of the Storm Country," considered by thousands of exhibitors and fans to be the best motion picture in which the Famous Players Film Company ever presented Mary Pickford, is to have another chapter of unusual interest added to its amazing record of international success because of the action of the Strand Theater in New York in booking this quaintly humorous and pathetic photoplay for the week of June 4. The presentation at the Strand Theater of this great epic of the screen, often enthusiastically described as the best five-reel picture ever produced, is in the nature of a revival similar to the return of stage plays that have had unusual popularity, as the production was first released by the Famous Players in March, 1914. It has never been shown at the Strand before, however, for the reason that this theater was not yet in existence at the time of the release of "Tess." After creating a veritable sensation in the United States "Tess" went to England, where it repeated its American triumph, as it did in all the countries of Kurope and Australia. In the latter country it-; presentation resulted in the collection of twenty-one thousand Australian pennies, with which an enormous loving cup was purchased and sent" from Sydney to New York at a tribute to the art and chirm of the gifted Marv. It i* said that more prints of this feature have Keen distributed by the Famous Players than any other two photoplays of equal length.