The Moving Picture Weekly (1920-1921)

THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY •7 I I'M iM, ^P£^HZ./ I I m^^t ME Af/D niM ^ UNIVSaSAL SPECIAL ATTRACTION One-sheet poster prepared for "The Big Adventure" THE dean of kiddie players! It may be difficult to imagine a dean at the ripe old age of five, but that is the title which has been earned by "Breezy" Eason, the Universal boy star who has been recognized as the foremost child player on the screen through his admirable work in "The Big Adventure." But then, it is little wonder that "Breezy" should be a cinema star in his own right when it is remembered that his father is a well known motion picture director and his mother was a leading woman in screen dramas up until the time she married. Not all children inherit the talents of their parents, and seldom is this "Breezy and Mickey Trap tlie Vill uns talent apparent at such an early age; but young Eason was acting before the camera at the age of three, and in the past two years has developed into one of the most natural and appealing players on the screen, regardless of size or age. "Breezy" has just scored his biggest success in "The Big Adventure," a story written especially for him by James Edward Hungerford, who specializes in juvenile romance, and was scenarized by George Pyper. It was produced at Universal City under the direction of Reeves Eason, Sr., and from all accounts the feature reflects credit on writer, director, the youthful star and everyone else connected with the production. One of the first hits scored by "Breezy" in a Universal feature was about a year and a half ago, when the youngster was three years old. He appeared with the big Western star, Art Acord, in a story called "The Cowboy and the Kid." So many requests from theatregoers for more pictures of the little fellow were received that "Breezy" later appeared in several western stories with Hoot Gibson. Several months ago, when Universal's big success, "Pink Tights" was flashed on the screen, young Eason, as the tiny country lad, was one of the hits of the feature. Then came his most important role in "Two Kinds of Love." INHERITS SCREEN TALENT DEEVES EASON, the popular Universal director who produced "The Big Adventure," was an actor, on the stage and in the movies, before taking up his megaphone and devoting his talents to the making of pictures. But he has not entirely given up his acting, and once in a while, when the spirit moves him, he plays a part just to keep in form. Such was the case a few months ago when he played the "heavy" in a Universal picture which he himself directed, "Two Kinds of Love." Eason was born in Mississippi, but the family moved to California before he reached school age. His education was therefore received in the public schools of Monrovia and at Berkeley College. Shortly after leaving school he joined a dramatic stock company in the west, and after gaining considerable stage experience he went into vaudeville with a dramatic sketch of his own construction. Mickey Teaser card suitable for use in Herald or throwau-ay Wkats at tlie Playkouse To-niglit? pROM the slums of a great city to a pastoral farm community. That is the rapid transition in locale taken in "The Big Adventure," the Universal screen drama which is showing now at the Theatre. "Breezy" Eason, the screen wonderchild, plays the title role and Reeves Eason, the kiddie's father, directed "The Big Adventure," from the story by James Edward Hungerford, written especially for the youthful star. XXTHAT kind of a dog has the most intelligence — a thoroughbred or a mixture? In "The Big Adventure," the Universal photodrama now at the Theatre, little "Breezy" Eason, the featured player, is supported by Mickey, his own dog, who is a cross between a bull-dog and a weasel. The weasel part is not very definite on his pedigree but he is a faithful old fellow and adds to the appeal of the picture by his obvious love for his little master. JN Chicago last summer, the Elks were in convention, and they wanted the prettiest girl in the Middle West to be their queen. From some twenty thousand photographs submitted they selected Gertrude Olmstead, a LaSalle high school girl. Miss Olmstead is now appearing in Universal pictures and has the leading feminine role in "The Big Adventure," starring little "Breezy" Eason, now being shown at the Theatre.