Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 293 The Universal Ball. A Brilliant Social Affair Enlivened by a Mock Free-forAU Fight on the Floor. THE New York end of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company gave a big reception and ball to its many employees on Saturday evening, January 3rd, at the Leslie Rooms, Eighty-third Street and Broadway. It was a wild, stormy niglit, and those who went to the hall did so with the idea that the attendance would be slim on account of the weather, but a glance at the accompanying illustration will show what an erroneous idea that was. The ball was an artistic success. It was not a financial success because it was not intended to be; but just a big family gathering of the whole Universal force, from the humblest factory worker up to the president himself. The hall was cozy and was tastefully decorated. The floor and the music could not have been better. The company was congenial and orderly ; that is, with the exception of one unfortunate incident. King Baggot got into an argument with J. C. Graham on the floor, and it looked, for a moment, as though all the men on the fluor would soon be mi.xed in a free-for-all fight. Four policemen wer^ called in. but they coidd do little with the surging mob of men. Women were frightened and taking to shelter, and cries of "shame' came from the balcony guests. Mr. Powers and Mr. Swanson pushed their way into the thick of the melee and did their best to stop it. The orchestra struck up a tune to divert attention. Nobody seems to know what the argument was about, but the truth is, it was about nothing. When it seemed about time to send in a riot call the guests were greatly surprised to see King Baggot start turkey-trotting with one of the cops, and some of the boys who were in on the joke danced it with the three other policemen. The fact is, they were four husky gents that Baggot had previously rigged up in studio uniforms. They do say that Pat Powers and Bill Swanson swallowed it hook, line and sinker. They were not alone in their innocence ; everyone who was not in on it fell for it, only Pat and Bill fell the hardest. It was a glorious evening with undiminished gayety from the start at 8 p. .m.. until the finish at 4 .\. m.. Sunday. A number of entertaining people appeared on the stage between dances. Mil dred Holland gave a dramatic scene from Mary Stuart ; Joe Scharf, of the Mecca Universal Exchange, warbled some ditties ; several cabaret singers from the music publishing houses of Leo Feist and Watterson, Berlin & Snyder contributed to the occasion, and Dick Lee read off a lot of comedy telegrams. The entertainment committee was comprised of: William H. Swanson, chairman ; King Baggot, Frank Smith, Howard Crampton, Irving Cummings, Ethel (Irandon, Florence Lawrence, John Stokes, Matt Moore. Leonora von Ottinger, Irene Wallace, Harry Cohn and J. W. Grey. This committee provided an elegant buffet luncheon, which was served in the spacious dining-room on the floor below the ballroom. The guests were provided with checks and sent down m relays of 200 each. After the luncheon the guests assembled about the stage at the behest of J. C. Graham, general manager of the Universal. He took occasion then, as spokesman for the entire force of employees, to tell Mr. Laemmie how much they all think of him, and the sincerity of his words left no doubt of it. A little, curly, llaxen-haired boy, Master Philip Weiner, of London, presented a magnificent loving cup to Mr. Laemmie, the gift of the employees. Mr. Laemmie has no wall-cracking voice for making speeches. He usually dodges them, but he responded nicely in this instance. Although his voice could not be heard far, he let out one of the secrets of his success when he concluded his remarks by saying to his people : "1 thank you, and I love you." The grand march then began and was led by Mr. and Mrs. Laemmie, the other officers following in regular order. During the march this photo was taken, with the guests in the formation of a large letter "U." Among the guests assembled, in addition to the Universal Family, were : George DuBois Proctor, of the Motion Picture News ; Wen Milligan. of the Billboard ; Mr. Semler, of the New York Telegraph; Hugh Hoffman, of The Moving Picture World; Phillips Smalley, of the West Coast Organization of the Universal ; Mr. and Mrs. James V. Bryson, of the Laemmie Film Service, Minneapolis ; Miss Mildred Holland, Jules Brulatour, N. Edward Mallouf of the Worlds' Best Film Company, Ch. Jourjon, M. Patin and M. and Mme. Offeman of the Eclair Company, Leo Hcrshfeld and daughter. Miss Jeanette Cohen and Miss Gladys Tilden of the Blaney Company, David Horsley, Miss Dorothy Gibson, Miss Rose Marks, Miss Edna Ellaby, Joe Farnham. Flashlight Photograph of the Universal Film Company's Bali. Harmony and Happiness. I'Vont Row, seated — King Baggot, Robert H. Cochrane, Mrs. Cochrane, Mrs. Laemmie, Carl Laemmie, William II. Swanson, P. A. Powers, Mark Dinten fass, Julius Stern, J. C. Graham, Phillips Smalley.