Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1914)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1661 Doings at Los Angeles DIRECTOR J. P. McGOWAN, the intrepid director of Kalem's "Hazards of Helen" series, is seriously injured, and is in a hospital suffering from broken bones' and shock sustained when he fell thirty-five feet from a telephone pole to the ground while doing one of the late installments of the series. The producer of railroad stories will not be able to work for about six months. McGowan was crossing a suspended wire, hand over hand, and, owing to the slack in the cable, he could not complete the trip and had to drop. In his absence Paul Hurst will take over the company. * * * Another unfortunate photoplayer was severely injured this week in an automobile accident. Dorothy Gish is the fair player who was nearly killed in the crash of automobiles. She suffered severe bruises and cuts and will be unable to work for over a month. The production of "The Sisters" had to be stopped and her sister, who was featured with Dorothy, is taking care of her. The brave little actress did not mind the doctor's taking the many stitches, but only requested that "mama must not know this, she must not — wait and let me tell her after I am put to bed, tell her I'm all right." * * * Ruth Roland, for so long a charming comedian with Kalem, and who was recently changed over to the dramatic company, has closed with the Horkheimer brothers and will hereafter be seen in Balboa films. She goes to the beach studio on the 28th of this month. Her place will be taken by Cleo Ridgley, who came across the continent on horseback some time ago. She will be under the direction of James Home, who recently took George Melford's place when he left for the Lasky firm. Home will put on a big series. A. C. Gage has been made business manager at his Kalem branch. * * * Charles Chaplin is considering big and handsome offers by several managers and his closing with the Keystone makes him a much wanted comedian. He has not announced any connection, but when he does it is sure to be a big one. Mack Sennet is as busy as ever with his big company. * * * About the happiest man in Los Angeles is J. Farrel Macdonald who is playing, with Mrs. Carter at the Tiffany studio. The reason is that a smiling bundle of childish sweetness was presented to him last week by Mrs. Macdonald. The little leading lady weighed eight and threequarter pounds and is a little package of sunshine, so says the proud daddy. She has already been named after her mama, Edith Bostwick Macdonald. The father is taking moving pictures of the little one, several feet each day for the first week, a like amount once a week for a month, and every month for a year will the camera be used to register the baby's growth. Then each year she will be photographed, and the film will be kept for her to see when she grows up. Richard Stanton, director-actor, arrived home at Inceville this week from a thrilling voyage to San Francisco and San Diego. At the former place he alighted from the train and heard newsboys yelling extras about the wreck of the S. S. Hanalei, which had gone ashore on the reets above that city. Stanton rented a big automobile and proceeded with his cameraman, Joe Myers, to the scene, arriving there at four in the motrning. They were unable to get any shipwreck scenes, but were in time to help in the rescue of the bodies' as they washed ashore. The fog was so thick that photography was out of the question. They carried back to the city three of the poor unfortunates who had been drowned. * * * Ford Sterling, our famous comedian of the little, short beard, is very seriously ill at his home, suffering from a severe attack of typhoid fever and pneumonia. The attending doctor says that his condition is so precarious that immediate recovery is doubtful. Ford contracted a severe cold on his way home from the east, which later went to pneumonia, when he became overheated one day last week while working at the studio. * * * Called up Mary H. O'Connor and the wires got tangled and she was at Santa Barbara, the long distance operator connecting us without telling where she was. The photoplaywright said that she had been called north to write a feature for Margarita Fischer. Promised a newsy letter immediately. Said that the American studio was busy except for the rain. * * * The Universal publicity office has turned into a paper bakery. What is a paper bakery? Ask the editor. We received the Universal weekly news sheet this day and it had a hole in the middle where some lengthy item had been "killed" by the scissors. Other items on the page were good, but wonder what the omitted one was? * * * W. E. Keefe of the publicity office of the Mutual has been in San Francisco for a week attending to company business. The studio was as busy as usual except for a few members of the company who are on the sick list. * * * December, with its varying weather, is here and already two rains have placed cameras in the vaults, except where the producers use electric lights. The beauty of California rains is that they come in the night and next day the sun comes out and the air is better than ever. A few cloudy days have put the ban on pictures, but all in all the weather is fair. * * * If anyone doubts the efficiency of Inceville, here is an incident that will put the doubts on the shelf. T. H. Ince believes in detail, for the other day I visited the canyon studio and was actually surprised to see Clara William drinking, or at least she looked to be drinking, a glass of champagne in a big scene for a current feature picture Two quarts of glistening, bubbling, fizzing wine 'were opened for a close-up scene in this great production, and the principals were seen imbibing. At another set just across the stage Bessie Barriscale and her company were partaking of real Martini cocktails, and no burnt sugar was shaken up to look like the icy drink that was served up here. On the back stage a Dutch picture was in progress and Rhea Mitchell and her company were saying "prosit" and doffing huge steins of lager, which flowed freely from a real keg. A number of popular players treked to San Francisco last Saturday night to attend the Screen Club ball, among the prominent ones being present were Mabel Keystone, Roscoe and Charlie. * * * Director R. S. Sturgeon, of the Vitagraph, with his company of players who have been isolated in Bear Valley for nearly a month, are to return soon for the snow has finally come and they are taking the winter scenes for a big picture. But just now a long distance message turns the tables for the snow did not continue and the players had to stop taking pictures'. It was just a forerunner of the big storm. Sturgeon says they are just loafing and waiting for the bigwhite clouds to gather, in the meantime duck shooting, and various amusements keep the movie people busy. The hotel up in the hills is being kept open especially for the players, as it usually closes ere the snow falls. * * * Out at Universal City big things are going on. Francis Ford and his players have removed to _ the new town and other companies are preparing to emigrate. The U. C. Mounted Police force is complete with half a dozen expert riders, four of which are on duty daytime and the other two care for the big town at night. Jerry Barnes, head trainer at the ranch was bitten by a wolf-dog last week, the animal taking out a piece of Jerry's leg while he was training it to" jump through a lighted hoop. * * * Kathlyn Williams has started a fad here. To become an expert swordswoman she had to practice. This was for "Peggy" — a Selig picture being put on — and so well did she like fencing that she has taken it up as a steady diversion. Fashionable maids and matrons are now following suit at a big hotel and are taking lessons. Kathlyn said, "It s the best fun I ever had, besides' it's good exercise." * * * Manager Bernstein, of the Universal, is proud of a fine Kentucky saddle horse which Mr. Laemmle presented to him before departing for the east. The Universal automobile drivers also gave him a silver loving cup.