Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

268 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 22, 1927 De Mille Halts Previewing for “King of Kings” (Continued from page 267) is planned to have every road show company headed by an individual who is intimately acquainted with the picture, not only as it appears on the screen, but all of the steps which it underwent during its production. A campaign similar to that of “The Miracle” will be followed it was outlined to us. Women’s Clubs and churches will be addressed on the subject of the picture. Although “The King of Kings” will not be previewed, Moving Picture World this week learned about the treatment of many of the biblical sequences. From what we gathered, it will not be an actual translation of the Bible to the screen. Many reasons in this respect were given us by an authority at the De Mille Studios. First of all a minister, a priest and a rabbi are said to have personally passed upon every bit of the production and that the picture as it now stands bears the 100% sanction of the representatives of these three religious sects. We are told that the picture does not adhere to that part of the Bible which described Christ as riding into Jerusalem on the back of a jackass. We are also told that the picture does not follow the Bible to the letter on its description of Christ’s scourging the people out of the Temple. The clergymen sitting in judgment during production activities on “The King of Kings” are said to have agreed that the significance of too literal a translation of these incidents in the Bible might not be appreciated to their full worth by many picture audiences. Thus we are now informed they agreed to eliminate the jackass and also to have a few men in the first line of the crowd in the Temple become so awed by the Redeemer’s personality that in slinking back they caused the mob to stampede from the Temple. “The King of Kings,” we are told, should appear on the screen as the animated portrayals of biblical subjects by famous artists. In view of the fact that “The King of Kings” has for such a long time been almost synonoraous with the mention of the De Mille Studios, the impression might now prevail that with the completion of production activities, things would be more or less dormant at the Studios, and that a number of ★ Studio Row ★ D ED GRANGE, as soon as he completes his football contract, will start work in his second production for Film Booking Offices. This will be an automobile racing story, according to word at the studio where Byron Morgan and Sam Wood are engaged in writing it. * * * DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR., has been engaged to play a juvenile role in A1 Green’s production “Iss Zat So” for Fox. This production which is well under way features George O’Brien, Edmund Lowe and Kathryn Perry. * * * ANN CORNWALL plays opposite Buster Keaton in his second comedy for United Artists which commenced production this week. James Horne is directing it. * * * LEAR ’N CLOUDY” is the title of Monty Banks next fea* ture comedy, associate producer A. MacArthur makes known. * * * COLLEEN MOORE’S next production for First National is titled “Naughty But Nice.” Filming on this story will commence within the next two weeks. * * * C* B. O.’s first special on its 1927 schedule will get under way at * • the Studios here soon under the title of “Pedigree” from an original story by Calvin Johnson. * * * JESSE L. LASKY, First Vice-President and Production Chief of Paramount, arrived in Hollywood this week. Mr. Lasky has been a regular commuter between the two Coasts for the past thirteen years. This time he is arriving when the Famous lot is unusually busy, nine pictures now being under way with three more scheduled to get before the camera next week. * * * EMIL JANNINGS’ first picture to be made in Hollywood is tentatively titled “The Man Who Forgot God.” Victor Fleming is the director. Lil Dagover of UFA fame supports Jannings in this production. * * * LAURA LA PLANTE who has just finished the featured role in “The Cat and the Canary,” starts next week in “Beware of Widows,” under the direction of Wesley Ruggles. Both are Universal Top-Notch pictures. Next week will also witness at Universal City the commencement of work on “Cheating Cheaters,” by Director Erward Laemmle. * * * T~\ERLEYS PERDUE has returned from the legitimate stage to Universal City. Her first picture is “The Empty Stall” one of a series of feature length Westerns, starring Fred Humes which Ray Taylor will direct. people would find themselves without jobs. We learned however, that none of the crew regularly employed on the lot will be discharged but that about fifty “bit” players and extras will find themselves out of work. These people early in the making of the picture had been formed into a stock company to be on hand whenever needed. Super-productions of this kind, however, necessitate the forming of such stock companies, so that the disbandment of this one will be nothing unusual. There is, however, much conjecture as to the next role which will be assigned H. B. Warner who finishes this week his role as Christ in “The King of Kings.” Warner is under a three-year contract to De Mille. This director’s sentiments about roles of his featured players in pictures following “The King of Kings” have already been touched upon in Moving Picture World. It is now learned that Warner was to have played opposite Vera Reynolds in “The Little Adventuress” which commences production at the De Mille Studios this week. It was intimated at the studio that these sentiments had something to do with Victor Varconi, another De Mille contract player, getting the Await Formal Announcement P. D. C. Merger Even at the Cecil B. De Mille Studios they cannot understand why the merging of Producers Distributing Corporation, KeithAlbee and Pathe interests have not yet been announced in New Lork. It was conceded by one in “the know” at the De Mille plant that possibly some slight detail may be holding up the announcement. The impression prevails out here, however, that the negotiations between the three companies have been culminated. Hollywood expects the merged interests will be ruled by an Executive Board with F. C. Munroe as president and Elmer A. Pearson as general sales executive. This board, it is whispered from sources within the boundaries of one of the interested company’s holdings out here, would include two representatives from Producers Distributing Corporation, two from Keith-Albee and two from Pathe. Latest official inquiries for publication out here, however, have resulted in a reiteration of the recent statement that all announcements concerning the Pathe, Producers Distributing Corporation and Keith-Albee Studios will “have to come from New York.” male lead instead of Warner. That there is to be no cessation of regular production activities following the completion of “The King of Kings” is witnessed by the fact that preparation is now under way for the launching into actual production before the end of this month “Turkish Delights” with Rudolph Schildkraut and Julia Faye in the leading roles. Although Miss Faye has been with De Mille for .six years, the part which she will have in this picture will be her first featured role. About the same time Leatrice Joy will start work in “Vanity.” Joseph Schildkraut is also slated for another production to be started within the next month, titled “The Country Doctor,” which William K. Howard will direct. Albert Payson Terhune’s story “His Dog,” is on the schedule of pictures soon to go into production at the De Mille Studios. Rod La Rocque had been mentioned for the leading role in this picture but his subsequent engagement in “Resurrection” leaves that part open. No one as yet, we are told, has been selected to fill it. P. D. C. Merger With Pathe Known On Coast