Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

346 MOVING PICTURE WORLD HOLLYWOOD OFFICE January 29, 1927 Film Expo To Open On Coast On March 7th Plans are well under way for the launching of the first progress exposition of the film industry which has even taken place •on the west coast. This will open at the Ambassador auditorium on 'March 7th, closing March 12th. It is said that the project is sponsored by leading firms and individuals allied with the film industry and that its chief object is to interest the general public as well as those actively engaged in filmdom. Screen stars will officiate at the booths where equipment, and costumes used in the making of pictures will be on exhibition. The exhibition will serve to introduce new methods in color photography, the latest talking picture direction, moving picture cameras for amateurs and numerous other innovations in the picture world. Niblo To Preside Fred Niblo will be master of ceremonies at the Wampus Ball at the Ambassador auditorium on February 17th. He will introduce on that occasion the thirteen Baby stars selected by the Wampus for 1927. Charlie Murray, comedian, will be master of laughs, Lew Cody will be master of ladies. The Duncan sisters will be one of the big attractions on what is shaping up to be one of the most ■elaborate programs of entertainment ever staged by the west coast publicists. Sennett to Make a Play on Big Swim One of Mack Sennett’s releases a month or so from now will be a burlesque on the Catalina Channel Swim which has caused seventeen year old George Young the winner to undergo so many film tests the past week. We now learn that Sennett had selected one of the women entrants to represent his studio, and that a Sennett camera photographed all her activities while she was in the swim. More important than the news of this particular two-reeler, however, is the fact that Sennett, for the first time in several years, is turning his hand to feature length comedies. The first will be a war story based on Johnny Burke’s “Dirty Work.” Burke himself will appear in the picture. Its title was one which Burke used for a soldier monologue famous on the vaudeville stage. * Studio Row * T>EN HECHK author of "The Underworld,” which will be produced by h amous-Players-Lasky, was this week signed to a year’s contract during which time he will write original stories for Paramount. * * * ERNEST TORRENCE whose free lance career started with the role of “Peter” in De Mille’s “King of Kings” will support John Gilbert in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayers “Twelve Miles Out.” * * * CYRST interior shots on “Wings” were made this week on the Paramount lot by Director William Wellman. The five months previous this Paramount special has been in production were devoted by the cast to exterior work, much of which was accomplished at San Antonio, Texas. * * * KENNETH HARLAN has been signed by Universal to play opposite Betty Compson in “Cheating Cheaters,” which Edwin Laemmle will direct. * * * T RENE RICH’S next vehicle for Warner Bros, has just gone into J production in the studios here. Paul Stein is directing. * * * T N the middle of February Alexander Corda, former UFA director will start work on his first picture for First National, titled “The Stolen Bride,” from an original story by Carey Wilson. * * * TROY BARNES of musical comedy fame has been assigned an • important role in “The Branding Iron” which Reginald Barker is directing for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. * * * ' | ' HE SKY CALL” which will be the last of F. B. O'.’s Gold Bond -*■ special on the 1926-27 schedule will probably get under way at the studio within the next two weeks. ACCORDING to the Hollywood police George O’Brien’s valet has confessed to purloining heirlooms of the O’Brien family possessed by the Fox star, vauled at several thousands of dollars. * * * LOUISE LORRAINE who is starred in Tim McCoy’s recently completed “Winners of the Wilderness” has been given a new contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. * * * RALPH SIPPERLY, Fox contract player, has been given an important comedy role in “Carmen” which director Raoul Walsh will get under way on the Fox lot. This picture, according to the present schedule will be the first thing which Victor McLaglen will appear in since “What Price Glory.” * * * LOUIS WOLHEIM will play one of the big roles in “Two Arabian Nights” which is soon to go in production at the PickfordFairbanks Studio as a United Artist special. * * * iJpRANDMA BERNLEY LEARNS HER LETTERS” is the title VJ of John Ford’s next picture for Fox. Johnstone is doing the continuity. * * * ELLIOTT CLAWSON, scenarist, has signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. * * * MONTY BRICE has been assigned to direct Wallace Beery’s first starring vehicle for Paramount, “Fireman Save My Child.” * * * “X/ILLE JOCKEY,” Bebe Daniels’ next starring picture for FamIV1 our Players-Lasky, will go into production February 1st, under the direction of Clarence Badger. * * * WALTER H. DOANE, general manager of Hal Roach studio is recuperating from a minor operation. * * * GLADYS UNGER, well known playright was added to MetroGoldwyn-Mayer’s scenario staff late this week. Babe Ruth To Bat For First National Films While Famous was negotiating for the screen appearance of George Young, King of long distance swimmers— Catalina Channel champion— First National was actually securing the signature of Babe Ruth, King of Swat, to costar in a picture with Anna Q. Nilsson which goes into production at the Burbank studios on February 4th. The securing of Ruth’s signature was almost as ceremonious an affair as the signing of Dempsey and Tunney for their fistic combat. Babe slipped away from a theatre in downtown Los Angeles to exhibit his scrawl before Richard Rowland, President of First National; John McCormick, general manager of west coast production ; M. C. Levy, general executive manager; last but not least, Christie Walsh, Ruth’s manager. Marks Babe’s Debut Wood Gunning will produce the picture which will mark Babe Ruth’s first big debut on the screen. The production will be based on a story of Jerry Beaumont’s, “Said With Soap.” The picture, however, will be released under the title of “Babe Comes Home.” At this writing plans are being made to have the first Ruth picture one of the biggest productions on First National’s 1927 schedule. The story will place Ruth in his own element. Anna Q. Nilsson’s role will take Babe away from his movie bat long enough to give the picture a nice touch of romance. Sign Ann Christy As Christie Player Ann Christy has just been signed up by A1 Christie as Jimmie Adams’ leading lady. Ann was an extra girl on the Christie lot until the other day when Pat Dowling tells us, Bobbie Vernon discovered her. Ann has been about studios for the past six months and her signing on the dotted line caused Dowling to exclaim, “At last there is a real Christy girl at the Christie studio.” Buys Magazine Yarn First National has just purchased a Saturday Evening Post story titled “American Beauty” and also another called “The Heart of a Follies Girl.” Billie Dove will be featured in both of these. If It Happens In Hollywood It's Here