Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

422 First National Takes Stage At Loew’s Theatre First National staged its biggest personal appearance in any theatre on the coast at Loew’s State Los Angeles Theatre one night this week. Not only were there fifteen First National stars, with Milton Sills as master of ceremonies, but First National executives headed by Richard Rowland and John McCormick took their position before the foot-lights as well. The First National personal appearance occupied an additional fifty-five minutes on the Loew program that night. During the past week First National features have commanded the screens of four prominent local theatres. Another “Shooting Star ” Reaches Up Into Film Heaven Gail Llovd has been given the feminine lead in Jimmie Adams’ latest Christie comedy. Miss Lloyd is another promising actress to rise from the “extra’’ ranks. In The Moving Picture World issue of November 29 it was then predicted that the young lady would soon be heard from in really important roles. Her elevation bears out the prediction. Miss Lloyd migrated here from New York and appeared in six Christie comedies as an “extra” before ultimately realizing her ambition. From the Christie studio also comes the announcement that Ruth Perrine, winner of a recent funny face contest, staged by an eastern magazine, has been given the feminine lead in Billy Dooley’s current picture. A New Horizon Renovation of the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and the installing of a huge organ, is now under way preparatory to re-opening the house as one of the chain of Pantages vaudeville theatres. The El Capitan did not prove a success as a legitimate house but should be ideally located for vaudeville and first run pictures. It has a seating capacity of 1,400 and should be in operation within two months. Rex Is Billed Rex, the wonder horse, formerly owned by Hal Roach and now the property of Universal, will be starred soon by the latter studio in a screen story entitled, “Thunder Hoofs.” MOVING PICTURE WORLD Charley Chase, in Hal Roach’s “A One Mama Man,” plays blind man’s bluff. He Made Firing Squads Laugh, So He Figures In the “Movies” HAL ROACH keeps his pen flying these days signing up Jewish comedians. Just after getting Max Davidson on a five year contract line, Roach turned the pen over to Jess Devorska. It seems that Devorska, who was born in Riga, Russia, played comedy roles long before he appeared in Roach’s “Jewish Prudence.” At the age of fourteen he was a soldier in the World War and while a captive in a German camp he was the sport of the German officers who made it a practice of bringing him before the firing squad several times a week. Devorska recalls how he fainted the first time the German rifles were pointed at him but that after the fifth and sixth time he used to make funny faces at the firing squad. Devorska says that any success which he may achieve on the screen should be due not only to his record as a ballet dancer, but also to his faculty for remembering the grimaces which were able to make the German officers laugh. Devorska traveled through five countries in Europe as a prisoner before he escaped to England. He came to the United States in 1915 where he was studying dancing in Manhattan under Irene Castle. He was a teacher of ballroom dancing in Chicago before King Vidor picked him out as a “type” and persuaded him to accept a role in “The Big Parade.” Now Roach plans to make a series of Jewish comedies with Devorska, Davidson and Martha Sleeper in the stellar role. Lynch at F. B. O. John Lynch, we learned at the F. B. O. Studio this week, is F. B. O.’s new scenario editor. He was formerly with FamousPlayers-Lasky as a member of the scenario staff. Percy Heath, is now on the Paramount staff. Leisen To Wed Mitchel Leisen, art director for the Cecil B. De Mille studios, will join the ranks of the benedicts early in February. His engagement to Miss Stella Seagar of Pasadena was announced a few days ago. February 5, 1927 United Artists To Have One Of Largest Studios With the purchase of sixty acres of improved land in Culver City where an auxiliary studio will be constructed, United Artists, Feature Productions, Inc., will have one of the largest motion picture production establishments in the world. Purchase of the new studio site was announced by John W. Considen, Jr., and Roland West, heads of the Feature Productions, Inc., largest of the Joseph M. Schenck enterprises. According to information at hand, present plans call for the immediate construction of the Culver City studio with an initial appropriation for the building program of $1,000,000.00. As previously announced in a recent issue of Moving Picture World the complete new studio on Santa Monica Blvd., is practically completed at a cost of more than $1,500,000. At this plant two new stages were built, which coupled with the big stage used for several years for Fairbanks and Pickford productions, gives plenty of room to handle several units at the same time. The acquisition by United Artists of an outside auxiliary producing plant is in line with the expansion of other large producing companies. The increasing necessity for the construction of large permanent sets makes the matter of studia space an important one. In telling his plans Considine reiterated what was published in the World several months ago. In Danger Country Douglas McLean and his company moved their paraphernalia to the Mexican border for exteriors on “Let It Rain,” his next release for Paramount. Shirley Mason has the feminine lead in the picture. George Siegmann, the screen villain, is , really a most affable person. United Prepares for Worldfs Greatest Studio