Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

496 MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 12, 1927 Duncan Sisters To “Branding Iron ” Be “Topsy and Eva” Has Canadian Shots Santell to Do “The Gorilla” Mystery Story As their next production for First National to follow “McFadden’s Flats,” the screen version of which has been booked for a two weeks run at the Mark Strand, New York, with Charlie Murray, Chester Conklin and Edna Murphy in leading roles, the^combination of Asher. Small and Rogers will bring Ralph Spence's mystery drama, “The .Gorilla,” to the screen. • The direction has been placed in the hands of Alfred Santell, though the cast has not yet been announced. Filming is due to start in March. While E. M. Asher is in New York to see that “McFadden’s Flats” gets off to a good start on Broadway, Edward Small is in Hollywood looking after the script and lining up the talent for “The Gorilla.” Dorothy Hall, in Geo. Walsh Film, A Stage Beauty Dorothy Hall is playing the feminine lead in the newest George Walsh starring vehicle, now being filmed in New York, under the auspices of Excellent Pictures Corporation. The picture is “The Broadway Drifter.” Miss Hall is more familiar to the patrons of the spoken drama than she is to the picture-public. She is young, beautiful and according to directorial experts, she “screens beautifully.” Two Premieres "The Scarlet Letter,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, was enthusiastically received on its opening both in Cleveland and Detroit. Camera work on “Topsy and Eva,” the Duncan Sisters’ stage success destined for the screen as a United Artists special after several months’ preparation, is to start within the next two weeks, according to advices from John W. Considine, Jr., and Roland W est, heads of Feature Productions, Inc., which will make the comedy. Lois Weber, who will direct \ ivian and Rosetta Duncan, has completed the adaptation. The grandeur of the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of Banff, Canada, will form tTie background of “The Branding Iron” it was definitely decided last week at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio, where Reginald Barker is directing initial sequences of the famous Katherine Newlin But story. The cast will be taken in to the wild fastness to live under actual mountain hardships. “The Ladybird” Has a Preview In Los Angeles The Ladybird, Betty Compson s first starring vehicle for Chadwick Pictures Corporation, was previewed last week in a small theatre near Los Angeles. Jesse J. Goldburg, supervising director of Chadwick productions, has telegraphed an enthusiastic report of the showing to I. E. Chadwick, president of the company, who is now in New York City. “The Ladybird” was written especially for Miss Compson by William Dudley Pelley, author of several original photoplaysand several well known novels. The cast includes Malcolm McGregor, Ruth Stonehouse, Hank Mann, John Miljan, Leo White, Joseph Girard and Sheldon Lewis. Walter Lang directed. “Fire Brigade” in Eighth Week At the Central “The Fire Brigade,” a MetroGoldwyn-Mayer production, continues to big business in firstrun houses throughout the country, with a strikingly large number of bookings in all parts of: the United States. Special pre release showings on this production have proven very successful having received the praise of prominent city officials everywhere. “The Fire Brigade” is now in its eighth big week at the Central Theatre, New York. “Stolen Bride” Dorothy Mackaill will be featured in the title role of “The Stolen Bride," for First National.