Moving Picture Weekly (1916)

-THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY -23 Universal Discovers Psychoscenario Wiiter Edgar Cayce Sends Spirit Five Reel Scenario for Violet Mersereau to her order at Churchill's Restaurant By PETER PEPPER p__.| E'VE heard a lot about messages being conh ft id veyed by spirits from the other world to ■ 1 1 ■ hypnotists, psychoists, psycho-analysists and ft i m all the other ists, but all of them were out ■ ij done, outclassed and outwitted the other eve■»*■■■ | ning when the Universal Film Manufacturing Company introduced to the world the first and only psychoscenarioist. His name is Edgar Cayce and he sent a psychoscenario, four hundred and fifty words long, from Selma, Alabama, twelve hundred and eighty miles away, to Room No. 1 in Churchill's, where Violet Mersereau, that dainty little Bluebird star, was sitting nervous and fidgety, surrounded by thirty newspaper men and trade journal representatives, awaiting the plot. If the Universal accepts this scenario, it will be the first written by a pschoscenariowriter, for, never since the beginning of filmdom has a penner of plots attempted to do what Mr. Cayce did last Thursday evening. It all started something like this: On December 13 last, President Carl Laemmle received a mysterious letter from one Edwin Williamson, who in addition to acting as freight agent for the Southern Railway at Selma, fills in his spare hours by acting as spiritual advisor, or spiritual business manager of Mr. Cayce. Just imagine what could be done if he could persuade his employer to apply the mental stuff to the transportation of all freight for the Southern Railway! Or, for example, imagine what the British government would give to employ Cayce to go into these hypnotic sleeps and direct the course of their ships and German submarines! In this letter, Williamson said that he had a personal friend who was possessed of "an unusual gift, power, or whatever it might be called." This friend was in the habit of going into an hypnotic sloop, from self-suggestion or otherwise, and then he conversed with the party whom he went to sleep to. Mr. Williamson stated that ho had diagnosed many diseases that have baffled physicians and had located lost articles, and performed many other wonderful feats. "If you aro Interested, and will write me, naming s data and the hour, allowing for tho difference in time, which is one hour, stating tho name of tho party whom you have in mind to take tho lead in a photoplay, and toll mo the street and house number where the party will be, I think I can surprise you." Mr. Laemmle was so much impressed with the possibilities that he turned over the correspondence to the publicity department and instructed that the fellow he | an opportunity of showing what ho could do. t Accordingly, it was decided to hold thfl test at Churchill'8 and that Violet Mersereau, with a staff of newspaper men and trade journalists be on hand to await the results. The ceremonies were in charge of Nat Rothstein, advertising manager of the Universal, who explained to the gathering what it was all about, aided bv speeches on psychology, etc., by Paul Gulick, Eustace Hale Ball, who is the author of the Universal^ forthcoming serial, "The Voice on the Wire," and Dr. William E. Young, who is an authority on the subject of hypnotism, mental telepathy, self-suggestion and psycho-analysis. A table was placed in the centre of the room and on it was laid a piece of paper, describing the sort of plav Violet Mersereau would like for her next vehicle. This was at exactly 8:30 and the paper remained there for fitfy minutes— the time required for the test And all the time it was there Edgar Cayce was suggesting himself to sleep down there in tropical Selma. During the interval the spirits were greatly aiding the committee, so that by the time the scenario arrived, they were in an excellent frame of mind to receive the results of the test. Peter Milne, of the Motion Picture News: Benny Grimm, Moving Picture World; Frederick Schrader, Variety; Arthur Ungar, New York Clipper; John Reddy, New York Telegraph; Ben Davis, New York Tribune, amused themselves while waiting for the psychoscenario by singing a symphony, written by Joe Burrowes, on the spur of the moment, to Violet Mersereau, and which ran something like this: Dear Violet Mersereau, You've won our hearts, you know — Star of the Universal, A picture queen without rehearsal; With your very charming face. Your wondrous smile and grace. You've won a nation's hearts With your many leading parts. Dear Violet Mersereau, You're getting all the "dough." Violet Mi r.s-< ,; u,t At _':■').'> Friday morning the psychonario arrived. It proved to be just the sort of a plav that Violet asked tor, previous to the beginning of the test. Mr. Cavce calls it "Through the Subliminal," and it is a five-reeler. Miss reau has turned it over to John Brownell. the Bluehird scenario editor at Fort Lee Studio, with the recommendation that it be prepared for her so that she can start on it as her next picture. I HI \\ Ilk WITH I'KOIU i ERS. JJNIVERSAJ Director W. w. Beaodine with his Joker CoflMdl company is producing a lauphable comedy, "Whose Bab) '"' Gale Henry and William Franev plav the featured had:, with sfilbarn BfomntJ in their support Q} EVEH lit! ar-old Zoi being featured in ■ one act melodrama being filmed at Universal City, entitled "By special Delivery?1 The play was specially written for the dainty little actn and .-he i doing some remarkable work before the cs