The Moving picture world (May 1920-June 1920)

1098 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 22, 1920 Cecil B. De Mi lie Renews Contract with Famous PlayersLasky; Rejects Big Offers Cecil B. De Milie. ■mm iMiiiiiiiiiioiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiuiii iiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiTiiiiitiiriitliiioi ^ Metro Engages E. J. Ratcliffe for "Love,* Honor and Obey" EJ. RATCLIFFE, who has been engaged to play Holbury, the "heavy," • in the S-L all-star production of ■"Love, Honor and Obey," a picturization by Eugene Walter, of Charles Neville Buck's novel, "The Tyranny of Weakness," at Metro's New York studios, is a veteran ■of the stage remembered by New Yorkers as a member of Daniel Frohman's stock •company at the old Lyceum Theatre in New York. Mr. Ratcliffe was born in London and went on the stage as a boy. He gave it up to seek his fortune in India, where he worked on a silk plantation until fever drove him back to England. There he returned to the theatre, playing with Mary Anderson. He came to America with her and has been playing here ever since. His first appearance in pictures was made four years ago in "In the Palace of a King." Since then he has appeared with Ethel Barrymore, Florence Reed, Petrova, Madge Kennedy, Eugene O'Brien, Marguerite Clarke and Norma Talmadge. The S-L production of "Love, Honor and Obey" will be released by Metro. Wilda Bennett, Claire Whitney, Kenneth Harlan and George Cowl are some of the players in the all-star cast. Leander de Cordova is the director. Mildred Davis to Continue in Support of Harold Lloyd MILDRED DAVIS, the young western girl who jumped into fame by her performances opposite Harold Lloyd in his series of $100,000 two-reel comedies distributed by Pathe, has renewed her contract with the Rolin Film Company. This insures her appearance with Lloyd in his second series of two-reelers, the first of which is !ow under way in the new Rolin studio at Culver City. Miss Davis made her debut in two-reel comedies with Lloyd in "From Hand to Mouth." She achieved instantaneous success for her youth and beauty, coupled with l.er ability to portray co nedy roles, established her as a leading woman of the first magnitude. Miss Davis is probably on; of the youngest leading women in filradom, but she has had an extended career, which began with her apearance in one-reel comedies pro•'uced by Hal E. Roach, president of the E.olin Film Company. CECIL B. DeMILLE, the noted motion picture director, has signed a contract for five years with Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Mr. DeMille, who, for more than five years has been director general and a member of the board of directors of the Paramount organization, and whose old contract is about to expire, made a flying trip from Los Angeles to New York to consider offers from several other organizations. Mr. DeMille, after investigation^ decided not to accept the offers. Leaves for the Coast. After completing his arrangements, Mr. DeMille left New York at once for Los .\ngeles to begin work on a new production in which he will introduce to moving picture patrons a new leading woman who, he believes, will outrival Wanda Hawley, Bebe Daniels, Gloria Swanson or any of the other beautiful women who have become famous in Cecil B. DeMille productions. The announcement of the signing of Mr. DeMille's contract was made by Adolph Zukor, president of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. "In signing this fiew contract, Mr. DeMille paid a great tribute to Famous Players-Lasky Corporation," said Mr. Zukor. "He had received offers of immense salaries from actually every other organization of any consequence. He decided to remain with us solely because he felt that in our organization he could produce finer pictures than in any other, and that these pictures would obtain wider distribution and better presentation. He had the entire industry to choose from, and, after thorough investigation, made as a business man as well as a director, selected Famous Players-Lasky Corporation." Goldwyn Buys "The Concert," Leo Ditrichstein's Vehicle WITH the purchase of "The Concert," in which Leo Ditrichstein made a success some years ago, the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation adds another well known play to its list of future productions. Recently, "The Great Lover" was purchased for picturization by this company, and the addition of the former Ditrichstein success to the list of coming Goldwyn pictures is indicative of the kind of comedy that this company seeks to present on the screen. "The Concert," in its play form, was an adaptation by Leo Ditrichstein from the German version of Herman Bahr. It was produced at the Belasco Theatre on October 4, 1910, and after running more than a season in New York, played for several years on the road. The play has since been produced by many stock companies. An interesting sidelight on "The Concert" may be seen in the personnel of the original cast. Supporting the star were Janet Beecher, Jane Grey, Catherine Proctor, Cora Witherspoon and Alice L. Pollock, who has since become well known as a playwright. The men in the cast were William Morris and John W. Cope. The play received the unstinted praise of the critics. One reviewer said that nothing more artistic or more completely satisfying in the way of pure comedy than "The Concert" has been seen on the local boards for many a day. Eugene Mullin Joins Gibraltar. Eugene Mullin, former scenario editor of the Vitagraph, Universal and Goldwyn, has associated himself with Arthur F. Beck, president of Gibraltar Pictures, and will signalize his new connection by adapting Gellett Burgess'' "The Heart Line," production of which will begin shortly at the Robert Brunton Studios, Los Angeles, recently leased by Gibraltar. Five High-Class Posters on "Thirtieth Piece of Silver" THE American Film Company, Inc., announces five high-class posters on "The Thirtieth Piece of Silver," starring Margarita Fisher and King Baggot. A colorful one-sheet shows the stars standing with their tennis rackets against the bloom of an apple orchard. It spells summer and romance to the casual passerby — two words that have a mighty appeal nowadays. One of the three-sheets shows Miss Fisher at the crystal-gazers, depicting the fortune teller with her eyes rivited on the little glass ball, into which the girl also stares with amazement. The idea is in line with the present interest in things occult. Other posters supply a sentimental atmosphere. All of the posters furnish cut-outs, and several may be combined with other accessories to provide striking effects in the way of lobby trimmings. Columbia's Summer Scenario Course. Photoplay making will be taught in a scries of courses at the summer session of Columbia University, John J. Coss, the new director, announces. The courses, which will be given by Rowland Patterson, will take up the main problem of presenting a story through the medium of pictures. In the elementary course attention will be paid to the composition of cinematic plot as contrasted with dramatic and narrative plot. I Movie Queens in Overalls | I Shock Staid Tampa Dames 1 I and Worry Humane Society T.AMP.A, FLA, May 8. — Accusations | of "living a double life" were | 1 doubtless mentally hurled at E. | I W. Blossom, a director of the Hills | I borough County Humane Society, a | I local newspaper man and correspondent | 1 for theatrical magazines, a few days ago. | i The Humane Society was holding a | I business session at the De Soto Hotel, | I Tampa, and was in the midst of a seri | I ous discussion when a bevy of "overall 1 I girls" from the American Bioscope | I Company came tripping along. Lorg I I nettes were hastily adjusted and the | I girls were given a cold and icy stare, i I "AVho are those young persons?" one | I lady asked. | I "Girls in overalls? How scandalous I" | I remarked others in chorus. | I Director Blossom, whose back was 1 I turned on the scene of criticism, while 1 I he was figuring out some bids on print 1 I ing, turned just in time to be hailed by i I Virginia Wells, Bioscope's leading lady. | I "Ta, ta. Blossom, old top," she said. | I There was a moment of silence and | I then the meeting proceeded with its i I routine work. Mr. Blossom docs not | I know whether he is still in good stand | I ing with the society or not. 1 ^fiiniHiiniiiiniiiiiiiimimiiiiiiuiiiiimitiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiHitiitiniiiiiimiiiiiHiiiiiinriiiiiiiiiiiiMi^ iiMuih^