The Moving picture world (December 1920)

December 11, 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 711 Paramount All-Star Production in West; to Close Eastern Studio for Enlarging, EVIDENCE of the earnestness of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation in putting into effect its series of superstar productions in which the entire Paramount producing organization is to be merged into one big stock company, was given yesterday in a telegram received at the home office of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation from Jesse L. Lasky, first vice-president, summoning all the Paramount stars now in the East to Hollywood, where they will begin at once on a number of a big special productions. Following conferences with Adolph Zukor, president of Famous Players, who is now in Hollywood, and with Cecil B. DeMille, Mr. Lasky wired the home office that as soon as the pictures they are now working on are completed the various Paramount stars now in the East will go at once to Hollywood. Those Called West Elsie Ferguson will leave on December 3 to begin work immediately upon her arrival on Arthur Bennett's "Sacred and Profane Love," under the direction of William D. Taylor. Thomas Meighan, who is nearing the completion of "The Quarry"; Dorothy Dalton, who has practically finished "The Teaser"; Ethel Clayton, who is nearlyly finished with "The Price of Possession," and Billie Burke are among the stars now in the East who have been called to Los Angeles to appear together in special productions. So enthusiastic is Mr. Lasky over the new policy, that it was announced that he plans to give all the big super-star specials his personal attention. Coincident with his decision to begin the new super-star production at once, Mr. Lasky announced that weather conditions and location facilities made it imperative that these big productions be made in the West. The presence of all the Paramount stars in the West, he announced, will make it possible to expand the facilities in the eastern studio to a point where eight big special productions can be taken care of at the same time. Enlarging Eastern Studio In the three months in which the studio has been on operation, it has been found that certain additional facilities are necessary to take care of a large number of special productions. So that it will be in a position to handle its program of specials under Mr. Lasky's personal supervision when he returns in February, he ordered that work be started at once on certain alterations necessary to the handling of a number of special productions. To allow greater speed in the making of the alterations the studio will be temporarily closed. Changes are to be made in the layout of the studio floor and the lower stage is to be fitted up immediately with $100,000 worth of electrical appliances. The carpenter shop will be enlarged to twice its present scope, and additional warehouse space is to be provided to give further facility for the quick handling of big sets. Writers at Hollywood In summoning the stars to Hollywood, Mr. Lasky also is taking advantage of the presence there of the group of famous authors whom he has engaged to write directly for Paramount Pictures. Edward Knoblock is now at work on an original story, which will soon be put into pro duction with an all-star cast. Elinor Glyn has completed her first original photoplay, in which Gloria Swanson will star. A wellknown star, yet to be announced, will play the male lead. Avery Hopwood, who returned to New York this week, will go back to Hollywood at once to confer with Cecil B. DeMille, who soon will begin on his super-star production, "Anatol." Sir Gilbert Parker and George M. Melford are preparing a big production in which Dorothy Dalton will star. Sir Gilbert already has completed his photoplay, "The Money Master," starring Dorothy Dalton. Many Features Completed Henry Arthur Jones, who arrived last week from Europe, is going shortly to Hollywood, where he will begin work on a new production, the script of which already has been turned over to Famous Players. Who will direct this picture and who will play the leading roles will be announced later. It was pointed out that Famous Players is in an admirable position to concentrate its energies on its new policy of super-star specials as enough pictures already have been completed or are nearing completion to fill its release schedule for the rest of this season. Besides the pictures set down for release in December, these pictures already have been completed or are nearing completion : Maurice Tourneur's "The Bait," with Hope Hampton; George Melford's production, "The Jucklins," by Opie Read, with Monte Blue; Wallace Reid in "The Charm School"; Billie Burke in "The Education of Elizabeth"; the Cosmopolitan production, "The Inside of the Cup"; Douglas MacLean in the Thomas H. Ince production, "The Rookie's Return." William DeMille's production, "Midsummer Madness"; George Fitzmaurice's pro duction, "Paying the Piper," a companion piece to "On with the Dance"; Thomas Meighan's "The Frontier of the Stars"; a Charles Maigne production; Roscoe (Fatty) Arbucklc in "Brewster's Millions"; Dorothy Gish in "The Ghost in the Garret"; Cecil B. DeMille's production, "Forbidden Fruit"; Douglas MacLean in "Chickens," a Thomas H. Ince production; the Cosmopolitan production, "The Passionate Pilgrim," with Matt Moore. Charles Maigne's production, "The Kentuckians," with Monte Blue; Ethel Clayton in Hugh Ford's production, "The Price of Possession"; a Lois Weber production, "What Do Men Want?"; Dorothy Dalton in "The Teaser"; Thomas Meighan in "The Easy Road"; George Melford's production of William Vaughan Moody's play, "The Faith Healer," with Milton Sills and Ann Forrest; the Cosmopolitan production, "The Buried Treasure," with Marion Davies; Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle in "The Traveling Salesman." "Sentimental Tommy" Robert Z. Leonard's production, "The Gilded Lily," starring Mae Murray; John S. Robertson's production of "Sentimental Tommy"; William DeMille's production of Barrie's "What Every Woman Knows"; Wallace Reid in "The Daughter of a Magnate"; Sydney Chaplin in "King, Queen and Joker"; Hugh Ford's production of "The Great Day"; "The Mystery Road," a Famous-Lasky British Production, with David Powell; Thomas Meighan in "The Quarry"; the Cosmopolitan production of "The Manifestations of Henry Ort," with Matt Moore. George Loane Tucker's Mayflower production, "Ladies Must Live"; the Hugh Ford production of Henry Arthur Jones' play, "The Call of Youth" ; Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle in "The Dollar-a-Year Man"; (Continued on page 765) A SOFA FOR THREE Mrs. Elinor Glyn, who -wrote "The Sheltered Daughter" for Gloria Sivanson, whom she is sitting beside, and Jesse Lasky, vice-president of Famous Players-Lasky