The Moving picture world (November 1921)

December 3, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 545 Selznick Completes Series of Six Conway Tearle Productions While Conway Tearle has been appearing in "The Mad Dog" at the Comedy Theatre, New York, as a star under the Shubert management, the producing forces under direction of Myron Selznick have completed the entire issue of photoplays for the Tearle star series under the "Forty from Selznick" promised for this season. There are six productions in the entire series, one of them already released and a second feature for immediate distribution. "After Midnight" started the Tearle series for the season, Zena Keefe then contributing her talents as leading woman in a Ralph Ince presentation that thus became a three-star offering. "The Man of Stone," now in circulation as the second in the set of six Tearle features which will finally include "Love's Masquerade," "A WideOpen Town," "The Referee" and "Shadows of the Sea." "The Man of Stone" comes to the screen with a story by John Lynch and Edmund Goulding as its basis. Lewis Allen Brown provided the scenario and George Archainbaud directed the presentation. The story involves incidents in English army life, starting with scenes in London society and finishing in the Arabian desert where Tearle, as an English army officer, has gone to forget a love affair. There he comes under the care of an Arabian girl who nurses him through the aftermath of too much brandy and soda — and a new love is awakened. Martha Mansfield and Betty Howe and the two women around whom the plot swirls and the other supporting players include Colin Campbell, Warren Cook, Arthur Barry and Charles Brown. The desert scenes were taken at Tangier Island, in Great South Bay, Long Island, during the past summer, and a large company of "extras" engaged in battle scenes, feats of horsemanship and cavelry charges with results that fill the Arabian scenes with color and action. "Love's Masquerade," by Edward J. Montague, was directed by William P. S. Earle. Winifred Westover is Mr. Tearle's leading woman and the support includes Florence Billings, Robert Ellis, Daniel Hayes and Robert Chaebble. Ralph Ince directed both "The Referee" and "A Wide-Open Town," two more of Tearle's forthcoming issues. Earle Mitchell wrote the .story of "A Wide-Open Town" and Edward J. Montague furnished the .scenario. Faire Binney is Tearle's leading woman in this one, with Pearl Sindelar, Harry Tighe, Claude Brooke, Daniel Hayes and James aeeley in prominent supporting roles. Gerald Beaumont's magazine story, "John McArdle, Referee," furnished the basis of Lewis Allen Browne's scenario for "The Referee," from which Mr. Ince directed. Gladys Hulette played opposite Mr. Tearle in filming the Beaumont story, other supporting players being Lora Glarion, Andres Randolf and Charles Slattery. "Shadows of the Sea," sixth of the Tearle pictures, was written by Frank E. Dazey, who is now associate editor of the Selznick scenario department. Lewis Allen Browne contributed the scenario and Alan Crosland directed. Doris Kenyon is Tearle's leading woman in this release, other players including Arthur Houseman, Crawford Kent, J. Barney Sherry, Jack Durimer, Harry Lane, William Nally and Frankie Mann. Here is a screen actress with beauty and a vivid and magnetic personality." Telegram : "A significant drama of married life treated in the sincere manner which characterized the productions of 'The Old Nest' and 'Dangerous Curve Ahead'." Evening World : "Interesting during all its reels." Eugene O'Brien Guest of Authors' League Eugene O'Brien, Selznick star, was a guest of honor at the second semi-annual dinner held by the Authors' League Fellowship at the Hotel Astor Sunday evening, November 20. The affair was a particularly brilliant gathering, attended by leading figures in America's world of art and letters. The entertainment was in the form of graduation exercises of the "Authors' High School," with Channing Pollock officiating as "school teacher." There was a class of "graduates," well known writers and theatrical people appearing as "boys" and "girls," the former in brave yellow suits with green ties and the latter in white and yellow. Eugene O'Brien was one of the "boys." Mr. O'Brien, Irene Castle, Pearl White and Anita Loos had a turn of their own, appearing as a class in dramatic expression. Frank Shannon in "Boomerang Bill" In a Cosmopolitan Production soon to be released Frank Shannon has an important role that reveals him for what he is — a strapping big, great-hearted bluff Irishman. The production is "Boomerang Bill," featuring Lionel Barrymore and Shannon plays the part of a New York policeman who tells the story of "Boomerang Bill," a gunman, as he knew him. Shannon recently received the praise of critics for his portrayal in Eugene O'Neill's new play, "Anna Christie." Essay Contest Puts over "Woman 's Place An essay contest conducted in connection with the showing of "Woman's Place," a Constance Talmadge-First National production, at Forrest's Theatre, Boonville, Ind., aroused the interest of the citizens of that town to such a high pitch that the attendance and box office records were broken. Manager A. W. Forrest was unprepared for the avalanche of essays on "What is Woman's Place?" which followed his offer of cash prizes and tickets for the best scripts, and it was a Herculean task to winnow out the best. Music Score Ready on Ince Picture The music score of Thomas H. Ince's "Hail the Woman" soon to be released by First National was arranged by Mischa Guterson, one of America's foremost symphony orchestra leaders. His services were secured by Thomas H. Ince through special arangement with Sid Grauman. The conductor was present during a great part of the production of "Hail the Woman" at the Ince studios, lived continuously in its atmosphere and thoroughly absorbed the spirit of the remarkable drama. For fourteen years Mr. Guterson was conductor of the famous Russian Symphony Orchestra, which he brought to America from Petrograd. Many Prominent Players to Be Seen in "Is Matrimony a Failure?" Goldwyns "Poverty of Riches" Is Well Received by Critics Following is the cast chosen for the special Paramount comedy to be directed by James Cruze, "Is Matrimony a Failure?": T. Roy Barner, Wnlter Hiers, Tully Marshall, Lila Lee, Lillian Leighton, Adolphe Menjou, Bois Wilson, Otis Harlan, Arthur Hoyt, ZaSu Pitts, Sylvia Ashton, Charles Ogle, Ethel Wales, Bill Gonder. T. Roy Barnes, who plays the role created by Leo Dittrichstein in the David Belasco stage production, is well known as a stage and screen actor. He was for two years with Arthur Hammerstein's musical comedy, "Katinka," in the male lead, and will be seen as leading man for Ethel Clayton in "Exit the Vamp" and "Her Own Money." Walter Hiers, the famous fat comedian, has been prominent in many pictures ; Lila Lee, Paramount leading woman, is too well known to need further introduction ; Tully Marshall, stage and screen actor, is noted as a heavy and as a comedian ; Lillian Leighton is a character woman of rare ability; Adolphe Menjou does admirable work in "The Sheik ;" Los Wilson is one of Paramount's favorite leading woman and plays the title role in "Miss Lulu Bett," William de Mille's latest production; Otis Harlan and Arthur Hoyt are both well known actors and ZaSu Pitts is one of the cleverest character actresses on the screen ; Charles Ogle is a favorite with Paramount audiences as is Sylvia Ashton, while Ethel Wales has a fine role in "Miss Lulu Bett," and so on. Work starts in a short time on this popular comedy which was a New York stage success adapted by Leo Dittrichstein from a European play. "A subject that is interesting to practically every theatregoer," says the critic of the New York American in his review of Goldwyn's Leroy Scott photoplay, "Poverty of Riches," showing this week, for the first time in New York, at the Capitol Theatre. "Tells an old story with charm, clever impersonation and intelligent direction. You will like it, so will everybody you know." "A significant drama of married life," says the Journal of Commerce. The Herald said: "Not done in the familiar red flare ways of the movies. Mr. Dix, Leatrice Joy, John Bowers, Louise Lovely and Irene Rich do some effective cerebral acting in the principal roles." World : "The photoplay works out a sincere and fairly convincing drama. Its photography, as in all Goldwyn photoplays, is excellent, and its cast is competent throughout." Journal : "Splendidly done. Reginald Barker has put intelligence and an excellent cast into the relating of the lives of two pairs of young married people. You will enjoy the picture." Sun : "The picture is interesting. In Leatrice Joy, Louise Lovely, Irene Rich, Richard Dix and John Bowers, it gives scope for using a lot of the stellar talent around the studios." Globe : "The theme is developed with sincerity and a certain force. It gains immeasurably by the presence of Leatrice Joy as the wife. "Marry the Poor Girl" Is to Be Released on December 11 Associated Exhibitors announces the release of Mr. and Mrs. Carter DeHaven in "Marry the Poor Girl" for December 11. The screen version has been taken from Oliver Morosco's stage success of the same name, which was written by Owen Davis. It is adapted for the screen by Rex Taylor and directed by Lloyd Ingraham. The production is in six reels, and was produced under the supervision of Carter DeHaven. It is said Associated Exhibitors has prepared an exceptional display of posters on this production, in perfect keeping with the nature of the feature, which means that the posters are replete with gorgeous gowns and pretty girls. Associated Exhibitors state that this is an offering which satisfies the exhibitors' demands for sparkling comedydramas, and expect that it will equal in box-office value the record of "Twin Beds." Miss Benson in "Man from Home" Annette Benson has signed a contract with Famous Players-Lasky British Producers which entitles her to an important part in "The Man from Home," the next George Fitzmaurice production for Paramount.