The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

128 MOVING PICTUKE WORLD November 14, 1925 Christie Consummates Deal For Davis's ''Nervous Wreck" THE long pending negotiations for the purchase of the screen rights to Owen Davis's famous stage comedy "The Nervous Wreck" were consummated this week, according to an official announcement from Producers Distributing Corporation in which Charles and Al Christie are reported as securing the screen rights. Al Christie's estimate of "The Nervous Wreck" as the most valuable piece of property offered by the stage in recent years, is justified by the fact that this farce, after running to capacity business for a solid year at the Sam Harris Theatre in New York, and for almost the same period at the Majestic Theatre in Los Angeles, is now being presented in almost every civilized country throughout the world. Four road companies have presented the play in every important city in the United States, and during the past year, five hundred rights have been sold for its presentation by stock companies. During the past season, in London, England, it proved the biggest success in recent years, and in international theatrical circles, "The Nervous Wreck" is looked upon as the biggest farccial success in the past five years. "The Nervous Wreck" was first written as a novel by E. J. Rath, and prior to its stage triumphs it enjoyed a remarkably big sale as a two-dollar book. Following its dramatization by Owen Davis and its successful presentation on the stage, the story was republished by Grosset & Dunlap and its current sales have reached enormous figures. Al Christie will produce the story as an elaborate feature for release through Producers Distributing Corporation following "Madam Behave." F. B. O. Is in Home Stretch Of Its 1925-26 Production WITH the completion of "The Midnight Flyer" F. O. B. has swung into the home stretch of its big 1925-26 production program. From now until early spring the big plant at Melrose avenue and Gower street Los Angeles, will function at full blast, not only with F. O. B.'s own units but with companies of some of the most prominent independent stars and liroducers, including Douglas McLean, Larry Semon, S. S. Hutchinson, Howard Estabrook ;ind Monty Banks. Feature productions will continue to occupy the attention of F. O. B. executives and directors. Harmon Weight, director of "Drusilla With a Million," is filming oil flood scenes for "Flaming. Waters," featuring Mary Carr, Malcolm McGregor and Pauline Garon. J. Grubb .Alexander is writing the continuity for "The King of the Turf," formerly called "The Futurity Winner," a racing melodrama by Louis Joseph Vance and John Brownell. Work also is progressing on scripts for two Laura Jean Libbey stories, "When His Love Grew Cold" and "A Poor Girl's Romance," both of which will shortly be filmed. Emory Johnson also is planning another melodrama to follow his newspaper drama, "The Last Edition," just completed. With the return of Evelyn Brent from her vacation in New York, it was announced by B. P. Fineman, general manager of the •-tudio, that she would start work this week on "A Broadway Lady," a romance of the Mew York show world. It is by Fred Kennedy Myton. Maurice Flynn will start work in a few days on Gerald Beaumont's very in New Billy West Feature Billy West has finished his second five-reel feature, in which he plays the leading role, and it is to be released by Ray Johnston on the Rayart program. The title for the present 's "Oh, Horace!" The supporting cast includes Emily Fitzroy, Clara Horton, Yvonne Hughes, BiU Dyer, Stanton Heck, John J. Richardson, George Perriault, Joe Bonner, Lon Poff, Nelson McDowell and Dorothy Vernon. Jack Nelson directed. HO BART HENLEY rite Mctro-GoldiL'yn-Mayer director, K.'ho w responsible for a long list of really big screen successes for this house (as well as others), u now at work on "Free Lips," Norma Shearer's forthcoming starring vehicle. Lew Cody again plays opposite the beautiful M.-G.-M. star. "The Barrier" Company Pat Harmon has joined the cast of Rex Beach's "The Barrier," now in production at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios under the direction of George Hill. Harmon will have the role of the first mate. The company, which includes Norman Kerry, Henry r c • 11 , , ■ . Walthall, Lionel Barrymore, Marceline field. Series will shortly be filmed from Day, Bert WoodruflF and George Cooper stories provided by Sam Hellman and H. C. has left Culver City for Balboa Beach, where Witwer and work is progressing on the an entire village has been erected for special Mazie series by Nell Martin, which stars shots. Harvey Gates adapted the Beach Alberta Vaughn. novel to the screen. Henabery Assigned to Direct Monty Banks in "Play Safe" J OSEPH l^I^XTAT,T-r.„ . ^ teresting story, "The Kitten and the King." Fred Thomson has completed "All Round Frying Pan" and next week starts "The Tough Guy" (tentative). Dick Talmadge is expected shortly to return from New York to resume work on his long term contract with F. B. O. Tom Tyler is galloping through his latest western feature, "The Wyoming Wildcat." F. O. B. also is active in the short subject HENABERY has been assigned to direct Monty Banks in a six reel comedy entitled "Play Safe" which will be released through Associated Exhibitors, Inc. This comedy, which is a Howard Estabrook presentation, is the first in a new series of comedy-drama-thrill features which are scheduled for release through the company of which Oscar Price is president. "Play Safe" marks Mr. Henabery's return to his earlier style of directing. He will be remembered for such successes of this calibre as "Say, Young Fellow," "The Man From Painted Post" and especially for "His Majesty, the American" which was one of Douglas Fairbanks' early starring vehicles. "The Pinch Hitter" and "The Qodhopper," both starring Glen Hunter, are Mr. Henabery's latest work. These pictures are listed with Associated Exhibitors' "Triumphant Thirty" and their release dates have already been announced. Shooting Big Outdoor Scenes For Fox's "The Golden Strain 99 LED by Victor Schertzinger. more than 600 inhabitants of the Hollywood film colony have left for the wilds of Arizona where the outdoor scenes of what promises to be Schertzinger's greatest picture, "The Golden Strain," will be filmed. Much of the picture will be shot at the historic 10th Cavalry Post and the troops will have an important part in the production. In addition to the cavalry, Schertzinger will employ 1,000 .^pache Indians in many of the sequences. Incidentally, "The Golden Strain" is the first of four stories by Mr. Kyne, published m the Cosmopolitan magazine, which have been purchased by Fox Films. The scenario w;as written by Eve Unsell and with Schertzinger's master hand directing, the success of "The Golden Strain," from a box-office standpoint, seems assured.