The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

December 26, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 797 Brenon Selects Cast for "Dancing Mothers" FEW pictures have exhibited a more brilHant cast than that which Herbert Brenon has gathered together for "Dancing Mothers." Conway Tearle, whose magnificent restraint in the big emotional roles he has played, has made him the idol of thousands of fans, has the male lead. Of the role of Jerry Naughton, the bachelor in "Dancing Mothers," Mr. Tearle has said it is one of the most satisfying parts he has ever portrayed and he has given it his enthusiastic Tjest. Starred opposite Conway Tearle is Alice Joyce, whose beauty and charm and ability have made her following legion. Her role as Mrs. Westcourt, the lonely wife who begins flirting with Mr. Tearle to divert his attention from her daughter and awakes to the fact she is in love with him, produces a situation which gives full scope to the powers of both Miss Joyce and Mr. Tearle. Those who saw Mr. Tearle and Clara Bow in "Black O.xen" will not soon forget the delightful romance between the bachelor and the flapper. Miss Bow, still the unforgettable flapper, with her marvelous youth and vivacity, again appears with Mr. Tearle in "Dancing Mothers." In this picture she is the adventurous daughter of Mrs. Westcourt and her infatuation with the bachelor not only has spice and sparkle but is fraught with drama by reason of the contest between her and Miss Joyce for the affections of Mr. Tearle. Thus a tremendously dramatic situation is created which the husband and father must face — a situation strengthened further by the fact that the husband is involved with a beautiful and vampish young woman. Obviously only a great actor could do justice lo these possibilities. For this role Mr. Brenon could hardly have made a better selection than he has in Norman Trevor, a screen and stage favorite in both this country and England. The girl who has lured the affections of Mr. Trevor from Alice Joyce, as his wife, is the fragile and alluring Elsie Lawson, while Dorothy Cuniming plays the role of Mrs. Massarene, the dashing widow and friend of Miss Joyce. The youthful admirer of Miss Bow, who watches jealously her fascination with Mr. Tearle, is Donald Keith, whose work in various pictures with Miss Bow already has made them a popular combination. Chadwick Completes Twelve Features WITH the completion of "The Test of Donald Norton," George Walsh's fifth modern action romance of the current season, which is now in work, Chadwick Pictures Corporation will have twelve of its fifteen features on the 1925-26 program finished. Two additional productions, "Winning the Futurity" and the sixth George Walsh feature will be started immediately on the arrival of I. E. Chadwick, president of the company, in Los Angeles next week. Six of the twelve productions have been released, and two others, "Sweet Adeline" ■with Charles Ray, and "The Prince of Broadway," a George Walsh feature, will be released in January. "The Wizard of Oz," Larry Semon's screen version of the L. Frank Baum fantasy, was the first release of the year, following its showing at the Colony Theatre on Broadway. "The Wizard of Oz," which is called a spectacular fantasy, has a cast of several stars including Bryant Washburn, Charles Murray, Mary Carr, Virginia Pearson, Dorothy Dwan, Oliver Hardy, Josef Swickard, Otto Liderer, Frederic Kovert and G. Howe Black. "Paint and Powder," a Hunt Stromberg production, released in October, was the first Chadwick special production of the year. Elaine Hammerstein in the leading role is supported by several favorites including Theodore von Eltz, Stuart Holmes, Derlys Perdue, John Sainpolis and Charles Murray. Two George Walsh productions, "American Pluck" and "Blue Blood," have been released. The first of these is Ralph Spence's adaptation of "Blaze Dorringer," a popular novel by Eugene P. Lyle, Jr., which was directed by Richard Stanton. Wanda Hawley played the leading role opposite Walsh. Others in prominent parts were Frank Leigh, Tom Wilson, Leo White, Dan Mason and, Sidney De Grey. "Blue Blood" was written especially for Walsh by Frank H. Clark and was directed by Scott Dunlop. Cecilia Evans,' of Mack Sennett fame, played opposite the star. Joan Meredith, Philo McCullough, Harvey Clark, Robert Boulder, Eugene Borden and G. Howe Black complete the cast. Charles Ray's first production for Chadwick Pictures Corporation, "Some Pun'kins," was released on November 1st. His second, "Sweet Adeline," will be released on January ISth. Both of these Ray pictures are said to be typical of his early rural comedies in which he first gained his screen popularity. Jerome Storm, who directed more than twenty of Ray's best pictures, directed both of these. The cast of "Some Pun'kins" includes Duane Thompson, 1925 Wampas Baby Star, Bert Woodruff, George Fawcett, William Courtright and Fanny Midgeley. One of the outstanding of the Chadwick releases to date is "The Unchastened Woman," Theda Bara's first production since her retirement at the height of her career. "The Unchastened Woman," a recognized classic of the American theatre by Louis K. Anspacher, was adapted for the screen by Douglas Doty. James Young directed. Wyndham Standing played the leading role opposite Miss Bara. Others in the cast are Dale Fuller, John Miljan, Eileen Percy, Maynie Kelso, Eric Mayne and Frederic Kovert.