The Moving picture world (January 1926-February 1926)

January 16, 1926 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 235 M-G-M Make Tentative Plans for Production of Over 40 Pictures FOLLOWING conferences between Marcus Loew, Nicholas M. Schenck and Louis B. Mayer, Metro-Golwyn-Mayer production plans for 1296 Iiave been tentatively laid out and a schedule of over forty pictures made up for the first several months of 1926. Among the New Year releases will be the Lillian Gish production production of "La Boneme" which is now Hearing completion unHer the direction of King Vidor, whose "The Big Parade" has placed him on the topmost '.adder of fame. John Gilbert plays the leading male role opposite Miss Gish in the screen version of the famous opera which was adapted to the screen by Harry Behn. Renee Adoree will be seen in one of the prominent roles. Marion Davies, in Cosmopolitan's "Beverly of Graustark" will be on the M-G-M 1926 schedule together with "Ibanex Torrent", another Cosmopolitan 4)rodiiction with Ricardo Cortez, Greta Garbo and Gertrude Olmsted. "Bardleys the Magnificent", starring John Gilbert, is another picture to go into early production. This screen version of Rafael Sabatini's famous story will be done entirely in Technicolor. Claire Windsor will lend her beauty and talent to the leading feminine role. "The Barrier", the famous Rex Beach story, will be another 1926 release. In it Norman Kerry, Henry B. Walthall and Lionel Barrymore will play the principal roles. It is to be directed by George Hill from a scenario by Harvey Gates. Marceline Day, chosen one of the Baby Stars of 1926, has been cast for the feminine lead. Hobart Henley will direct and ofTer "The Auction Block", another Rex Beach favorite, as one of his first contributions to the M-GM 1926 schedule. Charles Ray and Eleanor Boardman head the cast and other important roles will be played by Sally O'Neil, another Baby Star of 1926, Ernest Gillen and David Torrence. Frederick and Fanny Hatton adapted the story. Lon Chaney in Tod Browning's "The Mocking Bird" will be one of the very first 1926 M-G-M releases. It is an original story by Browning with continuity by Waldemar Young. Others in the cast include Renee Adoree, Owen Moore and Polly Moran. The locale is the famous Limehouse district of London. "The Exquisite Sinner," based on "Escape" by Alden Brooks, is set for January release by M-G-M. Conrad Nagel, Renee Adoree, Mathew Betz, George K. Arthur, Frank Currier and Ford Sterling are the principal players. Benjamin Christianson's initial production for M-G-M, "The Light Eternal," is also set for January 1926 release. It stars Norma Shearer with a supporting cast that includes Carmel Myers, Claire McDowell, Charles Emmett Mack and John Miljan. "Money Talks," a Rupert Hughes story, will be directed by Archie Mayo with Conrad Nagel and Claire Windsor in the leading roles and is also set for January release. Frederic and Fanny Hatton are responsible for the scenario. Included in the exceedingly valuable screen material owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and which plans are being made to produce at the Culver City studios during 1925 are : "Altars of Desire", by Maria Thompson Davies; "The Back Slappcr", by Paul Dickey and Mann Page; "Bellamy the Magnificent", by Roy Horninian; "Brown of Harvard," the famous stage play by Rida Johnson Young; "The Charity Ball", based on the David Belasco success; "The Cigarette Maker's Romance", by F. Marion Crawford; "The College Widow", by George Ade ; "Coney Island", by Austin Parker; "The Dead Command", by Vicente Blasco Ibanez ; "The Four Stragglers," by Frank L. Packard, author of "The Miracle Man"; "Frisco Sal", by Arthur Alfred Cohn ; "T'le Gambling Chaplain", by Gerald Beaumont ; "The Garden of Eden", by Max Brand; "The Hairpin Duchess", by Alice Woodr ; "The Haven", by Dale Collins; "I Can D. It", by Max Marein ; "In His Arms", by Lynn Starling; "In Praise of James Carabine", by Donn Byrne; "Jason", by Justice Myles Forman ; "Lovey Mary", by Alice Hegan Rice ; "A Message to Garcia", based on Elbert Hubbard's story; "Monte Carlo", an original story by Carey Wilson ; "The Mysterious Island", by Jules Verne; "The Mystery Lad ', by Robert W. Chambers; "Nocturn*"' by Frank Swinnerton ; "The Ordeal", by Dale Collins ; "Paris", by Carey Wilson ; Lillian Gish in "The Scarlet Letter", by Nathaniel Hawthorne ; "The Span of Life", by Sutton Vane ; "Strange Bedfellows", by Barry Connors; "The Temptress", by Ibanez; "Tongo", by John Bal lerston ; "The Virgin Flame", by Ernest Pascal ; "Women and Wives", by Harvey Ferguson ; and "You Too", by Roger Burlingame. During 1926 Metro-Goldwyn will release what promises to be the finest production Rex Ingram has ever made, "Mare Nostrum" (Our Sea), by Vincente Blasco Ibanez. Complete Cast For Menjou's "I'll See You Tonight" The cast for "I'll See You Tonight," Adolphe Menjou's next picture for Paramount, which Malcolm St. Clair will direct, has been completed with the addition of Josephine Drake and Ida Waterman. The featured players in support of the star are Greta Nissen and Louise Brooks. Others in the cast are Chester Conklin, Freeman Wood, Roger Davis and Hugh Huntley. "I'll See You Tonight" was written expressly for Menjou by Monte M. Katterjohn. Pierre Collings prepared the continuity. Lee Garmes will be chief cameraman. 1 roduction will start at the Paramount Long Island studio on December 21. SHE DON'T LOOK SCARED even though it's Jack Hoxie looking down — and it's "The Demon" he's called in Universal's •western of that title.