The Moving picture world (May 1926-June 1926)

326 Moving Picture World May 22, 1926 Max Fleischer Selects Chorus Qirls for Comedies MAX FLEISCHER, head of the Inkwell Studios and president of Red Seal Pictures, has selected a number of prize beauties from such choruses as "Artists and Models" and "Vanities" to play chorus roles in his forthcoming series of thirteen tworeel comedies to be released as "Carrie of the Chorus." This selection was made in the vestry of the Union Church, located on West 48th street, near Broadway. Rev. Robert J Harrison, pastor of this church is famed as one of the most liberal minded clergymen in the country, and holds his vestry and other rooms for the free usage of actors of the stage and screen. Hazele Harmon has been signed for the leading role, and Rolland Flanders, of "The Nest" and other big screen features, will have the leading male role. Yonda Case, Ruth Florence, and a number of other screen and stage players of note will have important roles. Fleischer will supervise direction throughout the entire series and announces that a number of scripts are completed. The camera will begin to grind early this week in the big studio at the corner of Park avenue and 134th Street. Theda Bara Co'Headliner With TwO'd'Day Stars For the week of April 26, Theda Bara in the Pathe-Hal Roach comedy "Madame Mystery" was headlined at Keith-Albee's New York Hippodrome, the world's largest theatre, along with persons famous in the two-a-day. Miss Bara's name was carried in boxed type in the Hippodrome advertisements in the dailies and was given prominent display in the theatre-front billing, while a three sheet was devoted exclusively to her appearance in the super-program for that week. The Hal Roach comedy was billed as a regular act, taking rank in type display with such stars as Vera Fokina, Toto, Anna Case, Emma Haig and others. Miss Bara came on from the West Coast to be present at the Hippodrome showing of her first short comedy and was highly pleased with the way the audience received her efforts to make folks laugh. Jimmie Finlayson, Tyler Brooke, Fred Malatesta and Olive Hardy are in the supporting cast, while the direction was by Richard Wallace and Stan Laurel. The showing marked Miss Bara's debut in comedy roles and a further milestone in Hal Roach's new policy of bringing well known dramatic stars into two reel comedies, thus giving the exhibitor names for the electric lights with the drawing power of the big names in his feature pictures. Dog Has Record Pal, the wonder dog, now working in the latest Fox Films Imperial comedy, "The Circus Baby," has the distinction of having more pictures to his credit than any actor in Hollywood. Pal has work in some of the biggest productions ever flashed upon the screen and "The Circus Baby" is his two hundred and twenty-fourth appearance. Damon and Pythias Of course you know that the gent on the left is Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, czar of baseball. The one on the right is "Old Ironsides", as they affectionately call Bill Ironson, who, for twenty years has accompanied the New York Giants on their training trips and attended the ball games day after day at the Polo Grounds, making "movies" and "stills" for International Newsreel. Comedy Preview Is Complete Success The audience at the Tivoli, Eighth Avenue and Fiftieth Street, New York City, received an unexpected surprise last week, when Ricordo Films, Inc., gave a preview showing of "Over There," first of a series of tworeel comedies in which the famous English comedian, Al Joy, is featured under the direction of Joe Basil. So well did the audience receive this first Al Joy comedy, under the new producing unit, not knowing it was a preview, that both the management of the theatre, and the heads of Ricordo Films, declared it to be without question, one of the funniest tworeel comedies produced in the East. The story dwells on the funny side of the great war and contains battle scenes worthy of a feature production. In "Over There," Mr. Joy is supported by an excellent cast, headed by Miss Rose Mass, his leading lady, and George Du Count, the Russian actor, who plays the heavy. Mr. Basil's staff consists of S. B. Moss, assistant director; Arnold Hanson, production manager; Anthony and John Trigili, photographers. "The Completed Life" Robert Kerr is now directing the latest Fox Films O. Henry comedy, "The Complete Life." Ethel Sykes and Frank Butler have the leading roles with Otto Fries, Grace Goodall, Lawrence Steers, Philip Dunham and Henry Murdock completing the cast. Cast Completed for "Qrimms Progress" F. B. O. Series WITH the announcement made by Film Booking Offices that Jack Luden and Margaret Morris will play the roles of the boy and the girl in "Bill Grimm's Progress," the first of two new series of "featurettes" based on the magazine stories by H. C. Witwer, the cast for twelve of these productions, each a complete story in itself, is complete. Margaret Morris, who played the leading role opposite Douglas MacLean in his latest production, will have the leading feminine role, a part that has been made famous by Alberta Vaughn, who will star next season for F. B. O. in a series of six feature pictures. Jack Luden will play the hero, the role assumed by Larry Kent during the past season. Gertrude Short, who has appeared in many of the short features in the past, will portray the role of Pansy in the new series and Grant Withers, who has been the "heavy" in the "Fighting Hearts" series which is now nearing completion, will have a similar role in "Eill Grimm's Progress." Both have made a host of friends who will be glad to know that they will continue in the same line of endeavor. Al Cooke and Kit Guard complete the cast for "Bill Grimm's Progress." Stern Bros. Comedies Praised by N. B. R. Stern Brothers comedies are winning the coveted asterisk of the National Board of Re view Photoplay Guide more and more frequently. During the past winter a large percentage of Stern Comedies have been commended as excellent entertainment and in 0 recent report of the National Board of Review two comedies from that producing concern were selected for preferred mention. They were "Ruster's Sleigh Ride," the newest Buster Brown comedy and "Love's Hurdle," one of the first of the new "Excuse Maker" series of comedies which the Sterns are making for next year's market. The National Board of Review especially recommends these comedies for their value family entertainment. "Buster's Sleigh Ride" was filmed high in the California mountains during the snow season and shows the popular scamp, his playmate, Mary Jane and the famous Tige, in a series of humorous winter sport scenes and escapades. The acting of Pete, the dog comedian who plays Tige, is characterized by the criticisms of the National Board of Review as "Excellent." "Love's Hurdle" features Charles King, a new Stern Brothers comedian, and depicts him as a shoe-clerk who has "tan-bark" aspirations. Adrienne Dore, runner-up in the National Beauty Prize Contest at Atlantic City last year, plays opposite him. Harriett Hammond Cast Harriet Hammond, who has had wide and varied experience in the portaying of screen roles, enacts a part new to her repertoire opposite Harry Carey in the Pathe Western feature, "The Seventh Bandit."