Moving Picture World (Sep 1916)

September 9, 1916 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1711 Metro's Fall Program Con.eins "Romeo and Juliet'* and a 14-Episode Serial by Bushman and Bayne, With Many Other Splendid Subjects. Ml rRO'S fall and early winter plans, which have just been announced m the koiut.i1 offices "i ih.it corporation m the Longacre Building include the most extensive program and a greater variety of activities thai this company ever prepared. First in importance, perhaps, is the definite announcement that the $250,000 screen reproduction of "Romeo and Juliet," with Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne in the title roles, will he ready for release the first week in October. Metro has also planned the production of a BushmanBayne serial. It will consist of fourteen episodes in two reels each, and Miss Bayne ami Mr. Bushman will he given the greatest opportunity ever afforded them to display their 'versatility. W. Christy Cabanne has been engaged to direct it. At present Mr. Cabanne is on the Pacific Coast and is completing a feature picture in which Lillian tiish is starred. He will hurry East to take up his work here as soon as that feature is completed. In the meantime Mr. Bushman and Miss Bayne have begun work on another five-part Metro wonderplav called A Diplomatic Romance." They are now in Washington, I). C, with a company oi players, where all of the exterior scenes and many interiors will he photographed. Charles Horan, who has been directing Lionel Barrymore in Metro productions, will direct the Bushman-Bayne Company in this production. P. Thad. Volkman will assist in the direction. This feature will he released on the Metro program October 16. Ethel Barrymore. who is under a Ions time contract to appear in Metro wonderplav s, will next he seen in "The Awakening of Helena Ritchie." This will lie a five-part picturization of the play of the same name by Margaret Deland, and a strong supporting cast of stage and screen artists is being engaged to appear with Miss Barrymore. The fall releases of features in which Mine. Petrova is starred will include "The Secret of Eve," "Extravagance," and "The Weaker Sex." Two of these features are almost completed and the third will be put in readiness for release upon the return of Mine. Petrova from Bar Harbor. Me., where she is spending a brief vacation. Emmy Wehlan, the dainty and gifted Viennese star, who has just been seen in "The Pretenders." a recent Metro-Rolfe production, has signed a long time contract, and hereafter will appear regularly upon the Metro program. Viola Dana will be seen on the Metro program September 4 in "The Light of Happiness." This feature was written and directed by John H. Collins. "Mister 44," with Harold Lockwood and May Allison in the stellar roles, will be released September 11. This is a picturization of the novel of the same name by E. J. Bath, and was scenariozed by Charles A. Taylor. Henry Otto is directing the production. "The Wheel of Justice" is the name of the sensational fivepart feature in which Emily Stevens, the well known stage and screen star, is starred. She is supported by Frank Mills and a big cast. "The Wheel of Justice" deals with the subject of circumstantial evidence and will be released September 18. George D. Baker is directing this feature. Mabel Taliaferro, who is now working exclusively in Metro screen productions, will next be seen in "The Light o' Love." It is a story with the action laid along the coast of Maine, where Miss Taliaferro and her company are now at Work. Edwin Carewe is directing the production and it will be released September 25. William Nigh, the versatile Metro director, who not only writes and directs his own features, but stars in many of them, will be seen on the Metro program in "Life's Shadows" on October 2. Irene Howley, who has been seen in other Metro Wonderplays, is starred with Mr. Nigh in "Life's Shadows." There is a strong supporting cast including Robert Elliott. Roy Clair and Kathleen Allairs. David Thompson assisted in the direction of the feature. Nance O'Neil, who is a new star on the Metro program, will make her first appearance in "The Iron Woman," October 9. Miss O'Neil is supported by a cast of stellar proportion, which includes Alfred Hichman. Christine Mayo, Evelyn Brent, Louise Hale. Einar Linden, and others. Carl Harbaugh is directing this production, which is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Margaret Deland. "Gates of Eden." with Viola Dana in the starring role, will be released October 23. Mr. Collins is directing this feature. Lionel Barrymore will be seen in "The Brand <>t Cowardice" on October .5" John W. Noble, who directed the bin "Romeo and Juliet" production, i directing the Barrymore picture. Plus will be followed on November (> with "Big Trciiiaine," with Harold Lockwood and Ma\ Alli > i • 1 1 Btarred, "Big Tremaine" i^ a picturization oi the popular novel of the same name, and it will be directed by Henry Otto. Emily Stevens will be seen again on tin Metro i. on November 1.? in "Infelirc." Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew, the foremost purveyors Of refined comedy on the screen, will be seen ever J week m a new one-reel comedy. Ralph Her/, the popular comedian, will also make a one-reel coined) every week under the direction oi "Billy" (Juirk. The weekly Metro Travelogue will continue as an attractive feature on the Metro program. and some startling novelties are promised for early release. Metro has taken over another studio in New York City. The old \ ictor studio, located at Forty-third street and Tenth avenue, has been engaged, and after it is overhauled and rearranged it will be the home of the P.ushinan-I'.ayne players. The Ilcrz comedies will also be produced there on the third floor of the studio. Another Selznick Company Makes Deal With Anderson and Weber to Star Kitty Gordon in Big Features. ANOTHER deal was effected by Lewis J. Selznick last week when he closed negotiations for the control of a big series of pictures starring Kitty Gordon, the famous beaut} of the light operatic stage. The transaction was with Lawrence Weber, the well known stage and screen producer, and G. M. Anderson, better known as "Broncho Billy" Anderson of Kssanay fame. The first of the new Kitty Gordon pictures indicates the character (.1 all the productions. It will be an adaptation of line of the biggest American novels ever written, "Vera the Medium,' by the late Richard Harding Davis, the worldfamous war correspondent and writer of stirring fiction. With the new Kitty Gordon features Mr. Anderson will return to studio activity. He will be director in chief of all the productions, and has already begun preparations for the first picture at the Blache Studio, Fort Lee, where the Clara Kimball Young Film Corporation will share quarters with the new Selznick company. Miss Gordon has appeared in only a few pictures but her beautiful face and figure are already known to millions of admiring picture patrons and the demand for her continuance as a screen star has been incessant. The new series of pictures will be chosen from subjects that will give Miss Gordon a better opportunity than she has had so far to make the most of her personality and dramatic gifts. The central role in "Vera the Medium" is tailor made for Miss Cordon. The story is a typical Davis conception, clear, strong in action and rapid in development, with an absorbing love interest. DR. REED GUEST OF LASKY COMPANY. Dr. R. Ralston Reed, winner of the Columbia University Prize Play Contest, held last winter under the auspices of the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, is leaving this week for the Lasky studios at Hollywood, Cal., to be present during the making of his prize photoplay. "Witchcraft," in which Fannie Ward will appear soon as the star. When the photoplay class at Columbia Lniversity w:as established the Lasky Company through Samuel Goldfish, offered to produce the best play written during the school year and as a prize to send as its guest the winner to the Lasky studios in California. William C. De Mille chose as the best manuscript one by Dr. Ralston Reed, of Morristown. N. J. "Witchcraft," in addition to Miss Ward as the star, will be given an elaborate production and the cast will include Jack Dean, Paul Weigel and Lillian Leighton. MISS STERNE WRITES "SONNY JIM" BOOK. Miss Elaine Sterne has written and the W. A. Wilde Company of Boston and Chicago will publish on September 1 a 314-page book entitled "Sonny Jim." Miss Sterne has used as the basis of the eight stories contained in the book the scripts from which the Vitagraph Company produced these interesting tales of childhood and in which Bobby Connelly was featured. The portrait of Bobby appears on the cover. "Sonny Jim" is illustrated by half-tone reproductions of stills taken in the course of the making of the subjects. The price of the book will be $1.