Paramount Press Books (1918)

ADVANCE PRESS STORIES To be Sent to the Newspapers Prior to and During the Display of Fred Stone’s New Photoplay “Johnny Get Your Gun” AN ARTCRAFT PICTURE FRED STONE’S NEW ARTCRAFT PICTURE HAS SPLENDID PLOT FRED STONE GIVEN ROUSING WELCOME BY STUDIO FOLK MARY ANDERSON TALENTED PLAYER A BROOKLYN GIRL Athletic Star Has Strong in Photoplay “Johnny Get Your Gun” Role Star in “Johnny Get Your Gun” Enters Upon Screen Work With Real Vim She Is Leading Woman for Fred Stone in Picture “Johnny Get Your Gun” npHE story of Fred Stone’s new *■ Artcraft photoplay, “Johnny Get Your Gun” is ideally suited to that distinguished comedian’s third appearance in motion pictures. The characters are all of distinct type and the role of Johnny Wiggins, which Mr. Stone portrays is one that could not be bettered for his peculiar comedy gifts. Johnny Wiggins is a wild western stunt man in a motion picture company. His chum is Bill Burnham, formerly a cowboy, whose pugnacity gets him into trouble and ultimately lands him in jail. It develops that Bill’s father has died in Florida, leaving a vast fortune to Bill and his sister Janet, who is about to be married to a fortune hunting Count. Bill prevails upon Johnny to personate him, go to Florida, prevent Janet’s marriage and take charge of the fortune until Bill’s jail term expires. When Johnny gets to Florida, there is something doing every minute. He learns that the Burnham fortune has been gobbled up by an unscrupulous broker who owns a railroad. Johnny falls in love with Ruth Gordon, a maid, the part played by Mary Anderson, prevents Janet from eloping with the Count whom he lassoes and drags out of an automobile and at the point of a' gun forces Milton, the broker, to make restitution of the Burnham money. He then confesses that he has personated Bill and weds Ruth. The play was written by Edmund Lawrence Burke and the picturization was the work of Gardner Hunting. Donald Crisp was the director. The star is supported by an excellent staff of screen players. YI/’HEN Fred Stone, the celebrated comedian, who will be seen in a series of Artcraft photoplays this season, arrived in California last summer, he was accorded a rousing welcome by the studio folk at Hollywood. It was in many respects a remarkable event and attested to the full the popularity in which Mr. Stone is held by players as well as the public generally. When Mr. Stone’s train rolled into Hollywood station, there was a fusillade by scores of buckaroos in brilliant shirts and flaming handkerchiefs, sombreros on their heads and howitzers in their belts. Hidden among them was Douglas Fairbanks and when Mr. Stone stepped from the train, he thought he was being held up in regulation style until he saw Mr. Fairbanks who jumped onto his shoulders. “I give in, boys,” said Mr. Stone simply. The next day Mr. Stone started work on “Under the Top,” a circus picture which was to have been his first release, but it was decided to present him to the public first in “The Goat.” Later he began work on “Johnny Get Your Gun,” a picturization of Edmund Lawrence Burke’s successful farce and this will be shown at the theatre next In this photoplay, Mr. Stone portrays the role of a cowboy motion picture performer who has several unique and interesting experiences in the development of an unusually interesting story. His leading woman is Mary An derson, a beautiful and talented actress, and the principals in his support include Casson Ferguson, James Cruze, Sylvia Ashton, Raymond Hatton, Nina Byron, Noah Beery and others. IS T~ HE face of Mary Anderson * may be new to admirers of Artcraft pictures, but nevertheless she is a well known screen player of unusual talent and personal charm. Miss Anderson will be seen in support of Fred Stone, the celebrated comedian, in his new Artcraft picture, “Johnny Get Your Gun” at the theatre next Though a young woman. Miss Anderson has Fad considerable screen experience. She was a distinguished Vitagraph star and appeared in many notable picture successes, among these being “The Hoyden,” “The Last Man,'” and “The Luck Charm.” Her most recent picture before entering the Artcraft fold was “The Eighth Great Grand Parent.” Miss Anderson is a Brooklyn girl and was educated at Erasmus Hall High School. She proved to be a graceful dancer and as a Grecian dancer she won considerable local fame. Her recreations are riding, swimming and painting and at odd times she writes scenarios with the skill of a trained writer. In “Johnny Get Your Gun,” Miss Anderson plays opposite to Mr. Stone, her role being that of a maid whose beauty wins the love of Johnny Wiggins, a cowboy motion picture actor who has been commissioned by Rill Burnham, his chum, to assume his name, prevent the marriage of Bill’s sister to a fortune hunting Count and to look after her fortune until he fBill) gets out of jail. Hdvv Johnny fulfills his mission forms a story which must be seen in its cinema development to appreciate fully. The picture was directed by Donald Crisp and the support is excellent.