Paramount Pep (1923)

Paramount Pep 15 Fast Friends Jack Dempsey and Charles Eyton, the latter Manager of our West Coast Studio, are shown above renewing acquaintance on Dempsey’s visit. “I always stay on the right side of Dempsey,” says Charles Eyton, “because he has a mean left.” Agnes Ayres To Be Starred in “The Exciters” Owing to the fact that Bebe Daniels, who was operated upon for appendicitis recently, will be confined to the hospital for at least four weeks more, the Production Department announces that Agnes Ayres will replace Miss Daniels as co-star with Antonio Moreno in “The Exciters,” which Richard Ordynski will direct at the Long Island studio. As soon as Miss Daniels has entirely recovered from her illness she will assume the stellar role in “Contraband,” the Clarence Budington Kelland story, which was originally assigned to Miss Ayres. Miss Ayres and Mr. Moreno are expected from the Coast in a few days to start work on “The Exciters,” the scenario of which is being written by John Colton. Long Island Doings Thomas Meighan and his company, who have been in Panama for six weeks, making exterior scenes for “The Ne’er-Do-Well,” sailed this week for the United States and will begin work on the interior scenes for the picture at our Long Island studio next Monday. “Lefty” Flynn's hobby of collecting guitars proved to be a boon to Alice Brady -and her company while in the Canadian fur country recently, where exterior scenes were made for “The Snow Bride,” which Henry Kolker is now directing at our Eastern studio. The company lived for three weeks at a fur camp twenty miles from a railroad and all the amusement had to come from the ranks at night when work was finished. Flynn, who is playing the leading role opposite Miss Brady, with a guitar that he acquired from one of the Indians of the camp, furnished most of the entertainment. He not only can play the guitar but can sing appropriate songs for his own accompaniment. Lasky Back From Coast ( Continued from page 12) “Gloria Swanson has just finished ‘Prodigal Daughters’ and is to start immediately on ‘Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife,’ which undoubtedly will prove a tremendous box-office attraction. On the completion of ‘Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife,’ Miss Swanson will come East to begin work on a picture which probably will be the biggest thing she has done in her career to date. This also will be the first time Miss Swanson has made a picture in the East. “Before leaving Los Angeles we signed contracts for long terms with Antonio Moreno and Richard Dix. Mr. Moreno’s work in ‘My American Wife,’ won enthusiastic praise from everybody who saw the picture, and under our direction we expect him to prove one of the most popular screen stars. Richard Dix’s work in Agnes Ayres’ latest picture, ‘Racing Hearts,’ as well as in ‘The Christian,’ stamps him as an actor of tremendous potentialities. “Because of the illness of Bebe Daniels, who was operated upon for appendicities last week in Roosevelt Hospital, we are going to co-star Agnes Ayres in ‘The Exciters’, with Mr. Moreno, who will arrive from the Coast next week. Miss Daniels will return to Los Angeles, and on her recovery will begin work on a picture under the direction of Wesley Ruggles. “I arrived just in time to see the wonderful reception accorded George Melford’s production, ‘Java Head.’ Mr. Melford is now producing ‘You Can’t Fool Your Wife,’ at our Long Island studio. He will finish the picture at the West Coast studio in Hollywood. “Before leaving I saw some of the scenes of William de Mille’s newest picture, ‘Grumpy,’ made from the play which Cyril Maude made famous a few years ago. While melodramatic in its plot, ‘Grumpy’ is a picture essentially of characterization, and with Theodore Roberts in the title role, as well as a carefully chosen cast, I think this picture will be marked by a type of acting new to the screen. “I don’t know of anything which has given me more satisfaction than my screening of Walter Hiers’ first starring picture, ‘Mr. Billings Spends His Dime.’ Mr. Hiers was made a star, you know, at the request of exhibitors, speaking through our Branch Managers at our last convention. The choice of the exhibitors was a wise one, for Mr. Hiers shows in ‘Mr. Billings Spends His Dime,’ that he is a master comedian. He has just started work on his second picture, ‘Six Bits An Hour.’ “Herbert Brenon is now engaged in making ‘The Rustle of Silk,’ with Betty Compson and Conway Tearle. Written by Cosmo Hamilton, this story has had an immense sale as a book, and in picture form it will prove one of the most popular productions Miss Compson has ever appeared in.” Mr. Lasky expects to spend several weeks in New York, during which time he will lay plans for next season’s production activities.