Paramount Pep (1923)

16 PARAMOUNT PEP On the Set With Matty Cohen (Special to PEP) Folks, meet the “smiling troupe.” Miss Dorothy Dalton, star ; Ralph luce, Director ; “our own” Artie Cozine, Assistant Director; Bill Miller, Cameraman; and last, but not least, “Ole” Bill Johnson props. No wonder the boys call it the "smiling troupe” — with such a staff. They were making some exteriors out on the “Zukor lot" the other day. It was a trifle breezy and in a short time Bill’s camera was covered with a thick layer of dust. Before Bill or his assistant, Johnny O'Neill, found a chance to dust the camera, one of the extra girls strolled up to Bill aid remarked, "What a dirty looking camera. Oh! Mr. Miller, do you like the way I'm fixing mv hair now?” Bill gazed at the girl with murder m h tween my camera and your hair?” he asked. “No Johnny and answered, solemnly, “Well, the camera is my own !” How’s this for a nifty? Paul Vogel : Hear you got a new suit. What kind is it? John O'Neill: A gray one. Paul : What kind of gray ? John: It has two pair of pants! Paul, incidentally, is second cameraman of the troupe, and rather quiet. In fact a clam is a talking machine compared to Paul. BUT he doesn’t like inquisitive visitors. This particularvisitor made him the target of all the usual and a few rather unusual questions. The cameras were being shifted for a new shot as the visitor asked Paul, “What are they going to do next?” “Make a long shot,” answers Paul. “What is a long shot?” was question 2375. Paul sighed softly and then trying hard to control himself answered, “About 100 to 1.” “Ole” Bill Johnson telling Artie Cozine that — if he were rich — he would like to take a pleasure trip around the world. Said Bill “ and the one place I would like to visit — if I made the trip — would be Italy." Said Artie, “There’s one thing about Italy — I hear they have a wonderful educational system over there.” "Tell me about it,” this from Bill. “Well,” says Artie, “I was talking to Ernie Haller the other day, and he was telling me that even the little kids over there can speak Italian.” Read it and weep. About two weeks ago I was making for our big ballroom set, the last one to be shot for “Fog-Bound.” A tall, pleasant looking fellow, whose face seemed familiar, stopped me. He said, “Pardon me, young fellow, can you tell me where I can get a copy of ‘PEP’? I hear there are some wonderful articles in it — written by a bright young fellow named Matty Cohen.” (How I hated to hear that WONDERFUL ARTICLE AND BRIGHT YOUNG FELLOW STUFF!) So I answered, “Sure I can get you a copy of PEP. I happen to be the chap who writes those articles you mention. Thanks for your kind words.” I used about fifteen minutes of the company’s valuable time boosting PEP. Then, my pleasant but still unknown admirer asked me to do him a favor. I told him I would, gladly. So he told me, “There is a great friend of mine, Ralph Ince, coming here shortly to direct and I wish you would say a few nice things about him in one of your future columns.” I assured him that I would do so, and left him (Continued in next column) is eye. “Miss, can you tell me the difference beyou tell me,” was the answer. Bill winked at Holt Starts Next Immediately upon completion of his featured role in “The Cheat,” starring Pola Negri, Jack Holt plunged Monday into the starring role in “A Gentleman of Leisure,” directed by Joseph Henabery. The story was adapted to the screen by L. W. Coldewey from the play by John Stapleton and P. G. Wodehouse. Sigrid Holmquist, Swedish actress, recently signed to a long-term contract to appear in Paramount pictures, has been assigned the leading feminine role. Others in the cast include Casson Ferguson, Alec B. Francis, Adele Farrington, Frank Nelson, Alfred Allen, Nadeen Paul and Alice Queensberry. Faxon M. Dean is the Photographer, Richard Johnson is Assistant Director and Walter Woods is Production Editor. Director — Cameraman — Pilot — Engineer While making speed boat scenes for “The Heart Raider,” Wesley Ruggles found the hardest directing job of his career. The boat was so small that when the camera was mounted on the bow it was impossible for both the director and the cameraman to ride on it. So Ruggles straddled the bow, turned the crank of the camera, directed Agnes Ayres, who was driving the boat, and by means of a rope, pulled the switch of the motor when he wanted the craft to stop. Doing these three things at once, Ruggles declares, was the hardest job he has had since he began directing motion pictures. On the Set ( Continued ) with the feeling that here was a regular fellow, even if he didn't tell me his name. About ten minutes later, I strolled into our own set. The very first thing I saw Irvin Willat, our Director, greet the chap I had left only a short while ago. “Hello, Ralph Ince,” I heard Mr. Willat say. “Wasn’t that you I saw talking to Matty a short time ago?” “It sure was,” answered Ince, smiling the famous Ince smile. “Matty is going to write me up in PEP — but he doesn’t know it yet.” “Oh, yes ! The name of the picture they are making is “The Law of the Lawless.” Madison Square Press. Inc., Nfw York