Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1916)

The Picture Oracle 151 Glad you think Picture-Play is the best of them all. We admit it as well as yourself. Boats. — Nope, nothing doing on the roasting. We are going to let you off easy this time. Theda Bara was really born in Egypt. Didn't you read her '"Strange Life," written by herself in PicturePlay ? Under her own signature she says that she was born in Egypt, and don't you think the lady ought to know better than any one else? Susie Jones. — Yes, Earle Fox has been featured in quite a few pictures. You think him a likable villain, eh? Why not a likable hero as well? So you like all those that other people don't like? Quite strange, to be sure. Yes, I guess we will see House Peters in some more Western plays soon. Geraldine Farrar is not at the Hollywood studios of Lasky any more. She is not playing in pictures for the time being. Don't mention it. A. A. — Sure, you can ask any old thing that is within reason and the rules. The Famous Players have a studio in New York City. They take pictures of outdoor life by going outdoors and taking it. Did you suppose they took the exterior scenes in the studio also? Most actors and actresses look better off the screen than they do on. Violet Mersereau is eighteen years old. Yes, she played the lead in that picture, and was just as old as she is now at the time. Lady Ethel. — This is what I call a very high-sounding and dignified title, to be sure. So you like Irving Cummings very much? He is a good actor, but we consider Francis Bushman superior to him. Irving was born October gth, 1888, is five feet eleven inches tall, and weighs one hundred and seventy pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. So you, too, are going to be a movie actress? Why so, with school-teaching so successful? The big movie studios in Florida are in Jacksonville, but they have been vacated for the summer. In the winter they will open again, however. The Vim, Thanhouser, Kalem, Eagle, and Gaumont studios are there. Thanks for the wishes. Call again. Virginia. — Norma Phillips isn't playing at present. There you go asking questions against the rules. However, as this is your first offense, I will excuse you this time, if you promise not to let it happen again. We are looking forward to a real Walthall picture very shortly. Leona Hutton has not been with New York Motion Picture Corporation for some time. Ethel Grandin is back with the Universal as before. Another question against the rules, young lady. The Costello one. So you are collecting the photos from the paper. Very good idea. Yes, the scenario contest is a great thing, as you say. You can be sure that your scenario will be read and given every consideration. There are no favorites played in this contest. Y'ou ought to see more of Florence. Why not inquire of your theater manager? Marian B. — Certainly, here they are : Mary Pickford's hair is really curly. She is a blond. Mary is the oldest. Marguerite Clarke is older than Mary Pickford by six years. Quite a surprise to you, eh ? You can address Marguerite in care of the Famous Players Film Company, New York City. Yes, you can get some good pictures to save out of the magazine. We like the etching work, too. Ask as many questions as you like, just so you keep within the rules of the department. We answer all, outside of those. M. J. Cellar. — Yours was a very interesting letter indeed. Two theaters can run the same picture at the same time, because they have two different prints, or duplicates, made from the original negative. The Chaplin pictures have four hundred prints playing at the same time, which is an example of the number of prints they can make from one negative. No, scenarios are not used more than once, although the same idea has been used in more than one picture. Kathlyn Williams is twenty-nine. Yes, she is wonderful, and so is Wheeler Oakman. He is now with Fox. Maurice Costello always did rank among the best of the photo players. He will be seen shortly on the screen again. Haven't paid any attention to Bushman's love letters. I have been too busy reading letters of my own, some loving and some not so much, but mostly all interesting and askingquestions. Be sure to write again. Jack, Detroit. — Henry Walthall is probably the shortest star in pictures. He is only five feet six inches tall. Short in stature as he may be, he is also the biggest of the bunch. The little giant of the films, so to s^eak. Quite a short letter for one's first rap, don't you think? The Twins. — Goodness gracious, Twins, what on earth happened to the first part of your letter? Did you discover that it was against the rules and cut it out ? Norma Talmadge is being featured in Griffith-Triangle features. She used to be with the Vitagraph, and played feminine lead in the "Battle Cry of Peace." Wallace Reid is with Lasky. He is twenty-five years old, six feet two inches tall, and weighs one hundred and eighty-five pounds. He is con