Picture-Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1926)

Lenore J. Coffey. She Surprised Herself Just another instance of you-never-can-tell whether-ornot-you have-talent-until-youtry — the case of Lenore J. Coffey, the scenarist. She it was who made the adaptation of "The Volga Boatman," Cecil B. De Mille's recent picture. For years, t Miss Coffey — she is Mrs. William J. Cowen in private life — wrote advertising for a department store in San Francisco. Meanwhile, she kept in the back of her head a number of stories that she thought might make good films, and finally, she sent one to Clara Kimball Young. W hen she received one hundred dollars by return mail, she was completely flabbergasted, but it didn't take her long to recover, and to realize that she had better make the most of the opportunity. It happened that the producer of Miss Young's pictures, Harry Garson, saw good possibilities in her as a scenarist, and offered her a contract. And so, a scenarist she became. The picture made from Miss Cofey's first story was "The Better Wife." Later, a Metro contract. Then, free lancing. And now, "The. Volga Boatman," adapted from Konrad Bercovici's novel, a film which has brou , Miss Coffey particularly into the spot light. ht Among Those Present They Can't Be Told Apart. They make you think of the Duncan sisters — these twins do. Perfectly charming girls they are, with roguish eyes and a wonderful sense of humor. They arrived in Hollywood, from Dallas, Texas, about a year and a half ago. Mary Angus, aged nineteen, blue eyes, blond hair ; Margy Angus, aged nineteen, blue eyes, blond hair. Twins ! And no one can tell them apart. Now imagine that on a movie set ! I saw them playing bits in "The Road to Mandalay," at the Metro-Goldwyn studio. I saw them as pages in the fashion show in Christy Cabanne's "Monte Carlo," and I saw them as cigarette girls in "Bright Lights" — as much alike as two of those toy balloons the man sells at the circus. And I saw Director Robert Leonard rubbing his chin and trying to figure them out. "I call one 'Hey you!'" he said, "and the other just 'Hey!' But I never know which is which." The twins saw us looking at them, and one sauntered over. "Were you speaking about me?" she said, with that irrepressible smile which seems to be an integral part of each of their faces. "Yes," Leonard replied. "Which one are you?" "I'm 'Hey!' " she replied. " 'Hey you!' is back of that screen." And she swaggered saucily away, leaving the director much bewildered. Mary and Margy Angus have appeared in about a dozen pictures and are rapidly "getting on." uOld Ironsides" Hero. The hero in "Old Ironsides" — that is young Charles Farrell's claim to early popular attention. He was engaged for the James Cruze historical picture after a quest that took in nearly all of the juvenile leading men of Hollywood. Famous Players-Lasky borrowed him from Fox, to which company he is under contract. It was about two years ago that Farrell left Boston University. And he had his eye on pictures from the start. Because he knew what he wanted, and set right out to get it, his career has not been such an unusual one. He was aided by his college in obtaining a chance on the stage. Then came pictures. He went to Hollywood and started dubbing around as an extra. Then Mary Pickford needed a husky chap in "Rosita" to pick her up and carry her off the set, and Farrell was selected to perform the stunt. Now he has several leads to his credit. The first was in "Wings of Youth," the second in "The Bridge of Sighs," and more reCharles Farrell. cently, he appeared in "Sandy." The Angus twini