Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1926 - Feb 1927)

104 Hollywood High Lights Continued from page 73 hunchbacked and stooped and of a height not greater than about four or four and a half feet. With long, stringy black hair and a leering, fantastical face, he looked like a firstclass inducement for nightmares. Veidt has now returned temporarily to Europe, but is coming back to play the disfigured and weird title character in Universal's film of Victor Hugo's "The Man Who Laughs." Universal wanted Chaney for the role, but couldn't secure him because of his contract with Metro-GoldwynMayer, but they seem now to be satisfied with their new acquisition. Veidt is a very fine actor. You may remember his work as the diabolical subject of Dr. Caligari's hypnotism in "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Personally he is extremely charming. On his return to America, his wife and child will accompany him. It may be noted, as a matter of interest, that he was formerly married to the present wife of Emil Jannings. Ruth Roland is Overwhelmed. Ruth Roland attracted much attention on her appearance recently in vaudeville in Los Angeles. She received so many flowers that she was rendered temporarily invisible, and literally had to climb over a sort of garden wall to be able to sing encores to her audience. She almost shed tears at the ovation and, finally, not knowing what else to do, cried out, "Shall I yodel?" Whereupon there was a tremendous burst of enthusiasm, for Ruth has long been famous for her skill" in this Alpine form of entertainment. After the theater, there was a party for her at the Ambassador, at which Ben Bard, to whom she is reported engaged, acted as master of ceremonies. May McAvoy, Mary Astor, Dorothy Phillips, Robert Agnew, June Mathis and her husband, Sylvano Balboni, were among the other picture people present, as well as a number of guests from outside the profession. Ruth was very much excited over the festivities, and threatened to go home and cry all night in evidence of her joyousness. Gertrude's Birthday Party. Robert Leonard recently gave a very large and elaborate party in honor of Gertrude Olmsted's birthday. There were many guests from various studios present. Corinne Griffith, Norma Shearer, Carmel M yers, Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis, Charles Ray, Lew Cody, Mabel Normand and Edna Murphy were among those who attended. The affair was held at the SixtyClub, and toward midnight a big electrically lighted birthday cake was brought in for Gertrude, while the orchestra played "Darling, I Am Growing Old," all other lights except those on the cake being turned out. At a table next to this big party, Charlie Chaplin, Clara Bow, Marion Davies and Elinor Glyn were gathered. Charlie's wife, by the way, and Charlie, Jr., his older child, have just spent several weeks on a trip to Hawaii. Two Refuse Diamond Handcuffs. Why don't girls like to wear diamond handcuffs? This seems to be the all-perplexing question at the Metro-GoldwynMayer studio. Two different actresses are said to have exhibited temperament at the thought of such equivocal bangles. "Diamond Handcuffs" was the name of a prospective M.-G.-M. film — its title is now changed to "Women Love Diamonds." Mae Murray was to have played the leading role in it, but she suddenly left on a trip for Europe. Then Greta Garbo was chosen to enjoy the distinction, but evidently she did not find the offer altogether alluring, for she reneged and stayed away from the studio a couple of days until the company threatened dire reprisals. Now they have changed the title, and perhaps also the story, and have induced Pauline Starke to take the leading role. Jack Gilbert Makes a Faux Pas. Jack Gilbert committed a distinct faux pas when he excluded Marcus Loew, the chief-over-all of M.-G.-M., from his set one day. Of course, it was just an accident. Gilbert had become somewhat perturbed over the difficulties of doing a certain scene, and had asked for temporary seclusion on the set until he had worked his way out of the complication. It happened, though, that Loew arrived at that very inopportune moment, and some assistant on the production, not recognizing him, because he spends so very little time in the West, refused him admission. It was all smoothed out in a moment, however, and Loew had a good laugh over the fact that he didn't seem to have free access to his own film-making establishment. New Babies and Their Forbears. One grandfather — and two proud fathers. The grandfather is Otis Harlan, who frequently supplies rotund comedy relief on the screen. His daughter, Marion Harlan, gave birth to a baby girl not long ago. The child is named Shirley, after Shirley Mason. The fathers are Herbert Rawlinson and Lloyd Hughes, each of whom has been presented with a new son. Dolores Gets a Raise. If Dolores Costello exhibits an intenser enthusiasm in her screen work in the near future you can perhaps partly attribute it to the fact that she recently received a very substantial increase in her salary from Warner Brothers. It jumped, in fact, from two hundred dollars or three hundred dollars a week to onethousand dollars. We must say, though, that Dolores' screen work has already been so attractive, particularly in "The Sea Beast" and "Manon," that probably nothing so mercenary as money will cause any real difference in it. The Screen in Review Continued from page 65 Mr. Bisbee." Immediately Bisbee becomes the most-sought-after man in town. The proceedings are good for many laughs, Fields being his usual self and Alice Joyce Mr. Bisbee's Princess. Charles Rogers attracts attention as his daughter's swell sweetheart. For That Pirate Complex. "The Eagle of the Sea" is not as soaring as the title sounds. The symbolic bird is more like a sparrow. But it flits through a spacious and beautiful production, with the scenes laid in New Orleans in 1815, making for picturesque costumes for all concerned and a brave show of romance. The story is based on a plot to rescue Napoleon from St. Helena, but his fate is forgotten and the rescue of Florence Vidor becomes of greater moment, especially when Ricardo Cortez, as a gallant pirate with a flair for collars open at the neck, takes a hand in her protection from the villains. Pleasing performances are given by the two principals. Miss Vidor is picturesquely maidenly, and Mr. Cortez sincere, but the droll Andre Beranger, cast in a sentimental and sympathetic role, seems not in his element.