Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1927)

Hollywood High Lights 71 was ever really serious about it in the first place, or whether she just likes publicity. She told us sotto voce that she really couldn't have married Mr. Flemming for several years anyway, because her contract forbade it. Clara has been reported engaged to various persons in the past twelve months or so. First, there was Gilbert Roland, now doing the male lead in Norma Talmadge's picturization of "Camille." Next came Robert Savage, who pretended to attempt suicide because of his failure to keep her affections. And then there was Donald Keith. Clara is almost as charmingly irresponsible in real life as she appears in some of her screen impersonations. The Upheaval in the Chaplin Family Heavens! We suppose it just had to happen — the separation of Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey — and there is no use repeating all the details of it here. But anyway, all the "I-told-you-sos" were shouted fortissimo around Hollywood as soon as the news spread. Charlie inevitably manages to hold the center of the stage with his domestic troubles, but this most recent marital difficulty seems sadly complicated by the two children, to whom the comedian is really devoted. At this writing, Lita has absolutely demanded their custody, and is even threatening to have their names changed. Progress of "The King of Kings" It looks as though the names of half the people in filmland will be identified with "The King of Kings" before this elaborate film of the life of the Christ is completed. Certainly, all the players who are under contract to De Mille are in it. William Bovd was onlv recentlv assigned to play Si mon, the Cyrenean, a comparatively small part, and Jetta Goudal and A^era Reynolds play bits in the production. Montagu Love and Walter Long, two free lancers, were also recently engaged. De Mille has already photographed the two major episodes of the film — the trial of Christ before Pontius Pilate, and the Crucifixion. The picture should reach the screen, in the larger cities, about Easter time. From Foreign Lands Several very beautiful new foreign actresses are shortly to emerge on the American screen. We've heard a great deal about them, and have seen one of them — Maria Corda. She is a Hungarian -and is under contract to First National. In some ways she resembles Vilma Banky. In her native land, Miss Corda played comedy. One of her films was called "A Modern Du Barry," and another, "Madame Doesn't Want Children." In America, the latter film would probably have been treated seriously. Two other foreign women who have been signed by American producers are both Russian — Natli Barr, a skilled emotional actress imported from the French screen by First National, and Vera Veronina, who appeared in "Michael Strogoff" and was brought over to this country by Paramount because of the excellent impression that she made in that feature. What devilish girls those flappers of 1890 were! Viola Dana and Shirley Mason show how the "modern girl" used to race through the streets on bicycles — and in bloomers ! Miss Corda and Miss Veronina are both blondes, and Miss Barr is a brunette. Miss Corda is married to a director. The number of feminine players imported from the Old World has been rapidly increasing lately. Formerly, very few were brought over, but it is quite evident that the European directors in their recent films have been more keen in using types of actresses that are liked in this country. That is why the companies here are now engaging so many of them. Screening the Lives of the Great Somebody has started a biographical urge in the movies. For example, we are soon to see on the screen the life stories of Roosevelt, Barnum, Jenny Lind, and the French actress, Rachel. The role of Roosevelt is the leading figure in "The Rough Riders," as you know, and Wallace Beery is to impersonate Barnum very shortly. It is unsettled whether Lillian Gish or Norma Shearer will be seen as Jenny Lind. Meantime, Norma has been cast as Kathie in "Old Heidelberg," and Lillian is playing in the film of the thrilling melodramatic war tragedy, "The Enemy." Pola Negri will play Rachel. And if there is anybody who should be able to give a satisfying portrayal of an actress, without any effort, it is Pola. She is recognizedly one of Hollywood's most efficient Thespians on all occasions. A Dance Club for the Elite The Mayfair Club is Hollywood's newest social outlet. It is composed of all the leading luminaries of the