Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1927 - Feb 1928)

68 Hollywood High Lights Romance Debit List. After many oenials, Constance Talmadge has finally admitted her early intention of divorcing Captain Alastair Macintosh. There is little news in this event as it has been long expected. Anita Stewart also plans legal separation from her husband, Rudolph Cameron.. They have been apart so long, that almost everybody had forgotten they were still married. Miss Stewart has . returned to serialmaking in the movies, in which, strangely enough, she first gained attention. Regardless of clauses in her contract posed to preclude such an event, Dorothy Cumming, who appears as Mary in "The King of Kings," has been divorced from Frank Elliott, her husband. It is understood that there was a stipulation in her contract with Cecil B. De Mille which it ■was assumed, would prevent her obtaining a legal separation for a period of years. But this was subsequently taken to be an infringement on her personal liberty. Which may, or may not, knock the morality clauses that have been supposed to exist in certain contracts, into a cocked hat. Sliouldn't Be Critical. The marriage of Evelyn Brent and Bernie Fineman has met with disaster, and a curious phase of their divorce is that they will both continue to work at the same studio. While Miss Brent is not under contract to Paramount, she has played there most of the time, and Mr. Fineman is an associate producer at the studio. Miss Brent complained in her suit that her husband had criticized her fri'ends and her expenditures, which is something she contended that a husband shouldn't do. Fineman and Miss Brent were married about five years ago. Miss Brent is appearing in "Beau Sabreur," the sequel to "Beau Geste." Reclimbing the Ladder. George Walsh, whom we haven't mentioned for some time, is now the possessor of a very fine contract with Pathe, and is working in California again. It is a remarkable thing about this chap that he demonstrates an excellent staying power in the movies. No one has received harder slaps from fortune and the critics. The worst of all was when he lost out on "Ben-Hur," due to the mix-ups in that famous spectacle. Walsh secured a contract with Chadwick Pictures shortly after this, and made a series of program films. These have been sufficiently consistent to attract the attention of one of the oldest distributing concerns in the business. Movie Land Five Years Ago. Here are a few items culled from a copy of Picture Play five years ago, that may prove of interest : Bebe Daniels was arrested for speeding and had to pay a fine of fifteen dollars. She was let off easy because she was going to a banquet given by civic leaders in Glendale. that were sup Phyllis Haver Blanche S\yeet returns to the screen after a long absence, playing the role of the blind girl, in "Quincy Adams Sawyer." The item also stated that Miss Sweet is one of the few girls with a conscience toward the public, and that unless she is looking and feeling her best she refuses to go near the camera. (Yes— others have been absent, too, since then, and with far less reason.) Antonio Moreno is the popular choice for the role of "Ben-Hur." Tony is one of the handsomest men in the movies. having graduated from comedies, is doing her first dramatic role in "The Christian." (Remember her as the pathetic little waif in that picture?) Mae Busch is playing the lead, and has just returned from the British Isles where a number of the scenes were made, with a lot of brand-new clothes. Gladvs Walton, Lucille Ricksen, and Vernon Steele were in the cast of Bret Harte's story of "M'liss," which is being revived by Universal. Thomas Meighan looks forward to going to New York to make pictures as he does not like Hollywood. AVe understand that he still dislikes it but he is working there again any way. Erich building for the Wonder if Richard Barthelniess is teaciiing little Mary Hay Bartlielmess to be one of those slant stars who are never seen on Broadway, but wlio make such barrels of money? von Stroheim is busy reVienna at Universal Citv "Merry-Go-Round." The writer coyly asks wh} doesn't he go to Vienna, instead. We know the answer to that one, though, because experience has proved that it's cheaper to build in Hollywood, even in a Von Stroheim film. Mildred Davis slated for stardom in flapper role, Mary Miles Minter assisting in raising funds to give concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, and Helene Chadwick playing leading role in "Gimme," a picture written by Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Hughes, with Mr. Hughes directing. This was the film in which Eleanor Boai-dman made her debut in a small part. Famous Thespian Dies. A pall of sadness has been cast over the lives of John and Lionel Barr}Tnore, owing to the death of their uncle, John Drew. John Barrymore was with him when he passed awa)^ in San Francisco, and Lionel paid frequent visits to his bedside during his lingering illness. Drew was one of the stage's aristocrats. We missed seeing him in "Trelawny of the Wells," the last play in which he took part, as his jllness necessitated his leaving the cast before its arrival in Los Angeles. Owing to his visit to his uncle's bedside. Barrymore was unable to attend the Los Angeles premiere of "When a Man Loves," which had a somewhat belated showing on the Coast. George Jessel acted as master of ceremonies, and introduced May McAvoy, Joan Crawford, and others in the audience to big applause. He and William Demarest, who furnishes comedy relief Continued on page 94