Black Pirate (United Artists) (1926)

Stories Good for the Sports and Music Pages DOUBLE COSTUMING FOR COLOR CAMERA When Technicolor, a film process which reproduces in natural color, was selected for use in Douglas Fairbanks’ new picture, “The Black Pirate”, the technical department of Fairbanks’ or¬ ganization prepared to spend consider¬ able extra money. After color tests were supposed to be completed and the proper tints for costumes and scenery chosen, it was found that an unexpected difficulty would run the costs to far greater pro¬ portions. In the item of costumes, which by the way is only a small part of the aggre¬ gate, it was now found necessary to have two of each of the human drapes one for interior and the other for ex¬ terior photography. The tests revealed that scenes taken in the open, under the sun’s rays, reproduced in their natural colors. But the scenes photographed on the stage, artificially lighted, were “off”, because the costumes absorbed reflected tints from the lights and scen¬ ery. Therefore to have the photogra¬ phy harmonize throughout the film, two costumes of different colors had to be ordered for each actor. The tests for the two sets of costume colors was a tedious procedure. Henry Sharp, chief cameraman, and his associate Arthur Reed, worked many days at taking sam¬ ple shots of the hundreds of garments assembled for the players. Those who see “The Black Pirate” at the . Theatre, however, would never sus¬ pect that Fairbanks was dressed in dif¬ ferent hues at different times and still appears dressed the same throughout. “DOUG’S” NIFTY At the opening of Doug. Fairbanks’ latest, “The Black Pirate,” at the Selwyn, Monday evening, we returned late after the intermission and dis¬ covered Doug in the back of the lobby, a bit nervous. “Say, did you pay to get in here?” we quizzed, tough-like. He looked at us with a smile, “Yeah, one million dollars.” Which fairly represents the cost of of his latest big production.—N. Y. MIRROR. COMB SEAPORTS FOR PIRATICAL APPARATUS Had it been possible to rub an Alad¬ din’s lamp and produce the necessary properties for Douglas Fairbanks’ new picture, “The Black Pirate”, life would have been one sweet song for his tech¬ nical staff. But in a last minute, mad scramble for these antique fittings it was neces¬ sary to dispatch purchasing agents to search them out in several seaport cit¬ ies of the country. Among those sent was associate art director, Harry Oliver, who went to San Francisco and returned to Holly¬ wood with a carload of anchors, wind¬ lasses, masts, rigging, sextants and other paraphernalia for “The Black Pirate.” The fruits of his search can be seen at the . Theatre, where the picture is now playing. “Future of Symphony Orchestras Probably Found in Picture Shows ” —Mortimer Wilson, composer of “The Black Pirate” score “The best friend music has today in his country is the motion picture,” said Mortimer Wilson, composer of note and conductor of the New York State Sym¬ phony Orchestra in its 1926 tour. Mr. Wilson composed the music for Doug¬ las Fairbanks’ new photoplay, “The Black Pirate.” “Since everybody in this country goes to motion picture shows,” said Mr. Wil¬ son, “they comprise the most potent medium through which the public may be reached. Since good music has at¬ tained its present status in America there may come a time when the sym¬ phony organizations will find it diffi¬ cult to obtain, through its conventional ,-Hannels, the revenue needed for main¬ tenance. . r “With this situation confronting it, he symphony orchestra undoubtedly will ! te transferred to motion pictures. For the music of the motion picture here lightly belongs to the best artists in America. Nowadays it isn’t a question f what music shall go with the motion icture; it is a question of whether the msic is good enough for the picture. “The old method of arranging has :en for a musician to view the motion picture in advance of the public show¬ ing. He sees a moonlight scene and orders a bit of the ‘Moonlight Sonata.’ The hero meets the heroine after many years. They embrace. The musician orders a dash of ‘Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms.’ The heroine is found, apparently dead, and carried away; a slice of Verdi’s ‘Re¬ quiem.’ “But with the advance of the motion picture a new method is being developed —that of original musical compositions, made while the picture is being filmed. It was my good fortune in this way to compose the music for Mr. Fairbanks in ‘The Thief of Bagdad.’ He also had me compose original music for ‘Don Q.’ The results have been more than satisfactory.” An American by birth, Mr. Wilson had his early musical training here, then went abroad. Returning, he went on the faculty of the University of Ne¬ braska as director of theory and com¬ position. He next conducted the At¬ lanta Symphony Orchestra. In 1921 he won the prize for the best American overture. He has also composed many sonatas of note and a number of or¬ chestral selections. Burliest Lads of Mat and Ring Gathered for “Black Pirate” Crew Cauliflower Ears and Bulging Muscles Owned by Former Oppo¬ nents of Jack Dempsey and by Other Sport Notables One of the first questions asked by those who see Douglas Fairbanks’ latest • spectacular offering, “The Black .Pirate,” at the. isr “Where did he get such a collec¬ tion of realistic pirates?” The pirate crew that surrounds Fairbanks has in its personnel some of 'the burliest lads in the world. They were selected with great care, and in most cases not from the film world but from the realm of Fistiania. Knights of the padded mitt are they, or disciples of the mat, and many have pugilistic honors or athletic rec¬ ords with which to adorn their corru¬ gated brows. In the casting director’s logbook were registered such names as Jimmy Dime, Bob Roper, “Stubby” Kruger, “Cowboy” Ed Warner, Chris Michael, Dave Kashner and “Chuck” Lewis. To picture fans these names mean al¬ most nothing, but to followers of sports they tell a very interesting story. Each is commercializing a cauli¬ flower ear, a broken nose or a split lip which remains as a souvenir of some adventure in sports. Jimmy Dime, whose name sounds like ready money, was formerly a sparring partner of Jack Dempsey. In addition to this distinction, he has engaged in 26 boxing contests, win¬ ning 18 with knockouts. Doug en¬ gaged him as a pirate because his nose runs a little south by east. Bob Roper, another pirate bold, won his pay envelope because of a split lip, a cauliflower ear and a broken nose. Bob, who is a graduate of Louisiana State University, and a thorough scholar and gentleman, achieved his piratical cast of coun¬ tenance as the result of 132 boxing contests. He has fought the best of them, including Tommy Gibbons and Bill Drennen, each of them twice with no decision, and he KOed Frank Moran. Chris Michael, one of the chestiest of the cutlass-wielders, was once light-heavyweight champion of Can¬ ada. Ed Warner, with a gorgeous cauli¬ flower ear that is the envy of many an aspiring pugilist, fought Jack Dempsey twice when both were do¬ ing preliminary stuff. He is a light- heavyweight and has 200 fights to his credit, claiming 90 per cent as vic¬ tories. He also wrestles and in 1912 was middleweight champion of Utah. Ed began life as a cowboy. “Stubby” Kruger, who prides him¬ self upon being one of the blackest of the black pirates, is Johnny Weis¬ muller’s swimming partner, and was twice a member of America’s swim¬ ming team at the Olympic games. He holds the world’s record for the back-stroke at six distances, and also the world’s record in the 300 yard medley. Kruger has been in com¬ petition 14 years and beat Duke Kahanamoku in the mile-and-a-quar- ter swim. He does some very inter¬ esting underwater work in “The Black Pirate.” Dave Kashner, another pirate, won the shotput and pole vault at the Egyptian Expeditionary Force’s ath¬ letic meet at Alexandria, Egypt. His chest and shoulders won him a job with Doug. “Chuck” Lewis, who pirates about very handily, is a gridiron hero. He has been mentioned for the All- American Football Team, and many sports experts declare him the great¬ est football player the Middle West ever turned out. Jerry Girard was taken off a police motorcycle by “Doug” because he walked like a pirate, and George Holt, cowboy and broncho-buster, got his ragged pants and cutlass be¬ cause of his bow-legs. “It took two months to sign on this crew,” said “Doug,” “the diffi¬ culty being to find ’em ugly enough.” BILLIE DOVE--“DAMSEL 0FTHEC0L0RFILM” Billie Dove, appearing opposite Doug¬ las Fairbanks in “The Black Pirate”, now the feature at .. is rapidly becoming known as “The Color Girl of Pictures.” The reason is that Miss Dove has been specializing in color films. _ Her first fame as a featured player in an all-color picture came with her appear¬ ance in Irvin Willat’s production of the Zane Gray story, “Wanderer of the Wasteland”. In this photoplay her rich coloring, quaint charm, and buoyant personality showed to great advantage in natural color. In fact, her work in “Wanderer of the Wasteland” did much to influence Douglas Fairbanks’ selec¬ tion of her for his lead in “The Black Pirate”, which is rated the screen’s at¬ tainment of perfection in Technicolor. BLACK FLAG IN PERIL Right on top of a story from Holly¬ wood that Douglas Fairbanks had suffered a broken rib while working in his sea picture, “The Black Pirate,” and that “Ted” Reed, production manager, was laid up with a fractured leg, came the news that the pirate ship itself had a narrow escape in a fifty mile an hour gale. The vessel, a full rigged ship, was torn loose from its moorings in a heavy gale while shooting of scenes was going on. The vessel, a converted Cape Horn clipper, snapped her haw¬ sers and started to drift out to sea. Tug boats rounded up the ship and she was remoored with steel cables instead of rope hawsers. The crew of movie pirates had to fall to in real sailor fashion. Much damage was done to movie making machinery