The Eagle (United Artists) (1925)

News of Vilma Banky, Actress , and Other Players HOW VALENTINO WON VILMA BANKY’S AID VILMA BANKY OUICK TO LEARN ENGLISH GENUINE COUNT IN VALENTINO PICTURE But Mario Carillo Used Screen Name in “The Eagle,” Star’s New . Film Hollywood has more titled aristo¬ crats than any foreign city, but many of these titles would not bear looking up in the Almanac de Gotha. The ex¬ tra girl who appropriates any title less than Princess feels that she is exercis¬ ing a commendable restraint. On the other hand, Mario Carillo, supporting Rudolph Valentino in “The Eagle,” at the . Theatre, is a real Italian Count, but he says his only ambition is to be known as a good actor under his screen name. He was for eleven years a Captain in the Italian Royal Dragoons and was formerly an attache of the Italian Embassy at Wash¬ ington. Valentino and Carillo are good friends and frequently rode together in preparation for the daring equestrian stunts which Valentino had to do in “The Eagle,” in which he appears as a Cossack officer and lates as a bandit. NEW SCREEN ACTOR IN VALENTINO FILM Albert Conti, Austrian Army Officer, Has Important Role in “The Eagle” There is a new and interesting screen figure in “The Eagle,” Rudolph Val¬ entino’s big starring production, which is drawing capacity crowds to the . Theatre. The newcomer is Albert Conti, who is playing his first important part. Both Valentino and Clarence Brown, director, are en¬ thusiastic about his work. Conti was a Captain in the Austrian army and for fifteen months was a prisoner of war in Russia—an experi¬ ence which made him valuable as a technical adviser in this Russian pic¬ ture. His father was Lieutenant-Gov¬ ernor of Trieste, and his whole train¬ ing has given him a Continental suavity that is very popular screen fare these days. In “The Eagle,” he plays the aide to the Czarina. Capt. Conti has been in Hollywood three years and has been getting valu¬ able experience in small parts and as a technical adviser on military customs and uniforms. He has a likable per¬ sonality and a twinkle in the eye. VALENTINO FLEES A WOMAN-IN MOVIE This All Happens in “The Eagle,” Romantic Lover’s New Photoplay What’s this—Rudolph Valention flees from a woman? Yes, that’s true. When she makes amorous advances he runs like mad. It’s one of the crucial situations in “The Eagle,” Rudolph’s latest starring vehicle, now thrilling the damsels at the . Theatre. DRAMA IN A NAME FOR LOUISE DRESSER Famous Actress Has Important Role With Valentino in “The Eagle” The way Louise Dresser got her name is as dramatic as any of the plays or pictures in which she has appeared. She told the story one day between scenes of “The Eagle,” in which she is supporting Rudolph Valentino, now making his debut as a United Artists Corporation star in a brilliant picture on view at the . Theatre. Miss Dresser is playing the Czarina, an important role. Her real name is Louise Kerlin, daughter of “Bill” Kerlin, a railroad conductor. She got her present name from Paul Dresser, author of “My Gal Sal,” “Just Tell Them That You Saw Me,” and the immortal song, “On the Banks of the Wabash.” And this is how it happened: Her father having died, the seven- teen-year-old Louise arrived in Chicago with no assets except a wonderful voice and glorious beauty. She went to see Dresser, the man whose songs had filled the hearts of America with sen¬ timent. She poured out her rich, young voice for him and when she was through he said: “Kid, you can sing.” “What’s your name?” he asked. “Louise Kerlin.” “Where you from?” “Evansville, Indiana.” “What did your father do?” “Railroad conductor.” “Daughter of ‘Bill’ Kerlin, one of the greatest guys that ever lived. I used to be a ‘news-butch’ on his train.” Whereupon Dresser, the 300-pound song writer, called up the dramatic editor of one of the Chicago news¬ papers and told him that his kid sister was in town and was going to make an appearance the following Sunday night. That’s been a long time ago. Louise became famous on the stage and is now duplicating her success in pictures. Theodore Drieser (Paul Dresser’s brother despite the different spelling of the name) has become one of Amer¬ ica’s leading novelists. But Paul of the great body and the great heart is dead. Louise was at his bedside. It was she who folded up his street cloth¬ ing forever. In his pocket she found his sole fortune—a lone penny. It happens when the Czarina, a char¬ acter patterned on the notoriously erotic Queen Catherine, and played by Louise Dresser, tries to lure the young Cossack lieutenant from the straight and nar¬ row. He flies out the window. The Czarina becomes so angry at the rebuff that she signs his death warrant. This, together with a great injustice to the hero’s father, cause him to turn bandit, whose daring exploits earn for him the title of the Eagle. “The Eagle” is a Clarence Brown production for United Artists Corpor¬ ation. It is a Russian story done on a big scale. Hans Kraly wrote the screen play which is based on a classic by Alexander Pushkin, “the Shakes¬ peare of Russia.” Celebrated Hungarian Actress Has Leading Feminine Role in “The Eagle” For weeks Rudolph Valentino sought a leading woman to play opposite him in “The Eagle,” his first United Artists Corporation production, now showing at the . Theatre. The scenario declared that she must be blonde and of foreign appearance and manner so she could simulate a Russian. Tests were given to a dozen girls, but none came up to require¬ ments. Then something happened—the kind of thing that happens in scenarios and Hollywood. Valentino was riding in the Hollywood hills. He saw the ideal girl for the role. She sat her horse well and carried herself in an aristo¬ cratic and somewhat aloof manner. She also rode side saddle—an almost for¬ gotten custom in California. The star introduced himself and was surprised to learn that she was Vilma Banky, Budapest actress recently brought to this country by Samuel Goldwyn. Valentino asked Miss Banky to meet him at the studio that afternoon. He introduced her to Joseph M. Schenck, Chairman of the United Artists Cor¬ poration Board of Directors, and Clarence Brown, the director. They looked at her performance in the partly completed film, “The Dark Angel,” took a test of her in Russian costume. Mr. Schenck then signed a contract at once with Mr. Goldwyn for her serv¬ ices. Miss Banky is a native of Budapest and worked in pictures there before Mr. Goldwyn brought her to America. The producer saw a picture of her in a photographer’s gallery and searched her out. Things like that are always happening to Vilma Banky—such things as could happen only in scenarios or Hollywood. Or perhaps Budapest. RUSSIAN GENERAL IN VALENTINO FILM Has Important Role in “The Eagle,” Famous Star’s New Photoplay Now Here The Captain of the Cossack Guard in “The Eagle,” now showing at the . Theatre, rode his horse so skillfully and looked the part so well that Rudolph Valentino, the star, went over to congratulate him. Then Rudy learned another of those stories that make Hollywood and mo¬ tion pictures the modern haven of ro¬ mance. The Cossack Captain is Mich¬ ael Pleschkoff, former General of Rus¬ sian cavalry attached to the staff of Grand Duke Michael. Gen. Pleschkoff went through the World War and was later imprisoned for several months by the Bolsheviks. He escaped and made his way to Amer¬ ica via the Orient. For a while he worked in a film laboratory and his hands still bear the stains of the chem¬ icals. He also acted as technical advisor for “The Eagle,” which is Valentino’s first United Artists Corporation pro- ductioM. He complimented Clarence Brown, the director, and William Cameron Menzies, the art director, on the fidelity of settings and customs. Valentino’s Leading Woman in “The Eagle” Woman of Great Charm Vilma Banky, the blonde screen charmer recently imported from Buda¬ pest, has been in America only a few months, but she has learned enough English to say that she thinks it is ausgezeichnet (Hungarian for “jake”) that she was chosen to play opposite Rudolph Valentino in “The Eagle,” his first United Artists Corporation release, now showing at the . The¬ atre. In fact, Miss Banky’s English is quite remarkable. She has been devot¬ ing herself to it assiduously and from a vocabulary consisting of “lamb chops and pineapple” she has progressed to the point of making herself a poig¬ nant experience to any man who meets her. This *is not accomplished merely by the use of words, but is perhaps more the result of eyes, hair, gesture— what Sir James M. Barrie called “That damned charm.” Miss Banky enjoys the distinction of being the only Hungarian who has at¬ tained prominence in American motion pictures. Pola Negri, represents the Poles; Victor Seastrom, the Swedes; Valentino, the Italians; Ernst Lubitsch, the Germans; Jetta Goudal, the French; and Bull Montana., the Neanderthals, but Miss Banky is the first to arrive from Budapest. The actress comes from a non-the¬ atrical family, her father being a pub¬ lic official in her native land. Samuel Goldwyn, the American producer, saw a picture of her in a photographer’s window on a recent visit to Budapest and was so impressed that he sought an interview and signed her on a long¬ term contract. Mr. Goldwyn loaned her for the Valentino picture. The story of Miss Banky’s selec¬ tion to play in “The Eagle” is as ro¬ mantic as her original entry into Amer¬ ican films. It is told in Hollywood (but not necessarily to be believed, Hollywood being what it is) that Val¬ entino had sought in vain for an ac¬ tress, blonde, beautiful, of foreign man¬ nerisms and of great emotional ability. Finally, he saw a girl riding in the Hollywood hills. She sat her horse so well, and furthermore, she rode side¬ saddle—an un-American custom—and had such manner and charm that he immediately visualized her as the hero¬ ine of his Russian picture. He then made an appointment for her to meet Mr. Schenck and his director, Clarence Brown. They approved the selection and the contract was signed. THESE FILM STARS WIN BIG APPLAUSE Motion picture actors often bemoan the fact that they get no applause. But Rudolph Valentino and his supporting cast in “The Eagle,” his first United Artists Corporation production, couldn’t complain. They got it. Clarence Brown, the director, gave it. Instead of calling out “Cut” when the scene was over he clapped his hands. If the action had been particu¬ larly well played he clapped several times. Audiences at the .The¬ atre, are applauding the actors also.