The Gold Rush (United Artists) (1925)

Stories About The Players in the Picture FROM GRAND OPERA TO CHMIN COMEDY Harvey Bergman Has Important Role in “The Gold Rush,” Charlie’s New Movie Henry Bergman who plays the role of Hank Curtis in Charlie Chaplin’s com¬ edy, “The Gold Rush,” a United Artists Corporation production, now playing at the .... Theatre, is a native son of California, having been born in San Francisco. At the early age of two, his parents returned to Germany where Henry grew up and'was educated. In 1883 he returned to America, a member of New York’s Metropolitan Grand Opera Compianyi A tenor of note, he remained three seasons with this famous organization, followed by three seasons in English grand opera. For nine years, Bergman toured with the Augustin Daly Musical Comedy company, and appeared in such well- known old favorites as “The Runaway Girl,” “San Toy,” “The Country Girl,” “Cingalee.” He also played in the Ziegfeld Follies for three seasons, and with Blanche Ring in “The Yankee Girl.” His first appearance in pictures was with Rathe in New York. Later he came to Hollywood and joined Charlie Chaplin’s company, since then having appeared in all of Charlie’s comedies for the last ten years. FILM ACTOR WED TO ONE ME 25 YEARS Mack Swain Working in Twenty- Fifth Picture in “The Gold Rush” During the making of Charlie Chap¬ lin’s United Artists Corporation com¬ edy, “The Gold Rush,” now playing at the . Theatre, Mack Swain the rotund gentleman who has been called “the funniest villain” in the role of Big Jim McKay, celebrated his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Mrs. Swain, who was formerly Cora King of the legitimate stage, arranged a party in honor of the event and as a complete surprise to her husband. Twenty-five guests were there, and by curious co-incidence Swain was playing iri “The Gold Rush,” his twenty-fifth picture with Charlie Chaplin. Swain says his part in this picture is the finest role he has ever played in his entire stage and screen career of thirty- five years. Swain creates a fine heavy and foil for Charlie’s characterization, and is always a sympathetic and inspira¬ tional co-worker. VAUDEVILLE STAR IN ™LIN movie Tom Murray, Veteran Song and Dance Man, Villain in “The Gold Rush” The role of Black Larsen, the vil¬ lain in Charlie Chaplin’s United Art¬ ists Corporation comedy “The Gold Rush,” now playing at the . Theatre, is played by Tom Murray a veteran of the vaudeville stage. Murray was born in Harrisburg, Ill., and thirty two years ago appeared in vaudeville with Earl Gillihan as his ANKLE SPRAIN PUT GIRL INTO PICTURES Georgia Hale’s First Work Toward Stardom Seen in Chaplin’s Comedy A twist of the wrist has brought fame and fortune to many a man, but it was a twist of the ankle that placed Georgia Hale, “The Girl, Georgia” in Charlie Chaplin’s comedy-drama “The Gold Rush” in a position where the gates of stardom in pictures were opened to her. Bom in St. Joseph, Missouri, of English and French parents. Miss Hale spent most of her life in Chicago, where she studied voice and dancing, intending to make the stage her pro¬ fession, but always with dreams of a motion picture career in California. Entering a Chicago beauty contest in 1922, Miss Hale’s personality and charms won for her the honor of rep¬ resenting the Windy City in the At¬ lantic City national contest as “Miss Chicago.” Best of all, she received a cash prize of $1,250, which meant the realization of her dreams of a trip to Hollywood. At Atlantic City she lost in the com¬ petition for the honor of “Miss Amer¬ ica,” but made ready for the journey to Hollywood. Arriving in the cin¬ ema capital in July, 1923, Miss Hale got her first opportunity in doing a bit in a dancing scene, with a bright outlook for a real future. But Fate intervened when she fell and severely sprained her ankle. She was compelled to hobble on crutches for nearly six months, and when her parents arrived in California at the end of this time, they found Georgia with only $12,—still lame and unhappy. Inspired by the timely arrival of her two sisters, her mother and father, she evidenced her courage by seeking work as an “extra.” She accepted an offer to pose before the camera without sal¬ ary in a picture being screened by Joseph von Sternberg, titled “The Sal¬ vation Hunters”—for the opinion of Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fair¬ banks. Opportunity had returned for she immediately attracted the attention of the producers, and Charlie’s enthusiasm for her work in upholding the dramatic values of this picture, encouraged Fairbanks to place her under contract. Chaplin did not forget her, and when he sought a leading lady for his great ;omedy-drama of Alaska, Miss Hale won over scores of aspirants for the lipnor of playing with the master com- eaian. partner, doing a black face song and dance act. This partnership act of Gil¬ lihan & Murray has played in every English speaking part of the world. And today these two boys put on the burnt cork between pictures and step out doing their old song and dance act —the only addition to their repertoire being that Tom has learned to play his own accompaniment on the ukulele. Murray’s first entry into pictures was eleven years ago with the Eagle Film Company of Jacksonville, Fla. His first part in pictures on the coast was with Jackie Coogan in “My Boy.” His appearance in “The Gold Rush” as Black Larsen is his second picture with Charlie Chaplin, having appeared as the Deacon in “The Pilgrim.” HOW GEORGIA HALE GOT INTO PICTURES Leading Woman in Charlie Chap¬ lin’s “Gold Rush” Tells Experiences The follozving is a simple little story told by a young lady, unaf¬ fected by the prominence that suc¬ cess has brought her as Charlie Chaplin's leading lady in “The Gold Rush.” By Georgia Hale “When six years old, the longing to express myself came into my con¬ sciousness. Dancing and singing seemed to be my childhood means to this expression. I never could under¬ stand—nor be understood—by other children. By this I mean; they were ever satisfied with the things within reach. “My heart was set on becoming a singer. To enable me to study and take vocal lessons, I spent all my spare hours posing for calendars and kiddie fashions. Even this work seemed to make me happy. I kept it a secret from my schoolmates, and with this secret I liked to imagine fnyself quite the mysterious, important girl. “At school I played the leading role in ‘Pinafore’ and other plays put on for special class days. Then the de¬ sire to go on the stage seemed to take hold of me, and I became restless for this work. I started at the bottom, practically doing nothing—one of many aspirants for fame on the stage. When my first chance came to sing solos, this, I remember, was the great¬ est height I ever cared to reach. “But the attainment of our desire ends there. And I started looking higher, hoping to find in the next step the goal of happiness. Motion pictures began unconsciously to usurp the place of music in my mind. “I entered the Chicago beauty con¬ test of 1922, and won. As ‘Miss Chi¬ cago’ I was sent to Atlantic City, and my desire was now centered on the screen. With the money I received from the pageant contest I came to Hollywood. “They say it is always darkest just before the dawn. So it was with me here in Hollywood. ‘The Salvation Hunters’ ‘caught’ in its net a lot of us who were in a dejected state and placed us on dry land—out in the sun¬ shine, as it were. “I cannot express how it feels to have attained the certain success which I have strived for—only the desire seems to be real. It is to concentrate your whole being on one object. Then to be able to encircle that object with your heart while you absorb all in thoughts of happiness, achievement and strength. Then comes the work of living up to the expectations. Out of hard work we learn failure is due to our wrong thoughts and that desires are only displaced by desires.” FUNNIEST VlUAIN IN CHAPLIN MOVIE Mack Swain, Long Close Friend of Comedian, in “The Gold Rush” Mack Moroni Swain is the name borne by “the funniest villain” in the role of Big Jim McKay with Charlie Chaplin in “The Gold Rush,” a United Artists Corporation release, now play¬ ing at the .Theatre. Swain was born February 16, 1876, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His middle name—Moroni—he gets ffrom the angel who blows the trumpet upon the tower of the Mormon temple in Salt Lake— as his parents were Mormon pioneers, both his father and his mother having crossed the country to Brigham Young’s pioneer settlement. His mother, a Norwegian, was Mary Ingoberg Jensen, while his father, Rob¬ ert H. Swain, was an Englishman. He was a stonemason, and, as such, helped build the present great Mormon Tem¬ ple. Mack started out on his histrionic career at the age of seven, when he emptied his penny bank of its twenty cents—which he gave to a printer for making cards which bore this legend: “Mack Swain’s Mammoth Minstrels.” With these as admission tickets, the “minstrels” in his father’s barn were a financial, social, and artistic success. Then followed some years’ of show¬ ing his amateur talents at Salt Lake church entertainments—at which he sang and danced. Then, fifteen years of age. Mack left home to go on with a minstrel show. This was his first step up the theatrical ladder, and in his ascent he took a fling at every angle of the busi- ess, from stage hand to his own pro¬ ducer. During this time he appeared in vaudeville, “straight” drama, and musical comedy. Also he met with varied success as actor, producer and manager. During an engagement in Chicago twenty-five -years ago with the Kemp- ton & Graves stock company, he mar¬ ried Cora King, the company’s leading lady—and she still is his wife—which perhaps is worthy of mention. Swain’s first picture work was in 1913, when he became a member of the old Keystone Comedy Company, join¬ ing this organization at just about the same time as did Charlie Chaplin. And it was with Chaplin that he “grew up” on the screen. Both appeared to¬ gether in almost all the early Keystone comedies. A great friendship exists between the two. Commonly known and identified by the movie fans as “Ambrose,” a love¬ sick youth, Swain became a figure in¬ deed in these old-time comedies. The name “Ambrose” was tacked onto Mack by P. S. Harrison, a cinema critic of note in those early days. In a review of “The Fatal Mallet,” he referred in words of praise to the playing of “that big fellow Ambrose” (Swain weighs nearly 300 pounds.)