Reel Life (Sep 1914 - Mar 1915)

Eighteen REEL LIFE Real Tales About Reel Folk RICHARD STANTON of the New York Motion Picture studios has given us a piece of powerful character work in "The End of the Gallery," a recent Broncho drama. Irish -subjects always have been his forte, and his admirers have so long been accustomed to seeing him as a young, handsome, muscular representative of the Gael, creating true Irish atmosphere with his fine eyes, and his ability to put over a good fight, that as Bob Shores in the closing acts of his new play, he may scarcely be recognized. His make-up is that of a Western miner, broken by misfortune in both body and mind. The character calls for the impersonation of a half-demented, crafty old man, possessed by the passion for revenge. And Stanton has succeeded in putting over the type with a realism which reveals new powers in his extensive repertoire. of the water works, into the fascinating details of which the two writers were initiated by the engineers and their assistants. Mr. Jones is loud in praise of the camp commissary department, and if he has his way, will doubtless give credit in the film to the cook who served Mr. Wall and himself with such appetizing rations. Irene Hunt and Oeorge Seigmann Richard Stanton in His Latest Role "Jean of the Wilderness", a new two-reel Thanhouser drama, proves what New Rochelle is able to do in the way of Northern settings and Canadian atmosphere. It contains some very convincing scenes, taken in the woods and fields 45 minutes from Broadway, which carry the photoplayer into the wilds of Ontario, so characteristic of the North country, are the backgrounds selected by the Thanhouser director. Morris Foster, as Jean Ribot, the young trapper, is a thoroughly attractive lead. And Mignon Anderson, the charming ingenue, who plays opposite, makes Grace Halton, a very real girl, torn between love for her fiance and self-sacrificing devotion to her father. When Irene Hunt and George Seigmann of the Reliance and Majestic studios dropped informally into a photographer's shop and had the very attractive picture taken, which is reproduced here, they probably did not anticipate its appearing in Reel Life. But when any little "Real Tales" such as this come floating into New York headquarters, Reel Life welcomes them, like Alice's "Crocodile"— "with widely smiling jaws". In this instance, particularly, the bait was too tempting. For when in a hundred chances would one come again upon a perfectly non-professional postcard such as this, showing two of the most popular stars in the Mutual, posing together for a picture which should never appear on the screen? We doubt whether Miss Hunt ever had a more charming likeness. And Mr. Seigmann, looking down upon her curly head with an indulgent smile, also seems in just the right mood to take a thoroughly successful photograph. Marc Edmund Jones, the noted scenario writer, and F. A. Wall, editor of scripts ak the American Film Manufacturing Company, recently made a trip to the Santa Inez Valley, California, where they have been making a study of the construction of the Gibraltar Dam which will furnish Santa Barbara with its water supply. They are at work on a scenario which will be partly scientific, partly scenic, and also romantic, for presentation by the American players. It will deal with the construction D. W. Griffith, production-chief of the Reliance and Majestic forces, is spending several days in "Big Bear Valley", making scenes for "The Clansman". He has with him more than a hundred members of his companies, and a dozen automobiles and several big auto trucks were required to convey all the actors and the props to the mis-en-scene. Two entire camps were necessary to give everybody shelter. The point where the scenes are being taken is a mile above sea level in the wilds of the San Bernardino mountains. Morris Foster, as He Appears in "Jean of the Wilderness", a Recent Thanhouser Release Sid Baldridge, scenic artist of the American, may be seen every morning early spinning along in his Reo racer on the Santa Barbara highways. Sid's usual speed is about 60 miles an hour.