Screenland (May–Oct 1927)

92 SCREENLAND To Lovers of Diamonds I offer you the opportunity of a life time. Reputed to be the largest cut white diamond in the market, weighs over 23 carets and is declared to be as perfect and pure white diamond as can be found anywhere. This mammoth jewel has been in our family for seven years and I am now the sole owner of it. A jewel which makes the wearer the center of attraction no matter where or on what occasion it may be worn. If you want to be the owner of this large diamond and cash in on the publicity that the ownership and wearing of such a stone brings with it and are financially responsible or have financial backers you will be given the opportunity to examine this wondrous jewel, and can have it appraised by your own jeweler if you wish no matter where you may be located. This jewel is fit for a Queen. It is mounted in white gold and attached to a white gold neck chain. Would like to hear from actors or actresses or Society folks who would like to own a diamond of this size. You can buy this wonderful diamond a lot cheaper of me than you could a similar sized stone of any one else if there was another diamond of its size on the market. Having no need for it I want to sell it quickly at a reasonable price for cash. Would like to hear from interested parties. Address: OSCAR STEIN 701 Leader Building Cleveland, Ohio I have lived in Cleveland foe many years; have been in the Magazine business for over 25 years, can furnish Al bank and business references. girl to the assistant director; the little girl was piloted through the gate. And the little girl got a job, and then a better job. Today she's a star. Through "Pull". What else can you call it? Her success is the biggest thing the boarding-house keeper ever did. There's an employee of a picture company, working in the "branch office" in Chicago. He's puffing out his chest these days, as well he might. You wouldn't know his name if I told you. But take my word for it, he's a good picker. One night about two years ago he went to see a musical revue in the Windy City. There were two girls in a special number who sang and danced. Immediately he thought: "Great screen bets!" just like that. He didn't know the girls from Eve; never even heard of them before. But after the show he obeyed that impulse and sent a wire to his big boss in New York. The wire said something like this: "There are two beautiful girls in show here who would be sensations on the screen. Suggest you arrange to have tests made of them." The message was so enthusiastic and so urgently worded that the boss, although he was a little amused at such importunity on the part of an employee who was supposed to have nothing to do with the production end of the business, wired back: "All right. Give 'em a chance." Those girls were — still are, in fact — Dolorrs and Helene Costello. They didn't know it at the time, but it was Pull that put them over. A man who'd never seen them before went out of his way to boost them. The right kind of Pull! If you're not big enough to help somebody, then you're too small to ask somebody to help you. The "big" people are never too big to ask help — and they're always ready to pass it on. The spirit that asks for help is the same spirit that is eager to give it. Doug Fairbanks, for instance, is never too rushed to stretch out a helping hand. He gave Wallace Beery the part of Richard the Lion-Hearted in "Robin Hood" — Wally's best part up to that time. Beery had never attempted any role like it before; but Doug said: "I'll help you put it over" — and he did. And then Wally turned around and almost stole the picture! Douglas and Charlie Chaplin both extended friendly aid to Josef von Sternberg, that young stormy petrel of direction. The two famous stars took up the cause of von Sternberg's picture, "The Salvation Hunters", and used all their influence to put it over. If it didn't exactly get over, it wasn't the fault of the boosters. And their pull shoved Joe right into the limelight; and now he has a steady job with Paramount. He's written a story which Emil Jannings will act in soon. It was Charlie who gave George K. Arthur his chance. The Chaplin "pull" made it possible for George to come to this country and aided him time and again before George crashed the studio gates. Arthur was well-known in England, where his characterization of "Kips", in a picturization of H. G. Wells' novel, was very popular. But England isn't America, as any school-child will tell you. And if it hadn't been for Charlie, we might have been deprived of Arthur's antics over here. On one of Chaplin's trips abroad, he met George Arthur and recognized the young man's ability. On the back of a card Chaplin wrote a hearty recommendation of the British actor. Armed with the card, and fifteen dollars, George came to America. Fifteen dollars is soon spent, but a boost from Charlie Chaplin lasts forever. Look at Georgie now! Pull is the chance we give our friends to show their heart power. Ben Lyon is always taking a chance like that! He pulled Sam Hardy into "Seven Wives of Bluebeard" and other Lyons pictures. And now he's boosting Richard "Skeets" Gallagher. The amiable "Skeets" has already arrived as a musical comedy favorite, but if it hadn't been for Ben's pull, it might have taken him longer to put himself over in films. According to Ben the Booster, however, Skeets is all set to knock 'em cold in "For the Love of Mi^e". When Richard Dix gave Gunboat Smith a part in one of his pictures, he knew very well he was depriving himself of a darned good athletic trainer. Gunboat was Richard's physical culture expert, sparring partner, and pugilistic pal. But Gunboat was also a great screen bet — absolutely unique, in fact, as you know if you have seen him. Instead of hanging on to his trainer. Rich shoved Mr. Smith into a good part and a golden opportunity. Gunboat is now earning a princely salary in place of a trainer's "wages". And Gunboat is still making good as an actor. Richard had to get another trainer, but he's Gunboat's sincerest fan. There's Gregory La Cava, too. He directed a slapstick sequence in a Dix comedy, and it was so good that Richard insisted upon La Cava as his next director. You know what that team can do by this time. Valentino practically pulled Richard Dix into pictures. While Richard was a stock company matinee idol, Rudy, then a rising star, saw him and urged, him to try films. Richard took the tip; and Rudy was the proudest fellow you ever heard of later on when he could say to Dix: "What did I tell you?" Richard turned right around and encouraged George O'Brien when George — just an extra — wanted to give up and go back home. Richard would make him promise to stick it out a while longer. "You're sure to get the breaks sooner or later," he'd tell him. And did George do it? George did. It was Matt Moore who helped Johnny Hines into pictures. Matt is always doing little things like that. The quiet, shy Irishman of the famous film family isn't at all quiet or shy when it comes to boosting others. He took Johnny along with him to the old Victor Studio, where the first thing Johnny knew he was playing a lead opposite Florence Lawrence. Matt also is chiefly responsible for Lewis Milestone's directorial prominence. Milestone was a more or less obscure director when he was handed the job of putting Matt through the paces of a picture. The two of them, star and director, came to New York to take street scenes. One day in the actors' rendezvous, the Lambs Club, Matt met Tommy Meighan, who wanted a good director— and wanted him bad. "I've got just the man you want," said Matt Moore: and he dragged Milestone in to meet Meighan. Milestone was engaged on the spot to direct a Paramount feature. It left Matt alone in a big city without a director; he had to shoot all the exteriors himself. But what did he care? Milestone's success was more important. Johnny Hines pulled a half a dozen pretty girls into pictures. He gave Dorothy Mackaill. Billie Dove. Jobyna Ralston. Doris Kenyon. Norma Shearer, and Jacqueline Logan a chance, when they were struggling for a foothold on the little old ladder. Bebe Daniels is a regular little Miss Columbus. She loves to discover promising talent and pass it on to the world. She began soon after her own beginning in pictures. When she was playing opposite