Screenland (Nov 1928-Apr 1929)

(£ Douglas D'Artagnan out. Jimmie Cruze was making "A Man's Man" with William Haines and Josephine Dunn, and it seems that in the picture, these two go to the opening of "White Shadows of the South Seas" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. As usual, Fred Niblo was a master of ceremonies and announced the celebrities as they arrived over the radio. When Bill Haines and Josephine Dunn appeared Mr. Cruze took shots of them listening in and admiring all the screen stars that Mr. Niblo was announcing. Later, at the studio, closeups of this scene had to be taken and Mr. Niblo told his friend Jimmie that he would turn actor for an afternoon. On the day appointed Mr. Niblo gave his own outfit a half holiday and donning evening clothes skipped over to fulfill his engagement. Jimmie Cruse 'shot' twelve scenes in half an hour, an unheard-of thing for most directors — and even Mr. Cruze had to hurry. Mr. Niblo walked off the set with a perspiring brow. "I thought I worked, but you are a punisher,3 Jim. I never slaved so in my life." This being Mr. Niblo's bow to the public as a picture actor he now throws his sympathies with all actors in the sir, he has. And now he can take passengers. Ben is a terrific air enthusiast and .is out every day he isn't working. It was awful while he was on location because he had no time to practice but he flew back in a mail plane and got started bright and early the next morning. His first passenger was his chauffeur. Ben told Marie Prevost that he would fly over the Pathe studios at noon and wave, but he got an earlier start than he expected and the company was still working on the sound stage when the drone of hs motor put a stop to everything. Everyone ran out to try and get the number of the plane that was flying so low over a sound stage. Eddie Quillan's sharp eyes discerned the number 5013. "Why, that's Ben Lyon's plane, said Marie, and they gave the new pilot three cheersthat he couldn't hear. ;!f ;j; % Fred Niblo has discovered that, after all, the actors do all the work. This is how he happened to find it <£ Laura La Plante went calling over at the First Xational Studio— to watch Colleen Moore wor\ and incidentally to say hello to her director-husband, William Seiter. fl[ Bebe Daniels is said to be the best bridge player in Hollywood. Here she is explaining some fine points to Jean Arthur, Lane Chandler, Clara Bow. Doris Hill, Robert Castle, and 7\[eil Hamilton. future. "Particularly those who work for Jimmie," he adds. This seems to be the first time in motion picture history that one director has worked in a scene for another director. King Vidor recently appeared in "Show People" starring Marion Davies, but he directed that himself. Carroll Nye hasn't a moment to call his own so much is he in demand these days. His next is a two-reel talker, "Confession," and the first to introduce Lionel Barrymore as a director. Carroll is to play a heavy and was fixing himself up as the traditional 'bad actor.' "Oh, no," said Lionel. "Not a heavy heavy — just a medium-weight one. The sort of boy who annoys brothers, don't you know." Ruth Chatterton has knocked Paramount right between the eyes. They are mad about her, talking or silent. What a break for a woman! Her first talker is Sir James M. Barrie's "Half an Hour" directed by William De Mille. I think the title is changed to "The Doctor's Secret." * * * Patsy Ruth Miller has turned inventor. The boys have such a time at the studio to light their cigarettes that Patsy has taken pity on them. She took a little block of wood, fastened a candle to it and a box of matches along side of it. 79