Universal Weekly (1923-26)

30 Universal Weekly August 14, 1926 "Newly weds" and "Let George Do It" Creator Goes To Coast To Assist With Production GEORGE McMANUS, noted newspaper cartoonist, and the creator of such popular comic strips as "The Newlyweds and Their Baby," "Let George Do It," and "Bringing Up Father," left New York late last week for Los Angeles, where he will personally assist in the filming of "The Newlyweds and Their Baby" and "Let George Do It," the two comedy series now being made from his cartoons by the Stern Brothers. The two series of two-reelers are well into production, several of "The Newlyweds and Their Baby" comedies already having won great success on Broadway and elsewhere. The cartoonist, until now, has been unable to take an active hand in the screening of these comedies due to the pressure of his activities with the King Feature Syndicate. This trip marks his first personal entry into the motion picture field — an event which film producers have been seeking for more than ten years. When the Stern Brothers reorganized their production and instituted a highgrade picture policy last year, their acquisition of the screen rights to "The Newlyweds and Their Baby" and "Let George Do It" was hailed as a screen achievement. McManus long had been importuned to part with these rights by various comedy producers. It was only after he saw the exceptional comedies turned out by the Sterns from R. F. Outcault's Buster Brown cartoons that he turned an attentive ear to the requests of Julius and Abe Stern. A survey of Universal's wide distribution facilities and the assurance that the comedies made from his cartoons would get the best possible representation, helped to turn the scale in favor of the Sterns, who release through Universal. That his decision proved highly satisfactory to him may be had in the cartoonist's own words: "I certainly have to congratulate the Stern Brothers for the great comedies they have turned out from my cartoons. I have seen several of 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby' pictures and they are everything I hoped for and more. Where did they ever find that remarkable baby? I could watch that kid for hours. He seems too good to be true. I wonder if he knows that he is acting? He actually seems to bubble over with the joy of making these comedies. If there ever was a 'find' he is it. "I am glad to see that Julius and Abe Stern have spared no pains and no expense in the making of these comedies. It is highly gratifying to me to see my stuff done in this way. Great credit is due to them and to the director, Gus Meins, who handles the baby Snookums so well." McManus' trip to the West Coast is a combination of business and pleasure. His west-bound trio was as a guest of John M. Davis, president of the D. L. & W. Railroad aboard that official's private car, "Anthracite," together with several other celebrities, en route to the An Neal Duffy, owner of the Elite Theatre, Appleton, Wis., certainly stepped in soft when he visited the Stern Brothers studio on his recent trip to California. Here he is surrounded by the group of pretty filmettes and others playing with Sid Saylor in the "Let George Do It" comedies. Sid is the boy with the batwing tie and the busy right arm. nual Jinx of The Bohemians, Inc., a big open-air frolic in the red-wood groves near San Fransisco. The Bohemians, and its associate clubs and organizations are made up of professional folks, stage, screen, literary and others, and their annual Jinx draws members from all over the world. McManus will proceed to Los Angeles at the conclusion of the Jinx. He will make his headquarters in the Hotel Ambassador. On the eve of his departure from New York he had a conference with Beno Rubel, secretary of the Stem Film Corporation, and perfected arrangements for his stay in Hollywood. His first activity there will be to visit the Stern Brothers studio on Sunset Boulevard and make the acquaintance of the directors, the stars and actors, and the technical staff, adapting his cartoons. He will then interpret his various characters to them and work with them in the building up of comedy situations. His conferences will be in the nature of a course of instruction, in which he will school all concerned in the intricacies of cartoon-humor, an art in which he is an outstanding expert, and in which he has been famous for more than twenty years. The close alliance of cartoon-humor as adapted to the screen and as reproduced on the printed page, gives a novel importance to this series of conferences. In addition to teaching the Stern Brothers craftsmen what he knows of cartoon-humor, he will learn from them concerning its adaptation to the screen. It is his intention to master the film angle of the comedy business and to fit himself for further screen connection. Eventually, it is hinted, he may become a full-fledged screen comedy impressario, turning out original screen material, if not actually taking a definite hand in promotion and production. While he is in Los Angeles, McManus will go over all "The Newlyweds and Their Baby" and "Let George Do It" comedies, already made, and will sit in on the preparations of the scripts of the forthcoming numbers of the two series, which now are about half-completed. He is especially interested in Sid Saylor, the top-notch comedian playing the role of George in the "Let George Do It" series. In addition to his work at the Stern Brothers studio, he also will visit Universal City, and get an insight into feature and other production, with special attention to be given to the Reginald Denny unit, now making farcecomedy features. Arrangements are being perfected for a first-night premiere of one or more of the McManus-Stern Brothers comedies in one of the big Los Angeles houses, at which the caitoonist will make a personal appearance. He may supplement this appearance with a few rapid sketches made on the stage for the amusement of the first-nighters. The exact time McManus is to remain in Los Angeles has not yet been determined.