Universal Weekly (1917-1934)

-THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY MORE PERILS OF SECRET SERVICE JT is doubtful if a series of tworeelers ever made a bigger hit than "The Perils of the Secret Service," the timely and engrossing stories by George Bronson Howard, in which Kingsley Benedict was featured. The Universal was fortunate enough to secure the noted author of these stories, which appeared in book form under the title of "The Adventures of Yorke Norroy, Diplomatic Agent," to produce them at Universal City, and so carefully did Mr. Howard husband his stories that there were several more to be put out when his contract expired. It will be pleasurable news to the thousands of exhibitors who have run this series, and who have sent in their own and their patrons' requests for more of these stories, to know that more are on the way. Kingsley Benedict has been taken from feature work long enough to appear in several more "Perils of the Secret Service," under the direction of Jack Wells, although he is assisting Wells in the direction of the stories himself. The first of the new adventures is Episode 8, and is entitled "The Adventure of the Icon." In the original George Bronson Howard stories which appeared in the Popular Maga'zine, this adventure was the most exciting and interesting of all, and it has as great pictorial possibilities as any of the others. The scenario was all prepared by Mr. Howard before he left the Universal, and his script is being accurately followed. In it appear Mignon Anderson as Irma MailofF, the Russian lady, whose efforts to escape make the drama, Frank Lanning as Boris Van Haden, Baron Van Ritzau as Von Linden, the German spy; Al MacQuarrie, H. C. DeMore, and of course Kingsley Benedict as Yorke Norroy. Carson Huntley does not appear in this episode. The following adventure has been provisionally entitled "The Door With the Iron Ring," with Harry Schumm. CAREY'S MOTHER COMING. I^ARRY CAREY, Universal western star, is having his house at Newhall newly papered, a gardener is busy and everything is being made spick and span because the actor has received word that his mother Mrs. Ella J. Carey, wife of the late Judge Henry D. Carey of New York, is about to pay him a visit. "You know mother is mighty particular about the looks of things around the house," said the actor as he was explaining how delighted he was at the knowledge of her coming, "and I don't think she has changed her views since I saw her last. Carey lives on his ranch near Newhall about twenty miles north of Universal City and he makes a great many of the exterior scenes for his western plays in that neighborhood. HIGH SPOTS AMONG NEXT WEEK^S UNIVERSAL PICTURES JT is seldom that we find such an abundance of remarkable features as appear among the pictures released by the Universal next week. "A Limb of Satan," "Three Women of France," "Double Suspicion," are all remarkable in their way, and as three and two-reelers are bound to make a lasting impression among exhibitors. The Nestors, Jokers and L-KO on the program are also deserving of special mention. One of these, "Minding the Baby," with Eddie Lyons, Lee Moran and Edith Roberts, is one of the most enjoyable Nestors ever put out, and was considered so good that it was put into the Broadway Theatre to run with Herbert R a w 1 i n s 0 n i "Come Through," which is the talk at present of New York City's moving picture Ri alto. A little piccaninny which unconsciously takes the place of a white baby left in charge of M r. Young Husband causes most of the complications. Lyons and Moran. The next illustration shows Irene Hunt in the role of a Red Cross nurse i n "Three Women of France," featuring Jack Mulhall, Irene Hunt, and a cast including the following: players: Richard Ryan, Adelaide Wood, the late Daniel Leighton, and V i r g i n i a h-ene Hunt) Lee. The story itself was written by Bess Meredyth, and was produced by Ruth Ann Baldwin in a remarkably artistic fashion. As a war picture it is the companion piece to that other two-reeler which has made such a reputation for itself, "The War Waif." War is a great leveller of caste and station, and the three women who are the subject of this feature and whose relation centers in their acquaintance with one man, are brought by force of war's stern realities into a peculiar and most dramatic bond. The third illustration is taken from the Gold Seal three-reel drama en titled "A Limb of Satan," featuring Ruth Stonehouse. This picture not only features her, but she directed it as well. It furnishes the clever little star with an extremely sympathetic role, that of a mischievous orphan who kept an asylum in such an uproar that the poor manager was tickled to death when she ran away. Her first realization of responsibility, and her first serious attempt to do good in the world, brought her plumb up against a term in jail. "Double Suspicion" is a Bison featuring Neal Hart and Janet Eastman, and it is a corker. There is a very good L-KO entitled "Hearts and Flour," featuring Eva Novak, Bob MacKenzie, and Chas. Reichman. and Gale Henry in a Joker comedy entitled "Kitchenella," to complete the comedies for the week. There is also a singlereel Imp drama entitled "Patten of Headquarters," with Lee Hill and Charles M a i 1 e s, which deserves special mention. Ruth Stonehouse.