Universal Weekly (1928-1930, 1933-1936)

24 Universal Weekly July 6, 1929 Langdon McCormick Talks of THE STORM" in Sound ( Continued from page 19) they will effect the fate of legitimate stage stars. It will be a survival of the fittest. The veteran actor undoubtedly has the edge on the untrained movie star, Mr. McCormick asserts. The matter of pauses, inflection and rhythm that comes naturally to the legitimate actor is still an unplumbed quantity to the average screen star. The result is that the latter speak in spasms, as it were, with the effort to catch his breath all too apparent. Langdon McCormick knows whereof he speaks. Years ago he was on the stage with Otis Skinner for several seasons, and later touring in his own plays. But that, he assured me, was before he knew better. “In the old days a man was engaged because he could act,” he went on, “not because he was a type. He was expected to make up for the part, no matter what it was, and play it adequately. Then came the time when theatrical agents and producers hired an actor because he was ‘just the type.’ For a sensitive person it was rather dreadful to be scanned from head to foot and turned down because you were too tall or too thin, too shrewd or too kind-looking. I didn’t want to play detectives roles all my life. I became a playwright. Much freer and more stimulating.” A very prolific playwright was Langdon McCormick. Not content to score one success a year, he has to his credit for one season “Wanted by the Police,” “Our Friend Fritz,” “The Woman Who Dared,” “The Life of an Actress” and “Jessie Left the Village.” That was back in 1907, three years before “The Storm” made its notable appearance. “The Pace” and “The Gulf” followed before the versatile actor-playwright turned to theatre effects. The black magic of the theatre has been occupying his talents ever since. It was a natural outcome of a lifelong association with the theatre and its problems. When he was a cub involved in amateur performances, necessity turned McCormick’s attention to scenery, decor and all the tricks of the trade that are called theatre effects. A native versatility plus a very practical urge to learn more about are sent McCormick over to Paris. “People have a queer notion,” he ( Continued on page 27) UNIVERSAL MOVIEGRAMS EMMETT FLYNN has been signed by Universal to direct Laura La Plante in “One Rainy Night.” The adaptation of this Laura Hess story is being written by Harold Shumate. INDICATION of the vast commercial possibilities of talking pictures may be had from the fact that the assembled sales managers and salesmen of the Universal Pictures Corporation, in convention at Atlantic City early this week, listened to a rousing and comprehensive sales talk on the 1929-30 product by Carl Laemmle, president of Universal, by Carl Laemmle, Jr., studio head of the organization, and by various Universal stars, all made in Movietone in Universal City especially for the convention. KEN MAYNARD is starting this week his third production for the series of eight features in which he is to be starred by Universal on its 1929-30 program. The picture, tentatively titled “The Golden Bridle,” is being directed by Harry J. Brown. Photo by Bachrach Langdon McCormick, author of “The Storm,” has the keen blue eye, the sensitive mouth and the concentrated brow of the practical artist. "The Last Perform ance WORD has just been received from Universal City that George Sidney and Charlie Murray have been signed for the roles of Cohen and Kelly in Universal’s next feature of the adventures of this famous pair, which will be entitled “The Cohens and Kellys in Scotland.” This successor to “The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City” is the fourth in this series of Irish-Jewish stories. Vera Gordon and Kate Price will again enact their famous roles of Mrs. Cohen and Mrs. Kelly, respectively. Mary Philbin, Conrad Veidt and Fred MacKaye in scenes from the Laemmle Special. 1 1 T) R O A D W A Y,” which had its western premiere at the Biltmore Theatre in Los Angeles, is duplicating there the success of its current New York run at the Globe Theatre. Enthusiastic newspaper reviews and new boxoffice records greeted the first showing of this Carl Laemmle, Jr. production, which was directed by Paul Fejos.