Universal Weekly (1920, 1923-27)

I ‘Published Weekly by the MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY PUBLISHING CO. 1600 Broadway NEK) YORK CITY A MAGAZINE' for MOTION PICTUREE-XHIBITORS PAUL GULICKp EDITOR Copyright, 1Q24 UNIVERSAL PICTURES COM -All Rights Reserved— Universal Weekly has the Largest Exhibitor Circulation of any JEagazine in the Field Vol. XIX AUGUST 2, 1924 No. 25 UNIVERSAL MOVIEGRAMS “No Bobbed Hair” Order Qiven by Rupert Julian Wigs and HairGrowing Formulas May Be Required to Augment Diminishing Ranks of Natural Hair Wearers in California When Director Casts “The Phantom of the Opera” at Universal City. IMMEDIATELY upon completion of the first ten pictures of his milliondollar contract with Carl Laemmle, Jack Dempsey will leave Universal City for a personal appearance tour of all the principal cities. His appearances will, for the most part, be made in the theatres showing his “Fight and Win” series. An act is being written for him in which his leading lady and Jack Kearns, his manager, will also take part. AIRPLANE mail is going to do a great deal to eliminate one of the greatest difficulties of the moving picture business, viz., the 3,000 miles which separate Universal City from New York City. For instance, “K — The Unknown” is slated for a big run in a Broadway legitimate house in New York. In order to adequately prepare for it, it is necessary that the print be in New York on Monday. It will leave the coast Saturday and, barring accidents, will be at its destination on schedule time. WILLIAM DESMOND has started production, under the direction of Arthur Rosson, in “Ridin’ Pretty,” a western drama in which he will be supported by Ann Forrest and Billy Sullivan, as well as the famous Universal Ranch Riders. THE first picture that Edward Sloman has made at Universal City since the “Under the Crescent” series, with Princess Hassan ( and that was about ten years ago), has been completed. Its studio title of “Clinging Fingers” has been changed to “The Price of Pleasure.” Virginia Valli is the star. THE first blow at bobbed hair has been struck by Rupert Julian. And so scarce are twelve months’ contracts in big pictures that several hundred extra girls are scurrying around for certain formulas for sure methods of growing a head of hair inside of two months, or making wigs out of tresses which were shorn from them by the wily bobbing barbers. It has all come about through Rupert Julian’s edict that no bobbed heads can be among the crowds of Parisiennes he will choose for the big-crowd scenes in his forthcoming production of Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera” at Universal City, which, with Lon Chaney as the star, is to be produced as the successor in magnitude to “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The great opera house scenes, the carnival of maskers, and other spectacular details of the story will require several hundred pretty girls to appear in elaborate gowns. The lucky ones will have nearly a year’s work in the pictures. But — they all have to have long hair! “In France aristocratic girls, such as would be in the gay opera crowds, don’t bob their hair,” says Julian. “One sees bobbed hair only among the grisettes in the cafes in the Quartier Latin; among the Bohemians and Apaches. A girl with bobbed hair in the Paris Opera would be as out of place as a bartender in a W. C. T. U. convention. “But in Hollywood the craze for bobbed hair has smitten most of the girls who get extra work about the studios. Out of dozens to whom I have talked, I have found only two with long hair, and several otherwise competent and charming actresses are unavailable for my purpose through the same thing — bobbed hair. “Of course, there are still actresses — principals, I mean — who haven’t succumbed to the fad. Mary Philbin is one — sensible girl — and Charlotte Stevens is another. And I could mention others. But among the extras it’s very different. The flapper craze has submerged them. “Most of the girls I’ve talked to have asked me to keep them on the list while ( Concluded on Page 40) NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS BEEN SENT TO NEWSPAPERS IN MORE THAN SIX HUNDRED CITIES. TAKE IT TO THE EDITOR OF YOUR PAPER; IT WILL PROVE USEFUL WHEN YOU RUN ANY OF THE PICTURES MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE.