Variety (April 1921)

_ b*yh MB ^ Friday, April 29, 1921 PICTURES !OAST PRODUCTION LAGS AS SALARY DEADLOCK CONTINUES •1* Studio and Production Work at Low Ebb—Robert- • son-Cole Plant Out for 90 D&y*— Schedule of Current Activities. PA. DUPLICATE LAW FOR CALIFORNIA? Los Angeles, April 27. The general slackness in produc- tion at practically all of the bigger studios in LjDS) Angeles continues. Likewise the wailing and ranting against the producers by the people of the professional colony because of their cutting of salaries goes on, but there is little hope of relief in sight for the players. The pro- ducers, for the greater part, insist that they are either up to schedule or away ahead of releasing dates on production and they are going to wait for money to loosen up before they start producing again. In the mean time, the actors and actresses aie hanging on by their eye teeth and hoping against hope that some- thing will happen to lighten their burdens. There is but one studio that is actually closed down for the time being. That is the Robertson-Cole plant, where, according to official statement, it will be practically 90 days before production begins again. But at the other big celluloid plants work is going on at a slow pace. A further layoff took place at Uni- versal City within a week when an additional half dozen camera men ar;d assistant directors were placed with the 150 odd members of the working staff who went on the re- tired list a fortnight ago. The in- itial saving at the Laemmle plant was $10,000 weekly by the first lay- off and practically another $1,500 was added by the second layoff. At the Universal the explanation is that the plant continued to work at double time during the period when the other studios here were idle earlier in the year. Irving Thalberg, the youthful head of the west coast activities of Uni- versal, is going East in a few days and will be in New York at least three weeks. In the meantime the only work that is going on is the making of six pictures. Of course the big thing at U. still is the Von Strohtim picture, "Foolish* Wives." now in Its fourth week of constant •*night shooting" on the big Monte Carlo set; "Fanny Herself" is a special that is being directed by Tod Browning, while the program pictures in making are "What Can You Expect," which Is being direct- ed by Harry B. Harris, with Gladys Walton starred; "The Gossamer Web,' with Edtih Roberts, directed by King Baggott; "The Shark Mas- ter," with Frank Mayo, directed by Fred I eRoy Granville and the last Harry Carey regular program pic- ture, "Christmas Eve at Pilot Butte," With Jack Ford behind the "boiler horn." Within a week or so Stuart Paton )3 to start on' a new Pris- eilla Dean picture, entitled "Con- flict." Miss Compson's Illness. At the Famous Players-Lasky work on the first Betty Compson picture, "At the End of the World," has been stopped because of the illness of the star. Cecil DeMille la working on a special as yet un- earned; George Melford is directing "The Great Impersonation," with James Kirkwood as the principal Player; Sam Wood Is directing the first Elinor Glyn story, "The Great Moment," with Gloria Swanson as the star and Wallace Reid is on lo- cation doing "The Hell Diggers" r Kthel Clayton "has Just finishes a picture and is now laying off. "Fatty" Arbuckle likewise. Frank O'Connor is on the lot do- ing a picture for Realart, while over at the Realart lot there is a Wanda Hawley production in work at Present. Bebe Daniels, who was re- leased from the Santa Ana jail on Sunday after serving a ten-day sen- tence for speeding, is expected to start work early next week. At Goldwyn there are but three companies working. Will Roger! is b "«y on "A Poor Relation," with Clarence Badger directing; Tom Moore on "Beating the Game," di- rected by Victor Short zingcr, while E. Mason Hopper is in the fourth jveek on "Tin- Glorious Fool." Wal- ikre Worsley has just completed "The Ace of Hearts," while Frank Lloyd left for New York with "The Urim Comedian" company to take the i'm.,1 scene* for that production there. Reginald Barker is supposed LONDON FILM NOTES By IVAN P. GORE to start on a new production in about ten days. The stories in preparation at Goldwyn are "The Christian," by Hall Caine. for which Charles Kenyon is doing the screen version; "Tho Poverty of Riches." an original by LeRoy Scott; "From the Ground Up," by Rupert Hughes; "The Man from Lost River," by Kathcrine Xewlin Burt, which is be- ing adapted by Lambert Hillyer, who will direct it, and a Chinese phantasy which Gouverneur Morris is writing. Fox Has Eight. At the William Fox studios there are eight companies working. Em- mett J. Flynn is starting on a new super special; Charles Giblyn is di- recting William Russell; Lynn Ray- mond handling Tox Mix in "After Your Own Heart"; Howard.Mitchell directing Shirley Mason; Berney Durning with "Buck" Jones in "Honor of the Force"; Philo McCul- lough directing "The Canyon Kid" with Eileen Percy and Edward Sedgwick on "Live Wires" in which Johnny 'Walker and Edna Murphy are co-starred. W. K. Howard, who has been an assistant director on "Buck" Jones' pictures, is to be given an opportunity to direct and will start this week. On the com- edy lot there are five companies working, the directors being Eddie Cline, Jack Blystone, Al. St. John, William Watt and Sinclair. In the last 90 days the work on the Fox lot has been cut tre- mendously in cost, and efficiency and speed are the watchwords there now. Within a week one director on the lot. -working on location shot 101 scenes in a single day. The previ- ous best record was 76 scenes in a day by Carl Harbaugh. These are- record-breaking performances, for the general average that is consid- ered fast work is from 15 to 20 scenes a day. At present the Fox lot is the only one where anything like normal pro- duction is going forward. At the Ince lot, out Culver City way, John Wray is handling "Hail the Woman," but Maurico Tourneur is supposed to start on a new pro- duction in about two weeks and Ince expects to have Douglas Mac- Lean, who has just come back from the east, started in about three weeks. Working on the same lot at present is a Hobart Bosworth pro- duction which is being directed by Rowland Lee. Walsh Alone. On the two big leasing lots there is little or nothing stirring. At Brunton R. A. Walsh is tho only di- rector busy at present. Mary Pick- ford is supposed to start on "Little Lord Fauntelroy" in about 10 days. The Hollywood studios have but Marion Fairfax working at present, but Marshall Neilan is expected back in about three weeks to start work there on a new First National pro- duction. Douglas Fairbanks is busy shooting "The Three Musketeers" and expects to be able to finish the picture in six weeks' time, although this is doubted about the studio. Over at the Mayer lot Edwin Carewe is finishing the Anita Stewart picture, "The Prico of Happiness," pnd the only other activity is the work of the Carter De Haven company which is now leasing there. John Stahl has just finished a production and the Mo- rosco company is idle at this time, having eoihpieted "Ths Hsci l Br os ft* Of course the short subject stu- dios are running along and grinding, ibut not entirely with their usual •speed. At the Christy studio tin- comedy grind goes along full force. At the Selig studios the two-reel Curwood stories being made by Col. Selig and Sam Rork are going for- ward and a screen version of "Th*' Rosary" is to be shortly started. At Special Productions studios the Warners are making three different series of comedies and the Wilnat Hallroom Boys comedies are also working there. Th» i salary question stands jus: about where it was In January, with the exception that some of the "holdouts" are now ready to weaken and take ■ Job whercever they can at whatever price of- fered, while those who have been in the habit of playing bits and atmos- phere are the hardest, hit and a great many actually in want. Proposal Comes Up Before Legislative Committee Sacramento, April 27. With several' amendments pro- posed by the author, the motion picture censorship bill, fathered by Assemblyman R. W. Colburn of San Diego, is expected to come up before the Committee of Public Morals for action any day now. Since the introduction of the bill in the legislature a stiff fight against its passage has prevailed and whether its defeat will be a cer- tainty or not cannot be told until after the Public Morals committee lias given a decision. The proposed amendments would except from censorship films "pure- ly educational, charitable, fraternal or religious purpose by any religious association, fraternal society, li- brary, museum, school or corpora- tion of the first class." The bill proposes appointment by the Governor of a censorship board composed of two men and one wo- man. The chairman would receive an annual salary of $3,000; the vice- chairman, $2,500; and the secretary, $2,400. The .salaries would be paid from fees collected by the board, which would charge $3 for the first inspection of a picture and $1 for each inspection of a duplicate of the picture. The author of the bill asserts that it is a duplicate of the law now in force in Pennsylvania. News from roundabout but reli- able sources tells of tho cutting down in expense at some studios and great changes in personnel. At the Stoll Studios Sam Hardy, the studio manager and brother of Jef- frey Bernard, the managing direc- tor b/m been.erigylfedtu.t.be *eronr struction and is said to be thinking of producing on his own. Work there Is also apparently hindered by the "floor" being overcrowded, and George Ridgewell, who has been out to Switzerland to make some ex- teriors, was hung up for some days because he arrived at his destina- tion without sufficient negative film to carry on. George King, who represented Stoll in America, is the London manager of the "Big Four." The Stoll company now acknowledges that their American affairs were badly muddled. company Is at present on the Ital- ian Riviera making Santa Mar- gharita its headquarters. Marjorie Hume, lent by Famous-Lasky (Brit- ish), plays the title role, and othem in tho cast are Ivo Dawson, who is just back from California, and Nora Hayden. Grang»>r-Bj D ger., „ rP ., »,!■*>,.. making • The Fifth Form at St. Dominic's," one of the best Knglish school stories ever written. "Love Maggie," the Samuelson sequel to the much-discussed and not too nice theatrical or alleged story of theatrical life, film "The Honeyput," is now completed and will shortly be shown to the trade. Peggy Hyland once more plays the heroine and Fred L. Granville Is the producer. 150 DAYS' SENTENCE FOR DISTURBER Syracuse Woman Sent Away for Dropping Capsule. * Syracuse, April 27. For the next 150 days Lena Lein- ward, of 228 Cleveland street, will have occasion to think whether it pays to drop an odorous capsule on the floor of a film house. She is going to serve that time in the Onondaga Penitentiary. Judge Shove ordered' it should be so. One day last week Lena thought she was having a grand time. She threw on the floor of a theatre one of those innocen. looking pink cap- sules with such force it broke. Im- mediately there arose a groan from the gallant 400 patrons. Some thought it was the film on fire, oth- ers weren't sure, but all made a hurried exit. Handkerchiefs and flying skirts were the most con- spicuous. The matinee hero at that time was shooting some score of Indians. Had Lena been caught then and there Sallna street would probably have witnessed a scalping or shoot, ing similar to that on the screen, but Lena wasn't. Syracuse sleuths, however, nabbed Lena and she con- fessed. Despite rumors the Stoll company announces another big program, the pictures all being adaptations from "best sellers." Among them are 'The Four Feathers," "The Broken Road" and "The Truants." by A. E. W. Mason; "The Experiment" and "The Knave of Diamonds," by Ethel M. Doll; "A Dear Fool," by "Arte- mas," in which G. K. Arthur, who appears as Kipps in the Granger- Binger version of H. G. .Wells' novel, will be featured; "Expiation" and "Man and His Kingdom." by E. Phillips Oppenheim; "Downunder Donovan," "The Melody of Death" and "The Four Just Men," by Edgar Wallace; "Half a Truth" and "The Pointing Finger.'" by "Rita"; "The Walls of Chance," by H. G. Wells, featuring O. K. Arthur, and "Frail- ty," by" Olive Wadsley. Also more stories from "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," several of this series being already completed. The principal Stoll producers are George Ridgwell, Rene Plalssetty and Mau- rice Elvey. The film version of George El- liott's "Daniel Deronda" is nearing comprMion and will shortly be shown by Butcher's Service. W. Courtney Rowden is the producer as well as the adaptor, and great care has been taken to reproduce Lon- don life as it was in the sixties. A feature of the production will be the introduction of famous people of the period, including Thomas Car- lyle, Whistler and "George Eliot" herself. These celebrities, however, will be mero 'extras" seen in the scenes which have been made around Chelsea, where they lived. Many of the exteriors have already been made at Venice.* Walter West, not content with di- recting the Broadwest racing films, has now gone in for the genuine article and has made his turf debut with Flying Duck. The horse won its first race the other day at the Wye meeting. In the intervals al- lowed to an owner of race horses Walter West is finishing "The Sportsman's Wife" at Epsom. This is the screen version of an original story which it is hoped will run con- currently with the showing of the picture. Another Broadwest fea- ture under construction is Charles Reade's "Christie Johnstone." Louis Mereanton, the producer of "Mlarka, the Child of the Bear," wa« at one time manager for Sarah Bernhardt, who is now one of his backers, and later for Gaby Delys. He was responsible for the screen debut of Re jane, Jean Richepin (the author of "Miarka"), Ivor Novello and Phyllis Neilson Terry. He has just completed making Anthony Hopes "Phroso" at Cannes. Mal- vina Longfellow plays the title role. The other evening Percy Nash was busy in the restaurant of the Hotel Victory (once known to in- famy as London's chief underworld haunt, the Cafe Europe) making a scene for the British Exhibitors film, "Ships That Pass In the Night," fllmization of Beatrice Harraden's novel. The company included Daisy Markham, Irene Rooke, Joan Kits and Francis Roberts. A full course dinner was served In the early hours of the morning, but six "goes" of soup were necessary before Nash was satisfied with that part of the meal. The Gaumont company has just completed "The Adventuren of Christine McNab." Will Kellino is the producer. The next Granger-Binger film will be an adaptation of May Sinclair's novel, "Kitty Tailleur," the producer being Franklyn A. Richardson. The Sir Phillips Gibbs' story of news- paper land, "The Street of Adven- ture" Is being done for tho screen with Kenelm Foss as the producer. Already a good deal of hlstorlo Fleet street haa been transferred to cellu- loid, including "JTe Olde Cheshire Cheese," which is probably the world's most famous hostelry. The newspaper office interiors will be "shot" on the premises of one of the big daily papers. Great efforts are being made to revive the Alliance Film company. Ernest Reed, late managing director of Fox Films in London, is the new controlling power and Harley Knoles will probably return from America to produce again. Whatever hap- pens, though, it is certain that the firm will never do any good with such features as their last film, "The Door That Has No Key," a picture on a pedestal of its own for nasti- ness. Even "Carnival** is a little fresh in places. Screen Plays, a merger with Brit- ish Exhibitors, who are responsible for the Screen Grand Gulgnol, are at work in their Clapham studios on more one-reel thrillers. Three are being made at the moment: "Icicles of Death," "The Voice from the Dead" and "The Burglar," this last from the pen of that past mas- ter in horror, George R. Sims. It is the intent of Screen Plays to pro- vide one reel of tabloid thrill for every week In the year, Famous-Lasky (BritiGh) are at work on Cosmo Hamilton's "The Princess of New York." Donald Crisp is the producer. SPORTS Continued from Page 11 Artie Root and others. Another good bout will be the Jack Sharkey- Midget Smith return. These little fellows will mingle for the third time. Sharkey's followers claimed Jack should have received the de- cision in their last bout, which was given to Smith. Smith has been improving right along and should give Sharkey a good stiff workout. Eddie O'Dowd. the Columbus fly- Weight, will meet the American-till* holder, Johnny Buff, and Johnny Howard, the Bayonne copper, will have it out with Eddie O'Hare, whoever he Is. The Inst pair are heavyweights. Al Wagner of IMiilly has joined Mickey Curran's string and will be Sn hand Monday night at the 'Jar- en to challenge the winner of the Chaney-Bieger tilt. Wagner re- ceived a newspaper verdict over Chaney last Saturday night at the National A. C. of Philadelphia and is regarded as a comer among the feathers, Morris Kane, the Hurtlg & H-amor. publicity man. is ready to post $10,000 to go as | side bet for a Wagner-Johnny Kilbane bout for the title. Kansas City, April 27. Governor Hyde's veto of the box- Ing bill this week eame hke a bolt out of a clear sky to the lovers of the fistic sport. The bill had been sponsored by the American Legion and passed by both houses of the Legislature. In explaining his ac- tion the Governor said that the bill left the way open to clubs organized for no other purpose than to pro- mote bouts and that tho bill ap- parently was not drawn wholly for the purpose sought, which was to permit the American Legion and National Guard organizations to hold boxing contests. - As wnaa UN* SewtfWor!s action was learned here, Cameron L. Orr, county prosecutor, announced that there would be no more prize fights or boxing exhibitions of any kind in this county. "The boxing matches in the past have been In violation of the law. There have been no prosecutions because no one ob- jected to them. In the future, how- ever, tli" law is going to be en- forced" he said, "and arrests will follow any attempt to stage such exhibitions." Mr. Orr is a member of the American Legion and >\>- dared he enjoyed a hKht as well as anyone, l.ut as long as th- l.iw pro hi bits them there would be none, In contrast to Mr. Orr's decision regarding th<- game here, word comes from St. Louis that the Gov- ernor's action will li.iv bit. little • ffect on th<- game In that < ity. It in claimed thai eight-round, no de- cision affair* have i>« i n popular there with the consent of the county attorney and the chief of police, and that they will be continued. The word from St. Louis says: "Fortun- ately the police chief, the president of the board and the prosecuting attorney are fistic fans and never miss a bout." At the opening of the baseball season at Atlanta, Doraldlna, who was making personal appearances locally with Iter film, appeared in the uniform of the Atlanta club, throwing the first ball on the field. Christy Mathewson is not almost well, as was reported from Saranac Lake last week. His doctors say that he is making slow but sure progress and that they expect to re- store him to health in time, but he is still very weak. The story was the wish being father to the thought. Edward H Benny" Beaver, a football, basketball and baseball star at Union College a few years ago, died at Raybrook last week after a long illness. Beaver was our- of th- greatest athletes ever developed at the Up-State colleg. . Il« and his brother were the Beav- er twins," who created a sensation on the basketball courts throughout the country. The deceased, who was .. member of the Ulf class at In ion, contra* ted the disease Which r< suited in his death -oom *4u im< roller* ••