Wid's weekly (Jan-Oct 1925)

Wid’s Information About the Movies and Hollywood Movie People Already Is Paid Tribute by Scores of American Newspaper Publishers Who Present “Wid Tells” and “Behind the Screen” to Their Readers as Coming from the “Movie Authority.” Hollywood, June. — Big chief Jim Cruze is on the warpath. The noted Paramount director, cre¬ ator of “The Covered Wagon,” is go¬ ing to make the western of westerns — “The Pony Express.” This is scheduled to be not only THE epic of the wide open spaces, but also an answer to the detractors who have been hailing each succeeding imi¬ tation of the original ‘‘Covered Wagon” as being “as good as” or “rival to” or even “greater than” the Cruze masterpiece. Already two other companies have thrown their gauntlets into the movie arena with announcements that they are to make “pony expresses.” Meanwhile Jimmy is cruising about the west absorbing atmosphere and gathering lore for the picture. It is to be a melodramatic thriller of the first water. Cruze has proved himself the direc¬ torial ace at the Lasky lot. He not only has made such pictures as “One Glorious Day,” the Will Rogers classic, and “The Beggar on Horseback,” the fantasy now being released, but also has exhibited his versatility in han¬ dling a great variety of subjects in commercially successful fashion. HARD WORK, thy name is Woman. June Mathis is the movie exem¬ plar of unrelenting toil. Her Boswell, Harry Wilson, enthusi¬ astically relates that Miss Mathis is working on three scenarios simulta¬ neously. They are the stories for her own production of “Viennese Medley,” which Kurt Rehfeld will direct; “The Sea Woman,” an Edwin Carewe production-to-be, and “Joseph Greer and His Daughter,” in which Lew Stone will be seen. Miss Mathis is head of the scenario staff of First National, and in addition is to supervise a production unit of her own, according to our informant. She currently is required to put her okay on every step of production of First National pictures made in Holly¬ wood, passing upon the daily “rushes” (scenes made the preceding day), con¬ sulting with directors relative to the hiring of players, and supervising the editing of the completed picture. In addition to all this Miss Mathis proudly declares she is "a home woman.” She is married to Silvano Balboni, the highly capable movie pho¬ tographer who, we learn, is this week quitting camera work for an execu¬ tive desk. TITO SCHIPA was the guest of honor of the Noah Beery home t’other night. Tito, you probably know, is the great tenor star of the Chicago Grand Opera Company. Tito is a great friend of Noah, who takes the singer to the Hollywood Le¬ gion Club’s boxing matches whenever he is in town. I expected a musical evening, for not only is Schipa one of our leading artists, but Noah was an operatic basso before he became a movie star. Nothing doing, however. Tito had just come from the hospital, where he had undergone a minor operation on the nose, and Noah “just wouldn’t.” Tito offered us records of his voice, but I declined. I told him I had one. The evening was given over to movie gossip. Tito is an ardent fan, espe¬ cially since brother Carlo is in the movies. He was the cabaret violinist with Colleen Moore in “Sally,” and just played a part with Mary Pickford in “Annie Rooney.” A GREAT movie star has passed on. He was one of the movie “intel¬ ligentsia” and a popular player. Many directors and stars attended the funeral, which was sponsored by Mack Sennett and Jackie Coogan. The star was Teddy, the Great Dane. He was only a dog — but how he amused and thrilled us! His passing inspired the tribute of tears and many flowers. ELEVEN months ago a bright little girl of 15 summers came to Holly¬ wood from Oklahoma with her mother. They haunted the studios for a long time in search of Opportunity. The “kid” was movie-struck. She was Mary Brian. They “came in” when Betty Bronson got her chance. Jesse L. Lasky was the discoverer. Mary played Wendy in “Peter Pan.” Then she accompanied her mother to the New York studio of the Paramount company on her first trip to New York. Mary Brian has returned to Holly¬ wood now a “featured player.” She played the title role in “The Little French Girl,” and also had a prominent part in “The Street of For¬ gotten Men.” Mary has “arrived.” Who says the age of miracles is passed? Mary wants to know. "LADDIE GRIBBON has contracted to be a burglar for seven days. Don’t send for the police. It’s only in fun — for the movies. Eddie has joined the corps of funny fellows who have quit making come¬ dies to play “comedy relief” in fea¬ ture-length pictures. “Seven Days” is the title of a new picture Al and Charles Christie are producing. Eddie Gribbon plays the role of a burglar in it. Scott Sidney is directing. MARSHALL NEILAN, who has de¬ parted from the Metro-GoldwynMayer studio to make an independent picture, still maintains his contact with the M.G.M. lot. He’s going back when he finishes “Skyrocket” with Peggy Hopkins-Joyce-Morner, but meanwhile has sold his former bosses a story. It is a typical Neilan yarn called “Ups and Downs.” HERE’S a girl that “knows her onions.” Eleanor Boardman refuses to cut her hair. She remains the sole Holly¬ wood star still wearing “woman’s crowning glory,” since Evelyn Brent “did the deed” a fortnight ago. “It’s not that I wouldn’t, but that I shouldn’t,” said Eleanor, quite sensibly considering “to bob or not to bob” from the business viewpoint. “I real¬ ize I'm not the type of girl who looks best with clipped locks — so let ’em grow! ” Miss Boardman is playing the lead in Elinor Glyn’s “The Only Thing.” WHAT Price — Kate! Kate Price is the busiest woman on the Universal lot. She’s playing Laura LaPlante’s mother in “Doubling for Cupid.” Anybody having com¬ merce with Cupid should be busy enough. But Miss Price also is work¬ ing in the final sequences of Clarence Brown’s “The Goose Woman.” Kate’s got another job, too. She’s writing a scenario. LAURA JEAN LIBBEY. It’s a name to conjure with. Take that plus the title of “A Poor Girl’s Romance.” Put the combination in lights in front of a movie theater. Want to see the picture? Bet you do! B. F. Fineman, who is going to pro¬ duce this and other Libbey stories, is betting the same way. In two weeks he is going to start production of a series of Libbey heartthrob yarns calculated to open the tear-ducts of the susceptible nation. DOUG AND MARY are going to keep right on working. “Don Q” and “Annie Rooney” already are en route to New York. They will be shown on Broadway this summer. Now Doug is going to make “The Black Pirate,” while Mary will star in “Scraps,” similar in type to “Annie.” William Beaudine will continue to di¬ rect Mary, being retained to make “Scraps.” IT IS REPORTED that Adolph* Menjou, happier amid the earlySummer tulips of the Bois in Paris than among the competitive bullrushes of Hollywood, has harkened to amicable words emanating from Mes¬ sieurs Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky. “Mr. Menjou,” is the quiet word from a reliable informant, “will return to the studio after enjoying a well-earned but brief vacation.” It seems that Menjou will play “The King” in the play of that name, after all. The king has done no wrong, ac¬ cording to the feeling here, and the debonair Adolphe will be welcomed home with the usual fanfare of wel¬ kin and publicity.