Evening Star Newspaper, March 28, 1926, Page 61

& DOLORES | COSTRLLO Strand GLORIA N SWANON Columbia /7 News gncl Comment By W.H. Landumgt. UST as the earth is about to take on new life and the trecs and plants to show their frail beauty the r ®alar theatrical season takes a notion to die, and the movie, from force of example, follows suit. Latterly, howev: people who like to be amused even when the weather gets warm, and last year the picture industry, quick to take the hint, let loose a number of its Is with excellent results. the movie has discovered that there are a lot of extraordinary superspe tom to save big productions for the when §t the seckers indoors, but somebody discovered it was a mistake to do so. Con- the finer productions were more evenly distributed throughout the year. Tt is still the practice with the very big and costly productions to hold them for “road showing” in the legitimate theaters, where higher ion may be charged, in the hope of gatheringsthe dollars regular season,” meaning the time was certain sequent], prices of admis in large quantities quickly. policy, and these extraordinary pictures will furnish the headlines for the picture houses instead of the theater oi spoken plays, where they do not belong. The movie owes it to itself to put its best foot forward in its own theaters, and when it learns also that the practice of reserving seats will be one of the most popular moves taken in many years by exhibitors cverybody ought to be happy, and the movie most of all. ECIL B. DE MILLE fame 1 fortune in motion pictures;: in- deed, today he is accounted among the bloated bondholders of the ndustry. Cecil did this with the touch of his artistic genius in produc- ng pictures that made people talk, and talk much, in praise, not in con- mnation. Cecil now lets it be understood that his forthcoming picture, The Volga Boatman,” is his very best, and that it will unquestionably establish Elinor Fair and William Boyd as brilliant luminaries in the film ‘he picture is constructed against the background of the sian revolution and presents a remarkable love story, with a musical embellishinent prepared by Dr. Hugo Reisenfeld, whose fame as a composer and as a 'musical director ranks high. It is scheduled for a metropolitan premier April 12, in the Times Square Theater, New York, where doubtless the movie predilection for “presentations” will be mani- fested in the claborate prologue which is being prepared for the occasion. The Volga Boatmen’s Song.” vocally and instrumentally, has had a great vogue in this country, and naturally the picture bearing the same name with it in the matter of publicity. * has wor firmament. spectacular Ru ought to have a great st B‘UT Mr. de Mille has been busy in other directions as well. He has been conducting a prize contest for a popular movie theme. News comes from his office that the Northern European countries have responded to the call in an unusual manner, and that it has been necessary to employ linguists to translate into glish the suggestions received from Nor- wegian, Swedish, French, Flemish, Dutch, German and Polish sources. The great majority of suggsstions, it is stated, seem to run to Bible themes, although the national heroes of each country are not overlooked. The person who offers the best suggestion will receive $1.000, and $1,000 additional will be awarded to those who suggest the next best themes. < sk UR own Strand Theater in Washington is out with a bid for distinc- tion. Advance notices sa Faster weck, an innovatiou costing a great deal of money is to be intro- duced by which the picture will be shortened in its screen presentation to | give way to a thrilling horse race for its denouement in which noted race horses and jockeys will be introduced to add to the realism of the story. This is a new trick in the movies, that of supplying the real thing instead of the shadow. Tt isn't at they call a “presentation,” for presentations usually take the form of atmospheric prologues. "This is to be a realistic climax that will, in part at least, supplant the picture itself. Taken in connection with the wiggling Gilda Gray last week, it looks as if the picture exhibitors imagine some pictures, at least, need vaudeville to bolster them up. The movie scems to have trouble in keeping out of other com- pany, a good thing for it to do, if it is to reach its highest possibilitics. UT who c the public will make of the movie before it gets through wi . “The Flaming Frontier,” one of the newest spec- tacular, historical films announced, according to a recent modest little news note, has had its premier in New York deferred a week because the popular demand for “The Cohens and Kellys” was so great in the theater where it was to be shown. What clearer evidence is needed to prove that it is the public, not the producers, who dominate when there is a question as to what the public wants It is the people who make the movie, as they do the world, good or bad, and if the people want certain kinds of pictures they are going to get them, but probably not always precisely as they like them best, because principle sometimes must overrule even the ple, especially if they get reckless or forgetful. This, however, is not v any means a reason for censorship beyond that exercised in all matters affecting public moral IME was when Otis Harlan was one of the greatest laughmakers in the theater, and when the stage had nothing more enjoyable to offer in the way of an evening of laughing entertainment than Charles Hoyt's delightful sati Hoyt and his plays are rarely, if ever, mentioned in these g and a brief story, adorned with the saddest of pictures, brings the startling intelligence that Otis Harlan, who.broke into the theater as Littte Willie in “East Lynne” and who was one of the bright, particular comedians of the Hoyt musical plays, is plugging along in the films as Zach Little in “Three Bad Men,” the Fox film narrative of Western pioneer days. HE roster of screen players of today contains many names that had their brief day of fame in connection with the theater. Few, if any, of their owners secem to shine very brilliantly in the motion pictures. There may be many reasons for this, the favorite being that they do not screen w An important one, however, is that directors of the screen like to boss their pictures and their players. This is one of the big evils of the movies today. and this, combined with the viewpoint, let us call it, of the scenarist and continuity writer, are the reasons why so many of the ordinary run of pictures, not the specials, nor the superspecials, but the average pictures that are shown day in-and day out, are of the stock pattern, as if all were poured into the same mold. Tt is a perilous matter to clear out the cook and her helpers and expect the home to go on as before, but there ought t6 be some way, not of clearing out the gifted nd experienced talent at present employed in these lines, but of shaking em up into a new combination of ideas. It would help very much to yelieve a monotony that is going to affect the box office sooner or later. 1t had been the cus- | cold weather outdoors would drive amusement | This, too, ultimately will be found a mistaken | - that in presenting “The King of the Turi”| Deserved Recognition. | H.\l{[{l ) HAWLEY LOCHER, di rector of the public service and | educational department of the Cran- | dall Theaters, leaves Washington to day for Fndianapolis, at the behe {of the Will H. nization, address the Hoos known the Indianapolis Indorsers of Photo- | plays. From Indianapolis, Mrs. Locher will journey to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she ‘will be héard by the Council of ) | Better Films. to Gomed el s asatkt. **RETURNED unopened and un- read, with our cordial thanks. These words are the unfailing re | sponse which accompanies the rejec | tion of manuscripts submitted to Har- ry Langdon. “The chief reason for this policy, Langdon says, “is that 60 per cent of | most any comedy develops right on | the set. “Of course, T have a main ide: sketch the story as completely | sible, but it never fails as we go along with production to develop new angles and tw Most of the laughs de- velop spontaneously on the set, and I have five ‘gag’ men originating busi- ness as we go along. “Have & story outline, put the come- dian in make-up and a certain atmos- phere, start the cameras, and, before you are through, you have a better comedy than any which may have been painstakingly plotted in advance. Above all things comedy must be spon- taneous, and it can never be so if in- tricate specifications and blue prints are to be relied upon. That is my theory” Gloria on Steps. LORIA SWANSON doesn’t think the Charleston is so much. As & matter of fact, she says, some- what loftily, “almost every one can do the Charleston these days or, at least, almost every one thinks he or she can. One finds Charleston dancers every- where. “But can one find a_dancer who can do the ‘off to Buffalo’? And how about the ‘French twist'? And how many can do, or even know, the ‘strut,’ the ‘swinging step,’ the ‘exit step,’ and a lot of others that Miss Swanson has been learning lately and which have s0 intrigued her that she spend spare minutes practicing them Something of Harold Lloyd. AROLD LLOYD'S middle name is Clayton and there are no lenses in the spectacles he wears on the screen. The toss of a coin decided his career. He was once an “extra” and left a certain studio because his salary was | cut from $5 to $3 a day. He is a serious-minded chap off the screen, and he sold popcorn ana papers, ushered, did bits in stock, went to high school and taught in act- ing school all in a day's work. His chief hobby is hand ball. He is a magiclan, chess player, superb all- around athlete, acrobat and specialist in make-up. He blushes easily and people seldom recognize him without his glasse: He is a modest, unassuming, typic: American boy who never thought he'a be_famous. He once played in stock with Frank Bacon, who made the stage character of “Lightnin” famous. He appeared in comedies for seven years before he became a star. His latest comedy Sak mount. test o “For Heaven's is being released by Para- - . | Waring: Pennsylvanians, which | helped launch Harold Lloyd's ‘The Freshman” at the Sid Grauman Thea- ter and stirring up audiences for three months at other California. theaters, are back in the Bast and will soon re- turn to Crandall’'s Metropolitan, the high site of their popularity. b/ flouse. /' DPLETERS o e Tom Moore S - TLORENCE ~ VIDOR Tiucolrn | tion | | | | mini ConwAY TRARLL | TORRENCE. - Ambassador pho;coplas;s 7 At the Photoplay Houses This Week. PALACI evening. METROPOLITAN—"The Dancer and evening. | RIALTO—“Combat.” Shown this COLUMBIA—*“The Untamed Lady ning. TIVOLI—“The Grand Duchess and the Waiter noon and evening. AMBASSADOR—"“The Dancer of Paris. evening. c Miss Brewster’s Millions.” k afternoan and . T}us \;V (S1S] Shown thi Shown this afternoon of Pari afternoon and eve ing. Shown this afternoon and eve Shown this after- Shown this afternoon and NTRAL—"Borrowed Finery.” Skown this afternoon and evening. LINCOLN (Colored)—“Just Suppose.” Shown this afternoon and evening. L S METROPOLITAN—"The Dancer of Paris. ““The Dancer of Pari: a love story | of Paris, the first of the Michael Arlen stories to reach the screen, will be the First National attraction at Crandall’s Metropolitan Theater this week, begin- ning this afternoon, with Dorothy Mackaill in the title role and Conway Tearle in the stellar male part. Robert Cain, leads the supporting cast So unusual is “The Dancer of Paris” in development and denouement and so faithfully does it preserve the unique Arlen “flavor” that extraordinary care has been exercised in the selection of the subsidiaries of the bill, which will | include the TFox two-reeler, “His Own Lawyer,” of the “Helen and Warren” series; the Metropolitan World Survey, and the Pathe Review. “The Dancer of Parls” sets forth the divergent viewpoints of two young men—one an Englishman, the other an American—with regard to the love of a beautiful American dancer, whose attitude is frankly spiteful toward Sir Roy Martgl, and for good reason, Consuelo Deane, the dancer, decides to make Sir Roy sorry by banning him from her company, although permit- ting him to see her in the arms of other men. The strain proves too much for the neurasthenic nobleman. The orchestra will offer Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours” from the opera “La_Gloconda”; “The Palms” as a trumpet solo by Michaux Crump, and an interpretative accompaniment of “The Dancer of Parls,” suggesting “Remember.” and “Some One Loves You After AllL” from “Kid Boots,” for the exit march. PALACE—“Miss Millions One of the vivid, colorful screen comedies of the 1925-26 season will be revealed at Loew's Palace this weelk, stutmwis afternoon, in “Miss Brewster's Millions,” a Clarence rewster’s | doors, Badger production featuring Bebe D tyle dispia; Brewste) for niels Paramount, and a gor- Millions™ as a “feminization” of George Barr McCutcheon stor Winchell Smith play. Miss Daniels is supported by Warner Baxter, Ford terling, Andre Beranger and Miss Beresford _Miss Daniels has the role of a New York miss of the present who longs to exchange a table at Childs' for one at the Ritz and who equally longs for Fifth avenue gowns to replace her own sartorial creations. While deep in such broodings, she learns that she “has fallen heir to a mil- lion dollars left her by an uncle, and she i3 promised five millions more by another uncle if she will spend her inheritance in 90 days. Miss Brewster promptly sets out to spend something “over $11,000 a day, Sundays included, while the mil- lion lasts. In'the process she makes New York, Paris, Monte Carlo and way stations sit up and take notice, and just as she succeeds she learns to her horror that the uncle who promised her the five millions has lost all his money in the stock market. A Sennett comedy, “From Rags to Breeches”; the Pathe news reel, Topies of the Day and orchestral musie will be added attractions. G RIALTO—"“Combat."” House Peters in “Combat,” the photoplay attraction at the Rialto this is a drama of the great out- jammed with rapid action, a forest fire and a raging tor- week, fight rent. It shows iife in the lumber camp: and through it runs a romance be- tween the star and Wanda Hawley, with a rough gang of lumberjacks furnishing Interesting atmosphere. ‘Walter McGrail plays the role of Meiropol it | World's Greatest Studios. Tlll(\'_\l)(? fires, earthqualkes, floods and even war may be man tured at will within the confines | the new First National stud Burbank, Calif., which are to cost more than $1,500,000 when completed There will be some 40 structures, | sording to Richard Rowland. | i manager of the company. | novel and useful features will include | Trackless trains for the hauling of | | materials, as well as of players and | | workmen from one stage to the oth {a glant water tower and an unusual pool wherein a storm may be filmed and depth bombs utilized for water explosions; a special sawdust receiver which reflects heat in a vast area, making a combination heater and in. | cinerator, and a lighting switchboard | .capable of handling 30,000 volts: 10 | stages. occupying 35,000 square fee each, will be available, and & generatc six huge generators, and a flow of 1 modern film pre- | per minute n be used fo views, regulation size screen portrait galleries with expert opera. stors for the stars and playvers; an individually owned transportation bus stem, connecting with all car lines into the city of Los Angeles and Hollywood and surrounding _towns; round wiring, ground level saving lifting and waste of paved streets leading to main of every bullding on the cilities for cleaning stages enes within a few minutes’ | time, and many other special arrange- | { ments suggested by exper- | time entrance | property: vears of | the weakling. and C. E. Anderson aids in the staging of several figh The presentation on the stage, ar- ranged by Mischa Guterson, features the winner of the Gilda Gray-Wash- ington Times Charleston contest in a special act. Marle MacQuarrie, harp soloist, and Stella Hymson, lyric so- prano, are aiso featured. The Sunday Rialto Orchestra concert will be given today, with an ensemble of 40 musicians, | under Mischa Guterson, starting at 2 p.m., preceding the regular perform- ance. The overture for week days will be “Zampa" (Herold). An “Our Gang” comedy entitled | | “One Wild Ride,” and the Interna- tional News conclude the program. COLUMBIA—“The Untamed Lady.” Gloria Swanson will continue as the | picture star at Loew's Columbia Theater this week, starting this after- noon, in. “The Untamed Lady,” by Fannie Hurst, which began its first local engagement a week ago. “The Untamed Lady” is a picturiza- tion by Frank Tuttle of on original story by Fannie Hurst, author of “Humoresque” and “Mannequin.” Lawrence Gray, who appeared op- posite Miss Swanson in “‘Stage Struck,” again appears as her leading man in the role of a modern Petruchio, who tamed the fiery-tempered daughter of millions who had previously broken three matrimonial engagements and who was believed to be incorrigible from a. temperamental standpoint. The pleture has a number of “high lights.” & A Lige Conley comedy, “Light Housekeeping”; the International newsreel and Brusilof's musical pro- gram are other features. “The Grand Duchess and the Waiter.” Florence Vidor and Adolphe Men- jou will be seen at Crandall's Tivoli Theater the first two days of this week in the leading roles of Para- mount’s production 'he Grand Duch; and the Waiter,” a comedy of a rich philanderer who took em- ployment as a waiter in a Paris res- taurant in order to be near and win a haughty but beautiful member of ‘mphony | of the poetry, which i | ola | tle,” says Ben Lyon, the nobility. It was written by Al- (Continued on Fourth Page.) Bepe DANIELS : Palaa?/ Fillne lmog grams. fully selected p to be known novies.” have distributors of recent for 1 ity arr res Vs 1a nged and according 1o the Will 1 and morniy the picture Ame announcement | Hays offices i According 1o a picture activities in the motion picture shows operated by (he ment was 4.8 cent report o the nda War 000 Tast year The use of urday m hod of p motion pictt eventing | i has heen proposed by 1 of all der who met recently in ading ations in Brookl ference gatheri man, president of the of Churches of Mor 1. Bedford, Rabbi Louis D. ( Rev. John Howard Mellish, Mons! Francis J. O'Hara and Rabbi Alex ander Lyons, arks ( Fede Both John Barrymor Hampden agree that still a drawing power in America ot via the scres to which, Barrymor “the spl T oa tself is d ind kespeare is ut ¥s s not trans- of the highest mutable.” type Col b jctures s has been eum of its r relics that from time to time tures, up a tions of Dot D. W. Griffith Famous Players reports, connection with of friction with 1 partment due to h ting started on picturs time preparing to start Starts be goes ¢ amount e production but when he to be pictured in | from the story by Brooke Hanlon then in “Tw jurke's story. June Mathis, who ser pital, following a al fon, and who was expected to return to Hollywood the end of this month with the script for her production for First National, as a sociate producer, until now has a dancer, an actress, en writer, an editorial director now is to become a producer inkle T Thom: is 1sly md Francis Dillor Youth,” “The per” and “We- Moderns,” has signed by First National and direct “Don Juan’s Three Nights.” John “Flaming Perfect Cora McGeachy, who designs gowns for First National pictures, is quoted with saying, “A woman will don a riding habit when she thinks a bridle has something to do with a bride, and she will wear knickerbockers when she thinks golf links are a new kind of cuffbutton, but when it com wedding gown she knows the r and means business.” The motion pleture out other forms of entertainm Navy, according to a_stati on presented to Congress | 1 Shoemake f Navigation. ¢ A has learned that the “better pictur policy of Will H. Hays' office needs and deserves constructive support, according to Mrs. Thomas A. M Goldrick, chalrman of the department | of literature of Federation. the International MWord has been received that Do- lores Costello has again been selected to play the leading feminine role oppo- site John Barrymore in his third War- ner Bros. production, for which Bess Meredyth is completing the script. Harold Grieve, who made the by tiful interfors for Ernest Lubi production of “Lady Windermere's Fan,” will be borrowed from Marshall Neflan to assume charge of the art direction of “Le Reveillon.” Four big productions are at present in the cutting room at the Warner's | West Coast studios— "Why Girls Go Back Home,” and “Hell Bent Fer Heaven,” featuring Patsy Ruth Miller; “The Hero of the Big Snows.” starring RIn-Tin-Tin; and “Silken Shackles,” Irene Rich's latest. “The Passionate Quest,” “Broken Hearts of Holly wood,” “The Soclal Highwayman, and “The Footloose Widow! remaining productions on the schedule. present “It is a hard and discouraging bat but if you have the courage and the ability yvou will get there. to start as an extra unless they have both these qualities and enough money to_keep going when there is no work to’be had. But when people say ex- 1l Council | il | who divected | been | will | . chief of the Bureau | I would not advise any one | B: 1 < been {1l since M to reling Swanson’s Mann and M Walter | ma | He takes his | Represent Missouri rests up written decl ment to establish it | the conscier and requires n atutory enac 1s binding upe ind conduct of men Forty-three experts have to begin the and techniea te + Island construction of old Trip olf, city of a_ thousand terrors, to he used in the filmir f James Cruze's film epic, “Old Ironsides.” The city will be built according to old engrat ings and wood cuts. to conform witl the real ‘iripoli as it was in 1504 The .1 disciple ucing on a lavish scale signed to Ivan Lebedeff, mer long 1 Russian nobility | refugee from soviet Russia Dot visit for a wee she would not have s she was due nd March 20. ture, thy G miles ian Gis Otherwise her for a to safl for Eng Miss Gish's latest pic Nell Gwynn,” made under cor tract with the British National Pict tures, Ltd., will be released by F mount this Fall. In England | Gish will make three features, them “Mmie. Pompadour. seen Mis- one of 500 represe ramount Company uth and the West, a City last week for Paramount’s se: international convention of dis nd branch managers, salesmen T " sales representatives, ex ploitation men, foreign representatives and members of home office depart | ments, to discuss company policies | the new season’s product and the for eign situation At a banquet las | night, Otto Kahn, Senator Capper an: | D W’ Griffith were speaking guests | ht men and eight girls, afte: [ eight months in the movies without 4 | cent of salary, have had that “grand and glorious feeling” fellowing the payment of a vegular salary v were the Paramount junior tars, who under the terms of T | mount contracts awarded them ut the | graduation exercises of the Paramount | Picture School, faced the cashier's { window at the Paramount Long I[sland {studio. No one was absent, no one was even tardy tatives from th rived in Atlay et Josephine Dunn and Jack Luden Paramount junior stars, and George Gurrie, prineipal of the amount Pictures School, are to appear in “Tt's the Old Army Game,” W. C. Flelds' |6 & picture. and which_the roupe is now filming in Flor producer-dir ert W. Service's which is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, offers | an opportunity to make an epie truly | international. e ins that “The |Covered Wagon.” “The Pony E: |and “The Vanishing Am !only with phuses of Amer’ stor: (Continued 'on Thirteenth Page)