Screen Stars and Films

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 43, 20 February 1926, Page 28

Screen Stars and Films

Norma Talmadge already is in the production of "Kiki," her next Joseph M. Sehpnck production, from the Belasco stage hit. An excellent combination of comedians keeps the fun ball rolling in Reginald Denny's latest picture. ''Where Was IV In addition to the irrepressible star is Lee M,oran and Chester Conklin. Cancelling all previous instructions, the title "Lorraine of the Loins'' will not be changed. This Universal Jewel picture, written by Isidore Bernstein and Carl Krusafa, will be released under its original title. Norman Kerry is the star and Patsy Ruth Miller the featured player. "The Far Cry." which Balboni directed for First National is completed and in the hands of ilic> studio cutters and titling heads. Blanche Sweet and Jack Mulhall enacted the loading roles in the production, said \o be one of the most colourful on the new First National release schedule. Co-opcrntion of two European Governments hr.s been obtained by James f'rnze in the filming of "Old Ironsides," for Paramount. Cnizn, who is in Paris with his wife, Betty Compßon. has cnhled that the French anrl Italian <>overnmpnts have placed much valuable historical data at his disposal. The American Navy already is co-operating with Cruze and the Paramount organisation.

Ralph Spence is writing for "Too Much Money," which John Francis Dillon recently completed in New York for First National under the supervision of Earl Hudson. Lewis Stone ami Anna Q. Nilsson have the featured roles. Esther Ralston, who won instant fame as Mrs. Darling in "Peter Pan," is now j in real life Mrs. George W. Frey. The "wedding ceremony was performed a short time ago at the Riverside Mission Inn, New York, with Mary Brian as maid of honour and Keil Hamilton the best man. The groom is known in motion picture circles. Miss Ralston's marriage will not interfere with her work in pictures. She is under contract to Paramount, and after a short honeymoon the couple will return to Hollywood, where Miss Ralston is scheduled to play a featured role in Victor Fleming's production of "The Blind Goddess." What promises to-be some of the most magnificently colourful scenes ever shown on the screen, have been completed at the West Coast studios of First National Pictures for "Irene" in which Colleen Moore is being starred. These scenes are made in colour and comprise fashion episodes in the story enacted by a company of beautiful young women in lavish costumes indicative of the four seasons.of the year. Many weeks have been spent in perfecting these sequences which will be an outstanding part of the picture. Cora McGeaehy designed the 300 gowns worn, and John D. Schulzewas chief art director for the massive settings used as a background for the seasons.

Headed by Director Sam Wood, the Paramount Junior Stars have gone to Lake Placid, New York, where winter sports scenes for their screen debut picture, "Glorious Yotith," will be filmed. Byron Morgan, author of the story, went along too. Milton Sills. Doris Kenyon, Mac Allison, George Fawcptt, Frank Currier, Director George Archainbaud, and about fifty other lilm players and technical men, returned to New York last week from Birmingham. Alabama, where they have been on location shooting iron mine and steel mill scenes for First National's forthcoming "special, ,, "Men of Steel," in which Sills is starred. Interiors are now being filmed at First National's New York studios. Third Greater Movie Season will be celebrated in the month of March next. All the leading theatres will be participating. A novel feature of the Greater Movie Season this year will bp nn Essay Contest on the subject: "What the Motion Picture means to Our Community." The contest will be open to patrons of -theatres participating in the Greater Movie Season, and also to readers of the newspapers in the various towns that have been selected to conduct the Essay Contest. The essay will require to he of not more than 2;iO words. It is the ideas and information that are wanted, so that a pithy paragraph of fifty words may win the contest. The prize will be a tour of Australia or New Zealand for

the winner, whether he or she live* in Australia or New Zealand. A number of newspapers have already been appointed to conduct the contest, and intending entrants who desire information in advance should eommuieate with Paramount Pictures," Box SSO, AYellington. A great American film combine has been arranged, writes the Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Mail." An agreement lias been signed between the Universum Film .Comnaiiy (Ufa). Germany's greatest film concern, and the Famous Players-Lasky (Berlin) Corporation and the Metro-Golchvyn Distributing Corporation, the two great American film concerns. The Americans grant an immediate loan of 4,000,000 dollars (about £824.000), without discount, but subject to repayment in ten years at 7i per cent. The Ufa undertakes to show the films of the two American companies in its ISO theatres, and the American companies will show Ufa films in the United States and in other countries where they are in a strong nosition. Joint production of films in Germany is provided for, and there is a clan for participation in new theatres. At the same time an agreement for the distribution of films has been made between Ufa and the Universal Picture Corporation. German cinemas have to show at least one homeproduced film for every foreign one included in the programme. The German public regards the news of this combine with anxiety, and fears that it will be in as bad a position as the British public and have unwanted American films thrust upon it.