Motion Picture News.

Gisborne Times, Volume L, Issue 5125, 18 March 1919, Page 3

Motion Picture News.

By The Movie Fan

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

: H.J.P. —Your note arrived too las to allow inquiries to be made fi insertion in this week’s issu The information asked for, as yc say, has no connection with picture and may necessitate communicatic with Australia. In any case, tl | answer will bo supplied as soon : | possible. M.L.R. —There is no recognised scho in New Zealand for teaching one i become a kinema operator. Yoi best course is to communicatt with the manager of one of the loc: picture theatres, and I have r doubt satisfactory arrangemew j could be made. Wages run froi £5 or £6 a week in the bi, ! centres to £3 or £3 10s m tl | country townships- ! D. W. Griffith’s masterpiece I “Hearts of the World” will 1 ; screened at the- Opera House on Apr 3,4, and 5. !* * * ) It is said' that Olive Thomas wi probably accept an offer she has ha to star on the stage in the Zeigfel i “Follies.” ** * I World Film Corporation has loanc i Louise Huff to Paramount to take j lead in the John Emerson —And j Loos production, “When the Boj j Come Home.” J , After two years absence from tl screen, Jane Acker, an actress < i considerable ability, lias returned c 1 support of George Walsh in his ne i Fox film “Tough Luck Jones.” j* * * j Representatives of religious bodie > in St. Louis have protested to the at j thorities against Theda Bara’s lack c j attire in the Fox film “Salome,” an 1 wish to have the. film suppressed. I* * * In the picture - shows run ini mediately behind the American line lon the Western front, William £ ! Hart was the favorite, with Dougla Fairbanks second. Among the woni | en, Mary Pickford led easily. Vam | pires were not popular. , | Mabel Normand received an unusua | crnnnliment last month, when thte> hundred movie' fans in Sing kin! | prison, New York, to whom her lates | picture “Mickey” had been screened ] forwarded the popular . screen, artisj tlreir opinions, all of which, needles: | to say, were highly eulogistic. j » * Herbert Brenon has completed tb propaganda picture which he made fo the British Government under tin ! auspices of the Minister of Informa ! tion, Lord Beavftrbroojc, and has re ’ turned to America. The Brenon pro duction will be shown in Lonclor shortly. *- * * Bayard Veiller’s uncanny play “The Thirteenth Chair,” staged a few months ago throughout the Dominion with Margaret Wyclierly (Mrs Bayard Veiller) in the lead, hah now been adapted to the screen by. the Acme Pictures Corporation, with Yvonne Delva as the principal character. * * * A coming attraction at His Majesty’s Theatre is the William Fox super-feature “The Conqueror m which the famous William Farnum is seen in his best characterisations in the screen, that of the great American soldier, General Sam Houston. * * * The Australasian rights of the new series of pictures produced by the famous Japanese artist Sessile Hayakawa, have been secured by ;J. C. Williamson Ltd. George Tallis, one of “the firm” pulled off the deal on his recent visit to New Y’ork. One of Sessue Hayakawa’s best 1 aramount pictures, “For the Honor of His House” will be screened for the first time in Gisborne at His Majesty’s Theatre to-morrow evening. • * * Whilst working on Beaumont Smith’s six-reel racing drama, “Desert Gold,” Marie Ney. who was playing Joan, the heroine, fell from her horse and broke her arm. The picture was delayed in production some weeks, until Mies Ney’s arm could come out of a sling. However, she made an astonishingly quick recovery. Miss Ney, who is a Wellington girl, was recently leading lady in Allan Wilkie’s Shakespearean Company in Sydney. Desert Gold is of course, Mr. T. H. Lowry’s champion mare, “Desert Gold,” will be screened the Opera House on March 27, 28, and 29. * * * All rumours about William Farnum leaving Fox have been set'at rest by the publication <*f the agreement recently arrived at by Farnum and William Fcx. The great Fox star is to receive well over £l£o,ooo a yenv. The signing of the new contract is declared to have come at the close of the most successful year in Mr Farnum’s career. “Ldi Miserables,’ “Riders of the Purple Sage, and “The Rainbow- Trail,” four recent Farnum releases, have scored successes, and according to Mr box, have proved most convincingly the great drawing power of this star. * * « When Tom Mix, the Fox star, went into the hospital recently to have a 15-year-old bullet taken out of his knee lie felt that he had an advantage over most folks.’ How could the flu get him in a hospital? But Tom counted without the wily flu germs. First his nurse got it, then his doctor succumbed; it caught his second nurse, and finally his third. And before Tom could protect himself it got him. The operation on liis knee had been successful, and the star wa s resting easily when the flu hit him. But he managed to keep cheerful. ‘You see,, I’m Hooverising on time, he grinned, “getting well of two things at once!” °* * *

Few people can have had a more weird experience as a result of the influenza epidemic in New Zealand and Australia than Ben J. Fuller, head of the well-known Fuller vaudeville firm. He came to the Dominion for a fortnight, but was compelled to remain three months. Then, in order to get back to Sydney, he had to sign on as a second cook on a tramn steamer. The trip took nine and a-half days, during which the leading light in vaudeville management cheerfully peeled potatoes and fried things for the crew, and Mr Fuller declares that the vessel’s pace was so slow that sometimes the log was in front of her instead of behind: When the amateur cook arirved at Melbourne he was face to face with another delay. The authorities declined to look upon the nine and ahalf days at sea as an isolation period' for seven more days. On bei_ng < released and getting ashore restrictions wore on the trains and Mr Fuller had to remain, indefinitely in Melbourne. The irony of it was that while he was chafing in The Victorian capital all the theatres were closed by the health authorities!

- PLAYS AND PLAYERS ON THE SCREEN

JUNE CAPRICE. June Caprice “The Sunshine Maid,” who will appear in “Unknown 274” at His Majesty’s Theatre to-morrow evening, was born in Arlington, Mass., on November 19, 1899. She was educated at the'Prince Grammar School and the Girls’ High School. She Was attending a conservatory of music when William. Fox himself discovered her in 1016. Previous to her advent in William Fox films, Miss Caprice had practically no theatrical experience, though she had served for a brief time in a sketch with Andrew Maok in Boston . Mr Fox was immediately struck by her laughing eyes and the complete absence ot all affectation. He decided that he would enroll the girl for his productions, and) would make her internationally famous within a year. bliss Caprice accepted the “dream offer” as she called it She has never regretted it. Miss Caprice is an adept at swimming, rowing and yachting. She is an expert at tennis, and when tired of the courts, gets out her hag of mhbeks, irons and drivers, and hies off to the golf links. Basketball, too, has no terrors' for her. She lives m Now York City now, hut always -oes home to her 'parents between pictures. These are the productions in v him Miss Caprice has appeared for Mr Fox : “Canrico of . tho MrnntainsA “Little Mm Happiness. > The Ragged Princess,’’ ‘‘The Mischief Maker ” “A Modern Cindered a. A Uhild of’the Wild;”/■ W.A Small Town Girl” “Batev,” “Every Gfirte mS U.S.A." «.a “Vaknown 274.”

j A film showin- tile surrender of the 1 German fleet will be screened at 1 Everybody’s next week. I* * * I J. D. Williams, well known in the • moving picture enterprises of New Zealand and Australia, is reported to have died from the “flu” in ’Frisco. * * *- Mary Pickford was taken suddenly ill with the ’flu on Jan. 7, and was 1 removed from her studio in Los Angeles to a hospital. When the mail left three weeks later two nurses were still in attendance. * * * According to Mr L. C. Wheeler, London, representative of the Division of Films, America, admission to the best London picture bouses is from 30 to 7-5 cents (Is 3d to 3s), the programme offered consisting of seven or eight reels. * * * The Mayor of Evansville, Indiana, has issued an edict that motion picture shows need not close on Sunday. He states that public opinion on the matter was too strong for him to order them to he shut down on that , day. ** * * , The Famous Players Lasky Oor- • poration have purchased the screen rights to “Private Pettigrew’s Girl,” a story by Dana. Burnett. George Melford will direct the film version, while Ethel Clayton will be seen as the heroine. * * * Charles Chaplin received 2-50 dollars (£SO) for a kiss from Lady Stewart M‘lvenzie, a visitor from Scotland at a New Year’s Eve party pat Los Angeles. Lady M'Kenzie stipulated that the money should be given to the Red Cross. * * * Gladys Brockwell, the Fox star, sustained painful burns while helping her mother, whose clothes were in flames. Mr s Brockwell liad been asleep on a couch in an adjoining room. The cover of the couch became ignited from an oil heater and the fire spread to her clothing. * * Evelyn Nesibit will shortly start- on her third -picture for William Fox. It is called “Woman, Woman!” . nnd is from the story by Norma Lorimer. Ken can Buel will direct the work.Miss Ne-sbjt’s first two picture;? were “The Woman Who Gave” and “1 want to Forget.” * * * June Elvidge. the World Film star, who is featured in “Broken Ties” at Everybody’s Theatre to-day, is asking a reduction on her income tax, claiming gowns are as essential to a film star as office expenses to a business man. ' The U.S.A. Government allows a deduction for the latter so June is determined to do her utmost to get a “cut” for her gowns. * * * Lester Cuneo, the well known heavy leading man for Metro comes irom a family of Italian musicians. His uncle was a famous band-master, and Lester was a favorite jlupil for many years before he took up a professional career in musical comedy. When he is- working around New York in pictures, Cuneo can often be found leading "the orchestra at the Doclt and Doris restaurant just for diversion. * * * J. J. Corbett, ex-heavy weight champion of the world, is extremely anxious to appear in a fight picture oil the screen, and lias issued an invitation in Chicago for athletes to try a round or two, so that he can show to the world how fistic science can overcome brute force. It is understood that Universal will give the old pugilist his heart’s desire. * * * Negotiations have been concluded between Jesse L. La-sky and Evangeline Booth, representing the Salvation Army, for the filming of a big motion picture telling the remarkable. story of the- Salvation Army ’-Toth in war and peace, The story of this motion picture finds its ‘basis in historical truth and in recently-developed facts, and in its production the Famous Players-Lasky organisation will have the full co-operation of the Salvation: Army. Commander Booth herself will appear in the picture as she discharges her regular daily duties, and the story will be filmed with the due reverence and respect the subject calls for. The photo-play will include an all-star cast made up of favorite film players. J.t- was expected that the picture would lie ready for release, as n Rnramou lit-A rtcraf t Special, early this year. -v. * * It is stated that First National Exhibitors Circuit has signed a contract to distribute Norma Talmadge pictures for two years, following the completion outlie star’s present contract with Select Pictures. Miss Talmadge has still four pictures to make for the latter company. As an indication of the high opinion held of the actress’s value as a drawing card, Mr Joseph M. .Schenck her husband and business manager, states tn?-t two years ago ho was offered a contract on her behalf at £l5O a week, which was refused. Recently a. programme company bid £ISOO a' week for her services This offer was also refused. “The fact that I refused,” says Mr Schenck, “was not due entirely to my belief that Miss Talmadge is capable of earning more. It was because I knew that to accept it would be to place her against a dead wall obstacle to progress, and would result in a decline in her popularity.” * *