STAGE AND SCREEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 February 1926, Page 7

STAGE AND SCREEN.

PEOPLE, PLAYS AND PICTURES

Air. Harry .Southwell, a London exhibitor, stated recently that he had contracted with a firm of film distributors to supply six Australian pictures to be delivered within two years. They must he Australian in history, sentiment, scenery and types. Mr. Southwell believes'that Australia ’s opportunity has arrived for developing a big market in Britain where Australian films have a good reputation.

A great Gcrman-American film combine lias been arranged. U.F.A., Germany’s greatest film company, will rei eive a loan of £824.000 from the Famous Players and Aletro-Goldwvn concerns with a view to jointly producing film's in Germany, and circumventing the German regulation which restricts the exhibition of German and foreign films to a 50-50 proportion.

Military experts have been engaged to aid in the filming of “Behind the Front.” The cast features Wallace Beery, Raymond Hatton, Alary Brian and Richard Arlen. The technical ? upervasion is not only for uniforms and war equipment, but is being applied to the general handling of the iarge bodies of troops used in the picture, and thi staging of the scenes in France.

George Billings, wlio played the title, role in the screen production, “Abraham Lincoln,” and who is regarded generally as the greatest portrayer of the historical figure in recent years, Jus been, signed to play the part of the Emancipator in “Hands Up,” Raymond Griffith’s new picture. Not only is Abraham Lincoln an important character in “Hands Up,” but the entire Lincoln cabinet as well. The men who will appear in these roles are being selected by Director Clarence G. Badger.

Aluriel Starr has finished her contract with the J. C. Williamson firm, and is shortly setting out for New Zealand with a company of her own, in- which the big firm will only have a part share, and provide the theatres. Harvey Adams will be her leading man, a return to his original place in her company when she toured South Africa a few years ago. At present Aluriel is resting after a most strenuous season in Alelbourne and Sydney of revivals and farewells, and her company’s personnel has not been chosen. To her most popular roles are likely to he added Nellie Denver in “The Silver King,” and Josephine in ' “A Royal Divorce,” when she reaches the happy shores of New Zealand.

Dorothy Fane, the beautiful young English actress, who appears as Myrtle Davis with Renee Kelly at the King’s Theatre, Alelbourne. in “Polly with a Past,” is well known in the movies in England. Her favourite screen role was Gwen Harleth in “Daniel Deron<la.” the film version of George Eloit’s famous novel. Several scenes in this play were to be “shot” in Venice, and Miss Fane had to travel through Italy during a particularly violent railway strike to get there. Whilst travelling through Turin, an episode occurred that nearly put an end to Miss Fane’s career. One of the strikers threw a stone weighing several pounds into her carriage. It hit Miss Fane on the shoulder, breaking her collarbone. Had it been aimed a little higher, said Aiks Fane, describing the 'incident, “I would not have been here.”

Tiirk photography, considered the meg marvellous ever conceived for the screen, is displayed in “A Kiss for Cinderella.” ]’ij one seqlienee, it is as if •v dream had ’come true. It i.s doubtful if .Tames M. Barrie, when he wrote this fantasy, realised that some day human ingenuity would make possible a vivid portrayal upon the screen of hi« imaginative and colourful writings. The scene in “A. Kiss for Cinderella.” which. Paramount holds, has eclipsed anything done heretofore in the way of trick photography, in the transformation of a cage of white 1 mice and a- pumpkin into' a gilded coach and four white hor.se.s. J. Boy Hunt was the Paramount camera-man who photographed this .scene. Tt required six • weeks to film, yet the -scene remains but a moment upon the ■screen. Because of theintricacy of the process; Mr. Hunt had four assistants in making the scene. In “A Kiss for Cinderella” Betty Bronson does what is considered the finest work of her career. Tom Moore and Esther Ralston, have given sympathetic portrayals of their role*. All the charm of the Barrie story remains in the screen version, directed by Herbert Brenon.

It is announced that P’ola Negri’s contract with Paramount has been renewed for a further .period of two years. This means that- Miss Negri will be a Paramount .star until early in 1928.

A- cable' announcement tells of the ■-tart of production by 1). TV. Giiffiths on Maile Corelli’s most famous novel, “The Sorrows of Satan.” The picture is to be filmed principally in. England on the Continent, but the most difficult of the technical work will be. done in the Long Island studio of Paramount. An announcement of the members of the cast if this picture, which Griffith promises as far and away his greatest, is momentarily expected.

In return for their good work in several .pictures over the last few months, Warner Brothers are considering starring Willard Louis and Louise Fazenda, as a. team. A Master picture announcement announces their appearance together in “Three, weeks in Paris,” in support of Matt Moore, and appears in “The Limited Mail,” with Monte Blue and Vera Reynolds.

Jack Cannot, who. plays Peter Witherspoon in “Leave it to jane,” the brilliant musical play now toeing presented by J. C. ’Williamson, Ltd., in New Zealand, is of French descent, educated at Harrow, in England. Air. Cannot can boast of a. descent fronn the nobility of France for at least 1100 years. He came twelve years ago to Australia, under engagement to J. C. Williamson for involve months. He has been down’ under ever since, and has established himself as one of the most popular comedians that have ever appeared in New Zealand.

Clara Kimball Young is appearing in vaudeville in New York, in Tom Barry’s “His Adorable Wife,” with Harry .Hollingsworth, as her leading man.

“The Recreation, of Brian Kent” (Harold BteM ’Wright’s story), as a Master picture features Kenneth Harlan, Helene Chadwick, Ralph Lewis, and Mary Carr. This story is of a 1 bank-robber who was made great by the sacrifices, of an old lady and the ttuo love of a young woman.

Pol a Negri's latest presentation, “A Woman of the World.” which was merely suggested by Carl Van Veehten’s novel. “The Tattooed Countess,” is an odd melange of buffoonery and drama.

“The .Mansion of Aching Hearts.” to be released by Alaster -pictures, reminds one' of some of Hall Caine’s yarns. There is the same small crowd of villa gets ready to- tear a person’s reputation to pieces, and the same stern martinet, deaf to all pleadings of “the quality of mercy.-”

General Manager. Gatti-Oaisazza; announces) that next season the centenary of Beethoven’.s death (March 26, 1927) will, be commemorated by the Aletropolitan Opera Company with a revival of his only opera. “J-idelio.” .Arthur Bodan-sky has -been commissioned to set the spoken parts to* music.

Seig-i’reid Wagner, son of the immortal Richard, does not admire jazz, which, lie designates as “barbaric noi.se” and nigger rhythmics-.”

The Allan Wilkie Company, after .successful productions of “The School lor Scandal,” “She Stoops- to ' Conquer,” “The Rivals.” and “The Bells,”has leturned to* Shakespearean plays at the Theatre Rbva-1. Hobart: and this will. give) them, an opportunity to* stand the add test of opposition from modern and bright plays which have recently been introduced to Tasmania. Hobart’s theatregoers loyally (supported Air. Wilkie in his comedies, .and they are* not likely’ to desert him to any marked extent now (-says an Australian paper).

The first of the J. U Williamson, Ltd., .-attractions for the New Year was the production in Alelbourne at the Theatre Royal of “Lilac Time.” at play with, music by Franz Schubert, whic-ii "’ii« staged for the first time on Satin day, January 9. In this production Miss Ha rriet Ben net made her first appearance in Australia. Aiks Benneb is the new prima donna* of the* Royal Comic opera. Company, and lias appeared in musical comedy and comic opera in the leading'theatres) in England :a.nd America. The brilliant cast included Claude Fleming, John Ralston. Herbert Browne, Noel Allan. Leslie Holland, Arthur iStigant. Alarie la Varre, A-lascotte Ralston, .Mabel Gibson, Byri Wialklev. “Lilac Time” was based iipon the life and romance of Franz Schubert, and contained some of the composer’s loveliest melodies,.

The visit to this country of Zaire Grey is very -significant from many points of view. It is interesting to note that one of the biggest pictures to be. released this year is a story by Zaire Grey, “The Vanishing Race.” When Air. Grey wrote this story he intended that it should he the culminating effort of his prolific genius. The story far exceeded liis expectations, and early in the last, yfear Jesse L. Lnsky, in charge of the Paramount production, was successful in negotiating with Air. Grey for the rights to produce £he story, and also in arranging and contracting with the author to write exclusively for Paramount.

A preview of “Volcano.” a dramatic story of the French West Indies, with the eruption of Mount Pelee as the background, was held in Los Angeles, anil met with, an enthusiastic recep-, t'ion. The “thrill” scenes, showing the efforts of Bebe Daniels, Ricardo Cortez. Wallace Beery. Arthur Edmund Care we, Dale Fuller, - and other featured players, as well as thousands of others, to escape from the sheets of molten lava, were given especially warm recognition. William K. Howard directed this picture. Bernard McConville wrote the screen play fromLaurenee Eyre’s stage production “Martinique.”

Hilda Dorrington. who was through New Zealand some time ago playing, leading roles with Alan.-Wilkie’s Shake, spearean Company, lios returned to Australia and is at present playing in an Australian piece, “Kangaroo Flat,” in Melbourne.

“The Hidden Cabin” is the title of the third of- the Pete Morrison series of pictures that the popular Western star is making for release by Universal. The story was written by Frank C Robertson and ran as a magazine serial.

The first appearance in America of a new French actress occurs in “A Man of Iron,” starring Lionel Barrymore. The lady’s name is Isobel do Leon, and she is cast in the’ role of Mavbe]le Callahan

Everywhere “Little Annie Rooney” has been heralded as one of Alary Pickford’s best starring vehicles. By all accounts she has returned to the Alary Bickford type that picture people knew years ago. Alary Pickford tells a story that is highly dramatic, and which combines comedy with' melodrama in a fashion wholly admirable.

Afatty Kemp, who has-been playing bits at Universal for about four

months, has suddenly found himself started along the road to screen fame. Kemp, who is only 19, has. been loaned to Century Comedies for a series of pictures in which he will play the male lead. In his first picture Kemp will impersonate a newspaper reporter and will play opposite Wanda Wiley. In the second Kemp will play opposite Edna, Marian. Kem is a protege of Carl Laemmle and is under a five-year-contract with Universal.

Afudge Bellamy is to appear in “Lightnin’ ” “Thunder Alduntain,”“Lazybones,” and “Havoc,”- Like many other film stars, her first experience was with a Broadway show. After that she had the lead in “Polyanna” and “Dear Brutus,” and was also starred in “Peg q’ Afy Heart.” Her stage success attracted the attention of Thomas H. Ince, under whose banner she worked with much zeal. .

The famous duel sc-ene in .“A Alan of Iron,” starring Lionel Barrymore, is said to he authentically correct according to the very strict code of ethics which covers duels. The pistols used weer purchased by Air. Barrymore on a recent trip to Italy, and are said to be over 100 years old and to have actualv been used in more than a score of duels.

Rin-Tin-Tin, the dog wonder of the screen, heads a notable cast which was assembled for the picture, “Below the Line.” June .Marlowe and John Harron play the leading human roles, and the remainder of the cast includes Pat Martigan, Victor Potel, Charles (Heinie) Conklin, Gilbert Vlayton. Edith Yorke, and Taylor Duncan.