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Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 July 1927, Page 23

Fred Thompson has completed all arrangements to join the Paramount organisation and will begin “shooting" hia “Jesse James” about July 1. Betty Compson recently slipped over to a little independent studio and is preparing to appear in “The Midnight Rose.” Mack Sennett is producing a featurelength comedy called “Johnny of the XJ.3-A.’* 0 m m The four Auckland finalists in the ‘Miss New Zealand 1927” competition, will appear in screen tests at the Majestic and Regent Theatres next week. Popular voting will decide who will be “Miss Auckland” and her Maid of Honour.

“The Patent Leather Kid” is the title of Richard Barthelmess’s forthcoming picture, now being directed by Alfred Santell. Gilda Gray’s second picture for Paramount, “Cabaret,” has been completed. Two new pictures being made in the Warner Brothers’ studio are “Dearie” and “Simple Sis.” Louise Fazenda is to be starred in the latter. “Dearie” is by Carolyn Wells. Irene Rich will be the featured player. Patsy Ruth Miller, George Fawcett, Charles Gerard, arid Glenn Tryon have been signed for Universal's “Hot Heels,” by Harry Hoyt, which will be directed by William Craft. * * * Burr Mclntosh and Otis Harlan have been signed to roles in “Eternal Silence,” the Jewel production of the; Klondike gold rush, which Ernest Laemmle will direct. • * * Alfred Santell has discovered that the United States soldiers do not take kindly to make-up, and before he began the first scenes of “The Patent Leather Kid” he realised that it was no use asking “doughboys” to lather themselves with grease paint. John Ford, who made “The Iron Horse,” has returned from Europe, j#nd he is now in Hollywood. While abroad Mr. Ford obtained the necessary data for Tyrolean atmosphere for his next production. * * * According to a departed spirit, there are no moving-pictures in heaven. Can this mean that there is a shortage of moving pictures artists there?— “Punch.” “Betty’s a Lady,” a story by Gerald Beaumont, has been bought for the screen by Universal. It is to be directed by James Flood. * * * Paul Leni insisted on having an old Vitagraph player in his cast. In “The Cat and the Canary,” he had Flora Finch. In “The Chinese Parrot,” he has just engaged Florence Turner to play the role of Sally Fillmore. Helen Chadwick and Lionel Barrymore have been added to the cast of “Anna Karenina,” Greta Garbo’s forthcoming production. Miss Chadwick will be seen as Dolly Oblonsky. This production is/being directed by Dimitri. Buchowetzki. Richard Dix is {he chief player in “Knockout Riley.” Mary Brian and Jack Renauld, the heavyweight pugilist, are also in this film, which was directed by Malcolm St. Clair.

* * * The Americans are also filming a big convict feature. Late Hollywood advices state that a convict ship is the big feature of “Captain Salvation,” the sea story by Frede rick William Wallace. The film version is being directed by John S. Robertson. The floating prison depicts “200 criminals bound for a lonely exile from England.”

* * * To complete the Hoot Gibson programme for the present year, Del Andrews has just been engaged by Universal to direct the Peter B. Kyne story, “Bread Upon the Waters,” which will be released as “A Hero on Horseback.”

“Children of Divorce,” with Clara Uow and Esther Ralston, representing the brunette and the blonde, will shortly be seen in Auckland. The supporting cast includes Gary Cooper, Hanson and Norman Trevor. The screen play is based on Owen Johnson’s story, and it was directed by F rank Lloyd. The tale concerns two Sjrls and a boy who formed a frienda“ip in childhood. The two girls were children of divorced couples.

When he finished school in Enghind Denny found his way to the art galleries. He used to hauni the National Gallery, so the Universal star sttys, making copies of the paintings of his favourite pictures, particularly Turner and John Constable. One day he was working away at Constable’s “Hampstdad Heath,” so Denny says, when a gentleman who had been watching him work stepped up and began to criticise the painting. “I resented it,” says Denny, “but he was very courteous and he told me I obviously had talent, so I let him go on. He suggested that I had done pretty well, but the effect would be better if I used a wash on the canvas first, as Constable had done. lie went on with other ideas while I tried to ignore him, and finally suggested that I wipe out the whole thing and start over again. LOVES TO PAINT “I told him I thought it looked very well, and suggested in my turn that he attend to his own affairs and leave me alone. He walked away, and a few minutes later another student came over from the other side of the gallery, and remarked, ‘You are a lucky fellow to have him show such an interest in you. What did he say?” “ 'Who ? I asked. ‘Sir Edward Poynter, the president of the Royal Academy.’ “I packed my things,” Denny concludes, “and crept out, never to return again.” So Denny does not take hirnself seriously as an artist. As a matter of fact his friend Hugo Ballin found him painting one day recently and remarked in surprise, “Good heavens, Reg, I had no idea you could do that sort of thing!” “I can’t,” Denny answered firmly, but I love it just the same. “GENTLEMEN PREFER—?” A NEW SCREEN CLASSIC Anita Loos and John Emerson, who are now on their way to Europe, have promised Jesse L. Lasky that they will cut short their trip abroad to go to Hollywood to supervise the film version of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” So that Lorelei Lee’s observations on men and life will not lose their flavour on the screen, Miss Loos will write the titles for the picture, which will probably go into production early in the autumn. Miss Loos will also, select the actress who will play the role of Lorelei. This film is to be directed by Malcolrh St. Clair. . , Mr. Lasky said the other day that, with the active help of Miss Loos and Mr Emerson, it was expected that “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” will be one of the noteworthy productions of the screen.

Gary Cooper will play the lead in “Beau Sabreur,” successor to Paramount’s romance of the Foreign Legion, “Beau Geste.” Cooper is a comparative newcomer in pictures. He -laved in “The Winning of Barbara Worth,” and attracting favourable attention with a minor part he was later featured in “Children of Divorce, Arizona Bound,” and “The Outlaw.

Andre de Beranger’s name has been added to the cast of "Love,; which is Dimitri Bouchwetskis version of the Tolstoy novel, “Anna Karenina. Greta Garbo and Ricardo Cortez as Anna and Count Vronski, head a group of noted plovers in the film. Also in the cast are'Lionel Barrymore, Zazu .Pitts, Dorothy Sebastian. Mario Carillo, Albeit Conti and Maude Turner Gordon.

Alan Hale, actor who turned director, deserted directing recently to play a featured part with Leatrice Joy in "Vanity “ Now he is back in the directing business, making a screen version of Richard Harding Davis s story. “The Bar Sinister. Vera Reynolds is the star.

Clara Bow will play the beautiful and wilful heroine of Armine von Tempsky’s novel “Hula,’ picture rights to the story having been purchased by Paramount. Miss B°w will begin “Hula” very shortly. tehe is now after her last two pictures, “Rough House Rosie” and “Wings. Armine Von Tenvosky is a neice of the famous Major Von Tempsky, Maori War hero.

Ken Maynard is recovering from an illness that sent him to bed N yhen Overland Stage” was completed, and he will begin on another western. The Devil’s Saddle,” shortly for First National Kathleen Collins will be his leading woman, and others in the cast are Paul Hurst. William Walling, Earl* 3 Metcalf, Francis Ford and Tom Bay.

Mr. Chrisander left for Vancouver subsequently with Mr. J. Andrew Anderson, representative of the Canadian National Cinema Studios, who had gone to Hollywood to engage Mr. Chrisander for the position he had accepted. Immediately upon his arrival in Vancouver, Mr. Chrisander will begin a survey of the entire situation there in reference to picture-making. It is hoped to break ground for the new studios by July, and picture production will be under way within 90 days thereafter.

Mr. Chrisander has already begun mapping plans for his first picture,

which he intends shall be an historical romance of Canada, with the amazing development of the nation dominating the theme. On accepting the position, he issued the following statement: —“In the project sponsored by influential Canadians to produce pictures in Canada the British Empire has taken a great step in freeing itself of outside domination of one of its most important industries. NEW QUOTA LAW “The new quota law, which provides that per cent, of films exhibited in Great Britain must be of British origin, assures a market for the Vancouver product. Pictures can be made as cheaply in Vancouver as in Hollywood. In addition, the closeness of Vancouver to Hollywood makes it possible to fight the most powerful competitor with its own ammunition. “In this I refer to the use of stars who have a proved box office value. Stars of this character, many of them of British nationality, can be brought to Vancouver to work in pictures, and their presence in a film, in a way, is a guarantee of its financial success. Britain must be accurately and' honestly represented on the screen. It means much to a nation’s prestige. The only way to do this is for the Empire to make its own pictures, but the picture business, like any other business, must be conducted to make money. “Vancouver offers to producers the same advantages that have given Hollywood dominance; that is, climate, scenic diversity, and civic cooperation. I except to see Vancouver established as the Hollywood of the British Empire.” An interesting visitor to New Zealand, who departed from Auckland by the Aorangi for Sydney, was Mr. Kurt Hubert, of the German U.F.A. Proprietary. Mr. Hubert, who was accompanied by his English wife, has been inquiirng as to trade possibilities in America, Mexico, and other parts of the world. After visiting Australia, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert will return to Germany via the Orient. Not only Jack Hoxie, Universal’s popular western star, but his charming wife, Marin Sais, appears in “The Wild Horse Stampede,” the latest production of the popular actor. Miss Sais, was one of the most popular stars of the screen a few years ago, but retired after her marriage. “The Wild Horse Stampede,*’ was directed by Albert Rogell from a story by W. C. Tuttle.

pelwhite. The bric-a-brac includes English, French and Flemish pieces, together with a good deal of Chinese ware, at that time a vogue in England. Virginia Valli has returned to America from Honolulu, where she went for a vacation after her last picture, “Evening Clothes,” with Adolphe Menjou. She will be featured in “The Judgment of the Hills,” from a story bv the late Laddy Evans. J. Leo Meehan will direct the picture, and Frankie Darro, the eight-year-old star, has a leading role. Louise Fazenda will appear next in “Simple Sis,” a Warner Brothers comedy. Seconding Miss Fazenda's effc cs to make “Simple Sis" a comedy tot..* de force will be Clyde Cook. Myrna Loy, William Demarest and Billy Kent Schaeffer.