Mimes & Movies.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12064, 20 July 1917, Page 8

Mimes & Movies.

ANSWERS TO QUERIES. V.V.V. —Artcraft films are allied with Paramount now. .puzzle.—There are two Harry Pollards iu films. Oue directs his wifo, Margharil.i. Fischer, in the Pollard films, and the other is a comedian with tho Rolin Coinpen y. He was recently married in California. The first was born in Australia,.

•Writer.—'The L-TLO. Films Company, I nc- ! tice, sometimes buy humorous suggestions for plays or merely situa-tions. Tho L.dison Pictures have issued a call for stories " midway between the grown-up and the I fairy storie3, something in tho Pu. Ij. Stevmson line." Tho Universal Company

usuaJly buy freely. Gloria.—Florenz Ziegfeld, the husband of Billie Burke, was born in Dhicago tuia was educated there. His first wife was Anna Held. The marriago was' dissolved in

1912. He ia fifty years of age. Old 'Un.—"William Charles Macroady died on April 27, 1873, aged eighty. VaadeviUe —The future of tho Opera Houso ia not settled yet. 1 ~

Scott Colville will be touring manager for J. and N. Tait's Musical Comedy Company. # New Zealand is to get the Fnller " Bunyip" pantomime at Christinas time.

/ Th© dancing in " Tho House That 'Jack Built," taken generally, is better than we have seen foe some years. V

To an unknown telephone inquirer: Bland Holt was in Cliristc.hurch in November, 1908. Ho is living in retirement in Australia now. V

f Hilda Guiver has many peculiar facial mannerisms when singing her songs, but she gets them over all right despite that handicap- * *

• I hear that " Intolerance" is to be shown in Christchurch again, and at cheaper rates. " Where Are My Children?" is also to have another spin.

Latest reports from America go to show that Max Binder's condition is very much improved and his return to ■work was expected before the end of this month.

' Colonel J. E. Brady, scenario chief at Universal City, enlisted in tho U.S. Army amd rose to the rank ho now holds. He was with Roosevelt's Rough Riders under Colonel Wood (now General Wood) in Cuba.

j *** ! The Gonsalez Opera Company, according to Australian newspapers, is slated for another trip through tho Dominion. , After New Zealand they go to Queensland and then tho East, arriving in India in December.

f Tho next official war film to be issued by the Imperial Government is entitled "Sons of the Empire." It will cover both military and naval operations, and is said to contain many spectacular scenes.

It has been said that Constance Cayley is making a reappearance here, but her previous appearance was not made under that name. She was with Pollard's, and I remember an excellent) performance in "Tho Rose of I'er&ia."

*** ( Fritzi Brunette, who is supporting Sessue Hayakawa in the Mexican pic-

. ture, "Tho Jaguar's Claws," was with Selig for some years. In this film ttes- , sue Hayakawa plays a Mexican bandit l of particularly fiendish qualities. Tho scenes were taken on the Mexican border.

Fred Niblo, lato of " Hit-the-Trail Holiday." is to try again this season in " Under Pressure," by Sidney Bosenfeld. Niblo's brother-in-law, Mr Cohan, is the manager, and other actors it: it will be Grace Elliston and Percy Ames.

i Christchurch seems to bo in for another bout of aerial picture?, both senRational. "The Secret Submarine," 'with Juanita Hansen in the lead, is one., and '' The Iron Crew." featuring Pearl White, who has appeared in oven more serials than Grace Cunard, is the other. V T » p "Moving Picture World," in its educational department., run by the Ilcv W. H. Jackson and Margaret T. Macdonal, includes the Italian picture of the Life of Christ as a iilm to be recommended everywhere. Cines made tlio pictures, the scones being taken in Egvpt and Palestine. William Fo-s nnd the Fox Film company are in a damage suit. Alleging that "The Honour System." a Fox production, is a plagiarism of her scenario, entitled "A Wizard's Love," Emma Del Pierson, a Californian scenario writer, is suing for £20.000 L * # # I Arthur Stigant, who is Dame in .."The House That Jack Built," nV.isti' be well on for a record. Last year ho .was here, and as he is booked fo.r next, year-it looks as if ho will do the." line trick." A pretty substantial compli■jnent that the management pays to his . abilities. < \

Elsie Jano Wilson, the Australian i'actress whom T remember with Julius Tvnigty when ho played " The .Breed of the Treshams," has loft the Bluebird J.'ilm Comapny and now is with the Butterfly films, directed by her husband, Rupert Julian, and released through tho same firm, Universal.

1 Looking at Enid Bennett in tho pictures, it has struck mo that, her eyes ,do not show enough expression. They seem dead, and one gets the impression that she is playing a "blind girl" most of th« time. But she is pretty, doubtless more experience heforo vhe camera will lead to her overcoming this fault..

; Lionel Barrymoro has pub on fpw bettor comedios than "His Father'.-; Son," which 1 saw during the week. Barrymore is one of the host actors appearing before the camera, and it ; s E leasing to notice that recently, when e returned to the stage in " Peter Tbhotson," in New York, lie made a great hit, overshadowing his more popularly .known brother Jack Barrymore. f ' 'A film that has aroused ag reat deal bf interest in America is " Brodsky's 'Trip Through China." a ten-reel travel feature which took five years to complete; One of the most absorbing subjects in the film is the making of the Chinese Army. Among the places visited by the camera for this fine educational picture were Pekin, Hongkong, Shanghai, Canton. Tientsin, Musih. Soo Chow, Macao, Hangchow, Kowloon, Newchwang, and Aberdeen (not th: Scottish one). • *

• •» i Sara Allgood, who is just finishing • her tour of Australia in "Peg o' My Heart," is to appear in another play in which Laurette Taylor has made a hit. This is " Out There," a war play by Hartlov J. Manners, I/aurette.Taylor's husband. This play, which J and iN. Tait will produce shortly in Sydney ' or Melbourne, deals with a London girl of the poorer classes who wants to 'do • her bit" in the hospitals in France.

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Tho big act occurs in a base hospital in France, where a Scotchman, an Irishman, a Canadian and a New Zealander are in the ward.

I understand that there is a big possibility that the Brandon-Oremer Stock Company will not eventuate in Christchurch. Seasons in the South Island have suggested that melodrama of the type may not go. Certainly the past six or seven years support that view so far as Christchurch is concerned. Marlowdrama after doinc hie business elsewhere, got some terrible shocks in this citv.

The New Dandies, who have just completed a very successful season in Auckland, are at present showing in the inland towns before descending on Wellington, where the season opens at the Town Hnll Concert Chamber on July 21. This company of Dandies is said to possess a most extensive repertory, and a special feature is made of comedy. The artists are Dorothy Manning, lyric soprano; Linda Bradford, contralto; Ivy Da.irs, soubrette; .John Welhv, bass; Andrew Pace, light comedian ; and Courtney Ford and Harry Graham, comedians.

"When Ada Reevo comes to Cliristchurch she will bring with her a novelty in conductors. This is Marry Jacobs, who is an able musician and an excellent singer. He breaks into song in unexpected places and is stated to obey or smash tho laws of composition as lie feels disposed. All tho advance, descriptions of Mr Jacobs that ho is an important factor with the show. _ I recollect something very exciting in conductors here with Harry Lauder. He faced the, audience most of the time and gave the young ladies in tho gallery full opportunity to give their admiration rein.

"Sweet Kitty Bellairs," played hero by Xelli? Stewart, is to be turned Jiito a comic opera called "Kitty Darling" for Alice Nielsen. David Belasco, the author, has made a present of it to his sons-in-law, "William Elliott and Maurice Guest, v. ho have hired Rudolph Fritnl to write the music and Guv Bolton and P. (1. "Wodehou.se thej lyrics. Mr Guest is the impressario who invented the scheme of exchanging a, pass and two sandwiches for a laudatory sermon on " Experience," which was some time ago mentioned as a future. J. and N. Tait offering for Australia.

Ben Fuller has been in Now Zealand for a, few weeks and this week was in Christchurch making arrangements for improvements to His Majesty's Theatre. it has been decided to light tho auditorium with electricity and to improve tho seating in the stalls. A verandah in front of the. theatre is also mentioned, and other works which will make the theatre better and brighter aro also under consideration. Mr Atkinson is in charge of the re-decorating of tho interior. He has had considerable experience in this work in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The interior of the Strand was done bv him. His Majesty's will ho opened on Saturday with a, matinee performance. Johnston's Revuo and tho Togos are, tho chief items in a strong programme. * * ~

At a sitting nf tho Kinoma Commission at Westminster, tho chief constable of Edinburgh in evidence repudiated categorically tho ovil influences attributed to the moving picture* by a few chiefs of police in tho North of ftngland. The Edinburgh constable said that, not only was it untrue to blame, the movies for crime in young people, hut that it was unjust not. to credit the pictures with keeping people away front tho temptations of the streets and public houses at night. The commission viewed some pictures about which some ministers had complained. Four \\ere inspected and in each caso tho criticisms were swept aside as unjustified, and the Bishop of Birmingham, a member of tho commission, delivered a lecture on unwarranted criticism.

An interesting announcement was made recently with regard to the J. 0. Williamson, Ltd.. organisation. Tliis referred to the appointment of Charles A. Wenman as associate director of the firm in place of the late Harold As 1 ton. Wenman was first, known in Australia as the representative, of Denton, Jiode and Mackenzie, who were interested with Clarke and Meynell in that (inn's musical productions, of which Wenman was also the producer. On the amalgamation of Clarke and Meynell with J. C. "Williamson, Wennian became the firm's producer, and staged a lengthy series ot musical plays and pantomimes. 11l England, as well as while associated with theatrical management in Australia, Wenman was associated with the business as well ; s the producing side of theatrical management.

Jack Pickford and Louise fluff are soon to appear in the third adaptation of a. successful novel in which *.hey have co-starred. As members of the Famous Players company they appeared in adaptations of Charles Dickens's " Great Expectations'' and Rooth Tarkington's "Seventeen." The La.sky company now has in tho course of production an adaptation of bono Stratton Porter's "Freckles" with these two youthful stars in the principal roles. This interesting combination was temporarily broken up upon the transfer of Miss Huff and Pickford to the west coast of America, where Miss Huff joined forces with House Peters and Jack Pickford appeared with .Vivian Martin at tho Lasky .studio. Upon the. completion of these two pictures, however, tho young stars were again united, and it is expected that they will continue together for some time to come, as tho combination has proved most successful. Miss Huff is a native of Columbus. Georgia, and came to the motion picture screen after a brief experience upon the stage in local i.tock companies and on the road. Jack Pickford, after spending a short time on the stage, joined his sister, Mary, at the Famous Players studio and appeared with her in a number of successful productions. Ho later was starred by another company and then returned to the Famous Players, where he became a. star in his own righi when he was presented by that company in an adaptation of the well known play "Tho Dummy." by Harriet Ford and Harvev J. O'Higgins. It was recently announced that -Jack Pickford would be starred by the Lnsky company in an adaptation of Owen Johnson's well known story, "Tho Varmint.'' *** BIOGRAPHICAL CORNER. Every week there will appear under this heading a brief biographical sketch of prominent picture players. Any of my readers who should like to nominate any particular artist may do so in letters to tho "Star" Office. This week wo have

Mildred Hams (Triangle) was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1901, and began her movie career with the Vitagraph as a child actress in " The Prido of tho South," and " Wheols of Destiny." Then crossed to the FineArts Triangle pictures uudcr IX W. Griffith, and appeared in "The Old

Folks at Home," " The Village Prodigal," and was tho leading support to Robert Harron in that excellent picture "Tho Bad Boy." She is now with the Triangle I\ay-Beo Company under tho direction of Thomas Ince. Miss Harris, had no stage experience before she went into films. Sho stands oft ( 4in, has blond hair and blue eyes. She. is an expert horsewoman, a daring motor driver and an unusually accomplished swimmer. Miss Harris is worth watching, becauso she looks like developing into a star of considerable magnitude.

Marc MacDermotfc and Poggy flyland appear in " The Sixteenth Wife/' and according to reports do their best work in it. It is a comedy built upon a little melodrama- about the young American dancer who is engaged to Kadir El Raschid to dance at his palace, and is held a prisoner to become his sixteenth wife. She escapes and finds the handsome American hero, and a chase to the States finds the Turk with tho triple 11am© confessing that he followed to toll her he would not molest her sinco sho preferred to have an American husband. Peggy Hyland is an English actress who did snmo good work in tho Vitagraph feature "The Enemy," and who is now the star of tho Mayfair Pictures, a new company.

Broncho Billy is again in the saddle. After a year of inactivity and rather morn of off-singe work, G. M. Anderson is being featured in a picture entitled "Humanity," a six-reel story. Anderson will portray thn cowboy, but will find that William S. Hart, has set a higher standard of cowboy productions than ever G.M.A. knew in bis palmy days. Still they are entirely different type. Anderson has the liguie and the capabilities for comedy. One cannot imagine Hart, in farcical stuff.

Carmel Myers, who was with the Fine Arts, has gone to tho. Mot ro-Yorke studios to support Harold Lock wood, and appears hi "The Haunted Pyjamas." Slio was " discovered " by D. W. Griffith six months ago.

John W. Kerrigan and Bessie Bnrriscale aro now stars'with a new company called the Paralta. Miss Barriscalo's first release is entitled "Rosa o' Paradise." which sounds like the inhabitant of an Irish heaven. Kerrigan's first exhibition of his beauty is not fixed yet..

Tho Fox Films in future will include a number of "kiddies" features. Special instructions have been issued by the hpad of tho organisation to put in hand pictures in which children will play a big part, pictures that will be of interest. to children as well as to adults.

I believe that the meeting between tho Film Moral Guardians of the city and tlm movio managers here was very interesting. No dec-isins have been inado known to either side.

Tlie Universal Company has decided to mako extensive economics in its .subtitling, and has hit upon tho plan of further simplifying spelling in order to accomplish this cutting down. Future Universal sub-titles will be comprest. by tho elimination of unnecessary letters: programme will be program, mancEuvro will bn maneuver, thornly, thruout, whisky, and dmst can be expected. The scheme also contemplates the Ms© of draft for both draft and draught, and wo may there also expecti some interesting statements. The experts of Universal City have calculated that they will save feet of film by this adventure,

Although we did not see Kathlene MacDonell in H. H. Davies's» excellent play, "Outcast," we may vet havo tlm pleasure of seeing it in the films. Ann Murdoch has just completed the picture version of the. i>lay for the (Empire All-star Studios, for release trirough Mutual.

" The 'Easiest "Way " with Clara Kimball Young in the lend has been held up l>v the Pennsylvania Board of Censors, -who ordered numerous eliminations, including the whole of the sixth 7 eel. The Selsnick Corpora Lion is fighting the business in the courts, and considerable interest is being taken m tho caso because the picture follows tho plav vory closely, and the. play was put on in New York and Philadelphia without any objection being taken. The play found trouble onlv in Boston, where it, was prohibited.

The Ontario Government has decided that users of passes or complimentary tickets to any shows must pay a wartax ecpial to that leviable on a. ticket for the part of the house in which thev pit. The tax ranges from Jd to Is \<\.

Recently Madame Alia Nazimovn. was annoyed in Washington by talkative people in a box. She ordered all the lights out and n spot light concentrated on the offending box-folk. Her opponents fled. The incident has recalled an actual occurrence which puts the .shooting of the pianist- in Arizona, completely on the blink: The Hon. James Blair, M.0., from South Carolina, attended the Washington theatre olio evening in March, 18.3-1, "when, players displeasing him. he drew his pistol p.nd fired at- the actors on the stage, the L'.illet passing just above the head of Miss Jefferson, daughter of Jo-soph Jefferson, .sen. The players stampeded from the stage and a quick curtain was rung down. Presently tho manager appeared, looking palo and agitated, and said to the audience. ' Ladies an.l gentlemen, if there is to be .shooting at the actors on tho stage it will be impossibly for the performanep to go on !' ' I'll shoot again if they don't do better! 1 ' responded the critical statesman." Interruptions of this kind go l>a<k to the earliest dnvs. "To the King's House to sec 'The Mayd's Tragedy,'" wrote Mr Tonys in " but vexed all the while with two talking Indies and Sir Charles Sedley; yet plea-sod with their discourse. . . . But bv thai means lost the pleasure of the play wholly, to which now and then Sir

Charles Sedlcy's exceptions against, both words and pronouncing were very pretty." V

The Fullers, on July 21. add another branch to their tree nf theatrical ventures. On that date their new Farcical Comedy Company will be. launched at Sydney Grand Opera House. The opening production will bo " A Little Bit of Fluff." which has kept London laughing at the Criterion Theatre for over twelve months. Miss Carrie Moore will be "the bit of fluff." and the cast, will include members of the J. C. Williamson "Fair and Warmer" Company.

"William A. Brady, explaining how he made Kitty Gordon act in "Tho Haunting Shadow," gives an interesting insight, into studio methods. it was in the scene where the Corsicnn girl is confronted by the man she has duped and whom she now recognises as the lirother of the man whose lovo she betrayed. Her fear was always too cold. "Of course," says Brady, "in the studio there was no element, of surprise, and we couldn't- get enough terror and nerves into it. So I simply went for Miss Gordon, shouting and yelling and pushing her about until 1 had her nearly a, wreck with fear, anger. nerves and everything else. Then Ave got her before the camera, and I yelled and threatened and she registered everything we wanted. She went to bed for three weeks after that scene, but we'd left it t-o the last and wo could afford to give her the holiday. Miss Gordon is impressed by the strength of that little scene whenever she sees it,"

Jimmy MacMahon. who died the other day, introduced the first Edison phonograph into Australasia. That was in 1890. Professor Archibald Douglas used t<» deliver a lecture on the invention. In 1800 the MacMahons ran George Le.it eh in "The Librarian," taken from the German play, " Dor Ribliothoka," which was also adapted by C. 11. fiawtrey under the name of "The Private Secretary."