Mimes & Movies.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12243, 15 February 1918, Page 8

Mimes & Movies.

By the Limelight Man

i ANSWERS. .TO.. QUEEIES. " Fan.'—Olive Thoma-s was married to Jack Pickford in 1916;..both.adinit the marriage. Louis? Huff ia not married. II.H David Powell, at latest was supporting'O'.iye Tell'in'"'Her'Sister,'' which was made available on December '24. Sheldon Lcif. was the Iron Claw.' H© is now ■ appearing in the Pathe serial, " The Hidden Hand," in which are also Doris Kenyon, Arline Pretty, and Mahlon Hamilton. l*"fn,nls Keenan has a grown-up iamily. " Trueblue.''—l did not hear Professor Trueblood, and therefore cannot express any opinion obout his Shakespearean work. Alexander "Watson was certainly good. Anything that will lead to a more inle'iligent interest in Shakespeare is to be applauded. " Argument."—ln the majority of cases a, very definite cream colour is used for the groundwork of facial make-up for the screen. White with yellow blended is nted, but where no very elaborate work is needed in ma.ke-up olive oil is first applied and cream-coloured powder is dusted on. I don't think that full-toned yellows are used for groundwork in normal inake-iip. Carmine on the lips usually showj too black, but some stats use it. " Old Time."—Billie Burke was born August 7, 18S5. Fannie Ward was born June 2'2, . ISVo. .„■ . " Movie Fa.n."—(lt longer seasons in Auckland and Wellington pay better. (2) It will seat about 1200, and the rows of scats are wide apart. (3) Paul was the. first to produce a machine capable of projecting moving pictures. liumiere's, in _ France, were successful about the same time. I think your claim lis too strong. (4) The serial was' not intended to be token seriouslv,'. :(5) Column started in 1907. " Stage-struck'.'— Next week. Though New York has been suffering for some years from the pernicious ticket. broker, Chicago . has be<= n free until this year.- When the Follies wont, to the pork metropolis last December the theatre prices ranged up to 4s 2d. but the public; had to pay 20s lOd. In the case of " Miss Springtime,'' a little later, something in the nature of a strike was declared and the brokers lost £4OOO. ~ • » ■. ■ i * Julian. Eltinge, after making several pictures for Goldwyn, has returned to vaudeville, W.--W. Hodkinson, in the pursuit of new ideas, has plunged in with a, proposal to turn the movies topsy-turvy. He contends that the pictures as projected on the screen are larger vertically than they need be and are not wide enough. He declares that on the screen the picture is twice as high as it is-broad and this, to him, represents waste, (I neverknew the difference was as-great as -'.that}. Hodkinson is simply going .to put -his camera, on its side and take pictures that way, but -whether this will interfere with the perforation of the films and the shape of screens is-not. stated. Hodkinson expects to turn out the first of these new pictures this month. ■.-.■■' ■•- v-Et-hel Barrymore is playing "The Lady of the Camelias " in New York. Her Armand Duval is Conway Tearlc. ' who is the grandson of the first Aunand -in the States, Frederick Bartlrtt Conway. "Camiile" was first put on the stage in 1852 with Eugenie Doche k the°leading role, and its first petforma nee in the States occurred in 1853 nearly two years later, Jean Davenporl being the Camiile. The first Britisl ■production was in 1858, when Mr? Charles Young (Mrs Hermann Vezin' ;took the title part. Versions of th< play have, also been put on the stagf under the titles of ''Hea.rtsease" (ii London in 1875) and "La Traviata" (Verdi's opera). The first performs nc< in Ohristchurch took place; in 1866 when Eloise Juno was Camiile. "Ca mille" made two players -who becarw .prominent in the States—Ma tiki: Heron and B- A. Sothern, later o Dundreary fame. Matilda. Heron ha< failed dismally when she saw the pla; in. Paris. • She took it up and fou years after Jean Davenport she tool New York by storm with it. Sotheri was her Armand, and for the first tim in his life received a curtain "call.' In 1904 New York had two Camiile simultaneously—Margaret Anglin am Virginia Harned. . * • The only male honoured by a direc invitation to.Theda Bara's "vampire' showing of "Cleopatra" was Julia Eltinge, and he got it because his wor or stago .and sovoen iu impersonate "vamps" has secure hini a ppsitio in the class. V Jt's never too late to start. Rub La Fayette, an actress of the old schoo who began her career in the sixties and is now over seventy-two years c age, has gone starring in tho film: playing in a mystery photo-play et .titled "The Man Trap." Miss L Fayette retired from the stage fiftee years ago, but the Cooper-Hewitts a tracted her back. * .* Allen Doone has been playing in iV Alcazar Theatre, San Francisco, wit -more success than his season in Ne York secured. Latest mails gives news of Katherir Grey's 'success in her home State, Cal &s';. : - ■ i • ;.

forma, where she is playing " The Tbrr- 1 teenth Chair." i 1 The latest Douglas Fairbanks pro- : auction I. have seen scheduled is •• 'D'Artagnan of Kansas." His next ' picture will necessitate work in sis < big cities. i In one of the new productions in iSew York the show begins' before it starts. As soon as the lights go out and prior to the rising of the curtain ■ a number of the sprightly ones of the chorus prance through tlio auditorium singing about the women who don't take their hats off. They, are equipped with electric torches, and use these to show up any of their' sisters in the audience who do not remove the headgear as advised. . Geraldine FarraVs latest film offering is entitled "The Devil Stone," a three-period story written round a ; curse upon an 'emerald. Miss Farrar [appears' first as a Breton maid and [ then as a daughter of the Vikings, after which the story switches into modern times. Wallace Reid, Tully Marshall and Hobart Bosworth. are included in what appears to be a powerful cast. 'The. scenario is by Jeanie Macpherson from a, story b'v Beatrice De Mille and Leighton Osimin. The direction is by Cecil De Mille, who did "The Woman God Forgot/' •■ * Latest information from America b'etokeus a separation of Louise Huff from Jack Pickford, though there is nothing to denote a. permanent division. Miss Huff was in California in December, starting work on the Paramount feature, "Wild Youth,'' in which Theodore Roberts.and JackMulhall also appear. In the Fox production of " Les Miserables," which may be looked for at Crystal Palace when that luxurious theatre is in operation, William Faruum is the Jean Valjean, Jewel Carmen is Cosette and Sonia Markova is Fantine. * « Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson was not a newcomer to the films when ho went to Herbert Brennon's studio to put "The Passing 0 f the Third Floor Back" into celluloid. He had beeu before the movie camera in England, his "'Hamlet" having been canned there. " I hare enjoyed this making of my favourite, play for motion pictures very much indeed," said ho in an interview after finishing his film. "The pictures are a. remarkable institution—a great power for good, a power for e.vif if left to careless or unscrupulous hands. They will be an everincreasing source of deep and lasting benefit as long as the subjects are proper. Young.persons, you know, ought to be watched over,'nnd all that, Exhibrtions of atrocities of revolting, cruelty'are being shunned by all the better producers, I notice, in England a.s well as in the United States. The dramatic status and aims of the pictures appear to be still a little unsettled, but they are reaching for high levels. The motion picture as an art is highly interesting. At all events, here it is, a wonderful industry, with , great possibilities." * Mary Miles Minter's next picture is "The Mate of the Sally Ann." Her . character is that of a girl who is kept i in strict seclusion by an old sen. dog of a, captain, and she never makes any human acquaintances until by chance . she. encounters a fairy-godfatherly old judge, who turns out to be her father, '. and it all ends in sunshine. Mary MileH > Minter does specialise, in sunshine, Alan i, Forrest, George Penola.t, Jack Connolly ■ and Adele Farrington complete the I cast. . * * Froni London in December Louis . N.ethersole wrote this of Miss Doris L Keane: ''We had.a. wonderful house 5 on the occasion of our second anniveri sary of Miss Keane in. 'Romance.' . More money was registered at the box office than at the first anniversary, although that was an excellent house, too. We are now settled down into our , third year, and 1 do not believe, there ,' will bo any necessity of a change of bill for a, long time." i * * i December releases by Paramount in--5 cludo- Liua, Cavalieri's first picture, 1 "The Eternal Temptress," by . Mdme Fred de Gresac; Billie Burke's "The Land of Promise," Marguerite Clark's y new fairy play, "The. Seven Swans "'; ■' Jack Pickford in "Tom Sawyer," Mark i Twain's story; Wallace' Reid. in "Xan » of Music Mountain"; Dorothy Da Hon, ; > the Ince star, in "Love Letters";

T ivian Martin, in “The Fair Bar- ( banan, and Sessile Hayakawa, in t “ The Secret Game.” L . , * » In “ Cleopatra ” is is said that Theda c Bara, who plays the siren of the Nile. ( wears fifty “distinctively different”costumes. Before and during the production of “Cleopatra ” ten seams- , tresses were constantly working on Miss 1 Bara s costumes. v ♦ ! John Emerson and Anita Loos,, who i probably are entitled to no i able portion of the glory which has accrued to Douglas Fairbanks in the last, year or so, have severed their connections 'with that screen performer and are at present in the act .of looking ! oi er the field. Miss Loos, an unknown ’ a year or . so ago,, suddenly finds herself ■ one of the most desired of all, scenario ■ writers; Mr Emerson, while far from : an unknown when he took to the films, : ha,s enhanced .his reputation, as a. three- ' or several hundred per cent while on ' the t aiibanks staff, and is another who is enjoying the sensation of being sought a ft er. Probably, in no field save the theatrical are reputations made so quickly, and a.s between the stage and the screen the greater speed is undoubteciJy the latter s, # # In addition to the Max Linder and 1 ,4 . M Alister films, Starland next TV™ F°P ula ' r George M'alsli in High Finance, a powerful combination. », * ~J” < l - Dou , l l le Tl ’°uble,” or “Flirting With Fate, as the bills called it, the leading support to Douglas Fairbanks was Margery "Wilson and Gladys Brockwell, and not Jewel Carmen, as some advertisements suggested. . “ Paradise Garden ” was a distinctly interesting Lockwood offering, and continued some beautiful settuuzs. Henry Lehrmau’s Sunshine comedies, may he expected at Sfcariand from now on. I notice that. Ford Sterling has-been appearing in some of the latest fun-makers fro'm this studio. ’ « * Stone is famous nil over the United States as the scarecrow Ui the big spectatcle, “The Wizard of Oz,” more famous ns a partner in the team Montgomery and Stone, and stilt more noted :is one of the, tew comedians who having gone “solo ' after leaving a, tamous partnership, has found success. This was in New York last year, in. “Jack o Lantern.” He has now been secured for the Paramount by La sky. Stone is accomplished in’ all sorts of dancing, ; lariat, throwing, tight-rope walking, and he. is ‘in excellent athletic dancer. Stone is expected to be accomplished in what we know as Fairbanks stunts!k “ Amarilly of Clothes Line Alley,” Mary Pickford's latest picture, will probably go on the .stage subsequent' to its release on the screen. Opposite Mary.in the film will be Freddie Goodwins, wjio was in some, of the Chaplin films, and later has been successful hr Christie comedies. Goodwins is an Englishman who had a- lot of experience on the London and New York stages’ before going to the studio. While with Lone) Star he did a. lot of Chaplina Press Agency work. * * o-morrow, at. the Strand, Fanny Yard-will be seen in “On the Level.” V hen “ The Sawdust Ring” was made, Bessie Love and a Fine Arts Company travelled with a. circus-for several weeks, to get the scenes required for the picture. ■ * * “ The IVillow Tree” trouble in Sydney is now blown over. It. seems that the outbreak of tittering in the gallery on the opening night was due t-o a'line utteru) by Kathleue Macdonell, who' plays the lead, and according to the critics gives a splendid performance. In one. scene of this exquisite Chinese play ftliongh it is called Japanese in Australia) wood-chopping by Nogo is heard- Miss Macdonell is to soy 1 “Mbat s tha.tr ’ and the answer is “ Nogo. ’ This reply sounded like ■ “No go,” and someone in the gods tittered. The light lough went round, ond the star left the stage. The other ' artists followed her after some hesita- . tion. The ’ strain of tong rehearsing , and this untoward incident proved too i much for the actress, ond a. doctor had ! to be obtained- Now, as the “Bulletin” remarks, the ploy is going well i before thoroughly repentant audiences. The incident has brought out a- crop of views for and against the star, but- ; most of them miss the point. The > right of an audience -to hiss or applaud can be fairly permitted only at the end - of a play. At any other point, it not. only disturbs the progress of the play, : but disturbs the artist and spoils the - performance for others in the. audience . 'who may enjoy" it 0 r not. Another r point,is that in this case no disapproval !! was intuided. It was somebody with ‘ a sense of humour too close to the surface. The■ tithe" could-not; fail to be, annoying, and while. Miss Macdonell ■ probably regrets her action, I sympathi.se with, her'and-even applaud, her. ■' She. gives always what is her best, and 5 the audience should respond in kind. s The actors have their limits. * ft ' Myrtle Gonsalez, who was with Vita--1 graph and then with -Universal!,- ‘was .’ married‘'in December to’Captain Allen ’ AVatt -of the 363 rd United Sia tes’ In- », fantry. Cautain AVatt wos an assistant. director at Universal Studios aiding I Rupert. Julian on Bluebirds for some time. Myrtle Gonsalez appeared in many pictures, including “ The Chalice of Courage.” She was born in Los An-' geles in 1894. j Fred E. Wright, who has been directing with - -Essanay,. has joined Pathe, j and is how directing Irene Cast-le. sup-" oorj.ed by Milton Stills and “Walter

Gland," reuniting the-trio of the “Pa- j tria. ” cast and Caesare Graving, who was in “Less Than the Dust ” and other Mary Pickford pictures. This quartet is appearing in “ The Mysteri- ■ ous Client,” Frieda Hempel, a- dramatic prima. donna from the Metropolitan Opera House, has gone into pictures. She will start work in March- The Edison interests appear somewhere m the deal, but full details are -. not yet made known. ■ . * ♦ Edith Storey is doing "Revenge,’’ a. picture version of “ Hearts Steadfast." by Edward Mofi’atr, It is a Western . story. Carmel Myers, the best leading lady Lockwood bad, is with Bluebird, and at latest-was in a film entitled “My Unmarried "Wife," adapted from the novel called “ Molly and I.” ■ u » The Pathe production of “The Naulahka,," by Kipling and Woolcott Bale?tier, cost £20,00 p. "It contains 800 scenes. Antonio Moreno is the star. ♦ « « “Jack Spurlock Prodigal,’’ by George Horace Lorimcr, is being done! into films .-by. William Fox. Lorimer, who is-editor of .the “Saturday Evening fost,” is known to a large audience by means of his writings, and not the least among thesO is “Jack Spurlock. ” ■ v Maud Beatty, the ex-Pollard artist, is on her way to the Dominion and probably will be seen under the J. G. Williamson banner. Clara Kimball, Young has completed “The Marionettes,” her third picture for her uow company. * A film entitled “The Spirit of ’76” was produced in America by the Continental Producing Company and it was seized by the Federal authorities on November 30 on the ground that it was a violation of the Espionage Act. The Federal grand jury returned an indictment of Robert Goldstein, the producer of the film, on three counts. The grand jury held that there was a German plot in connection with the production of the film and charged Goldstein with having attempted to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny and refusal of duty on the part of the military and. naval forces of the United States. The picture is also held to be an attempt to arouse antagonism between the United States and Great j •Britain. The film "was seized at the instigation of the American' Protective League, a-.big organisation which works in aiding the. United States secret service in combating the German propaganda. .*• BRIEF BIOGRAPHY.. ELIZABETH RISDON w as born in London and made her stage debut in Loudon in 1908. She played under Granville Barker, Lee Sbubert, Wintrop Ames and William Faversham on the stage. She made her screen debut in “ The Manxman,” a. British film play and now she is in the States appearing . on the stage in “Misalliance"’ and in the pictures iu “ The Mother ” and other features. ‘ She stands- sft siu aud weighs 9st 21b. She is described as having a. fair complexion, light brown hair and green eyes. ■■.* * . ■ Patrons of vaudeville throughout Australasia, will regret to learn of the serious illness of Lydia Came, the popular dancer of the Walter Johnson Revue Company, now appearing at the Opera. House iu thi.vcity, Miss..Came was indisposed last week, . medical as-, sistance was procured, and she was instructed to rest at ouce. Her illness , necessitated the abandonment of the famous jiu jitsu dance . with . Ernest Lashbrooke, but she decided to carry ■ on until the end of the week. Her work in the revue tions of well-known vaudeville artists,the feature of the programme, but an exceedingly arduous task for a young girl even in the best of health. At the. conclusion of the performance on Saturday evening Miss Came was taken in a. state of collapse to her hotel, and on Tuesday was removed to the home of friends in the city;. On behalf of theatregoers generally. I wish the tal-ented-and popular ■ young ■ artist a. speedy recovery. Thomas Meighan, who was the leading man to Billie Burke hi “ Arms aud the Girl” at the Strand, is in a similar position in," The Laud of Promise;” the Paramount version of Somerset Maugham’s drama. * 1 Norma. Talmadge’s latest release ■ through Select Pictures is “ Ghosts of Yesterday," adopted from the play ’ “ Two Women,” by Rupert Hughes, the 1 author of “ Gloria’s Romance."’ ’ Lois Weber, who did “Hypocrites” and other film features, has turned out '■ another big photoplay. This time it 1 is “The Price of a Good Time," with ’ Mildred Harris .in the lead. The story J deals with the struggle of a young girl 1 employed in a shop to resist the temp- ■ tations that beset her on every side. : She loves good clothes and wants a 1 “ good time.” She finally" gives in,‘but’ • when the .time comes to pay the - price discovers too late that love formed au essential part oL her scheme of life. - She finally comes to an untimely end s in a motoy smash. The picture lias 1 had; a. big run iu New Work and the - criticisms are particularly laudatory, t. V I The New. Zealand. Picture Supplies, * Ltd., will be handling the Goldwyn"feai tures in this country- ■ 3 '" ♦»* - / . Mabel Nomad’s picture, “Mickey,” about which there has been much argu- ■ ment, has at last appeared on the mar- - ket, handled by the "Western Imports , Company. The film was announced - • for "release"Shortly ’L over-va -year ago, r but several, “ accidents ” in the business

end delayed matters, and at one time it j looked as if the picture might, not ■ reach the public screen at all. It was directed by Mack Sennett while he was j one of the corners of the Triangle and the cost worked out at £60,000- . Bryant "Washburn recently was retired for several days owing to temporary ■ blindness caused by overlong work under a heavy battery‘of lamps. On two consecutive nights he worked from 9 p.m. to 6 a.ni. in a hotel barber's? s,°P, doing scenes for “Kidder and Ko.” his first Pa the release. Donald Crisp, who has been directing for La sky. has completed his contract for that firm. He directed “ Ramona." and “The Eyes of the "World'’ for W. H. Clime, and .pictures in which Wallace Reid, Julian Eltinge and George Behan starred. *»* George Ovey, after two years in comedy work for the. Horsley films, has left, but. his new affiliation is not yet announced. During his two years he made 150 single-reel comedies under the brand-name of Jerry. . i * * Catherine Mac Donald, sister of Mary MacLaren, ha.s been signed on a.s leading lady opposite Charles Ray on the Paramount programme- Prior to this engagement, she was with Pa the and La-sky. * * * Owen Wister’s fine story, “Lin M-’Leau,” has been done into the films as a. five-reel feature, for the Universal under the direction ! of Jack Ford. Harry Carey will play the. title,, role and Betty iSchade will take the part of Katie.. *»* Ella, Hall and Emory Johnson are the stars of “ Dona Perfect,a," a, Universal production directed by Elsie Jane Wilson, .the 'Australian actress. Ruby La Fayette and "Winter Hall are in the cast--9 • Marjorie Daw interrupted the making of the Douglas Fairbanks production, “ A Modern Musketeer ” or “ D’Aftagnan of Kansas.” She broke her knee < in the Grand Canyon of Arizona during the filming of a scene in the picture. She spent three weeks in a. Los Angelos hospital, and then limped back to work. * • ■ Walter Johnson's fourth revue, to be shown at the Opera House to-night, will be a revival of “The "Railway Tangle.” which was the initial production of the company in Christchurch last year. # • Writing from Wellington. Waiter Fuller speaks thus of two new acts upon the New Zealand circuit:— “ Denny and Dunigan are indeed a. brilliant vaudeville duo, reminiscent at times of Hamblin and Mack, who were hero some years ago. but very much better. Tire audience warmed to them immediately last night (Monday), and a ripple- of pleasure went through the theatre the whole time these talented people occupied the stage.” . . “As regards Copeland and Kid. this is a very novel item, and appeared to create a good deal of interest, and I think the audience was thunderstruck at such a display of juvenile precocity.” This latter act of Copeland Kid consists of a returned soldier, who, with his seven-year-old hoy, gives a remarkable display of mind-reading, clairvoyance and arithmetical acrobatics. Denny and Dunigan are an American patter team. , Bessie Love, telling about bow she got into the movies, said' that, she suffered from tonsilitis and was ordered not to proceed further with school for a time. She decided -to-try the holiday in the movies, and going to the Fine Arts studio told the office that she had an appointment with David

Griffith. They let her in. Immediately after getting into the - presence she admitted that she had no appointment, but had said so only to get inside his door. “ I know that,” said Griffith, "but you’ll do for me. Come round to the studio now and we’ll startyou.” And there was a. star launched, into the firmament in a. few minutes. George Behan, noted Italian impersonator, m his latest photo-play, ‘‘Lost in Transit.” has a. work from the pen of Kathlyn Williams. Behan takes the part of an Italian who finds a small boy tucked among rags in his junk waggon, with a note reading. ■‘ Whoever finds this child may have him.” ,He adopts the boy. At the same time another child has been lost and advertised for. It. is around the incidents relative in the- near loss of the child that the plot of 11 Lost in Transit" is built. < • « Jimmie was the slickest, smoothest, niftiest, classiest, nerviest little porch climber that ever had the detectives sitting up and taking notice, but one fine day somebody poked a gun in ■'Jimmie’s” ribs backed him across a. room and made him marry a girl he had never seen before in all his life. This is one of the many remarkable, and exciting incidents in “Come Through,” a surprise photo drama which is highly spoken ■of in the States. It is from the Universal studios. From the pen of George. Bronson Howard, well-known author, "Come Through” created a sensation in New York, where all the critics have pronounced it to he a wonder. There is a suspense in every minute of the seven reels, hut throughout the rapid action a charming love, story is unfolded. The principals include Herbert Rawlinsou, Alice Lake and Roy Stewart, Will we sec Como Through” here? It i s doubtful. Herbert Brecon, who is just completing his production, "The Fall of the Romanoffs.” has announced that his new feature will not exceed eight reels. He .has made all his pictures within the past year eight reels and, Ims now dec-idol that his future productions will never exceed that limit. “Eight reels,” says Brecon, “is the ideal length for a feature picture for special productions. An eight reel picture runs about two hours. The theatre, which is a much older art than ours, discovered through years of experience exactly how much entertainment the public can stand and, profiting by this knowledge, has sifted its performances down to Iwo hours and a half. Theatrical managers have learned by experience! too, that there is- such a. thing as overdosing the public. They know that theatregoers do not want to be. entertained for so long that they become conscious that they are, sitting in chairs- In the'theatre the-very longest of plays begins at. 8.10 and continues till 11 o’clock. There are usually two intermissions of eight minutes for an overturn that leaves two hours and a quarter of actual theatrical entertainment. To keep an audience too long in their seats, they have learned, means that they begin to get restless, and no matter how good the play may he. they begin tot get bored. These arc things which we, the younger industry, can profit hr the experience of the theatre and take to ourselves. ft stands to reason that if a. theatrical production is unable to hold the interest of an audience for two hours or only a litte more, there is no reason why a motion picture should bare to be given any longer time. If iinylhina the. time devoted to a motion picture should he a trifle less, because in the picture there is no human voice to add to the interest.” Humming-birds hatch ~ out more quickly than any others; they require, only ten days.