News of the Movies

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16738, 20 May 1922, Page 16

News of the Movies

BY The Movie Man

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. Correspondents desirous of having Questions answered in the current issue are requested to see that their communications are delivered at this ofliee not later than Tuesday afternoon. Expectant.—l am given to understand that ' The Affairs of Anatole ” —a most interesting picture 1 can say, having seen a private screening—will be shown in Chris .church, but when and where is not yet known. " The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ” is sure to be along, but I am unable to say when. No one in the business appears to know. Rosy.—Madame Nazimova was born at Yalta, in the Crimea, ’tis said in 1879. She stands sft 3£in. Anna Q. Nilsson was born at the other end of Europe, at Yatari, Sweden, and is the exact opposite to Madame Nazimova physically, being about four inches taller and having a fair complexion, blond hair and blue eyes while Madame uas uai'K complexion, black hair and violet eyes. The Kid.—Constance Talmadge, United Studios. Los Angeles. California. Rodolp (note the spelling of the name). Valentino, Agnes Ayres and Lila Lee, Lasky Studios, Uollw-o ' ' ilifornia. M^dya Walton, Universal Studios, Universal City banks Studio. Hollywood, California. Sessue Hayakawa, Robert6on-Cole Studios, Hollywood. California. Forest Stanley. International Studios, Second Avenue and 127th Street. New York City. Alice Calhoun, Vitagraph Studios, Los Angeles, California. Elsie Ferguson, Famous-Play-ers Corporation. 485, Fifth Avenue, New York City. The others care Will’s and Inglis, Wright and Callender Buildings. Los Angeles. California. You run “ Buster ” a good race for addresses. Buster.— Betty Compson, Wallace Reid and Thomas Meighan, Lasky Studios, Hollywood. California. Richard Bathelmees. Inspiration Pictures Corporation. 565. Fifth Avenue, New York City. Charles

Ray, Charles Ray Studios, Los Angeles, California. Wesley Barry, Hollywood S‘tfdios, Hollywood, California. Florence Vidor, Ince Studios, Culver City, California. Tom Mix, Fox Studios. Hollywood. California. Jack Pickford, Pickford-Fair-hanks Studio, Hollywood, California. Doris May, Robertson-Cole Studios, Hollywood, California. Helene Chadwick, Goldwyn Studios, Culver City, California. William Farnum. Fox Film Corporation, West Fifty-fifth Street, New York City. Jackie Coogan, Brunton Studios, Los Angeles, California. The others care Willis and Inglis. Wright and Callender Buildings, Los Angeles, California. Some list, " Buster.” Rosemary.—You being so young are forgiven. Margaret Seddon plays the part of the mother in " Just Round tne Corner.” Harold Lloyds has the lead in ” Among Those Present.” Margaret Seddon has no studio address, so send care Willis and Inglis, Wright and Callender Buildings, Los Angeles, California. Harold Lloyd, Hal Roach Studios, Culver City, California. Creighton Hale has the part of Professor Sterling in “ Way Dowu East.” Address D. W. Griffith Studios, Orieuta Point,. Mamaroueck, New Y'ork. Lila Lee, Mary Miles Minter and Gloria Swanson, Lasky Studios, Hollywood, Cali-

forma. Pearl White, Pox Film Corporation, West Fifty-fifth Street, New. York City Anita Stewart, Louis B. Mayer Studios, Los Angeles. California Corinne Griffith Vitagraph Company, 469, Fifth Avenue, New York City. Eisie Ferguson, Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, 485, Fifth Avenue, New York City. Clara Kimball Young. Harry Garson Studios, Edendale, California. Have no fear “ Rosemary,” the spasm will pass awaj. A private screening of 1 The Sheik, wa s given at Everybody’s under- the supervision of Mr. McDonald, Paianiount’s New- Zealand representative, on Thursday, and was witnessed by a few specially invited guests. Further reference to the picture must wait until next issue. A flock of trained geese is a feature in a New Hepworth Comedy picture entitled “Tit for Tat. William Faversham has completed the filming of John Galsworthy’s “ Justice ” for Selznick, and has returned to the stage. Harry Carey, Sessue Hayakawa, Pauline Frederick and Doris May are now under contract to Robertson-Cole Pictures Company. Thomas M-eighan’s next picture will he “Our Leading Citizen.’" which uas written for him by George Ade. Lois Wilson will be Mr. Meighan’s leading “ Stella Fregelius.” a screen adaptation of Sir Rider Haggard’s story, has been released in England. . “ It is a picture.” save a London, critic, that will appeal strongly to the average kinema goer.”

The deacon?? of Pontycwmmer Methodist Chapel in Wales have decided t-o show cinema pictures in -their chapel on Sunday evenings, in order to attract young people who prefer walking the streets to attending a service. The air in motion picture theatres is to be tested and analised by the Health Department at Washington. Chemists have begun the inspection of the ventilating systems of all film theatres and have taken samples of air breathed by patrons of the houses. Vola Vale, who plays the part of Barbara to William S. Hart in ” White Oak.” is an Australian girl, born in Paramatta, who went with her husband to New York. She was with the old A.B. company, and later with Universal, Selznick and Parampunt. Harry Myers has the name part in the Universal Serial “ Robinson Crusoe,” of which the “ Moving Picture World” ‘ says :—“ Tt is interesting, full of action, well produced and finely

photographed. Based on Daniel Defoe’s classic story of adventure, it will potonly please the children, but will take the grown-ups back to their days of childhood.” When Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were in Pompeii while on their recent trip abroad, a street boyacrobat did some hand-springs and Doug, rewarded him‘by putting a handful of coppers in his hat. Then Doug performed some acrobatics —and the boy, appraising him in open-mouthed awe, took the coins from his own hat and put them in Doug’s sombrero! The Ultra-Rapid camera has been turned on people with co-ids and the 'flu. But instead of a somewhat depressing screen analysis of the prevalent malady resulting. a picture of 1 ydicroua amusement has resulted. The contortions of the face of the average person who indulges in a sneeze, when slowed down ten times by the .-low-motion camera, rival the grimaces of a popular comedian. Vera Gordon, the well-known screen mother, and Dore Davidson, both of whom gained enviable reputations with their work in “ Humoresque ” are seen again in similar roles in “The Good Provider,” a Fanny Hurst story dealing with Jewish life. In the picture Miss Gordon and Mr Davidson play “papa and mamma" parts to which 1 they are admirably suited. Miriam Battista, the talented child actress who Avon much praise for her work in “ Humoresque,” also is a member of the cast. Kn forced morality see me to be the keynote around Hollywood way these days, (says a New York paper). Movie authors, camera men, directors and actors in the California film colony have banded together and threaten to boycott any person resident in tlw? colony and associated with the films who “brings disgrace” upon the industry. Those caught violating the moral code ax' ill be ostracised. Directors Avill not direct them, camera, Avon’t photograph them, authors won’t write for them and felloAA- actors and actresses won’t play Avith them. Narayana,” a French picture, now being screened at Home, combines originality Avith clever photography and some beautiful settings. Leon Poirer, the producer, has again found the immortal Balzac his inspiration, the story being founded on “ Le Peau de Chagrin.” Irony is its keynote—the irony of a dying man - a mental and physical wreck, finding within his grasp wealth, happiness, Jove—-if he will sacrifice his soul. Narayana is the name of r« little god avlio promises to satisfy five wishes, each one in return for a fifth ot a man’s life. A most intriguing picture. The animals used in Hodkinson’s film version of Zone Grey’s novel, “The Man. of the Forest,” do remarkable work before the camera, but, like all aa ilci beasts in captivity, they arc subject to fits of rebellion. Both the lion and the bear had these streaks of “temperament” while working, and each caused considerable excitement in attempting to escape. In the scenes taken at the studio the entire “sets were enclosed in heavy wire caging, to protect the crowds of spectators. AY he re the animals were used on “ location, in Avooded mountain canyons far from the studio, this precaution Avas impossible. Here the danger was that the animals would escape, and this was guarded against to some extent by hav ready to dash after them. The recent catastrophic in Washington, when the roof of the Knickerbocker Theatre collapsed, drcAv forth a flood -of statistics destined to reassure all timorous picture, theatre habitues. It is asserted that no less than 3,500, 000,000 pay for admission every year, that is to say, more than thirty times the entire population, and that there is only one fatal accident in 30,000.000 ! Assuming that there are 18,000 picture theatres in the States, it means only an a Average daily attendance at each theatre of approximately 500 .persons. The statement, moreover, is corroborated by the accounts published of the film distributors, whose receipts in the latter half of 1921 amounted to nearly GO.O'JO.OOO dollars, or. at the normal rate of exchange to Avliich the dollar is again approximating, about £12,000, 000. “ I am principally interested in bringing about a better economic condition in the production of Paramount pictures,” was the reply of Adolph Zukor to Los Angeles interviewers who questioned him as to the purpose of a recent visit to Paramount’s West Coast studios. “ Like every other industry,” said Air Zukor, “the motion picture business is to-day going through a period of readjustment. While we know and fully realise the insistent public demand for better pictures, and that its taste has been developed to accept only the best, it is also incum bent upon producers to realise the necessity for curtailing unnecessary productiona! extraA-agance. This, however, must be accomplished without affecting the qualitv of the productions in the slightest degree, and we are prepared to meet the conditions and maintain that qualitv for Avhich Paramount has always stood pre-eminent.” The Famous Players-Lasky Company which established a branch in London, has decided to quit. It is an open secret (says an American paper) that numerous discouragements have been thrown in their path, for the British are a, conservative people. The Government has forbidden the use for photoplays of important public buildings and historical edifices, and iso much red tape has involved the snapping of scenes in tV open that companies have generally resorted to photographing them by stealth and then

scuttling off for fear the Coldstream Guards would be turned loose on them. The London studio is too big and expensive to bo shut down entirely, and it is likely that hereafter this will be rented out to whatever. English producers have the loose change. Rut the British field will in future be left severely alone bv American producing units, and the Yankee incursion into Europe, over which much conversation was expended some time ago, has come to an untimely end. with three rousing cheers from most of those involved.