PICTURE GOSSIP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19346, 27 June 1925, Page 13

PICTURE GOSSIP

While there is constant rivalry for the position of runner-up in the comedy championship of the world, the present holder, the one and only Charlie Chaplin, has made his position even more improvable with his latest masterpiece, “The Gold Rush.” At the recent pre-release of Chaplin’s comedy in the States a crowded and critical audience of film folks gave the famous comedian what is considered to be the most flattering ovation ever known in film colony. In a happy little speech after the initial screening Chaplin said, 4< 1 The Gold Rush’ is the picture that I would like to be remembered by.”

Mary Pickford expects to make three pictures this year, breaking her record since she was with Famous PlayersLasky Corporation. Her present vehicle is ‘‘Little Annie Rooney.” <•• ” • Enid Bennett has a young sister named Katherine. She has been engaged to appear in Metro-Goldwyn productions.

Mae Marsh has accepted another engagement to appear in a picture made in England. She will play opposite Ivor Xovello in “The Rat.”

Helene and Dolores Costello, daughters of Maurice Costello, famous screen star in Vitagraph pictures a decade ago, have been signed to long contracts by Warner Bros.

Signor Preboni Hanson, the famous Danish Court singer, will appear for a short season at His Majesty’s Theatre, commencing on Monday, June 29. Signor Hanson possesses a rich tenor voice of remarkable purity and range and is a singer with a Continental reputation second to none.

Mabel Forrest, leading woman in “The Love Trap,” wears some becoming street suits and dainty house gowns in her role of Joyce Lyndon. Miss Forrest is an adept at the gentle flit of wearing clothing becomingly and her beauty is well set off by the attire provided in this drama. « • • • The gold medal which Rudolph Valentino offered for the best performance of any screen player has been awarded to John Barrymore for his working in “Beau Brummel.” Norma Talmadge figured heavily at the poll. She not only finished second for first place, but captured second and third place for her work in “Secrets.” The decision was made by newspaper critics.

Lila Lee (Mrs James Kirkwood), who recently appeared in a picture with Thomas Meighan, is to appear on Broadway in “The Charming Bride,” a comedy adapted from the French. • • • •

The British Admiralty has arranged for films to be shown to Jack Tar. The custom of showing pictures to the Navy has been in vogue in the United States for several years. So important has this activity become that the American Navy has established special headquarters at Brooklyn Navy Yard for the distribution of motion pictures to every part of the world.

Noah Beery, Paramount feature player, is reputed to have the finest basso voice of any moving picture star. He studied for opera in New York under Francis Power Fisher, and Dor Dossert, before he took up acting as a profession. The actor still keeps his singing voice in good tone, but only for his own pleasure and the entertainment of his friends. He is now working on Zane Grey’s “The Light of Western Stars.”

“You’re married to me—not to youf business.” How many complaints come hurtling at the heads of unsuspecting husbands, after their wives get tired of spending every evening at home alone? True to his belief that life is the place to go for drama, Owen Davis, the winner of last year’s Pulitzer prize for the best play of the season, has taken this theme as the core of “Her Marriage Vow,” the play which turns on a woman’s loneliness and desire for life, which has been made into a Master Picture.

‘‘The Top of the World,” has been set down for release by Paramount at an early date. This is one of Ethel M. Dell’s most popular novels told as only this authoress can tell a romance of the African veldt. The picture was directed by George Melford, the man who made “The Sheik,” and the cast includes Anna Q. Nilsson, James Kirkwood, and Raymond Hatton .

The Paramount Theatre which is being erected in New York will be a thirty-storey skyscraper. It is expected that the building will be completed by September, 1926.

Carol Dempster will have the title role in “That Royle Girl,” D. W T . Griffiths’ first production for Paramount. Miss Dempster’s screen work has been confined exclusively to Griffiths productions.

Warner Brothers recently purchased the Vitagraph Company. In addition to their own productions Warners will produce under the Vitagraph trademark.

“Virtuous Liars,” with David Powell, Dagmar Godowsky and Maurice Costello, offers a daring society drama in New York’s rich artistic set. A wife finds herself deserted but not divorced. When her husband returns, there are dramatic complications and the climax is sensational.

Bebe Daniels, who has recently achieved stellar honours, proves herself a capable comedienne in her latest Paramount, picture, “Miss Bluebeard.” Bebe has the role of Colette, idol of the French stage, who walks right into an accidental marriage to a man she has never seen before in her life—and then discovers later that he is not her husband at all. Raymond Griffith, who will be remembered for his sterling work in “Changing Husbands,” plays opposite the star. The supporting cast includes Robert Frazer, Kenneth McKenna and Diana Kane.

the standard of the best American productions, and ‘Reveille’ is a credit to the industry. ’ ’

The old, old question, ‘‘Are you a husband, or just a business man?” is raised again in “Her Marriage Vow.” Beverley Bayne and Monte Blue head a talented caste in this Master Picture.

According to the English papers just to hand the George Peaison production, “Reveille,” starring Betty Belfour, is the finest British production to date. “Occasionally,” says the London Daily Mail, “we make a film up to

PARAMOUNT PICTURES NEW PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCED Moving picture-goers throughout New Zealand will be glad to learn of the following details announced recently by Paramount. The near future is about to bring to the screen a number of very great productions. Recently we have seen “The Ten Commandments,” and such pictures as “Monsieur Beaucairc,” “North of ’36,” .Zane Grey’s “Wanderer of the Wasteland,” and others. Included in Paramount’s Famous Forty yet to be released this year, there will be Cecil B. De Mille’s “The Golden Bed,” “Coming Thru,” with Thomas Meighan; “Miss Bluebeard,” with Bebe Daniels, ‘‘The Swan,” with Adolph Menjou; “The Devil’s Cargo,” starring Wallace Beery and Pauline Starke; “Forty Winks,” with Theodore Roberts and Raymond Griffin, and others. Looking somewhat further into the future Paramount announces “Madame Sans Gene,” which Gloria Swanson has just completed; Zane Grey offers three distinct stories, namely, “The Thundering Herd,” “The Light of Western ’Stars,” “The Code of the West”; “Sackcloth and Scarlet,” George G«bbs’ popular story; “The Dressmaker From Paris”; “Salomy of the Tenements”; “Grounds for Divorce,” with Betty Compson; and “Contraband” will be among the noteworthy productions. “Peter Pan,” James M. Barrie’s story, will also be included in the list of future productions.

In addition to a great line up of big subjects, Paramount has to announce the recent acquisition of Harold Lloyd, Douglas Maclean, and Raymond Griffin into their fold for the purpose of eomedy productions. D. W. Griffith, who recently signed a contract to produce pictures for Paramount, has in hand Marie Corelli’s “The Sorrows of Satan,” and “That Royle Giri.” A notable feature in the future policy of Paramount pictures is the bringing into line of such men as Zane Grey, Sir James M. Barrie. Jeffrey David Belasco, and Rafael Sabatini, who will personally supervise their respective stories in their production for the screen.