WITH THE MOVIE STARS

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17131, 18 June 1927, Page 17 (Supplement)

WITH THE MOVIE STARS

Mrs Hart Returning to Soreen. Winifred Westover Hart’s vanity (says an American paper) has been suffering for five long years under the penally imposed on her by William S. Hart at the time of their separation. Bill promised to settle £20.000 on his wife if she would agree to five years of seclusion—which meant she could not appear on the screen and could not even have a snapshot taken. In March the ban was lifted, Winifred received her £20,000, and now she's planning to make up for the lost years by returning to the screen and practically all her spare time and money at the photographer’s. She immediately left for a holiday in New York with her small son. Mrs Hart announces that, she will gladly return to her husband, if invited. For the sake of her son, she wiii forgive all. Up to the present writing, Mr Hart has made no effort to see her. £SOO a Week! After a winter spent In ambush fighting, Greta Garbo and Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer have declared a truce. Greta has signed a new contract and is said to be getting £SOO a week. Although it is not what Greta wanted, it is a lot of money! Renee Adoree as Rose Marie. Renee Adoree will lie starred in the screen version of the popular comic opera, “Rose Marie.” Chaplin Divorce Case. Replying to his wife’s allegations in her petition* for divorce, Charlie Chaplin denied all her charges and crosscharged her with gross extravagance and infidelity witii an unnamed motorcar salesman. He says she came home with this man drunk at 3 o’clock in the morning, and when he remonstrated with her, she askctl. “What are, you going to do about it?”

Chaplin asks for the custody of their children,.

Picture Paragraphs. Gloria Swanson’s next will be “The Battalion of Death,” a Russian story. William Haines’ first, starring picture will be “Spring Fever.” The world premiere of “The King of Kings,” dealing with the life of Christ, look place in New York on April 15. Rod la Rocque’s next picture will be “Brigadier Gerard,” a play of the Napoleonic era, in which Julia Faye will play opposite him. Douglas Fairbanks, junr., son of ihe famous “Doug.,” will probably be seen shortly in a screen version of “L’Aiglon."

The' wife of Nijinski, the famous Russian dancer, plays a bit in “Old Heidelberg." Nijinski has been hopelessly insane for some years. “Michael Strogoff,” which drew very large audiences to Ihe Regent Theatre, Auckland, will be shown in Hamilton shortly. Vivian Bath, the Englishman whom Mary Hay (formerly Mrs Richard Barthclmess) recently married, is the son of a rubber magnate, and is 21 years old.

When the mail left Mabel Normand was seriously ill in Hollywood. Poor Mabel! For years she made the world laugh, but she has been treated very badly by Fate of recent years. Ramon Novarro is devoting his enlire time to the study of music, and says that eventually he will give up the screen for the operatic and concert stage. Critics predict that he will become a great tenor. Gary Cooper, who a year ago was an extra, just arrived from a Montana ranch, is already a star. He has been signed by Paramount to make Westerns. Gary made a hit in “The Winning of Barbara Worth.” Gloria Swanson, Richard Dix, Thomas Mcighan, and other stars who had been working in New York for some years, have gone lo Hollywood owing to the decision of Paramount to do all tlicir producing in Hie Wosl. Herbert Brcnon, the director of “Beau Gcste,” lias just completed his three-hundredth picture! A record undoubtedly held by few other of the pioneers—but, also, one that will probably stand unequalled in the future.

Dorothy Seacombe, ihe Australian girl who was in Hamilton with several Williamson comedies and is now a London favourite, is in the cast of the British film, “The Flag Lieutenant,” to be released in New Zealand shortly. Mr Henry Edwards appears in the title role.

“Beau Geste” on Monday. The eagerly-awaited “Beau Geste,” thrilling story of the Foreign Legion, will be screened at Hamilton next week. The theme of brother love is said to he very beautiful.

Ronald Holman, Neil Hamilton, Ralph Forbes, Alice Joyce, Mary Brian, Norman Trevor, Noah Beery, William Powell and Victor McLaglen are the stars in the cast.

American Help for Germany) Metro-Goldwyn is financing the next picture to he made by U.F.A. It will be done in Germany, under the direction of F. W. Murnau, who will leave America temporarily for that purpose. Metro-Goldwyn is also contributing their featured player, Lars Hanson. He will go to Berlin to play the lend in the picture entitled “From Nine to Nine.”

A Tremendous Industry, The motion picture industry now ranks as Ihe fourth largest in the United Stales, and represents an investment of about £300,000.000, of which £250,000,000 is in theatres and the balance in studios and distributing offices, according lo Edward B. Smith and Co., the bankers who recently engineered the £20,000,000 combine of the Stanley Company of America, First National Pictures and West Coast Theatres.

“Fifteen years ago there was hardly a respectable bank in Hie country which would consider lending the industry money,” the hankers point out in an analysis just completed, “and it is only during the past nine years or so that friendly relationships have been established between the banks and the industry, as in any other seasoned husiness. In 1925 ten companies earned over £4,800,000, while in 1926 five companies earned more than this amount. The manufacture of raw film lias created an industry in itself. The Eastman Kodak Company makes some 200,000 miles of film yearly and uses three tons of silver bullion a week, being the largest consumer in the country after the Government mint.”