WITH THE MOVIE STARS

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17412, 26 May 1928, Page 17 (Supplement)

WITH THE MOVIE STARS

Shayle Gardner—"Go-Getter.° Shayle Gardner, the well-known Shakespearean and film actor, hearing that Mr Rex Ingram, the producer of "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalpyse," needed an actor of his type, travelled 700 miles to secure the part. He found Ingram bathing at Nice. The latter was so pleased with Gardner's dash that he engaged him for his latest film, "The Three Passions. *' Activity In Hollywood. Eleven stars, 28 featured players, f 7 directors, and 27 prominent writers are now under contract to Paramount Pictures. This small army of artistio talent, gathered together from all parts of the world, are all the public sees of the vaster organisation behind them at the huge studios in Hollywood, where approximately 1500 other persons are employed in the making of pictures. Nine pictures are now in the making: A new untitled Wallace Beery-Ray-mond Ratton comedy, a Richard Dix starring vehicle, "Knocking 'Em Over," and "White Hands," an Arthur Stringer story starring Esther Ralston. Other pictures being illmed are: "Threa Sinners," starring Pola Negri; "The Fifty-Fifty Girl," starring Bebe Daniels; "The Drag Net," starring George Bancroft; "The Magnificent Flirt," starring Florence Vidor; "Odd Fellows," a comedy featuring W. G. Fields and Chester Conk Lin; and "A Date with a Duchess," starring Adolphc Menjou. New Partner for Vllma Banky.

Mr Samuel Goldwyn, the film magnate, has chosen Mr Walter Butler, the young English film actor, to be the future screen-partner of Miss Vilma Banky. This covers a generous gesture on the part of her former partner, Mr Ronald Colmaa.

Mr Colman during his recent visit to London met Mr Butler for the first time at the Green Room Club, and, thinking that he might possibly be the type for which Mr Goldwyn was looking, brought him to his notice. An inspection of film tests of Mr Butler and a viewing of the British film "Victory," in which he last appeared, definitely brought this rising young actor well into the front rank of possible choices. The fact that Mrs Samuel Goldwyn thought Mr Butler the most attractive of the. young men up for final selection eventually settled the matter.

Plcture Paragraphs. Fred Thomson's next picture for Paramount, "The Sunset Legion," is a story of the exciting mining days of the "nineties." Edna Murphy is to play opposite Mr Thomson. Paramount, Week, which is the annual celebration of bigger and better pictures, has been scheduled to take place this year for September 2nd to Bth, inclusive. About 1000 theatres in New Zealand and Australia will participate in the event. Harold Lloyd is considering the production of a college picture as, his next for Paramount, following "Speedy." Clara Bow, who recently underwent an operation for appendicitis is now completely recovered and has returned to work.

Francis X. Bushman and Graham MacNamee, the latter known to fame as a radio announcer, are among those new in Lonw vaudeville. The male .lead of the screen version of the melodrama, "The Whip," will be played by Ralph Forbes. "Handle With Care," a film story by Anthony Coldeway, has been selected by Jack L. Warner as the first starring photoplay for Irene Rich. Universal has purchased two stories for Willie Wyler to direct for the coming season. They are "The Cat's Paw," from a story by Charles W. Taylor, and "The Shake Down," by Charles A. Logue. Mr Wyler recently completed "Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?" with Bessie Love and Tom Moore. Jack HolVs seven-year-old son, Tim, has an important part in his father's film, "The Vanishing Pioneer," which is now being filmed. Ameda Allen, child actress, will be seen in the part of a two-year-old child in Pola Negri's next picture, An important contract signed recently has affiliated Byron Morgan with G.-M.-G. for an indefinite period. Morgan is one of the best known screen and magazine writers, who won fame as the author of most of Wallace Reid's famous racing stories.

Theatre Seats by Instalments. A scheme for .the public to obtain theatre seats on the instalment system of payment has been introduced for "Clowns' in Clover," at the AdelpUi Theatre, London. Mr Paul Murray ,thc manager concerned in the scheme, says: "Higherpriced theatre seats in London are too dear for the mass of the entertainmentgoing public, and so the theatres lose a vast amount of custom to the films. It is impossible to reduce theatre prices because of the cost of running plays, but I think that if tickets can be bought by instalments people of moderate means will buy more of them." The scheme makes six the minimum number of seats which can be purchased by instalments. The purchase can be spread over six weeks if desired. . If six people club together to buy 5s 9d seats each would pay five instaijneats oJf ia and one instalment •$£ 3&