The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, January 14, 1917, SECTION FOUR, Page 4, Image 48

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TODAY'S FILM FEATURES.
Majestic Lucille Lee Stewart,
"The Ninety and Nine."
Columbia W illiara a Hart,
"Truthful Tolliver."
Sunset Richard J. Jose, "Silver
Threads Among: the Gold."
Star Richard Bennett, "And. the
Law Says"; Charlie Chaplin,
"The Rink."
Broadway Henry Walthall, "The
Truant SouL"
Peoples Blanche Sweet. "The
Evil Eye."
Globe Eugenie Besserer, "The
Circular Staircase."
So kaleidoscopic are the player
rosters of film producers, so fre
quent the shifts from stage to
screen and from one studio to another,
that "it Is difficult to assert in these
days just what banner floats over this
tar and that.
The cinema, the motion picture, the
screen, the films, the movies, the
silent stage, or what you wish to call
the most popular amusement of the day,
has recently claimed a quintet of
prominent stars of the speaking; stagre.
The new Goldwyn company announces
the sigroingr of Maxine Elliott and Jane
Cowl; Lasky has proved victor in the
struggle for Margaret Illir.gton; Mutual
captures Marjorie Rambeau and George
M. Cohan is to be an Artcraft producer-author-player.
Also George Arliss will
be snapped in at least one picture next
Spring.
Then. In the shifting from studio to
studio, or from temporary stage ap
pearances back to studio, Lasky cap
tures Olga Petrova from Metro; Mutual
and Frank Powell annex Nance O'Neil,
and Mutual and American sifrn up Gail
Kane and Edna Goodrich. Mae Marsh
deserts Griffith for Goldwyn; Dustin
Farnum and his leading lady, Winni
frea Kingston, jump from Morosco to
Fox: Louise Glaum is reported to be
scheduled for the Paramount pro
gramme: rumor disassociates Blanche
Sweet and Lasky; Rhea Mitchel has a
company of her own; Mary Nash is
with World; Bessie Barrlscale is said
to be forming an independent company.
Including Hubby Howard Hickman.
Beatriz Mlchelena has quit California
Motion Picture Corporation; Fred Mace
is no longer a Keystoner: Charles Ray
quits Triangle; Roscoe Arbuckle is soon
to make Selznick pictures, and so on
down the line.
Gossip associates the name of Charles
Chaplin and $1,000,000 with Keystone
again, a rumor denied on all sides;
Douglas Fairbanks may or may not
coon head a Fairbanks company, while
Mutual, Goldwyn and Fox assert that
more big stage and film figures will
be on their rolls ere long.
The roost noteworthy retirements
from the screen are Frank Keenan, who
may return, but not to Pacific Coast
fctudlos; Sir Henry Beerbohm Tree, who
made two pictures for Triangle, and
E. H. Sothern, who has one or two
more pictures to be released by Vita-
eraph.
However, on fact looms up promi
nently above the maze of signatures to
various contracts, and this that the
stage stand-patters are becoming fewer
In number with each passing1 day, John
Drew, Maude Adams, David Warfield
and one cr two other stage luminaries
hav resisted the lights of the studio
thus far, but who knows for how long?
Prjident and Mrs. Wilson saw their
first photoplay In Washington recently,
witnessing Annette Kellerman in ' the
Fox production, "A Daughter of the
Gods."
Many difficulties are added to a the
ater manager's work when the Presi
dent is in the house. The chief execu
tive's announcement that he will attend
a performance is like a royal command.
The theater is forbidden to announce
In advance that the President will be
there. This is a "safety-first" measure.
The President specifies where he
wishes to sit. Just before his arrival
two or three secret service men inspect
the theater. They tell the house man
ager the exact time when the President
and his party will come and by which
door they will enter.
This done, the house manager has a
6trlp of carpet laid through the lobby
to the President's box. About two min
utes before the performance begins the
President's automobile drives up to the
door and his party enters. The secret
service men follow.
The President acknowledges the dof
fing of hats by raising his own. As he
enters the box the orchestra plays 16
or 20 bars from "The Star-Spangled
Banner." The entire audience rises and
remains standing until the anthem is
finished. Then all sit down, and the
regular overture is played.
At the conclusion of the performance
the audience remains seated until the
President and his party leave. Usually
the arrival and departure are from a
side door, if the house has one. .
V
When Eichard J. Jose, the famous
singer bemvcd the world over, who is
to appear in this city at the Sunset
Theater today, recently sang in Oak
land, the Tribune had this to ay in
praise:
"Last night, at the Macdonough, the
wonderful tenor held his audience
spellbound with his songs. He ap
peared in a play in the movies and
then he sang. His voice is the same
pojden voice of old, a wonderful contra-
tenor, me una ox wnicn nas never been
heard in any other man. A storm of
spplause greeted the singer. The oc
casion was the presentation of the new
K. and R. film, "Silver Threads Among
the Gold."
Mr. Jose has originated this novel
form of entertainment, whirh permits
him to appear in the smaller cities
throughout the country. Many believe
that this development in pictures .will
be emulated by such stars as Geraldine
I'arrar, who has appeared in a number
of photoplays.
'
Richard Bennett, who wrote the
Mutual-Star play, "And the Law Says,
In which he is featured, thinks the
Chinese idea of drama is high art.
When Bennett was in Hankow with
Mrs. Bennett (Adrienne Morrison), on
their honeymoon, ha took his bride to
see a Chinese play called "His Father's
Boa,", based on the Cblne&e virtue, fil
ial devotion.
"We are used to assertions that the
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Chinese have no Imagination," says
Bennett, "yet here was a play with
practically no scenic display. A few
old props on the stage had no relation
whatever to objects they were sup
posed to represent, yet they served that
Chinese audience for mountains, trees,
rivers, the sea, a military post, and
what not.
"The actors went through their
parts conscientiously and the audience
paid close attention, apparently having
no concern about scenic effects, ap
plauding in the' heroic moments and
expressing displeasure with guttural
grunts when the villain seemed to
have the upper hand.
"There was little or no gesturing.
The play of expression was largely of
the eyes, head and hands. I saw no vio
lent encounters. The story was told
and the audience retired chattering
like magpies. I learned later that the
drama was a tremendous hit through
out China."
Blanche Sweet, the popular Lasky
star, seen in the Jesse L. Lasky pro
duction. "The Evil Eye." now feels that
she could qualify as a medical practi
tioner. During the taking of the scenes for
this production Miss Sweet was Under
the tuition of the Lasky Company doc
tor who presides over the spotless lit
tle hospital on the, studio grounds, to
take care of any member of that vast
organization who suffers even a minor
accident. The doctor became so in
terested In the instruction of his pupil
that he brought forth numerous books
and magazines for Miss Sweet to study
and even went so far as to borrow a
skeleton from a neighboring hospital,
so that the fair star could become fa
miliar with the human framework.
While waiting for a scene Miss
Sweet and the doctor were engaged x
such learned discussions on medicine
that all the other members of her
company regarded the star with sus
picion for fear that she would try
some or her recently discovered the
ories on them.
William S. Hart found occasion to
rejoice over the fact that he has prac
ticed long and faithfully with the
lariat when he was filming "Truthful
Tulliver," the Triangle-Kay Bee rlay
by J. G. Hawks, in which he Is starred.
In this drama, which concerns the ad
ventures 01 a newspaper editor In a
lawless Arizona mining town, he is
called upon to catch two men at once
in the loop of his lariat while riding a
norse, men leap through a window,
still on horseback, dragging the two
men arter him through the broken win
dow and down the street.
Hart lassooed the men successfully
on the first trial before the camera
and carried the whole stunt through.
tne reat providing one of the binrcrest
thrills, it is said, ever seen in a mo
tion picture.
Arising at noon is an actor's prerog
ative. But arising at 3 A. M. Is too
horrible for him even to contemplate.
However, in the Wisconsin hills it was
necessary for Henry B. Walthall and
others of his company to cut short
their repose at that early hour In or
der to get sunrise scenes in "The Truant
Soul." Mr. Walthall, being rather tin
aware of condition prevalent at this
hour, had believed It would be day
light when he arose. When the com.
-pany assembled the night was abso
lutely black.
"What's the trouble? Are these
scenes wild?" the star quietly asked
of Director Harry Beaumont.
"No," replied the latter with a pus
zled air.
"Then why sneak upon them in the
dark; Mr. Walthall demanded. 1
Her Is the latest list of photopray-
ers under tho William Fox standard
Theda Bara, William Farnum, An
nette Kellermann, Virginia Pearson,
Gladys Brockwell, June Caprice, George
Walsh, Dustln Farnum, Winifred King
Eton. Valeska Suratt. Stuart Holmes,
Hank Mann, Tom Mix, Mary Martin,
Harry Milliard, Anna Luther, Irving
Cummlngs, Walter Law, Jane Lee,
Katherine Lee, Gladys Cobnrn, Carmen
Phillips, Billie Richie, Miriam Cooper,
Herbert Keyes, Ralph Lewis, Vera
Lewis, Jewel Carmen. Wlllard Louis,
Velma Whitman. Frank Morgan, Claire
Whitney. Tom Brooke, Sydney Deane,
Jack Standing, William Burress, Tom
Burrough, Edward Cecil, Charles Edh
ler, Dan Mason, Edward Hoyt, Frankie
Lee, Herschel Mayall, Marie McKeen
Richard R. Neill, Betty Prendergast,
Grace Stevens, Kittens ixelchert, tiob
TITE SUNDAY OREGOSTAX, POHTtiAXD,
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ert Vivian. Pearl Palmer, Ned Findlay,
Caroline Rankin, Dot Farley, Gertrude
Selby, Mario Blanchl, Henry Lehrman.
Joseph Granby, William Nigh, Violet
de Riccari, Miriam Battista, Elizabeth
Kennedy, Marc Rpbblns, Joseph Swlck
ard. Harry ie Vere, Roslta Martsini.
Annette le Foe. Frances Burnham,
Francis Carpenter, Cecil Holland. Ruth
Thorp, Edward Roseman, Charles Gir
ard. .
Mrs. Vernon Castle, star of the Inter
national's new patriotic photoplay,
"Patriay" expresses herself strongly
against the .practice of employing sub
stitutes for the difficult and dangerous
feats they are frequently called upon
to perform. In the third -episode of
"Patria." Mrs. Castle, in the title role.
dives headlong from the deck of an
ocean steamer, 30 feet, into the sea and
swims to'a drifting launch in which
she escapes her foes.
"Why employ someone to do wnat
one can do quite as well oneself?"
Mrs. Castle asks. "In making moving
pictures it is fatal. To have the hero
ine of the story arouse the Interest and
sympathy of the audience to an intense
point and at the climax let tnem see, 1
has been substituted to perform the
thrilling deed called for in the plot,
instead of the one whose fortunes they
have been following all along, causes
a reaction of feeling which immedi
ately destroys all the interest you have
been trying throughout to create.
"The audience feels, and rightly so.
that It has been cheated, robbed of its
sympathy and affection, perhaps for a
heroine who fails to make good 'in the
pinchee,' and 'fake is a mild word
which they use to express their dis
gust.
'So far as the 30-foot 'dive in tne
third episode of 'Patria' is concerned.
It is nothing to me. There are other
stunts in 'Patria which I have had to
do more dangerous and thrilling, and I
am glad to say that nothing demanded
ofme by the plot, or the directors wno
made the pictures, feaaed me, or for a
moment tempted me to yield to the
suggestion that a eubstitute be em
ployed in my place. I love sport for
sport's sake and I live to be 'game' in
the game."
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"Easy Street" is the next of the
Charlie Chaplin comedies, produced un
der Chaplin's J670.0OO contract with
the Mutual Film corporation.
"Easy Street" will be released on
January 22, six weeks from the date of
the previous release, and this signal
izes a departure with regard to unap
lin features, decided on after a con
ference between the famous comedian
and President John R. Freuler. as a re
sult of which future Chaplins. includ
ing "Easy Street." are to be even more
pretentious productions than those al
ready Issued.
During rehearsal of "Easy street
Mr. Chaplin notified Mr. Freuler that.
owing to the large amount 01 extra
work and the great volume of material
Involved in the making of this picture.
he ' favored extension of production
time to six weeks, adding that as all
future productions were to be on 1
similarly enlarged scale he felt it ad
vlsable to make the intervening ttme
between releases six weeks instead of
four weeks as hitherto.
"Easy Street" will be rushed to com
pletion as soon as Mr. Chaplin re
covers from a slight accident that took
place during the filming of the piece
last week. A property lamp post fell
on the comedian, inflicting slight con'
tuslons. from which he has now virtu
ally recovered.
"Easy Street" Is a comedy that es
says to show "how the other half
lives." It brings together the most pic
turesque lot of tramps ever seen on
the screen to illustrate scenes in slum
life. During these scenes Chaplin has
an opportunity for soma excruciatingly
runny business.
"
A check received by Nell Shlpraan
from the American Film Company in
payment of the motion picture rights
for "My Fighting Gentleman" makes
the seventh photodrama disposed of
by this popular writer since going to
New York in November, and the third
purchased by the American Film Com'
pany.
"My Fighting Gentleman" will also
be issued in book form 'by one of the
leacing publishers.
A three-act comedy nearly completed
and two more photo-dramas ready for
retease, one or wnicn it is believed win
create a sensation, is the turn total of
Nell Sblpman's literary activities dur
ing the past six months, during which
time she also managed to play the lead
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51 -
ing role opposite Lou Tellegen for the
Lasky Company in "The Black Wolf,"
which will be released on February 12.
She also played a number of weeks in
connection with the Vltagraph ex
changes on the bookings of "God's
Country and the Woman."
Despite war conditions, Nell Ship
man says she will take a short trip to
"Londontown" and back before dis
cussing plans for the new year. .
When Vitagraph's big offering of
"The Secret Kingdom" had a special
showing for the Maryland branch of
the Motion Picture Exhibition League
at the Wilson Theater in Baltimore,
Charles Richman was in the audience
and saw himself for the first time in
this serial In public. His other views
had been at the studio at private ex
hibitions, and his purpose now was to
observe how the crowd took him in
this ambitious performance. The crowd
nearly took nlm bodily.
He was recognized in the audience
and compelled to mount the stage and
deliver a speech, which he did amid
cheers. Aside from his screen popu
larity he is an excellent spellbinder.
and he had everyone at a high pitch
of enthusiasm. Another spectator was
Arline Pretty, who plays the heroine
in the story, and she, too, received a
hearty welcome.
Apply the multiplication table with
all of. its combinations to the task of
figuring out how many pictures Mae
Marsh, the Goldwyn star, has had tak
en and the aforesaid "table" gets
groggy from overwork. She Is a hero
ine In "Intolerance." "The Birth of a
Nation," "The Escape." "A Child of the
Paris Streets," "The Sands of Dee,"
"Judith of Bethulia" and dozens of
other pictures.
In motion picture film the little sho-
tograph units run 16 to each regula
tion foot. The big spectacular films
are in 10 reels, which means close to
10,000 feet. Figure that your heroine
in one of these pictures appears in 50
per cent, or 6000 feet of film, and you
will have 80,000 individual photographs
of her in the one photoplay. Figure
that anywhere from 20 to 100 prints of
this picture may be at work and there
you have, at the maximum given. 8.000.
000 pictures of the same little srirl.
Figure her appearance In several score
of productions and you are into the
billions before you know it.
Over the Christmas and New Year
holidays a mathematician with a lot
or time on his hands figured up the
footage of all the pictures in which
Mae Marsh has ever appeared, obtained
data aoout the number of prints of
each picture that was marketed and. 1
10 -and behold, his busy pencil showed
that billions of times she has been
photographed.
RICHARD " JOSE IVTUj SIXG
Vocalist to Appear When "Silver
Threads" Is Shown.
A motion picture novelty, one which
is attractive alike to film fans - and
must lovers, will be presented- at the
Sunset Theater commencing today,
when Richard J. Jose, the noted contra-tenor,
will appear in person in a
repertoire of songs and also in a six
reel photoplay of "The Old Homestead"
type, constructed about his most famous
ballad, and named after it, "Silver
Threads Among the Gold."
-Throughout a long and wonderful
stage career, Mr. Jose has always been
identified with the big attractions.
However, the recent higher develop
ment and phenomenal popularity of the
photo-play has given him an Idea and
the result is the happy combination of
song and picture.
Mr. Jose accompanies and sings with
his photo-drama masterpiece. "Silver
Threads Among the Gold." In six parts.
GLOBE-1 Oc
Three Days Beginning Today
"THE CIRCULAR STAIR
CASE" Restoring Eugenia Bexserer,
Gay Oliver and Edith Johnson
Four Days Beginning Wednesday
"THE DEVIL'S PRAYER
BOOK"
With Arthur Hoops and A lmm
Hanloa
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JANUARY 14 1017.
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the first attraction at the New Madi
son Square Garden. New York. The
story, in brief, is simply told. Tom and
James, of the village, are in love with
Mary, a beautiful girl, as shown and
played by Mary Dean. There are real
istic oountry scenes, concluding with
an elaborate barn dance as the climax
of an old-fashioned straw ride. At the
supper which follows jealousy enters
the drama, causing the commission of a
crime. The wrong man is accused. The
scenes ' shift from the village to the
great city and back 'again with happy
I results. Then comes the reunion. The
; Christmas tree, the return of the long-
absent son. the reconciliation between
, father and son. and between husband
and wife are most eliective.
There are numerous incidental feat
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William Courtenay
Lucille Lee Stewart
THE NI
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Something Really Different-
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In 'The Ninety nd
are truly amazing without douDt me most reauuc
thrown on the screen. Miles and miles o$ sweeping forest fires are seen and
a giant locomotive, dashing through to the rescue of people in danger, goes
over burning trestles, which seem suspended by a thread.
Also Comedy Feature-
The first of a new brand
ever put on the marKet.
rates." It's a scream!
AT THE
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ures that are high above the ordinary
standard. The two Lee children con
tribute a dainty diversion and there is
the funny country character, Cy. as
played by the well-known Dick Lee.
The cast in all Includes 32 principals
and 165 extra performers, who were
required to perfect the production.
BLANCHE SWEET IX "EW ROLE
Lasky Star Will Bo on Peoples
Screen Today.
Blanche Sweet, the popular Lasky
star, will be seen at the People's The
ater today in "The Evil Eye." a thrill
ing drama of Americans in Mexico.
Miss Sweet has played servant girt
MstSnt A Commencing ToddV
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IN
Y AND
From the Famous Stage Success
Nine" some scenes of a burning
of two-reel comedies guaranteed the equal of anything
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xney re rox iiim comeuies auu
Pathe News
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nurse, crook, etc.. but now rises in
the social scale and is seen as a phy
sician, practicing her profession among
a lot of superstitious and suspicious
Mexicans.
The story of "The Evil Eye" has to
do with the adventures of Katherine
Torrance, a young woman doctor who
is called in to help suppress a diph
theria outbreak among the workers
in Leonard Sheldon's vineyard in the
famous wine-growing districts of Cal
ifornia. Dr. Torrance is accompa
nied by her younger brother, Clifford.
When she arrives at the vineyard
Sheldon wants her to return imme
diately to the city, as he prefers a
man doctor, but Katherine convinces
him that she can handle the work. She
-I Four Days Only
A beautiful v story of a "black
sheep" and fie sacrifice of a girl
who loved him.
forest are shown which
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NINE