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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 14, 1922)
THE SUJTDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, MAT 14. 1922 short story for the skeleton of his 1 plots. "Motion picture producers," said Mr. Neilan. "are gradually getting; ? way from screen "adaptations of novels and stories, due largely to the j secured, but the poor ladies weren't permitted to get much beauty sleep, as their husbands routed them out to play golf at S o'clock In the morn ing, and started home at 2 In the afternoon. But the men had reckoned without their hostesses. Mrs. Nagel asked in nocently if she might drive. Arrived in Los Angeles, she continued driving. "Why, Rutta what's the matter?" demanded Conral. when she failed to stop at home. Sid Franklin alao turned a little pale. "Oh. we aren't going home: we're going to Tijuana!" explained Mrs. Nagel. And Tijuana It wa! And now it is at your peril that you mention ruts in the Nagel or Frank SENSIBLE CLOTHES PREVAIL TFffiSEDAYS, SAYSOOLA DANA Star Declares That Women's Dress Today Conforms to Sanity as Well as to Beauty. STARS OF FAMOUS "PASSING SHOW" NEW YORK PRODUCTS "WHITE SHOULDERS" BEGUN BY AMERICAN SCREEN STAR Katherine MacDonald Immediately Starts Filming of What Is Reputed Her Greatest Story. fact that after they pay fabulous ' sums for such motion picture mate rial they are compelled to make so many changes In the picturization Willie and Eugene Howard Rise to Premier Heights From Humble Beginnings in Vaudeville and Museum. ! that little of the original plot re j mains. This is due to various rea I sons, which have been dealt with at! 'length in the past and need no repe- j tition here. "What the average producer for the J lin households. 4 1 ; . i . . HHP''" VjyHBH; T." ILXIE and Eugene Howard, A stars of the "Passing Show of 1921." which begins a four Bights' engagement at the Heilig theater May 24, are entirely the prod ucts of New York's amusement field. They, with one other brother, Sam, and three sisters were the children of Leopold Levkowitz, a rabbi of New "York city. All the children were musically inclined and sang in the father's synagogue. Eugene was thr first to make his way to the stage, becoming a chorus man in "The Belle of New York." His name was Isadore and the stage manager of the attraction rechrlstened him Eugene Howard. Eugene advanced steadily until he became a singing comedian in musical comedy. At the age of 15 "Willie, the young est of the brothers, was still In school when he answered an advertisement of Harry Von Tllzer calling for boy sopranos. He was engaged to sing1 the refrains of songs from the audi ence and received $3 a week. Willie continued at this sort of singing for several years in the vaudeville the aters of New York, generally appear ing as a water boy In uniform Finally, when his salary had reached $5 a week Anna Held gave him a place In her chorus. That was with the "Little Duchess" at the Casino. Willie went on the road with the now. In Washington he found that his voice had changed almost over night. He was sent back to New York, and not at all discouraged, went to Huber s museum, in Four teenth street, where he imitated vari out stars. A little later Eugene and hie third brother, Sam, who had aban doned the fur business for the stage, formed a vaudeville team known as "Harry Lee, assisted by the Lee Brothers," the Harry Lee being Eu gene Howard. The Lees appeared In restaurants PORTLAND'S STUDIO READY "TO SHOOT" ON BIGGER SCALE Fred H. Kiser Has Plant Unusually Well Equipped for Production of Pictures of Interesting Character. y . . j 'I.OSK-l P" OF THE RECENTLY COMPLETED AND PINELy mil II'J'EO STUDIOS OF FRED H. KISER IN THIS CITY. PRODUCTION plans are nearly completed at the Kiser studio. Pronounced activity will soon prevail at what is now virtually a new studio plant. Aside from the re markably fine electrical equipment that has boon put In, including a complete generating plant, really as large as the plants used In the big studios in Hollywood, a fine layout of exceptionally attractive dressing rooms and lounging rooms have been Installed. Tastefully decorated execu tive offices and quarters for the di rectors, writers and cameramen have feetn provided. No requisite of a thoroughly modern studio has been cvcrlooked. Kiser's plans for the coming season are very comprehensive. Already Di rector O'Karrell. recently engaged, is very active. Two short roel subjects .re nearly finished. Immediately after these work on a vastly more extensive cale will begin. Mr. Kiscr is sur rounding himself with specialists in the movie field. In addition to cap able directors, he has signed contracts not only with scenario writers, but with expert continuity writers, title writers and cutters. Future plans include the production of two-reel romances, using the beau tiful Oregon scenery as a background. These stories will be the original work of the specially engaged scenario writers. Then, following the approval plan of the big studios, the scripts prepared by those authors will be turned over to the continuity writers, who will put them in com plete "shooting form." The continuity writers will not have and museums and occasionally in those vaudeville houses which give six shows a day. Sam left the team and went Into burlesque, where he Is now a well-known comedian. His place wag taken by an actor named Dunn. The team made a big-time vaudeville reputation and soon was booked in the houses as "The Mes senger Boys Trio." As such they were popular In the Keith and Or pheum theaters for four seasons. They had discarded the name of Lee and were sub-billed as "Howard, Dunn and Howard.' When Dunn left thfm the brothers did not replace him but became Eugene and Willie How ard in "The Messenger Boy and the Thespian." After six or seven years in vaudeville as Eugene and Willie Howard they had reached the head line class. In 1911, soon after the New York winter garden had been opened by the Shuberts, they were featured there In a" Sunday night concert. The vaudeville interests regarded the winter garden as opposition and in formed the brothers that their book ings were canceled. The Shuberts at once made places for them in "The Whirl of Society," then current at the garden. Willie's only appearance was In a minstrel scene, where he suc ceeded Barney Bernard, who was an end man; the other end man was Al Jolson.. The following year the Shuberts presented the first of the "Passing Shows," that of 1912, and Willie and Eugene made their debut as actors, turning their back to vaudeville. They have been in "Passing Shows" since then. The Howards have ap peared in all except two, and when those two had their winter garden premieres the brothers were touring the country in preceding "Passing Shows." Their last appearance in this city was in the "Passing Show of 1918." to worry about the snappy, elucidat ing titles. Mr. Kiser. realizing like all progressive producers, that title -writing has become a highly special ized art in itself, has engaged writers to work exclusively on titles. Although no names can be men tioned at present. It will illustrate the scope of Mr. Kiser's plans :n saying that he has signed up directors and writers formerly under the De Mille banner. Admittedly, the public is weary of elaborate drawing room sets and other artificially gorgeous interiors. Pic tures showing beautiful natural scen ery with a charming romance are inevitably mak ing t he stronger ap peal. California producers can get outdoor stuff naturally, but it all savors of the same tropical monotony. Kiser has the edge on a beautiful scenic kingdom surrounding his'etudio in the natural beauties of Oregon, and needless to say that when a script calls for some attractive locations, Kisr knows just where to put the camera for the very f inestvresults. Magazine Writers to Find Big Future in Photoplays. Producers Oetting Away From Adaptations and Are After New Ideas la PI ots an d SI taa tions. THE magazine short story writer will find a big demand among motion picture producers for his ' product in the near future. This is the predict'on of Marshall 1 Xeilan, one of the foremost produ- j cers, who recently has turned to the j ' screen is after and has been looking j tor during the past few years is new ' plot situations, novel twists In ; stories, in short, 'something differ ent.' "Given the basis of his plot, the producer usually likes to work out , the story in his own way. and very ! often has a number of situations and t ideas in his own head that he desires j to incorporate in his picture. In the I short story magazines the producer ! finds story materia that has passed the stern eye of the editor, usually this material is printed because of its originality of plot construction, or because of various novel situations that are included , in the general theme. ."As a general rule these short stories contain a number of situa tions that make exceptional motion picture material. This is exactly what the movie producer seeks. He will therefore buy up a short story simply in order to use these situa tions in conjunction with his own in the picturization of a plot. "I personally am depending upon the short story market to a very large extent right now. 'Fools First,' I a Saturday Evening Post story, rft- cently attracted my attention be ' cause of its unusual theme. This j story fitted In with a number of j ideas of my own for this type of plot, j and I purchased the motion picture ' rights. By combining what the au thor had to offer with my own ma terial I prepared a scenario that is replete with dramatic situations, ar ranged in perfect continuity." Joseph Schenck Predicts Film Prosperity. Already a Great Shortage of Good Picture In Sipht for Next Sea son., Declares Producer. THIS Is a cheering bit of reading for screen actors. ' It is the pre diction of a man who is careful about his statements, and who speaks with authority. Joseph M. Schenck. producer of the Talmadge and Keaton pictures, is conservative enough to be also a bank director. When, therefore, Mr. Schenck says anything relating to the films. It commands both respect and confidence. And this is what he says that is so cheering: By next August we shall see greater production of photoplays under way than ever in the history of the industry. He made it strong twice as much production, he said. According to Mr. Schenck, there is already a great shortage of pictures in sight for next year's theater de mand. To meet the needs of the near future it will be necessary to increase greatly the volume of output. "To illustrate the p o i n t," says Mr. Schenck, "take the requirements of the first-run theaters in Los Angeles. How many are there? Say 12. Each one will need 52 feature pictures dur ing 1923. "Where are they to get them? The supply has now dwindled until there are not more than 400 all toll, good, bad and indifferent, remaining. The logc of the suitua tion justifies the prediction I have made. "We must not expect," continued Mr. Schenck, "that the old days of wildcat picture promotion are going to return. The Industry could not escape the deflation that has been going on any more than other lines of business. The readjustment and retrenchment to meet post-war con ditions are both necessary and salutary. From now on those who prosper in making pictures will be the ones who create worthwhile photoplays. By that I mean good subjects, worthily treated gener ously, handsomely, intelligently. I am putting this belief into practice. On my Norma Talmadge picture, "Smilin' Through," I expended over $30-0,000 to make it worthy of a beautiful subject. "I haven't done this with any fool ish idea that mere prodigality of expenditure meant quality or popu larity. It was done after a careful study of existing conditions. The public has stopped the reckless spending it indulged In during and right after the war. Exhibitors then, being able to fill their houses with mediocre pictures, didn't demand of us the best the cinema could do." Stage and screen are now illus trating the maxim that the pendulum must swing as mucrt one way as another. The number of film celebrities who have recently returned to the footlights Ben Turpin, Charlie Murray. Doris Pawn, Robert McKim, Mrs. Sidney Drew, Mildred Harris, Betty Roes Clarke, Mary MacLaren. to mention only a few Is likely to be increased as time goes on. One of the reasons for the shift Is the sharp drop in the salaries paid to screen actors. In the period of par tial idleness in the Hollywood studios during the paat year the bidding for actors that had previously raised their "value" to absurd figures ceased. Actors began to seek employment -cven some of the most famous in stead of being sought. The law of supply and demand began to work In earnest. Salaries are now down to stay. There will never be go many bidders as formerly because produc tion is In fewer hands and the leaders in the industry have combined to pre vent ruinous pay to actors. The result is that the stage is now able to bid for favorites on almost even terms with the studios. This is bound to mean a greater shift of per sonalities ad an influx of many new faces to the screen in the next year -or two. Another outcome will be that those who "survive" in either field will do so more on merit than for merly Both the stage and the screen there fore will benefit by the new state of flux that exists, and the public ought to see better acting than ever. mm Few Chinese In America care for motion pictures and fewer etill care to ecome actors; but when they do get a taste of acting the fever seems to grip them as strongly as It does any American flapper, who has been told she "looks like Norma Tal madge and could act a lot better if she- would go in for the movie life." Allen Holubar, producer of 'Hur ricane's Gal." starring Dorothy Phil lips, is always on the lookout for new talent and while in San Francisco recently saw a smiling Chinese youth peddling peanuts. Desiring a Chinese for the cast of "Hurricane's Gal," Hol ubar offered the part to the peanut butcher, whose name turned out to be Fong Fat. Fong turned the offer down flat as a pancake and when urged to recon sider advised the director that Chi nese are averse to films because so many times the members of their race are depicted as villa! ns. bandits and other malefactors of the law. When promised he would not be asked to play such a role he accompanied Holubar to the Chinese consul, who advised him it would be all right to become a movie actor. Screen talents of star (rreatly admired by former President Woodrow Wilson. Site has won thirty beauty contests. i-jpHE beautiful Katherine M&cDon- aid, who has just completed "The "Woman Conquers," for Associated First National release, is again hard at work. Her latest story la "White Shoulders," from the pen of George Kibbe Turner. This tale attracted the attention of millions of readers when it appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. B. P. Schulberg, president of Pre ferred Pictures, secured the film rights to "White Shoulders" because he recognized in this story a -wonderful vehicle for his beautiful etar. Initial exterior scenes have already been taken on location, and Miss Mac Donald and her company are back at the Louis B. Mayer studio, where the interiors are being filmed. Little Richard Headrick, the curly headed child of the screen, who was MARY PICKFORD STARTS WORK ON NEW VERSION OF "TESS1 Revival Will Be Marked Elaboration on Grace Miller White's Story Requiring at Least Seven Reels. MARY PICKFORD has started production on her new version of "Tess of the Storm Coun try," the picture in which she first won fame nine years ago. According to W. W. Kerrigan, her studio man ager, the revival will be a marked elaboration on Grace Miller White's popular story, requiring at least seven reels. The old film was only five reels in length. The supporting cast Includes Lloyd Hughes, who will play Frederick Graves, that role In which the late Harold Lockwood scored suc cess that took him to sere-en star dom. The other parts were assigned to Gloria Hope, David Torrence, For rest Robinson, Jeon Hersholt, Danny Hoy, Robert Russell and Madame Bo damere. John S. Robertson is directing, hav ing been loaned to Miss Plckford by War Declared on Picture Flaw Seekers. Casting- Director Takes Mean Shot at Lot of Alleged Critics. HORACE WILLIAMS, casting di rector at the Thomas H. Ince studios, has declared war on profes sional "film flaw" finders following the announcement of the prize-wining "film flaw" in the current issue of a fan magazine. Here is the magazine's announcement that has roused Will iams' ire: '"Not a Leg to Stand On' in Grif fith's 'Martyrs of the Alamo' General Santa Ana strides about on two per fectly good legs, though his wooden leg has been as famous in song and story as that of Peter Stuyvesant. Five dollars has been awarded to Mrs. Patterson Miller, Russellville, Tenn." Williams, always ready to take is sue with all film critics, says: "Has it come to a point where pro ducers must picture historical details in accordance with popular fallacies or vith historical exactness? "General Santa Ana had two good legs at the time of the fall of the Alamo. He never lost a leg until two years after the time of Mr. Griffith's picture. Mr. Griffith was right. The lady is wrong and should return the five dollars to the magazine, the edi tor of which should be penalized a like amount for making such an a ward." Foolish Wives? Nay, Nay. Far Be Such From Such. Movie Hubbies Thought They Were Having Frolic Tables Sharply Turned. WHEN you try to pull a bluff on two game young gentlemen like Conrad Nagel and Sidney Franklin, you want to look out, that's all, take it from no less well-informed author ities than the Mesdames Nagel and Franklin. But also look out for the ladies aforesaid. It all happened recently when at a picture show, Mr. Nagel's wife in formed him. echoed by Mrs. Franklin to her spouse that he was getting in an awful rut, and why didn't they take their wives out more? Whether it was arranged by mental telepathy oi- whatnot, the fact remains that the two ladies found themselves, after the show, being whirled right past their homes in Hollywood. "W-where are w. going?" de- featured In John M. Stahl's "The Child Thou Gavest Me," also a ITirst Na tional release, is a member of the star's supporting cast in "White Shoulders." It was In the private projection room at the White House that Kath erine MacDonald first won the ad miration of the great American statesman, Woodrow Wilson, accord ing to the recently published memoirs of Joseph P. Tumulty. In selecting films wherewith to divert tne harassed chief executive, it was found that those In which Miss MacDonald played leading roles seemed most en tertaining and generally agreeable to the president's discriminating taste. A graduate of Blairsville college, she quickly achieved stardom in the films. She has won 30 beauty con tests and is known the world over as "the American Beauty." Famous Players-Lasky corporation especially for this production. B. Lloyd Sheldon wrote the scenario. The first scenes are being made at Chatsworth lake near Los Angeles, where a complete fisherman's village has been erected under the supervi sion of Frank D. Ormston, art di rector, who, with a corps of assistants, scoured all southern California for tumble-down shacks, broken fences, rusty, screen doors and gates that squeak on their hinges. These were crated carefully, every cobweb and every blemish of age pre served, and all were transported to Chatsworth lake, where they were re assembled, the final result being a weather-beaten old village, such as is described in the book. This 1922 elaboration of the screen triumph of 1913 will be released under the title of "Tess." manded the ladies, breathlessly. "Why don't w.e go home?" "We're not going home!" exclaimed the Messrs. Nagel and Franklin be tween their clenched teeth. 'We're going to Santa Barbara!" Of course. Santa Barbara doesn't sound very wild, but It seemed rather wild to such home-keeping folk as the Nagels and Franklins to be arriv ing at the Samarkand hotel at 3 o'clock in the morning. Rooms were Independently Owned OPENS AT 9 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING A Chaperon Vho TODAY and MONDAY COME! "MISS LULU BETT" MILTON SILLS LOIS WILSON THEODORE ROBERTS The story of a woman who thirsted for love and whose nature had alwaya been starved. See wiat she did to win happiness. Added Attraction Mayo Methat la "AND WOMEN MUST WUT." Clyde Cook In 'The Toreador." Pathe News. Matt and Jeff. Viola Dana Is Standpatter for Happy Ending. Metro Star Say Chief Wealtaewi la That of Optimism. ffT HE last thing the world expects 'JL tnese days rrora a motion pic ture actress i a confession, and yet that Is what I ambout to make, I am going to reveal au inborn and incur able weakness in my character, and some of the sinister secrets of my past," declares Viola Dana, "My chief weakness Is that of opti mism, and I make that admission with the full knowledge that to be cheerful about things Is to exile one's self forever from the possibility of being artistic. I am violating the Im mutable theory that depth of thought is reflected only by depression of spirits. "And I want to make clear another point; that the movies have done It to me. Theirs has been the force that drove me to wholesomeness of outlook the movies and their dam aging happy endings. How could I be otherwise I am young and an Im pressionable girl, an actress since the dangerous age of five! No matter whose heroine I was, no matter how dire the danger, I came out all right, all 'happied' up in the final scene. "The funny thing is I'm rather glad, because I got Into the habit of ex pecting escape from trouble off the screen as well as on. And the darn thing worked. I have the luck of a beginner at bridge; and the happy ending Is responsible. "Pardon me for a mild feminine cheer: 'Hooray for the happy end ing!' " Alice Terry Hugely Enjoys Playing Princess. Leading Role In "The Prisoner of Zenda" Delight. IMPERSONATING the Princess Fla via, the leading: role In "The Pris oner of Zenda." is to Alice Terry the most interesting work she has ever done. "While I have played a number of interesting: types of women during my motion picture career, none of them has appealed to my imagination so much as the Princess Flavia in 'The Prisoner of Zenda,' " said Alice Terry when asked what was her favorite role. "Of course," Miss Terry continued, "I loved the part of Marguerite Lau rier in "The Four Horsemen.' She was a woman with whom anyone could sympathize, giving up happiness to cling to her Ideals of devotion and patriotism. "Flavia in 'The Prisoner of Zenda' is faced by the same problem and with unselfish nobility of character she makes the same decision and though her little heart is breaking she fives up her lover and remains true to her country and the king whom she had promised to marry. "Having played these two unhappy women I can appreciate the more my own personal happiness," concluded Miss Terry, referring to her recent marriage to Rex Ingram, who di rected Miss Terry In both "The Four Horsemen" and "The Prisoner of Zenda." Six thousand miles for two scene.! That Ifl the Journey Jack Plckford ha. mapped out for himself in connection with the filming of "Garrison's Fin ish," F. B. M. Ferguson's famous race track novel which Little Mary's young brother will bring to the screen as his first United Artists' release. Jack, accompanied by his . director, Arthur Rosson, and a camera man, has left Los Angeles for Louisville. They will make scenes at the Ken tucky derby, after which they will go on to the Belmont, track, near New York, and make a shot of the Man hattan handicap. These are the two most famous horse races in America and Jack is anxious to incorporate at least one scene of each, featuring all the vivid color of the track, in the new production. Elmer Harris, former scenario edi tor for Realart. is supervising this production. Mary Plckford will aid with the editing and titling. This picture marks Jack Pickford's return to the screen after an absence of several years. Since leaving ths Goldwyn fold. Jack has been directing his sister Mary. Independently Operated CLOSES AT 4 O'CLOCK FOLLOWING MORNING Always in Attendance : I Dainty Metro luminary remark and stonily THERE is no sense any longer, ac cording to Viala Dana, in wear ing the sort of clothes formerly referred to as "sensible," because women's dress today almost invari ably conforms to sanity as well as to beauty. In fact, says the little Metro star, girls' clothes are prettier than ever. "Some people may say that it's ef ficiency; getting the maximum of at tractiveness out of the minimum of raiment," she remarked recently, at the Metro studios in Hollywood, to which she Just returned after a tri umphant tour of the country during which she appeared personally at most of the prominent motion picture theaters. "But reduction hasn't been the only change in the way in which girls dress. It's true that they don't wear as much as they used to, but I know that the things they have given up are useless frills which added to the quantity of apparel, but distracted from the charm of the effect. "In opposition to the frilly girl, there used to be the girl who dressed 'sensibly.' There was truth in that word then, for artificallty and dis comfort were not so long ago con comitant with style. But today girls' things are comfortable a lot more than men's. I don't speak from hear say. I've worn boys' clothes in Jots of pictures, and when I got through a day in a stiff collar, I knew where the word roughneck originated. "I give most of the credit at least if i ffilf flrn a&JLhtssBS lWCRIFFITH There was such a day In a great city the smartest city; and the wickedest. They danced and such dancing. They drank . . . and such drinking. There was passion . . . but there was also faith! Bad women and beautiful but there wre good women . . . even more beautiful. Oh! That mad day! Matinees: Lower Floor, 50c. Evenings: Lower Floor, 75c. : on Ihr character of fesslnlae raiment defends voave. a considerable part of It to men for the change In women's styles. 1 can play safe and blame It on the war. perhaps: the rejection of superficial ities. But. at any rate. I believe that most girls. If not the older women, dress to please men. At any rat. they do please 'cm, and achievement rarely is accidental. Granted that. It looks as If men were tired of th. Vlotorlan curley-cu,es in dreas as well as the Vlotorlan falsity in deport ment. They've seen that the senalbl. clothes are those which make every body happiest." The manifold talents of James Young, director, who recently fin ished working with Ouy Bate. Post in "The Masquerader. " and who oon will officiate In a slmllr capaclt with this .tar in "Omar the Tent maker" both Richard Waiton Tully production, for First National r lease ar. being exemplified again this week in his lecture, at the Uni versity of California. Before coming to the screen Young was one of the leadlne Shakespearean actor, on the American .tage. Dur ing this part of his career and after he had left the stag, he lectured on the bard of Avon before numerous student bodies all over the country. So it will be no novelty to him to face the eager Shakespearean stu dent, at the university, discounting cr. "Hamlet." Those who have heard Young on any dramatlo aubjeot know that the lecture, will be full of hu man intareert. Positively Till Friday ONLY! Balcony, 35c. Logen, 75c. Balcony, 50c. Logea, $1. nnnnnsKnnnssn-anaaana- I z n mp JR SBSBBsarKasBlTrBajaBBSBi iS naaaMa&aAaiaaWl Tasaaaai 'wfc
