3
villain,' but up in my neighborhood,
DIRECTOR STUDIES TO FIT
' SUITABLE MUSIC TO FILMS
Columbia Orchestra Director Has Art of Playing the Picture Down
to Point That Enhances Value of Feature,
where they know me better, I'm "Mo-
U. S. MARINES HELP BEAUTY
OF SCREEN IN NEW PICTURE
Extra Men Could Impersonate Doughboys, But When It Came to
"Devil-Dogs" Director Insisted on Real Thing.
Kim, the sewing-machine man. "
m m m
Clarence H. Geldert, screen actor,
author and dire'ctor, has been re
elected president of the Mission Film
corporation, Leon Rice vice-president
and D. W. Pollard and Ernest
Caesar have been added to the board
of directors. D. G. Havermale was
chosen secretary and treasurer to
succeed Richard Wayne, who re
signed to have more time for his
work upon the screen. While plan
ning the exploitation of the first
Mission feature production, "Science
or God?" to be released next month,
Mr. Geldert is also preparing to film
"The Shepherdess and the Chimney
Sweep," one of Hana Christian An
derson's fairy .tales.
II
Able Artists. Picked for
"East Is West."
1 : ;
Constance Tulmadge, Star. Will
Have Excellent Supporting Cast
in Feature. ,
AST IS WEST " has an all
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JUNE 25, 1923
I v w
, t . , vf "
H00US
VIneent C, Knowles, who i singularly successful In selecting and render-
ing charming and appropriate numbers for pictures ahowA.
RECENTLY a discriminating wo
man remarked to the writer:
"The feature picture really
was atrocious. But despite that
fact, I thoroughly enjoyed the music
they played for it." '
And that comment states consid
erable; "Playing the pictures," to
write in the vernacular of the the
ater, is an art in itself. If one is
under the impression that it is an
easy task, they ought to sit with
the orchestra director when the'
coming feature attraction is being
screened for him to select themes
and also cue them in suitably. It is
comparatively easy, as some direc
tors do, to pick a few tuneful popu
lar numbers and keep on repeating
them, regardless whether the par
ticular 'one they are playing at that
particular period is appropriate to
,ihe scene or situation being enacted
oh the screen. But that is not art
fully -playing the pictures, any more
than deafening an audience with
loud music can be considered as en
hancing the value of the feature.
Some managers are fortunate in
having directors who can musically
suppliment the features. Such man
agers can really get by with a fea
ture that is, say, 60 per cent good
entertainment, knowing that their
orchestras under a director who
knows can add the necessary 40 per
cent to make it a 100 per cent en
tertainment. Such a director is Vincent C.
Knowles of the Columbia theater.
There is an additional pleasure in
reviewing photoplays at that the
ater for th'at very reason. The music
is not only always appropriate, but
it is charmingly played and han
dled in "such a skillful manner that
it also helps the screen interpreta
tion. -
The' vast majority of motion pic
ture patrons are now so accustomed
to good music in the theaters that
they do not really appreciate the ef
forts of the men in the pits, but the
writer has heard endless favorable
comments regarding the' Columbia
music.
Knowles personally is a retiring
sort of individual, intensely inter
seted in his work, and continually
studying to improve his art. He was
born in England and studied music
both in London and Leipsic. He has
been at the Columbia more than
three years, prior to which he was
orchestra director in big theaters in
Boston, Butte and Vancouver, B. C.
star cast.
Director Sidney Franklin believes
in having the best talent to be se
cured for such a felicitous combina
tion of story, star and setting, and
has made a point of surrounding
Constance Talmadge with a cast of
luminaries as a fitting foil for her
piquant role, of the Chinese girl.
Ming Toy.
Edward Burns is portraying the
leading role of . Billy Benson. The
young Lochinvar of the screen will
have a m p i e opportunity to aid
beauty In distress and put another
feather in his cap for excellent act
ing.
Fred Warren has unusual oppor
tnnitie in his role of Lo Sang Kee,
the genial Chinaman, who upholds
the principles of the uccmeni as
well asthose of unina, ana sym
bolizes a benevolent justice in his
chasacterization. -
Hod Toy. as played by Frank Lan
ning, is a sinister figure, in star
tling contrast to the kindly Lo bang
Kee.
Still another contrast is the com
edy element introduced by Charlie
Young,, a role that Warner Oland
makes the most of and brings out
all the amazing complexities of that
chop suey king's character.
Then there are Nigel Barrie. a
well-known juvenile, who portrays
the role of Jimmy Potter; Nick De
Ruiz, who is cast as Chang Lee, and
Jim Wang, the proprietor of the
love boat.
Altogether it is an. excellent cast
fortunate enough to" be provided
with equally excellent parts.
1 f 'ttev;a;:; Ste
?.5':.;s?ftC;':',:-'::-K.
IF? 'A:''S:
Selznick Revives Pictures
With Tommy Meighan.
$tnr Will Be Seen in Film When
He Wu Mere Leading Man.
SOCIETY "DEBS" RUN AWAY
WITH DIRECTOR'S PET GOAT
Two Working in "Atmosphere Roles," With More Money Than
Brains, Couldn't Wear Same Clothes Two Days.
BY CHARLES E. MCCARTHY.
THE dress ideas of New - York
society girls cause motion-picture
directors working in east
ern studios no end of trouble. Un
like Hollywood, New York-has girls
of the elite and near-elite who seek
in motion-picture work relaxation
from arduous teas and bridge par
ties. That is, they seek it ir the
casting director doesn't find , out
their lineage, for he has had enough
trouble .with society in the films,
and if a young lady with a blue
book reference applies for work as
"atmosphere" in the ballroom set
she gets the "air," vernacularly
speaking.
They besiege the eastern studios
of the motion-picture companies,
however, and some" of them succeed
in getting extra jobs. Two such
sub-debs were hired the other day
at the Paramount Long Island stu
dio to make up the background of a
fashionable ballroom scene for Alice
Brady's first Paramount picture,
"'Missing Millions." They came to
the studio in their limousines, all
dressed in pink evening clothes,
with slippers and stockings to
match, a perfect picture of loveli
ness. .
The casting director spoke lo Jo
seph Henabery, who is directing the
picture, with enthusiasm after the
fashion of casting directors about
NOW that Thomas Meighan is a
star in his own right, picture
fans will find interest in his earlier
work in the days when he was only
a leading'man,' striving for the "top
of the ladder." Selznick's revival of
"The Forbidden City" shows Meigh
an in his beginnings.
"The Forbidden City" was pro
duced at a time when Lewis J. Selz
nick was raising the Talmadge girls
to screen stardom and the George
Scarborough story was one of. the
vehicles that helped Norma in her
earlier popularity. In this work
Meighan appeared as Norma s lead
ing man.
Another interesting point, coupled
with Miss Talmadge's vogue at
present, is disclosed in the fact that
Sidney A. Franklin, who directed
"The Forbidden City," also directed
"Smilin' Through,", the latest of
Norma Talmadge's screen successes.
Thus is the screen record kept clear.
Katherine MacUonald, coining to Rivoil in "The Infidel," who was
"rescued" from South sea savages, out Dy real nonesi-ii-Bounea
American marines. , ".. '
"E
XTRA men" of the Los An
geles motion- picture stu
dios can successfully im
personate the doughty doughboy,
but when the author calls for mar
ines in his story an S. O. S. must be
sent out for the genuine soldiers of
the sea, for no five-dollar-a-day
cinema neophyte, regardless of
'light blue trousers, dark blue coat
and plenty of brass buttons, can
realistically give the atmosphere of
the leatherneck.
James1 Young, the photoplay di
rector, is authority for this state
ment, and when Charles A. Logue,
the author, wrote a scene in "The
Infidel," booked for the Rivoli, that
called for Katherine MacDonald, the
beautiful star, to be saved from
hootch-crazed South sea savages
by United States marines, it was
marines he demanded, and marines
that he got. '
Logue insisted that such . minor
technical details of the plot as re
quired scenes of Uncle Sam's dread
noughts in action and runs-to-the-rescue
by the sea soldiers be car
ried out to the letter. .
And who could look like a marine?
Nobody who had not served in the
ranks of the amphibious warriors
could present a sufficiently au
thentic appearance to satisfy the
exacting author and director.
' Therefore, when a request from
Katherine MacDonald for the assist
ance of fifty husky leathernecks
was wirelessed to the fleet riding
at anchor near Los Angeles, the
marines left immediately for the
beach location, although the time
allotted them before they must re
turn on board the New Mexico was
but four hours, and the time con
sumed in going to and from loca
tion left a scant half-hour for the
rescue. .
But wha!t marines need 30 min
utes to rescue a lady in distress?
Besides the beaut'ful star herself,
the players in Katherine MacDon
ald's latest screen production in
clude such well known and capable
players as Joseph Dowling, Mel
bourne MacDowell, Robert Ellis and
Barbara Tennant.
Previous to entering motion pic
tures John M. Stahl, director of "One
Clear Call," "The Child Thou Gavest
Me", and "The Song of Life," was an
actor on the speaking stage, playing
in both dramatic productions and
vaudeville sketches. He began his
film apprenticeship at the very bot
tom over ten years ago, playing extra
parts for '$5 a day. Now he has his
own company under the Louis B.
Mayer banner, making all-star spe
cials for First National release. "The
Dangerous Age," his latest effort, is
now in course of production.
"Island Wives," one of Corinne
Griffith's current Vitagraph produc
tions, affords the star an opportun
ity to wear an astonishing diversity
of costumes. On the south sea isle
she is dressed in the cool native
skirt, and waist, on the millioniare's
yacht she wears a gorgeous suc
cession of brocaded . Chinese cos
tumes and in America she appears
in the latest and best that Paris and
Fifth avenue have to offer.
the "classy" bunch of extras that
had been obtained for the scene. .
Everything went fine the first
day. Ipng shots, close-ups and me
dium shots were taken with rapid
ity. When the day was done Hena
bery gave the following instruc
tions: , -
"Everybody be on this set again
tomorrow at 9 OVlock dressed the
same as you are today.' . :
For experienced extras in the mo
vies that was enough. But to the
young debutantes of the 400 . the
words meant nothing.
The next morn-ing 198 extras came
in the clothes they had worn the
day before. The two young ladies
with addresses in the social register
arrived at the studio in a complete
change of costume. They were so
pleased about their new dresses
that they even became so bold as to
ask the director if he liked them.
Now Henabery is a mild-mannered
man, but he almost lost his poise.
"Why did you change . dresses?"
he asked sharply. ,'
- "Oh! we never wear the same
drees twice in two days," the novices
explained.
"But, don't you realize that the
scene we are shooting today is a
continuation of the one we shot yes
terday? In the picture you haven't
had any time to change."
And the picture was held up two
hours while the disillusioned young
ladies sped to their homes to put on
the clothes they had worn the day
before. , .
NOTED PHOTOPLAY VILLAIN
HANDY MAN ABOUT HOUSE
Robert McKim's Skill With Screwdriver Reveals Dark Past When
He Used to Sell Sewing .Machines.
fj?il vgy l-
ni if
Direction "Jensen and on Herbert
ROBERT McKIM is said by many
to be the screen's most pol
ished villain. But he's a handy
man about the house, and this tale
is told solely in the interest of the
ladies. McKim's stage urbanity is
wonderfully displayed in his inter
pretation of tne role of the villain
ous De Villefort In the William Fox
special production, "Monte Cristo,"
recently made at the Fox West Coast
studios under the direction of Em
mett J. Flynn.
During the filming of the picture
Mr. McKim found a rip in his satin
coat and hastened to the Fox ward
robe department to have it repaired.
. "I'll have to do it by hand," ex
' plained the wardrobe wo'man. "Our
sewing machines are out of order."
"Let us see what I can do with
'em," said McKim. ,
Then, to the amazement of half a
dozen needlewomen, the stage's
most consummate villain eet to work
and with a few applications of a
screwdriver in the right place soon
had a machine in good running or
der. For good measure, while the
coat was being fixed, the actor re
paired the rest of the machines and
bowed himself out. Later he con
fessed that once upon a time he
had been a sewing-machine agent.
"Many years ago," he said, "I went
to Honolulu with a repertoire com
pany. The show 'flopped.' I had to
get a job and I found it with the
local branch of a big sewing ma
chine company. I. first worked in
the rental and repair department,
where I learned to fix any old kind
of machines, and then I went out
and sold them to Kanaka women. It
took a year, though, before I saved
enough money to get back to the
United States.
"Where ' I live in Hollywood, a
number of our neighbors know of
my accomplishment, and not infre
quently a little girl will come over
to my house and say: 'Mr. McKim,
mamma's sewing machine won't run
and she wants to know if you will
fix it.' And of course I go. I know
every sewing machine within two
blocks of my home. Most people, I
suppose, know me . as 'McKim the
t V With All-Star Cast, Including
' MONTE BLUE . ' ' 5
m - Famous "Danton" of "Orphans of the Storm" 1 .
I - It's the "Kentucky Derby" of the sea- I '
1 - son's screen events. f
From everywhere that it has been shown m
, . v " . come nothing but praises ' M
A -'A m praise for its great horse race iV
.- fjfl ; praise for its pathos and comedy v -ifer j
praise for its. love stories M r."- r
J . praise "for its acting and beautiful set- '"J $J
jfJ Vk ' ' ' 's 'the Wad of picture that" makes ideal ''jjL
' m. summertime entertainment. M g
V Come and enjoy. A
CV ... Pathe Weekly S
- and Comedy "1
Crowds yesterday paid
homage to this king of
auto racing dramas, and
they will be telling YOU
what a wonderful show
it is.
Take your neighbor's tip
and "GET IN EARLY."
THIS
ENTIRE
WEEK
WALLACE
AND
FFIEODORE ROBERTS
IN PARAMOUNT'S CLASSIEST, THRILLIEST, LAUGHIEST
' - . AUTO RACING DRAMA '
ROSS THE
AC
mm
Wally drives a flivver 85 miles per hour! breaks a
coast-to-coast record ! ! drives through a raging
prairie fire!!! races the Overland Limited through
a pitch black tunnel and makes love to two girls!!!!
KEATES'
, CONTEST CONCERT
On Our Mighty Wurlitzer
"1 . Overture, Lustpiel . . . Kela-Bela
2f Traumerei . .Schumann
3. "After Vespers. . . . .Neit Morel
4. Keates' Contest
5. Take a Trp to the Land of
Harmony .Arranged
NOTE:
Last Sunday's contest
was a circus and every
body had lots of fun.'
We'll have more today!
So if you can sing or
whistle and have a little
bit of nerve and. you
feel lucky well, you're
going to get a $5 bill.
'
Try
Your
Luck
ALSO A TWO-PART COMEDY AND WORLD EVENTS T,OLD IN MOTION
I
TODAY
at
12:30
r '