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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1922)
4 THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 10, 1923 HENRY MURDOCK WORKS WAY TO STELLAR ROLES Al Christie Announcement States That After Present Production Comedian Will Be Featured in Pictures. J? - ' ' , - y - J! " . - cr - "S - " i I V 51 i l I r, - v it- i-c ' V "' 'Vi ( Hurst stories with notable success j "Humoresque," "Back Pay" and ' j "A Good Provider,1 his last picture, j 1 Colleen Moore and James Mor- j rison neaa an an-star case lor tee i picture which also Includes Eddie i Phillips and George Cooper. William Sistrom is production manager for tie company and Chester Lyons, chief cameraman. ' - What about the flapper? Should she be coddled, repri manded, spanked or just let alone to grow out of it? This is the prob lem that confronts Myrtle Stedman in the titular role of -"The Famous Mrs. Fair," a new Fred Niblo pro duction, when she returned from a lecture tour to find that her "baby" daughter, playdd by Marguerite De La Motte, had acquired ear ripgs, fast friends and late hours during her absence. The picture promises to be one of the big successes of the new year. Included in the bal ance of the cast are: Huntly Gordon, Carmel Myers, Cullen Landis, Helen Ferguson and Ward Crane. Henry Mnrdoclc or Christie Comedies, -who has beem steadily advancing himself in films and who will soon achieve star position. HENRY MURDOCH, who has been playing comedy roles in Chris tie pictures for two years, will be seen opposite Dorothy Devore in the forthcoming "Hazel From Holly wood," and will then be featured himself, according to Al Christie's recent announcement. Murdock is a comedian who has been "coming to the front" for some time and who is about to arrive in a comedy starring position, accord ing to critics who have recently re viewed the r ew Christie comedies. Not long ago James W.. Dean, re viewer for a newspaper' syndicate picked out Murdock and Arthur Housman as the two possible suc cessors to Chaplin. "Housman and Murdock," Dean wrote, "seem to be the only ones in view who have a definite idea of pandomime, and that, after all, is the real comedian's cnief stock in trade. "Murdock had a minor position in Cold Feet,' the best Christie comedy yet produced, but he overshadowed every other member of the cast In mimetic ability Murdock's panto mime is much like that of Theodore Kosloff. His ability "in make-up equals that of Lon Chaney. Some day he will be known as well as either of them." Such was the reviewer's Judg ment several months ago, and now it looks as if his predictions would be carried out. In "Hazel From Hollywood" Murdock will play the important part of the "rube" lover from "back home" who goes west to rescue his girl from the "horrors" of cinema-land. Immediately after this picture is released, Christie ex pects to feature Murdock in a com edy story that is now being written. "The Ninety and Nine" Proves Thrilling. Titaraph Special Prodnctlon Steps on It Every Minute. "PVIRECTOR David Smith has com- J pleted and turned in for re- J vision the first of vitagraph's bi twelve special productions, "The Ninety and Nine." This picture is frankly a thriller. Given first a smashing plot, full of the big scenes that lead logically, and with the ut most of suspense, up to the big climax, Director Smith made the most of his material. The big record-breaking thrill is the rescue of an entire countryside from the fury of the flames, as the forest fire races toward the sur rounded town. It is destined to be received as one of the finest things of its kind ever seen on the screen. Great stretches of burning forest, whole towns in flames, hundreds of men, women and children running frantically to cover. The little tele graph office is besieged with shout ing, cursing, praying men, demand ing an engine to take trapped in habitants to safety. There is not an engine on the division. Beside himself, the dispatcher remembers that an official's engine, with a private car, is on the siding at the nearest station. But the official de clares it is a fool's chance, and will not permit the use of the engine. Then the one man appears the young derelict who chances to be on the scene. Without hesitation he thrashes the cowardly engine crew, commandeers the engine, and with a young w.man at the shovel, he rolls the st;el monster out on the main track, and heads into the furnace of roaring flames ahead. f , V i - v s .. t. m v 1 H - St '"A ergies on stories they think the producer should buy, instead of writing one that experience and ob servation would tell them he will buy. Dorothy Manners is working at Universal again. However, she will soon start playing a leading role in the next Metropolitan production to be made at the Brentwood studios. In this latter picture Miss Manners will essay for the first time in her promising career the char acterization of a most alluring Gypsy queen. Andree Tourneur started this week in her second Johnnie Walker picture at the Hollywood studios. After completing this en gagement it is said she will return to the Metro "lot" where she achieved several of her most notable screen triumphs both under the direction-of Rex Ingram and as Bert Lytell's leading woman. Jazzmania Is Established Disease, Says Star. Uae Murray's Next Production to Be Along Those Lines. De Mille to Give Eight Prizes Instead of One. Producer Finds Many Acceptable Ideas in Recent Contest. CECIL DEMILLE TO USE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PICTURE Famous Director Assigns Important Job of Preparing Elaborate Continuity to Jeanie MacPherson, Noted Writer. CECIL B. De MILLE is to put the ten commandments into a mo tion picture. The details have not been worked out yet, but Jeanie Macpherson, who does all ot the scenarious for the Paramount pro ducer, is now at work on them and the plan is to put the picture into production about April 1. This novel plan to dramatize the Mosaic laws for the first time came about as a result of the recent nation-wide idea contest staged by Mr. DeMille. Eight of the contest ants submitted ideas along this line. The producer was so Impressed that lie awarded eight first prizes of $1000 each, instead of one, and Im mediately set to work to develop his plans. It will require oo much time and thought that Mr. DeMille will take a vacation immediately after finishing his present picture, 'Adam's Rib." "The contest," says Mr. DeMille, "was a great demonstration of the value of appealing directly to pub lic opinion for ideas. This tre mendous theme for a picture has been neglected and hidden in the minds of the people and we have been justified a thousand-fold in taking this means ot drawing it out." The winners of the multiple frst prize were: F.. C. Nelson, 615 West Barnes avenue. Lansing, Mich.; Marie Michael 243 Broadway, Provi dence, R. I.; Mrs. Peter Rasmussen, 4245 Colorado avenue, Long Beach, Cal.; H. J. Bradt, 916 Fedora street, Los Angeles; Mrs. Emily Hulse, wife of C. A. Hulse, formerly of Hemp stead, Long Island, and how of Los Angeles; E. H. Peck, a retired army officer, now living at Hesperia, Cal.; Mrs. Ottiilie Beckett, 4348 West Adams street, Los Angeles; Lieutenant-Colonel F. E. Lynch, 1641 Shatto street, Los Angeles. Second prize of $100 was awarded to Dabud Kandjeyousch, 220 Twenty ninth street, Hermosa Beach. CaL. who submitted his idea in a Russian dialect, which required an exten sive search among studio employes Deiore an interpreter could be found GENE STRATTON PORTER'S STORY NEARLY COMPLETED - - "Michael O'Halloran" Is Noted Author's First Personally-Supervised Picture Production Being Made at Ince Studios. GENE STRATTON PORTER'S first personally supervised pic ture, "Michael O'Halloran," adapted from her popular novel of that name, is nearlng completion at the Thos. "H. Ince studios. The most severe critics, after view ing the unfinished production, ad mit that she has struck a new and vital note. "Michael O'Halloran" Is more than merely an adaptation of the novel, which numbers its readers to the tune of five millions, it is the book Itself come to life. From the simp lest scene to the most dramatic one the human and sympathetic touch of the author herself is apparent. There is nothing machine-made about it It is the story of the beloved ""Mickey," the manly little newsboy hnd of those who weave the interest ing web of life about him and whose life stories are changed through as sociation with him. "Michael O'Halloran" and Gene Btratton Porter introduce a new boy star True Boardman Jr. With the charm - of spontaneous youth, little True interprets the spirit of "Mickey" in a most realistic and Interesting manner. When he is finally presented to the screen the public is destined to behold another type of boyhood a new and different personality a boy whom Mrs. Porter, after a long and arduous search, chose as the fit and proper type to represent one of her favorite characters 'Michael O'Halloran." True Boardman Jr. comes of family distinguished alike on stage and screen, his mother being Vir ginia True Boardman and his father True Boardman both of whom have mads enviable names for tnemselves in the theatrical and moving picture world. Betty Francisco, who is appearing in v 101a uana s new Metro picture, Miss Immy Lou," is a bathing beauty prize winner. Recently she was a member of a house pc:rty in Los Angeles, together with Miss Dana, John Bowers, Allan Forest and other members of the cast. There was an outdoor pool upon her nosts grounds, and all the guests. Knowing Miss Francisco s reputa tion, clamored for aquatic tricks. Miss Francisco dived, but did not reappear on the surface. Mr. Bow ers plunged after her, dragging her to saiety. "I'll have to take swimming les sons, Miss Francisco gasped. "One gets too wet bluffing." "The Dangerous Age." John M. Stahl's first picture since "One Clear Call," has been released by Asso ciated First National and is now be ing booked for an early showing in tne big llrst-run theaters through out the country. Presented by Louis B. Mayer, it has a brilliant all-star cast comprising Lewis S. Stone, Kuth Clifford, Edith Roberts, Cleo Madison, Myrtle Stedman, James Morrison. Lincoln Stedman. Helen Lynch and Edward Burns. Essen tially comedy - drama by nature of the theme, the production con tains some spectacnlan melodramatic touches. Production work Tin "The Nth Commandment." a Fannie Hurst story, has been started by the Cos mopolitan Productions at the Thom as H. Ince Studios. Frances Marion wrote the script for the play wtich will be directed by Frank Borzage who has filmed three other Carey Wilson, associate editor for Goldwyn production, who has written his way from "the ground' up" in studioland. YOU wh EIGHT prizes of $1000 each are to be awarded In the Cecil B. DeMille contest for an idea for his next Paramount production, Instead of one. This is due to the fact that eight persons in widely scattered sections of the country have sub mitted Ideas which Mr. DeMille wants to use. The nrizes announced for tne contest when Mr. DeMille started it several weeks ago were $1000 for first, $100 for second and $50 each for third and fourth. All the Para mount producer wanted was an idea expressed In as few word3 as pos sible so that he could adapt it for his next Paramount picture. The contest closed on November 1. Mr. DeMille and the contest editor of the Los Angeles Times started going over the manuscripts sub mitted immediately afterwards, and several days ago the producer found one that he like Seven others equally acceptable soon turned up In the mass of corres pondence, so Mr. DeMille, to retain all eight and eliminate any possible basis for dissatisfaction, decided to give the first prize to the eight, and award the other prizes also. The names of the winners are not to be announced until later. Mr. DeMille has let it be known that one of the winners lives in Michigan and another in Rhode Island. The bark Wanderer, after doing a bit" in Elmer Clifton's "Down to the Sea in Ships" along with the Charles W. Morgan, oldest whaling vessel afloat, is outfitting for a year's whaling cruise in Atlantis waters first stop, African coast. Here is a chance for any who doubt the thrill possibilities of standing in the bow of a small open boat and hurling a barbed iron into the body of the biggest creature in the world to go and find out for himself. Don t all speak at once, tnougn, for the Wanderer isn't such a big boat herself. - Lon Chaney, whose portrayal of the crooked lawyer, Obadiah Strout, in the Metro-SL production of "Quin- cy Adams Sawyer, seems certain to add to his fame as a character actor, concedes . all credit for his success to the fact that circum stances made it necessary for him to learn the deaf and dumb language. Mr. Chaney s mother and father were both deaf and dumb and Jittle Lon learned the sign language be fore he learned to talk. His grand mother founded Colorado's first in stitute for the deaf and blind. It was only natural that Lon should learn to express his thoughts, un usually well by a few motions with his fingers or Just as often by means of a single gesture or facial expres sion. . have heard about people who worked their way "from the ground up?" Well, Carey Wilson, associate Goldwyn editor, who supervised the production of "Broken Chains," Goldwyn's Christ mas release, and is the author of "Lost and Found," which will be seen later, began at the bottom of the film ladder. Mr. Wilson's start In motion pic tures was made in the humble role of salesman, at the time when mo tion, pictures were themselves play ing a humble role. Before this the author spent a year in the campaign which was successful in nominating and electing Woodrow Wilson to the presidency of the United States. Today Carey Wilson holds the rec ord for the number of screen stories sold by an individual during a given time. In the year and a half that he has been writing, he has had 11 original themes purchased. Mr. Wilson was, for a time, an exhibitor. Interesting himself in the producing end, his work took him to Canada, New Zealand and the south seas, and in addition to sell ing, he designed sets, directed, cut and titled pictures. . He became salesmanager for one of the big studio organizations, but the pen is mightier than the order blank. Always a student -of liter ature, and gifted from the time of his days in high school with a ready pen, he eventually began to be pre occupied with the editorial side of the movies, rather than with the commercial. This interest increased as motion pictures began to change their form and make possible more sophisticated expressions than were to be expected when the nickelodeon was the movie theater of the nation. Two years ago Mr. Wilson aban doned one of the lucrative jobs of the industry and turned to photo play writing. His success has more than Justified this radical step. Mr. Wilson's advice to aspiring writers is to study what the produc ers are buying, and write for the market rather than to please them selves. Too many screen writers squander their inspirations and en- (( TAZZMANIA," says Mae Murray. J the star of It for It's her latest picture "is a disease that has come to stay, a syncopated scourge, as much a part of our life and our world as the measles. "Jazzmania will never be cured by Dr. Dryasdust. It will never.be cured and who wants to be cured? Who wants to be cured of happiness, of pleasure? If any, let them be in oculated and immunized theirs will be the misery. "On with the epidemic; let Jazs manla be unconfined. Let small souls be quarantined if they wish, ours is the joy of tuneful sound and gladsome step. "So far. from languishing and fad ing out of popularity, jazzmania has spread to other countries, to Eng land. France, Germany. There's no stopping it. They can appoint any number of committees of port bore dom officers to catch the jazzmania stowaways and deport them back to the United States, but the little germs slip right by them laughingly. "People are waking up to the truth and the bluenoses and knockers are in rapid retreat. Only the other day a distinguished art and music critic, Carl Van Vechten, said the best orchestra in the country was not the Philadelphia symphony or chestra nor the Philharmonic nor the New York symphony orchestra, but Paul Whitman's jazz band. Miss Murray's new photoplay. "Jazzmania," which is directed by Robert Z. Leonard and presented by him through Metro, is the proriuct of Tiffany Productions, Inc., of which M. H. Hoffman is vice-presi dent and general manager. The story and scenario were written by Edmund Goulding. A little star under a big lucky star! That's what Muriel Frances Dana is and she's out with all of her four-year-old might to tell the world she's genuinely thankful for certain fortunate incidents in her recent life. Within a fortnight she has been in two wrecks one an automobile crash and the other steam-train derailment and she escaped without a scratch or bruise, although several people al most within an arm's reach of her had to go to hospitals. Then an epidemic of the mumps descended upon the Los Angeles neighborhood in which she lives and she was the only child in three blocks who escaped the malady. Moreover, to cap the climax, an oil stove exploded while she was standing over it warming her hands and the whole she-bang blew up right over her head without touching her! Can you beat this for foiling the jinx? Helen Kesler, ex-leading lady I Jimmy Aubrey comedies and whose next screen appearance will be made in Rupert Hughes "The Bitterness of Sweets," has established herself as the most successful "lady hunter" in the southern California film col ony. She has just returned from an extensive hunting expedition in the Canadian wilds, where she bagged among other big game one deer and one bear. When it is taken into con sideration that Miss Kesler is quite diminutive, being only five feet in height and weighing an even 100 pounds, her feats of "huntsmanship" becomes the more notable. Marshall Ne'lan has not yet de cided what his next production will be, altUough he has recently pur chased two big stories Thomas Hardy's classic' novel, "Tess of the D'Crbervilles" and Edward Rose's successful mystery play, "The Rear Car." Frank Urson, staff director for Mr. Nellan, is now in England filming scenes for Teas. Mr. Neilan's first Goldwyn .release will be, "The Strangers' Banquet," which is now in the editing stage. When "A Blind Bargain" was be ing filmed a tremendous soap-bub- "What's In a name?" asked the sage. "A lot of trouble!" answers Marie Prevost, charming member of the j aii-star cast for '.Brass, which Sid ney Franklin Is directing at Warner Eros.' studios, from the book by Charles G. Norris. Marie knows, for she has a name that brings her much grief. "There's a lot of trouble In names I ir one happens to have one that is hard to pronounce like mine," says Miss Prevost. Between the folks on the lot and the public, she has a ter rible time. Prevost is a French name and is pronounced "Prevo," which rhymes with Bevo, the "st" being silent. Mary Alden, star of the United Artists feature, "A Woman's Wom an," and now appearing before the camera in motion pictures being ! prooucea by tne woman's Home companion, announced not long ago ' mat sne would discontinue playing mother roles. While she is still in 1 tne motner role in her current pic ture, the star considers the title a rgood sign. It Is "Disposing of Mother." J O'SEPHINE DILLON Branch of Dillon Studio, New York City 213 W. Fark St. ACTING . STAGE I SCREEN PLATFORM VOICE A Tw liter 4055 1 1 I. . . s ' -1 I E ,W F4,A ; WMmLk . , J ; A .J' VI efflWO.lJ A 1 V Ml- . a Third Week! I - , DreaKing in nisiory ior l ioUiT " g i Positively and Unquestionably the Most I j Popular Picture Ever Shown in Portland J I II IOPESSAT W liMJ I cvru TP a ni tp qmjaw rv.r-f af i.?n ii I the uimjlml -.w , j i I H MOKJium myw I i Chaperon ITsner mant ble scene was staged. Actresses in metal suits had to descend Into a lake full of bluing while the soap bubbles engulfed them. But the metal suits took in water at the hip joints, thus weighing down the fair wearers so firmly that several actors lost the press in their dress suits helping them out. Color photography of a new kind is to be tried in Cecil B. DeMllle's next production, which is to be titled "Adam's Rib." The system to be used is what is known as a per fected "spotted process." The system has een perfected by Loren Taylor, hea. of the color process department of the Par amount studios, who has been work ing on it ,for some time. The color is shown through the regular blacks and grays of the ordinary celluloid film. "All over" color photography carried to the tints of the skin is admittedly far from perfection, ac cording to Paramount executives. The scene In which the spotted color appears is a night ballroom in which appear a large group of dancers. They are furnished with large Japanese -lanterns. The main lights of the room are turned out and the lanterns lighted. Each lantern has been "spotted" in a dif ferent color, red, blue, yellow, pur ple and many tints. Announcement I Have Ever Made Starting Saturday, December 23d, exclusive Portland showing of Mary Pickford in a new "TESS OP THE STORM COUNTRY." One year in the making, and just finished. Eight years ago Mary became fa mous overnight as "Tess," the most human, realistic and wonderful char acter Mary has ever portrayed. .Picture making in those days was crude and Mary's salary .quite small. Today Mary is master of her own destiny and she has long cherished the desire to make a "New Tess" under present modern picture-making meth ods, in her own elaborate studios. After 'one year of the most careful and hardest work of her life, Mary now offers to today's public, and to future generations, a film classic, her supreme achievement, the grandest pic ture of her wonderful career. "TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY" The Blue Mouse is proud to an nounce the absolute, exclusive Port land showing of this tremendous fea ture. By special arrangement with Mary Pickford herself we are able to offer this "picture wonderful" at our regu lar evening admission prices, which prices will prevail all day, every day, during engagement: Adults, 50c; Chil dren, 20c. Shows start on the odd hour; 11 A. M., 1 P, M., 3, 5, 7, 9, P. M. Early performances advisable. Remember, it starts Saturday, De cember 23d. Sincerely, THWM TTAMRTHTT II TJT.TTTi1. MOTTSTC TTTRATRF, COME! 4L .if" ,,; 5 r x v; - The Pick o'the Pictures Jo!? -4 1 Vii f y i 71 f7 H 1 mmmMm&mSmA A FOOL THERE WAS" Inspired by Rndyard Kipling's Poem ' "1 mi. vAsriKBi." He had a wife, a beautiful child and a home. He was happy and did not know It. Then a vampire hurled herself at him. and thlnei began to happen. Comedy, "Shine 'Em Up" Pathe News Mutt and Jeff fndepemdratlr Owned Independently Operated THE CLOSES AT O'CLOCK FOLLOWING MORNING Always b Attendance