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.
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( 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.
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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
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"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.
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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