The Washington times., 1915-10-13
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Fifteen Authors Are
To Write Episodes
Of the Nest Film
Serial Story.

One Of the most unusual expert
ments In literary and dramatic con-
struction Is shortly to be attempted
by means OF motion pictures. II 10
no less than q serial story by fifteen
we'll known authors OF totally differ
ent styles of literary construction
end habits! A single basic idea will
BE followed by each OF the authors
and each will write one episode.
The people who are to contribute
to this unique symposium Of fiction
are Irwin s. Cobb. George Bronson
Howard. Anna Katherine Greene.
Rupert Hughes. Reginald Wright
Kaufman. Mrs. Wilson Woodrow.
Leroy Scott. Thompson Bushman,
james Oppenheim, Wallace Irwin.
Frederick 1sham. Louis Joseph
Vance. Zane Grey. James Francis.
son and Hugh Weir. The serial will
be started by Irwin Cobb and the
author selected to write the second
episode will take UP the story where
Cobb leaves 1t. the film version OF
each episode will be written by Hugh
Weir.
Joe Brandt. the general manager
Of tho Universal Film Company Is
the author of the idea for the COM
through for the Universal Company.
The company that will act the film
version of the story will be grouped
around Hobart Henley and Helen
Holmes. The title of the, whole
thing is 70 be Graft" and the pub, pub
the production OF the flm version in
the motion picture houses will com.
mence as soon as the last chapter Of
THE Broken Coin has been pub
lished and produced in film.
In the production Of their serial
aim features. by the way. the Uni
adopted a policy that is calculated
to please the patrons OF the photo
play Immensely. Each company Sc
lected to act each serial so far pro-
duced has introduced a new leading
woman and leading man. In The
Black Box. the first big fifteen
and Anna Little were the leading
man and woman. In Tho Broken
Coin," Francis Ford and Grace Gu
nard clay the leads. As all OF the
Universal leading men and women
have many enthusiastic friends
among the photoplay patrons. In this
city. at least. the plan has had the
ties an opportunity to star In con-
unued film story.
Just what the result Of the sym
postum serial Will be no one can
foretell. A number of times some
thing OF the same sort has been tried
several of the best-known writer's
contributed installments to a. serial
story Of adventure published by ono
Of the leading monthly magazines.
The story was read with considerable
interest. Such a thing has never be-
fore been done with a play. how
ever. and the result IL awaited with
q great deal Of curiosity.
That Francis X. Bushman Is some
thing more than Just q handsome
matinee idol was proved in Los An
geles a day or two ago when the
Alm star knocked out" James ].
Jeffries during the rehearsals OF
Pennington's Choice" which Is to be
the next Metro feature in which
Bushman will appear. Jeffries was
engaged to play small part In the
which was to be a fight with Bush
man In which Bushman was to
knock out the ex-champion.
Jeffries and Bushman squared CIT
for rehearsal OF the bout, ana
Jeffries told the matinee Idol to
try his best to make real ooklng
match of it Jeffries had been told
that Bushman was an athlete. and
he thought II would be a god joke
10 SHOW him up" The fight started
with both men sparring carefully.
Jeffries failed to land on Bushman.
and Bushman didn't get in blow
on the champion. until a minute or
two when Jeffries landed rather
heavily or Bushman's check. The
actor watched his opportunity and
hit Jeffries a good stiff blow on the
neck Blows came fast and furious,
Jeffries getting In a jab which stag
gereo the actor. The pugilist
thought ne had taught his lesson.
But suddenly Bushman's fist shot
out and landed squarely on Jenries'
jaw. and the big prize fighter went
down and completely out. It re-
quired the services OF the Metro
physician to bring Jeffries back TO
consciousness.
When the story of the affair was
told. Jeffries was informed for the
frst time that before becoming an
actor Bushman was the champion
amateur middleweight wrestler Of
the Atlantic coast. and was hnown
throughout the country as an ANA
teur boxer and athlete. For sew
eral years he was a sculptors mod
el, because Of his unusual muscular
development, there being several
well-known statues In bronze and
marble in the parks Of Washington
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