The New York herald., 1920-12-28

pleted. in about a week. the whole plant
housing 700 persons will be shut down.
| remaining closed for six weeks. Pro-
| duction will continue in the Hollywood
studio.
Passing of the Star.
A number of continuity writer's have
been. let go by the corporation and the
whole producing department is TO be
turned into a monumental stock COM
pany. That means a lessening emphasis
on the star system, with many of the
stars hereafter crowded into an "all
star" cast, instead OF being individually
featured in separate and more numer-
Gus pictures.
Adolph Zukor, president of Famous
Players-Lasky, and Jesse L. Lasky, first
ce-president, recently announced that
In the future the story would not be fit-
ted to the star, but each player would
be used according to the character he
could best play in a story. In line with
the new system, Cecil B. De Mile is now
directing on the coast a screen version
of THE Affairs of Anatol," in which
such players as Wallace Ped, Gloria
Swanson, Wanda Hawley, Elliott Dex-
ter, Bebe Daniels, Agnes Ayres Theo-
dore Roberts and Dorothy Cummings
heretofore regarded as entitled to stand
alone--are working together
That arrangement has the Endorsement
OF Hugo Riesenfeld and S. L. Rothafel,
two of the leading exhibitors in the coun-
try. Mr.. Rothafel declares that the pub
lie lis tired of the pretty little ingenue
with nothing to recommend her but lot
Of curls."
Samuel Goldwyn. president of Gold
wyn Company. said that for the sake of
fewer and better pictures his company
would produce no more than fifty fea-
lures by the end of the fiscal year. or
about the same as last year. The nor
NAL expansion Of the company would
have carried the total TO seventy-flve
pictures
The Universal company acknowledges
frankly that the movie field is in danger
of overproduction. and that all COM
panies are equally guilty. Carl Laemmle.
the president, has formulated a pro-
gramme for a higher grade. restricted
output whereby there will be eight big
specials. az against twelve last year.
The Universals production of medium
grade pictures for short runs in the
smaller houses is to be cut down pro-
portionately. and altogether the reduc-
tion win vary from one-third to one
half.
Some Notable Changes.
Only two companies are now working
out Of the six usually employed at Uni
versal City. Eric Won Stroheim. one OF
the biggest actors and directors on the
Universal list. who generally appears IN
pictures calling for several thousand ex-
tras and assistants. is not producing for
the present. Harry Carey, hitherto fea-
tured in pictures released rapidly for en-
gagements of a day or so. is to be shifted
soon to Universal-Jewel productions.
turning out about two long features a
year. "Hoot" Ed Gibson, comedian. who
made frequent appearance in two
reelers. is to take his place In the rarer
five-reelers.
The Fox Film Corporation was said
TO have eight companies working in It's
mammoth studio at Tenth avenue and
Fifty-flfth street. which has accommo-
dations for thirty. 1t was also said TO
be engaging no one until February l.
At the offices of the Metro Pictures
CORPORATION il was stated that the num-
Der of releases this year would be the
same as last year with no additions TO
the starring ranks. and that under the
old methods of expansion in conformity
with the growth of the company they
would have produced twice as many this
year. Vitagraph officials said they
weren't producing so many photoplays
ms in the past. with the intent of maxi
ing more advanced brand which could
be booked for as long as three weeks.
like their Dead Men Tell No Tales OF
recent date. The number OF Vitagraph
PLAYERS would remain the same as in the
past. devoting more time TO each picture.
Lessening of production is said to be
I as radical in the West as in the East.
! The manager for the company support
ing one Of the most noted stars in the
/ country has Just written East that
Hollywood looks like desert" OF the
/ 75.0 persons conservatively estimated
| TO have a hand in the film work there
two-thirds are said TO be working at II
/ no longer