The New York herald., 1921-01-23
Screen Shadops
Miss Theda Bara to Return to
the Films-'The Four
HOrsemen' Soon.
BY FRANK vREELAND.

By FRANK VREELAND.
Miss Theda Bara is to return like the
prodisal to the screen. though with be-.
ter filled pockets thar enat careless
young person. Possibly she has been
lured back to the scene OF her earlier
and periodic downfals by the thought
that Pola Negri has shown in Passion
that the art Of vivacious vamping hasn't
entirely deserted the films since Miss
Bara yielded TO her yearning for the
great open spaces Of = stage tour.
But more potent reason appears to
be that some OF her former admirers
felt their admiration slipping when they
saw her in person act up in front of a
lot Of perfect strangers IN The Blue
Flame" and told her so in crude. Grass
language. Letters came to her inform
ing the actress that the writer's had
appreciated her ability on the silver
sheet. but that her performance in the
spoken play was likely to shatter one OF
the Illusions Of their fair young lives.
So it came TO Miss Bara that. TO avoid
burdening nation still troubled with
reconstruction, the stage was no place
for her. while the screen was
Her decision was all the more seismic
in view of the fact that on the road in
"The Blue Flame" she had been just as
successful as a big circus In New York
the critics elevated the eyebrows of
amused surprise and the public appar-
emily didn't want to have their friends
see them enter the theatre. But in the
one week stands the throngs managed
to keep the seats overfiowng for the
eight performances at least, generally
out of curiosity and "The Blue Flame
was blue streak 1t engulfed an aver
age Of $3.50 weekly. Having 80 per
cent. interest in the piece besides her
salary, Miss Bara was pleased TO accept
a goodly share of the pelf. In her two
weeks at Boston her acting was good
for S11, 900 for herself.
ire office Of A. II. Woods. in fact. as
sured her they could book her up to
Easter If she would only hold fast to the
play. But around Christmas she de-
cided, in the immortal words of the piece
itself, to "shake 1t like she'd shake her
shmmy." She is now at her West End
possibly writing her "reminiscences of the
stage. Next season she is not likely TO
represent the Woods office in the battle
with art 1t is not known with what
film company she will train her deadly
optics on the camera The straws blow
in every direction but the William Fox
Company. where 1t was said Miss Bara
wasn't hemmed in by any Fox contract
In fact, Miss Bara, claiming she wasn't
given proper scenarios toward the end
of her Fox reign, parted with that COM
pany under cloud that didn't lie en-
tirely in her eyes.
The Indications are that Miss Bara
will launch her own company, which she
is quite capable of doing financially.
having, according to report. yielded up
income taxes last year on an income or
100000. But being far more intelligent
and discerning than her type OF screen
parts would intimate. she probably real
ICES some new film character Will have
to be adopted, since the vampires, hav-
ing ruined 80 many men. have now
wrecked themselves with the public
Miss Mae Murray. on the other hand.
Is due for a reentry upon the stage, after
a long term behind iron studio doors
Miss Murray, who stamped herself upon
the stage as q dancer will probably be
reincarnated back in that state. She has
been frequently mentioned for the mu-
sicaI comedy, Three Kisses" soon to be
produced. Woods, who made overtures
before, would now be willing to give her
the featured bathing suit part to wear
in Mack Sennett's coming wild Waves
and wild Woman"
Miss Pauline Frederick was to have
had n return to speech this season under
the Woods treatment She was to have
appeared In Lady Tony" a play by
Willard Mack. but little difference de-
veloped with her ex-husband about the
time OF production. and so far Miss Fred
erick has been saved to the films.
"rhe Four Horsemen OF the Apoca-
ly,ose" will be a resident OF New York
In about a month. The AstOr Theatre
has been mentioned as the house where
ii may be domesticated. This picture Ia
said to have cost Metro 100000 which
means that Vicente Blasco Ibanez
probably made some money out of his
story for the first time. even allowing
for the high salaries paid to the stars
and the camera men. The name will
probably be shortened to "The Four
Horsemen." to relieve numberless per-
sons who might enter the theatre In the
belief they were going to see The -Four
Horsemen OF the Eucalyptus"
Tho sum paid for the Spanish noveiists
work Is something like a record in real
money, though handing out large sums
for picture rights is getting to be a bit
Of a bally old bore with the producers.
"Erminie." at the Park. has just been
reported sold for the screen for 100000.
with Francis Wilson and De Wolf Hop
per going down the river with IT, This
will insure George c. Tyler and William
Farnum. film star. who is his hacker.
that in any event n large part of the
money they sank in It has a chance to
come 20 the surface again.
u. w. Griffith was recently reported
negotiating for a chance TO ge. at Ben
Hur" on the films. The son Of Gen.
Lew Wallace. who controls this vaiu-
able theatrical property. asked for
$500. 900 as the purchase price SO no one
was surprised when Griffith after conn
ing 10 decided to go away from there.
IN RR00KIYN THEATRES.