The New York herald., 1921-07-24
Screen Shadows
By FRANK yREELANp.

~ s.Apcove to all the world by ocular
demonstration that he can be a
gentleman. In his latest picture. "The
Idle Class" which has just been COM
pleted in Los Angeles, he aimed to live
down his custard pie past and his
dreadnought feet For the first time
on the screen he will appear in dress
suit. shorn of that dab Of mustache
which is part a his Aim glory and
looking much as he does when laying
the cornerstone Of q new bank. in
Hollywood, addressing the Chamber Of
Commerce or awarding the prizes for
the hose contests Of the fire COM
panies.
OF course Chaplin has paraded in
maie evening attire before this on the
silver sheet, but it was always some
i one elses borrowed or stolen suit,
three sizes too large for him and maxi
ing him look as though he were buried
under an avalanche of clothes. And
the feet had to be encased in their
usual leather tanks" to keep company
with the suit. But now everything Is
to be most correct and formal in this
picture FOR it is to represent Chaplin's
conception of smart society and how
they treat Charlie Chaplin
IT Is based more or less on the
screen comedians own futterings among
the haute monde when he came East
last winter to show his former wife's
friends that New York. at least loved
him. He was taken up by society as
one who was the Clown Prince Of film
dom. Everywhere he was feted, and
even Jack Dempsey went around with
him. The wife Of well known banker,
who Is one of the leaders among the
innermost circles of the social world,
gave him a dinner Of the most exclu-
sive variety, at which Chaplin, 1t Is re-
liably reported did nothing funny with
his knife and fork and kept his soup
under splendid control. One of the
ultra a-distinguished. clubs. of which
Frank Crownfnshield Is the head, took
him to its bosom and fed him up
royalty, but without making any appre-
ciable increase In Chaplin's slender
frame.
Now the comedian in another picture
written and directed by himself for As
ISOLATED First National will turn an
honest penny from all this lionizing by
letting his Impressions filter upon the
screen. At first, out Of compliment to
Crowninshield's magazine. the film
comedy was entitled Vanity Fair" but
the name has been changed to 'The Idle
Class" because other pictures had the
first title. and because the magazine
hardly needs this advertisement anyway.
Even with his new passion for eve
ming clothes, however, Chaplin can't
quite lose his taste for his old ragamuffin
outfit. SO he will appear In a dual role
as a tramp largely to reveal that he
hasn't quite lost the hang of wearing
tatters.
VIII Rogers, the biggest entry in the
Goldwyn stable of stars is to leave that
company, which rescued him from the
dire fate Of cracking jokes forever as
he swung lariat among hordes OF
pretty Ziegfeld girls. Few Of the wise
acres anticipated any success from
Rogers's screen incarnation. especially
as he would not be supported by his
trusty lasso, and Rogers himself was
ready to be counted out. But In the
two years he has been before the camera
the cowboy stars homely. quizzical face
and fresh point of view have made him
as popular as Lincoln might have been
on the screen.
Word appears to have been slipped to
Rogers himself that he was becoming
successful. Perhaps the fuss that was
made over him at a little Western town
recently. when the townsmen were even
willing to buy drinks for him. gave him
an inkling. At any rate he asked for a
raise in salary Of few thousand dollars
a week.
The Goldwyn executives held on to
whatever was handy and said mo y
with what breath they had left. While
Rogerss pictures gave good returns they
figured they might as well deed over
their bank accounts as give him an In
come of about 100000 a year--a figure
hitherto held to be the exclusive monop-
oily Of the press agents Of Mary Pick
ford. Fairbanks and Chaplin. So Rogers,
after easing his smile into two more pic
lures. 'The Poverty Of Riches" and one
other. will pack up his fedora hat and
with II establish an Independent COM
painy.
!. Tom Moore, another Goldwyn star
who has lately ben shedding grins agree
ably In Irish comedies Is likewise re-
ported to be edging his way out OF the
Goidwyn corral. This will leave Gold
wyn without a single star Of transcen-
dentaf Importance. as Kant might say.
That would be In line with the current
Goldwyn policy to exploit the author and
the director rather than the player, turn
ing the company virtually into stock
organization appearing regularly In
every picture but without the putting
that makes them feel the national elec-
ton Is the one feature OF life that Is on
par with them. Authors and directors
are so recently removed from the s5o-a-
week stage anyhow that they are likely
TO be thankful for what they are receiv-
ing and not ask Providence to send
along lot more.
The Famous P1ayers-Laslty Company
is also tending toward a stock or
Ranfzation. and not even a noted bathing
beauty seems to have chance now
adays NJ becoming a star with them.
Elsie Ferguson diminishes it's list OF
lumlnaries by taking cover on the speak
Ing stage once more. From ReaIart
the Famous Players ally. Justine John
stone has slipped her moorings. and
Mae Murray, erstwhiie Paramount star.
has set up film housekeeping on her
own with her husband. Robert Y. Leon
ard. who is also--what few husbands
can boast---her director.
It develops that Miss Murray. by the
way. was never really a Paramount