The Washington times., 1922-07-30
P0LA NE6RI DUE
FOR AMERICA
At LAST 2;
Noted European Actress Signs
Contract to Make Picture
Here Next Month for Famous
Players company.,oi,-osa w.

tai screen star, is coming to
this country next month to
make a big special Paramount pic.
ture, according to Jesse L. Lasixy.
first vice president Of the Famous
Players-Lasky Corporation. Mr..
Lasky has just arrived from Eu-
rope after having spent several
weeks visiting authors and film
producing centers in England.
France, Germany, Spain. Austria.
Hungary and Italy.
Miss Negri Is undoubtedly the
foremost screen artist in Europe"
said Mr.. Lasky. Although her
pictures up to this time have been
Of a historical natude. or have
been modern stories made with the
limited resources Of European pro-
ducers, her strong personality and
magnetism have been apparent to
all observers of motion picture act
ing. Because Of this genius she
has built up a worldwide follow.
ing. and when American audiences
see her in a powerful story. pro-
duced by a capable director. and
gowned in the latest Paris crea-
tions they will acclaim her one Of
the biggest stars of the American
screen.
when I was in London I was
approached by a famous dramatist.
whose name I am not at liberty to
disclose at this time. He told me
he had written a story especially
for Pola Negri and would like to
have me produce 1t. took the
script and after reading It was
ready to agree with htn that he
had written a powerful drama, and.
unlike many authors. had at once
caught the. idea Of having an in
ternational flavor to his story.
When he gave me the script he
said he was an admirer of Miss
Negri's work and. having met her
personally. knew that It fitted her
peculiar talents.
"A few weeks later I met Miss
Negri myself Up to then I had
seen her only on the screen-wear.
ing historical costumes, or cheap.
dowdy dresses which suited the
characters she happened to- be
playing. But when I meet her in
person I was Immediately capti-
waited by her charm, her person
ality and her smartness, and de-
cided on the spot that, IL It were
possible, Llwanted her. to. make the
picture which my English author
friend had written.
Through arrangement with the
Hamilton Theatrical Corporation,
to which she is under contract, we
plan to have Miss Negri come to
New York next month and make
this big. special picture at our
Long Island studio. AS soon as
arrived in New York I started ar.
rangements for one Of our best
known directors to produce the pic.
ture, and the entire resources Of
the production department will be
put at his command to give this
story the settings and costumes
which 1t deserves.
Miss Negri is the first Of num-
Der Of well-known European play.
ers whom we plan to bring over
here in the near future to aug.
ment the personnel OF the Para.
mount Company. It is our inten-
ton to bring over two leading char.
acter players from France, Spain
and England respectively and give
them places in the stock company,
that a more international flavor
may be given our pictures.
Another move made by Mr..
Lasky to increase the international
appeal of American pictures was
the establishment Of scenario
bureaus in London. Paris and
Madrid. During his sojourn abroad
Mr.. Lasky talked to nearly all the
principal novelists and dramatists
and arranged to have them turn
over original scenarios to these
bureaus, which will handle the
scripts In conjunction. with the
Paramount editorial department IN
New York. These scenarios win be
produced in America, said Mr..
Lasky. as Paramount pictures.
Among the authors with whom
Mr.. Lasky talked was Franz Mol.
mar. author Of "tiliom" and "The
Devil" whom he met In Budapest.
Mr.. Lasky will leave for Holly.
wood in two weeks. where he will
supervise the early operations Of
the newly. established Paramount.
mount Stock Company School.
Before going he plans to put
into effect an ambitious produc.
ton schedule for the Paramount
Studio on Long Island. He init
mated that this studio. which was
reopened recently after having
been closed for several months, will