The New York herald., 1922-04-02
FINDS the East
Good Enough for
Picture Making
High lights and Shadows
on News of the
Screen.
ny FRANK vREELAND.

AA/ as Lewis J. Selznick, are
turning toward California.
despite its crop of scandals, ID. w
Griffith clings TO the East with the
tenacity of one OF his most determined
heroes. For one thing. he las all his
money invested here. at the elaborate
studio In Mamaroneck. and for an
other thing, he can find all the disen-
gagged actors he cares to employ by
standing at given point-any given
point-on Broadway. He doesn't even
have to listen in on the conversation
to make sure they're actors.
The degree OF training the actor has
is greater in tho East. he finds. and
so is the variety of faces-and Griffith
feels that variety of countenance
among his principals from picture to
picture is valuable. so the audience
won't get to feel that the hero is being
saved from annihilation so he can ap-
pear in the next photoplay. Joseph
Schildkraut, who seems fitted only TO
the exotic type of part, Is therefore
unlikely to find his emotions under the
control of Griffith's megaphone again
Moreover, Griffith finds the back
ground OF life and culture here more
stimulating than In Los Angeles.
where a diet of purest sunlight Is not
tl:e only requisite needed TO keep a
man on edge
incidentally Griffith isn't going in for
that culture more extensively here by
establishing a tea shop. as might be in
ferrsd from the fact that on the line
II Al fn1A
tory is the announcement. "Grnflth.
ID. W., tea room. 19l Fulton street"
At the Griffith office it was denied
with chuckles that the producer had
anything to do with this Oolong enter
prise. or that he Is drowning his sor-
row over censorship in tea
Likewise incidentally. Griffith Is nor
going to produce "The White Slave" on
the screen. perhaps because the CEN
sors might put their thumb in this pie
too.
For the title role of Merton of the
Movies" by Harry Leon Wilson, the en-
inent duelist, which many persons seem
already to be busily casting for the
screen. the suggestion is here made that
Charles Ray kindly step forward.
Glenn Hunter is planning to star.
production next week on second Fid-
de-" in which he will be so much sup
pressed that all the flappers in the
audience will want to stroke his hair
NO doubt. any time Charles Ray makes
one false move and grows mustache.
>'ceasing to be the everlasting American
Boy. Hunter win fill his shoes like a
stroke OF lightning.
Douglas Fairbanks Is as fond OF a
practical joke as the ordinary movie
star Is of cigarettes. When he was
playing in the spoken drama and ac-
quaintances would drop in to see him
in his dressing room he would wave
them TO the best chair In the room with
magnificent Old World hospitality.
Then he would move something unob-
y. .trusively, and instantly the friend
would leap out of the chair and al
most out of his skin. the victim of a
mild electric shock. You couldn't be a
true friend OF Fairbanks until you had
been tested in his electrocution chair
and found to have the sterling qualities
of clky rocket.
While all his pranks are played with
the high good humor of boy. and no
ono Is ever hurt by them. one OF his
directors who had felt and suffered de-
~ led recently that IL was high time
Fairbanks played at the short end him
self. So when q new actor who was to
support the star in his next picture
came to the studio the director took HIM
10 one side and whispered mysteriously
in his large and receptive ear.
Say. listen," brcathed the director.
Mr.. Fairbanks is really very deaf, so
you'll have TO talk very loudly. He's
very sensitive about 1t, though. so you
don't want to let on you're talking In
anything but your natural tones. You
really ought TO have a megaphone."
Busting over 10 Fairbanks. the d.
rector pointed furtively to the new actor
and spoke In the stars sympathetic ear,
which might be either one.
That guy is deaf as a toad" he told
Fairbanks. TITS shame, because he's
one grand little actor. He ought to be
wearing an ear trumpet. but IL can't be
done In the pictures"
Then he introduced the pair.
For fifteen minutes Fairbanks and his
fellow rlayer yelled their voices to rags
: at each other before they came TO.
As every one who has read Alice Dusr
Millers novel knows the heroine OF
"Manslaughter." which impends on the
screen under the direction of Cecil B.
DE Mile. gets into trouble by speeding
an automobile. 1t seems like flying Ia
the face OF nature TO have Leatrice JOY
play this part instead OF Bebe Daniels.
While the bottom has been knocked
out OF the market in the prices paid on
movie scenarios to many authors, there
are still some writer's who are making
more than enough TO keep them away
from the one-arm lunch rooms. Ono of
these Is Arthur Somers Roche. who. II
is said. has Just received a check for
$4,000 from Hope Hampton for the
film rights to bis novel Tho Day of
Faith" In which Miss Hampton is look
ing forward to having anguish all over
the screen. And that isn't all. for
$4,000 more is 20 be forthcoming for
the same rights before Roche will feel