The New York herald., 1922-07-16
Vitagraph Shifting
It's Center OF
Gravity to Cali
for,nia Ziegfeld's $
Brother In Pic
lures Lack of
Stories Felt.
~ FRANK vREELAND.

West. Much OF the compahys
producing activities, in fact, nave al
readv been centralized in the Los An
geles studios. and now, Corinne Grii-
ith IN to 20 there, after having maue
ths last stand for the stars at the
Eastern studio. Her latest picture was
"Divorce Coupons" title wnicn nids
have some significance since Vitasraph
seems to be divorcing itself from NE"
York.
There was, indeed. seemingly well
grounded report that Vitagrapn was
going to tear itself UP by the roots
from it's historic studio. in stili more
historic Flatbush. This plant. which
has been running under low pressure
for some time, might be regarded as
the cradle of the movies In the East
since it was practically the first stuo.o
TO be developed on an elaborate scdie
and to 20 in for photoplays as II its
existence depended on it--which IT ola.
Here Maurice Costello, Edith Storey
Antonio Moreno. John Bunny. flor''
Finch, Betty Blythe, Mr.. and Mrs. SD
ney Drew, Larry Semon. Liiiai
Walker and Anita Stewart, to men
ton only a few, first took cover IN
the movies with the benediction OF
Alfred e. Smith and ]. Stuart Black
ton.
But at the Nitagraph offices 1t was
stated that the company had no in
tention of surrendering the studio TO
oblivion 1t would still be kept IN the
Vitagraph family and stars might even
pose there again soon--who could tell?
The distribution and business offices,
Of course, would still carry on in New
York.
For the present the Vitagraph campus
is being used by the Yale boys. The
Yale boys are having atussle with his
tory and expect. to down II frequently
after six reels. In other words. the uni
versity Is producing . series OF photo
plays dealing with American history. so
that the only way children can avoid
learning II will be by firmly closing their
eyes. .g
The pictures are not intended for dis
tribution through the commercial houses,
but are meant to be taken educationally
--between meals. Just the same. the
pin is to invigorate tho stories with
dramatic elements, rather than make
them seem like the pages Of the ordinary
textbooks set in motion. Columbus Is
now being done at the vitagraph studio,
but somewhat differently from the style
in which Al Jolson did him In ''Sompo.'
Hugo Riesenfeld is getting quite sly
in fooling the public for their own good
The managing director of the Rivoli,
Rialto and Criterion has adopted the
plan of giving Jazz selections as encores
to thunderous classical sirs. The pa
irons are coming to sense this, SO now
they feel called upon to take notice OF
the moro pretentious works and applaud
them riotously In order that they get
their dearly beloved rastime. Riesenfeld
Is willing to let them hava their dessert.
hut nrst they must eat their plain
CaloMes.
w. X. Ziegfeld. brother. of the W. X.
FIorens Ziegfeld. Jr., who Is setting out
to make as much of a splash in the
movies as the other nlember OF the
family has In the "Foliies," has his
plans all set for unique expedition
which is designed TO take India over In
the name of the films. He has q corr
roration composed of English and East
Indian capitalists, which ought to make
him feel pretty comfortable regarding
where his next meals are coming from.
For this organization he says he viii
take out this fall q group Of American
actors, directors, technical assistants ana
camera men, who win shoot Hindu stories
nmid their appropriate backgrounds ana
lead India into the light--of the sunlight
arc The company will make it's head
quarters at Bombay. but that will not
stop them from foraging practically
everywhere for local color except on top
of Mount Everest. They will pick up
their supernuneraries out there, OF
course. with a prayer that they have
not heard of the Los Angeles extras, and
SO for the present will be immune from
temperament themselves.
1t is Ziegfeld's belief that every build
ing. every mountain and almost every
dump heap In the vicinity OF Los Angeles
has been so thoroughly photographed
that they can no longer be disguised Tor
most hlm fans, even with plenty OF
turbans festooned around them. More
sover, studio sets of East Indian archi-
lecture usually have the rough east
plaster garishly in evidence. SO that the
Tai Mahal looks like nothing but Coney
Island. He wants to give the real ln-
dian scenery a chance to show what II
can do In, the movies He may take
some of Kiplinss stories. though that
point has not been settled. and, IN the
immortal words Of Rudyard, is another
story.
expensive studio which the Famous
piayers-LasIxy Corporation designed IN
India and which that company hnaily
gave UP after deciding not to try ms
colonial expansion stuff. so hiegfelds 9
company can lay claim to being the hrst
to epen up India TO the advantages OF
having their nlm art made on the prem
ises.
This expedition will start around octo-
her as soon as the Siberian expedition
sent out In charge Of w. X. liegreld,
.Ir., has returned and thawed out. Pres
emily the ziesfeld company will be ri-
valing the Smithsonian Institution ~
sending cut expeditions.
Az one more indication that the movie
producers are hard up for stories on
which they can rely as sure fire means
OF creatins a public flutter comes news
that wallace Reid Is shooting his way
through "The Ghost Breaker This
play, hy Paul Dickey and Charles God
dard. was one of the earliest OF the stage
vehicles TO be hoisted from tho footlights
TO the screen, with ". Il. Warner as the
handsome American who lives through
perils that would Of course XIII five Eu-
ropeans. IL was one OF the first OF the
really good feature pictures, though II
II were shown again now II would prob
ohly give the 90.0o0,o00 cinema con-
vonseurs In this country the horrors.
Now, with Lila Lee costarred with
Reid. II Ia to be revampcd by the Fa-
rrous PLAYERS on the theory that what