Evening star., 1923-12-23
BY HALLETT ABEND.
,ondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
LOS ANGELES. December 21.-For
the first time in the history of the
city, motion picture people are about
to head and help organize a political
movement. The new move of the
leaders and members of the indus
try find picturedom almost a unit in
the decision to help the liberal-mind
ed people Of the city put through
recall petition forcing a change in
the city ordinance which prohibits
dancing after midnight. The Hotel
Mems Association and the Association
of Cafe Owners is back of the move.
as are many ministers and civic or
ganiZations.
The old ordinance was not oppres-
sive, because heretofore the police
commissioners have always auto
matically granted an extension of
time for big private balls and char
ity affairs, but the new com mission
mem bers began more rigid policy
by refusing an extension for the an
nual ball of the Motion Picture Di-
rectors' Association as charity. 1t is
one of the big society events of the
year. This has resulted in the hold
| ing of innumerable indignation meet
ings by all kinds of organizations
and, 1t is believed, will figure largely
in next springs municipal elections.
Paris Resort n Setting.
Conway Tearle will appear oppo-
site Corinne Griffith in Lilies OF the
Field" which Francis Dillon will di-
rect.
The famous lie Chat Noir' or
| Black Cat Cafe of Paris is being
duplicated at Universal City as one
of the settings for Hands in the
Dark"
Ralph Block, for the last year edi-
tor and production supervisor for
| the Famous Players-Lasky Company,
| has issued statement to the erect
that it is absurd to spend more than
S125,0OO on any photoplay. He in
sists that the salvation of the in
dustry lies in stopping the mining
| Of novels and stage plays, save IN
cases of unusual adaptability, and
OF using instead picturable stories writ
ten especially for the screen: ,
Sigrid Holmquist. whose perma-
nent contract has expired, left 1or
New York to make a film Tor an
eastern organization.
Vitagraph is expected 20 increase
production, for Alfred Smith, presloent, !,
tour of Europe and announces speed
ing up at the west coast studios.
Cruise Abandons Plan.
/ James Cruise who was to have made
| a tremendous outdoor picture akin to
THE Covered Wagon" but based upon
Emerson Hough's North of Thirty
six announces that this plan mas
will next film Booth Harrington
magnolia" m
George A. Siegmann, brutal villain
of Merry Co Round" appears to have
according to testimony given by Mar
guerite Webb Siegmann, his wife, In
divorce court here. She was awarded a
decree. Black eyes. blows, throwing OF
| fiatirons and dishes, were few OF the
things Mrs. Siegmann charged against
her husband. who. she said. makes $500
| a week. A property settlement was
arranged out of court. They were mar
ried six years ago.
Alyce Mills is to be leading woman
| for a new series Of western film plays
starring Franklin Farnum.
Winifred Dunn has been engaged TO
| make the screen adaptation OF the
| Robert w. Service poem. The Shoot
| ing of Dan McGrew," in which Barbara
[ LAMAR will be starred.
| Finis Fox and his companion. filming
1 THE Woman Who Sinned," chartered
a yacht to go TO the coast of Mexico tc
| make sea scenes.
| Garrett Elsden Fort has been con-
! tracted for by Truart for work or
scripts and stories.
| SeastrOm's First Effective.
| Victor Seastrom, the Swedish director
| whom Chaplin has called the world s
! greatest picture director. has shown
me his first American film, Name the
Man." made for Goldwvns from Hall
-, Gaines story, THE Master OF Man"
! Seastrom is an undoubted addition to
| the ranks Of directors and takes place
| at once with Lubitsch. Chaplin, Henley
| De Mile, Borzage and Neilan. His work
| is at once distinctive and powerful. He
| has made Of Name the Man the best
line Frederick's Madame X'' of three
years ago.
/; BY his expert direction he has raised
| Mae Busch from a featured player to q
| real star and has revealed her as ar
emotional actress of unusual power and
! appeal. Seastrom has taken an Ole
| story in a somber Isle Of Man setting
and has made great drama of it BY
his method Of treatment.
leases in Mae Murray's Fashion Row,
| which the piquant and blond star haG
reeled off for me in a projection room
one afternoon last week. Miss Murray
F., is getting entirely away from her jerky
| dancing parts. In Fashion Row" she
plays a dual role. She is alternately q
! fetching Russian actress who poses a:
| a princess on the old regime and ther
a Russian peasant girl and immigra mt
The actress and peasant girl are sis.
ters. The play contains emotion anc
tragedy and Miss Murray handles botf
extremely well. Like all of her PLAYS. il
is lavishly mounted and was directed
by her husband, Robert z. Leonard
| Earle Fox, who made such a hit as the
villain in "a Lady of Quality" play.