The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04
WHY PRODUCER IS NOW AT MERCY OF STARS
One of the Big Five Says if Scandal Breaks Out, the Producers Losses Will Be Enormous-If He Gets Rid of Star Beforehand Another May Sign Contract and Get All Benefits of Exploitation

duction plans with the divulging of plans for an expenditure within the next few months of S3,000,00O on studio enlargements and additions. All-star casts will be featured in the forthcoming Mayer productions and particular attention will be given to the plays and directors. Fred Niblo. John M. Stahl and Reginald Barker are now MT. Mayors star directors and contracts will soon be announced with three moro directors of equal prominence and ability. Earle Will Hams, Renee Adoree and Huntley Gordon have been given longtime contracts. while Monte M. Katter- john is signed for scenario work. MT. Mayer has also spent more than s300,000 for the film rights of the following books and plays: Services Trail of Ninety Eight" Cape Cod Folks" "A Hero" The Valley of Content" "The Span of Life,' "The Climbers" The Volunteer Organist," Daughters of the Rich," The Middle Man." The Law Bringers," and why Men Leave Home"
 Victor Schertzinger. composer and well-known musician. has signed with the Schultberg organization as director and will produce a fea- ture film based upon the song, "The Valley of Aching Hearts"
 Virginia Fox. for moro than two years leading woman for Buster Kea- ton, has signed with Robertson-Cole for the lead In Jerry Comes Home," a New York stage play, which will be filmed as Now You See It.
 Doris May has accepted con- tract with Fox to play opposite Will liam Farnum in the last picture to be made under his present Fox con- tract It Is to be called The Gun Fighter"
 Katherin Macdonald, who received s50,000 a picture under her last con tract, is now idle. Hollywood is waiting eagerly to see If she signs for more pictures or gets. married. Bets are even.
 Bill Hart is still idle, though a Lasky contract awaits his accep- tance. He will probably not work until after his divorce from Winifred Westover Is arranged. Any money he made now would be community property and he has already settled s50O,o0O on his wife and baby.
 9 9 9
 Kyne UprOar Continues.
 The uproar started in Hollywood by Peter B. Kyne when at a luncheon of the commercial board he an nounced he was singing his Swan song" and abandoning me tion pie lures because they are mot an art but a cannery" shows no sign of abating. Directors. producers and title writers are giving out biting in terviews daily in reply to MT. kyne and now and then some author like Stewart Edward White raises her voice to say that the author of "Cappy Kicks is just dead right"
 Gouverneur Morris also agrees who le -heartedly with MT. Kyne.
 "rhe motion pictures are not in their infancy: the intellectual infants are in the motion pictures" was one of Mn Kynes verbal amenities sprinkled with cayenne. Others were as follows: "I see no hope for the country's fourth largest industry un- til 1t establishes a code of ethics. It has not developed an art; it has de- veloped a business dictated solely by the profits to be realized from 1urid title fastened to an all too lurid story. The pictures now being made are largely hokum; they are built on the theory of shocking the nerv- ous system rather than appealing to the heart"
 Mir Kyne closed with the parting shot that of the many great authors drawn to motion picture work all have deserted the studio s-from Mae terlinck up and down-except Rupert Hughes.
 In reply to MT. Kyne thls is the sort of statement being given out: "The usual howl of those who fail tn h D berg. T am sorry to hear of MT, Kyne's attitude. Many of his stories do not lend themselves to telling in pictures" Reginald Baker, director, who has rejected many of MT. Kyne's manuscripts.
 New Contracts for Stars.>
 New contracts and the casting of stars for important roles continues start work next week for principal pictures in East Side West Side" Bert Lytell. working for the same corporation will, at the, same time, don makeup for "The Meanest Man in the World" using Maryon Aye for leading woman. George Walsh. fol- lowing his success in Vanity Fair" which is not yet released. has signed long term contract with Goldwyn
 
 interest announcement that John Barrymore will play the title role in "Deburau" for Warner Brothers under David Belasco's directio n. Casting is under way for "Dulcy," which J. M. Schenck has purchased for Constance Talmadge. and within fortnight Frank Lloyd will begin directorial work on Ashes of Ven geance," which will be the new Norma Talmadge feature. George Fitzmaurice, who leaves Lasky soon to join Samuel Goldwyn, announces that the first production under his new contract will be Hall Gaines "The Eternal City" which is now being worked into continuity by his wife, professionally known as Ouida Bergere. They will sail for Italy about June 1, accompanied by large cast of Hollywood players. and all exterior scenes will be shot abroad Hal Roach has signed Walter Long. Jack Mulhall and Laura Roessing for the leads in Jack Londons "The Call of the Wild" which Fred Jackman will direct. Al Lichtman,' vice pres ident of Preferred Pictures, has de- spaired of finding the kind of stories his firm wants for its Is projected feature films. and has started for