Evening star., 1924-01-20
BY HALLETUr ABEND.


LOS ANGELES, January .1S.-Reg-
-inald Denny, the young English-Aus-
tralian actor who scored In the first
Leather Pusher'' series. has quite
justified his elevation to stardom by
Universal and his new rank as a star
Of the Universal-Jewel series.
His first pretentious picture.
Sporting YOUTH" which will not be
released until February 4, was run
for me yesterday at Universal City
and shows the athletic young man as
an actor of charm and more than
usual ability.
Denny has the advantage in this
picture of the sound direction of
Harry A. Pollard and Of an automo-
bile racing story by Byron Morgan.
which was originally written for Wal
lace Reid. But even when story and
direction have been discounted, Denny
himself deserves praise. The scene
is laid at Del Monte, California win
ter resort, and the settings are un-
usually beautiful.
Predicts Busiest Year.
NJ. c. Levee, president of United
Studios, announces that contracts al
ready in hand assure the busiest year
at his plant since it was built six
years ago by Robert Brunton. The
Constance and Norma Talmadge pic
lures will continue to be made there,
as will productions for First Ma
tional directed by Frank Lloyd, Mau-
rice Tourneur. James Young. Richard
Walton Tully and other directors.
January 10 Lawrence Trimble will
begin the studio work for SHUTDOWN"
an epic OF the great cattle drives.
Lloyd Hughes has been given the
part of Lionel Tresselian in Sabatini's
Tho Sea Hawk" which Frank Lloyd
is now making. Five ships have been.
built for the pirate picture and will
be sunk in a naval battle in the strait
between Santa Monica and Catalina
Island.
Helene Chadwick has come off VIC
tor after more than a year Of litiga-
tion with the Goldwyn Pictures Cor
poration, and is now a free agent.
She signed with that company for five
years on November 4, 1919, but in No
venber, 1922, the company amended
some OF the minor provisions. She,
sued at once, but the company won in
the superior court. Then, while both
sides were skirmishing, she worked in
Goldwyns Reno" under Rupert
Hughes, but just before Christmas
filed an appeal and has at last been
victorious by an agreement which
releases her without liability.
Finds Play Inane.
One of the most inane stories
have seen on the screen in q year is
that of Flaming Barriers" which
George Melford directed for Para
mount-directed under protest, fan
ey: The cast. which is a good one,
includes people like Jacqueline Logan
Robert Mckim, Antonio Moreno and
Walter Hers, but even Mr.. Melford
the man who directed The Light
That Failed" could not save the mon
strosity of plot construction.
This Flaming Barrier" is a shining
example of what's wrong with the
movies. 1t is inept and amateurish in
every particular except the photog
raphy, which is excellent Even Hol-
lywood is now marveling that people
really are paid sound money for
writing stories and continuities like
that from which Flaming Barriers
was made. Those who are Interested
in writing for the screen should see
this exhibit as a shining example of
what; not to write and how not to
write il. 4
Rebuilding After Fire.
Work of rebuilding will be begun at
] once on the big stage at Universal
City, which was destroyed by fire.
with a loss of S250,000. The fire will
not materially delay production, for
the company was not producing to
ISdpdCllS, anu SSIS USSltOS Nlih be
| duplicated at once on other stages
Meanwhile the company has ample
| films in its vaults to meet releasing
schedules.
jacques Jacquard has begun direct
ing The Days of '49" at the Uni
versal lot.
Clyde Cook. Lou Anglers comedian.
has temporarily abandoned his film
work, and has returned to the Hippo
drome in New York.
Elaine Hammerstein also has. gone
| to New York, her Goldwyn contract
having expired.
Louise Fazenda, having compile ted
work in Ince's "The Galloping Fish"
has gone to Yosemite Park for win
| ter sports and vacation. Virginia
Fox and Daryl +. Zanveck, script
writer, are to be married.
Mack Sennett has signed Madeline
Hurlock on a long time contract to
| play opposite Ben Turpin..
Carl Laemmle, president Of Uni
versal. is seeking an auxiliary studio
for western locations, and may pur-
chase a large Arizona ranch near
Phoenix for this purpose.
May Allison, who is seeking a di-
vorce from Robert Ellis, appeared in
court to get her decree only to meet
with a postponement. because her
husband had not been properly
served with papers. ,''H
Ralph Lewis has formed his own