Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-08
REPRESENTATIVES FROM PARAMOUNT STUDIO
AND RESEARCH DEPART MENTS TOURING THIS
STATE IN SEARCH OF PICTURE LOCATIONS

Astounding, which in the opinion Of
the movie men cannot be surpassed.
The train is headed by a large
coach. with its sides carrying the
Paramount trademark embIa zoned
in gold and carrying its silent mes
sage throughout New England. 1t
is followed by two sedans occupied
by members Of the party who num-
Der ten IN all.
The large coach is fully equipped
with moving picture cameras, still
shot" cameras and reflectors, as well
as other technical studio equipment
The trip is made primarily one of
education and in each town display
is made and with expert men to e:1-
plain motion picture making, and
answering questions Of interested
fans.
There Is another feature connect
| ed with the trip, however. which has
| local interest in Maine: that Is,
the taking of photographs OF local
places Of historical interest such as
houses, streams. mountains, lakes,
statutes. The block houses and Fort
Western in Augusta were particu-
larly interesting to the party, who
| commented upon how Remarkably
| we'll preserved these historical struc-
| lures are, and several "shots' were
taken by the Paramount represen-
| tatives. Explanation was made that
! these photographs are developed and
| sent to the Paramount library at
! Long Island, where they may be re-
F. ferred to at some future time when
| some director is looking for a loca-
ton calling for just such scenery.
In addition to this the party took
| numerous shots of spots along the
| kennebec valley, which was describ-
| ed by them as almost bewildcring in
| beauty.
! The party called at the Opera
| House but were disappointed al not
finding Mr.. Williamson, who is out
| of town for week. This latter gen.
tleman has always been greatly in
terested in the production end of the
| moving picture business, he having
devoted a number of years to that
part of the game. However, the
party was received very graciously
by Mr.. Howe. who was very much
interested in the mission of these
men. They went over with him the
various new pictures being made for
showing the coming fall and wirter,
at the same time telling him the
stories, the casts and showing him
some shots" from a few Of the pic
lures, such as "Padlocked'' and
"Mantrap"; also displaying paper
and photographs to be used in the
announcing of such pictures to the
public.
The particular job assigned to one
member of the Paramount party is
that Of keeping his eye open for new
faces which might be possible screen
talent A few such persons have been
spotted" SO far on the trip, il was
explained, and in a very unassuming
and quiet manner photographs We're
taken of these people These of
course. have to be- scrutinized by the
directors and scenario experts of the
casting department
The members of the party are John
Callahan, Tom Donaldson, John 2. Nc
Conville, Frank McManus, Lester
Hughes, William Powell, Fred Barthl.
Charles Wagner, William Weaver, L.
H. stroll. The party will leave today
for Waterville and Bangor proceeding
from there to the Moosehead region
| Tor further research.
One member of the group stated
| that he could see no reason why, if
! moving pictures can be made, as they
| always have been, in Florida, Califor-
, MIA and the Northwest the State of
! Maine with all its wonderful and nat
| ural possibilities for picture locations.
| cannot be utilized for such purposes
| IN the future.
! The party lays claim to at least
some dinstinction in the way of hered-
+, ltary influence, for young Mr.. Powell
! is relative of the William Powell
! whose character work is we'll known
on the screen; Lester Hughes is the
son of Lloyd Hughes, the well known
actor, who is working his way up
| through the studio department; and
Maine can claim its share Of distinc-
ton through having a native son with
the party-Frank McManus of Lewis
ton, who through his persistent boost
| ing of the wonders of the State of
Maine was primarily responsible for
bringing the party into this territory.
John T. McConville' is we'll known also
throughout the State as a former
newspaper man and secretary to the
late Governor Oakley c. Curtis
While enroute from Lewiston the
party made a social call on William
P. Gray at his camp at Lake Cobbos-
/ seecontee and were delightfully."- receive
ed. They We're much impressed with
the beautiful lake and scenery sur
rounding Mr.. Gray's summer home,