Evening star., 1926-11-21
Flashes From the Screen
BY G. e. NELSON.

means of earning a livelihood after
the Russian revolution. Then she
went into the drama end of stage
work. appearing in Moscow, Petro-
grad and Paris.
First National has also signed two
other foreign artists, Alexander Kor-
da and his wife Marie. Considered
one of the foremost German direc-
tors, Korda is expected ~ do big
things in the ne;g.iborhcod Of Holly
wood. The wife played the blind
girl in the spectacular Last Days OF
Pompeii,' and she has had mary
other notable roles.
But the foreign artists are not the
only ones who have been signed to
contracts. Word arrives that Ed
Wynn and Gilda Gray will share the
Famous Players studios on Long
Island next month. Wynn will write
his own stuff" and this will be his
initial effort in the screen line.
Robert Vignola wi | direct Gilda
Gray in a story now named "Caba-
ret which, as the title suggests, is a
story of night life in New York.
Two free lance artists, Lois Moran
and Mary Alden, both well known to
photoplay fans, were signed last
week by Famous Players. Miss AL
den will pay Ma Potter with w. c.
Fields in THE Potters." story by
J. P. McAvoy. and Miss Moran will
have a youthful role in the next Nal
St. Clair production, THE Cross
Eyed"
About the biggest item in the
movie news is that concerning a new
production OF Thackeray's Vanity
Fair" with Pola Negri in the role of
Becky Sharp. In the last Fl ming Of
the famous novel Mabel Balm played
the part OF Becky. Work will be
started on the Negri film as soon as
Pola returns from vacation, which
she plans on taking when "Barbed
Wire" her current picture, is COM
pleted
There is considerable speculation
as to what sort of a Becky Sharp
Miss Negri will make-and whether
she will enliven the part with Span
ish dance or as the leader of group
of bathing girls.
X X ~ y
Photoplay stars and featured play
ers have been on the anxious seat for
some time in expectation of the pub
lication Of list of stars box office
showings for the past year. And
now the list is made pubic. A few
of the screen players who considered
themselves big drawing cards are
rather disappointed by their showing.
And no matter how many ermine
coats and foreign cars a star may
possess, his or her value has been
settled in terms of hard cash. which,
after ALL is about the only thing the
producer and the exhibitor is inter
ested in.
Colleen Moore heads the list of
box Office attractions among the
female stars. Then comes Norma
Talmadge. with Mary Pickford third.
Norma Shearer is fourth, Gloria
Swanson fifth and Bebe Daniels
sixth. The others follow in this man
ner: Corinne Griffith. Constance
Talmadge. Marion Davies. Mae Muir
ray. Laura La Plante, Lillian Gish.
Lois Wilson, Anna Q. Nilsson, Patsy
Ruth Miller, Clara Bow, Betty
Compson and Marie Provost
Douglas Fairbanks heads the list
of male stars. and the others follow
in this order: Tom Mix. Fred Thorn
son. Harold Lloyd, Thomas Meighan,
Reginald Denny. Milton Sills, Rich
ard Dix, Lon CLANCY. Richard Bar
dizziness, John Gilbert. Monte B ue,
Ramon Novarro. H. B. Warner,
John Barrymore, Rudolph Valentino.
George O'Brien. Ronald Colman,
Adolphe Menjou, Conway Tearle and
Lewis Stone.
These lists are the result of inves-
tigation among the exhibitors them
selves, the men who show the pic
lures to the public and depend upon
the box office receipts.
X X
There is an effort being made to
advance title writing to an art, at
least as far as the Hollywood studios
are concerned. Specialization is
creeping into this branch of the in
dustry to such an extent that no
longer do scenarists and directors
title their own productions. A new
profession has been created-that of
the professional title writer. Prob
ably the highest paid title writer to-
day is George Marion. j., under con-
tract with Feature Productions, Inc
Though in the picture game for only
two years, Marion has made rapid
strides, and his progress is credited
to his sense of humor and his un-
canny knack of being able to fully
express thought in the least pos
sibIe number of words. He is con-
sidered the dean of all title writers.
* X
From Studios and Theaters: The
Fox Film Corporation has purchased
substantial interest in the De For
est Phonohlm Co, and will arrange to
release the talking motion pictures
made under this patent in the 1000
news reel theaters controlled by the
Fox company. Blanche Sweet
appears as a dance hall girl in her
new picture. Love o Women" ..
F. w. Murnau. who produced The
Last Laugh" is directing Sunrise"
his first American picture. =.
Greta Nissen is TO be seen in
Adolphe Menjou's forthcoming pic
ture, Blonde or Brunette" Arlette
Marchal will be the brunette. =.
Belle Bennett has been engaged to
pay the title role in Mother" :.
His Last AH,ir" ;s Norr,, Cha,...,