Evening star., 1927-05-22
THE Mctro-Goldwyn- Mayer con.

THE Mctro-GoidWyn- NJ aver con-
L Germ has started 10 clean house
out in Hollywood. The release of 50
writer's OF the scenario staff is said
to be only the first move i'll the dis
miSsal of many more employees. Ac-
cording to reports from the West
Coast. the writer staff will be cut
from so to 40. and several directors
will be the next to feel the sharp
edge Of the guillotine. The plan of
the company hinges around
thought to get rid of unnecessary
employees. pensioners and political
lob holders. Efficiency and progress
sivcncss are TO be respected words
around the studios.
y = :: s.
CTRANGE things come out OF the
- West. Who would have thought
that the cowboys-genial, impulsive,
temperamental, two-gun heroes OF
the great open spaces-would drop
to the level of forming a labor
union? Well, they have, and their
organization is known as the West
ern Protective Association.
Shades of the Nirginian. Billy the
Kid and the Texas Rangers! Cow
boys now carry union membership
cards, pay dues and their widows
receive death benefits.
The cowboys union has reached
an agreement with the picture pro-
ducers that their services will. after
the first day OF June, be worth $40
per day. The hard riders and wild
men OF the plains have also drawn
a line on the "scissorsbill.' commonly
known as the drug store cowboy >
and not a single one Of the latter
may join the Western Protective
Association. There shall be no such
title as movie cowboy" The men,
bers object heartily to it, and all
must have ridden the range. Stunt
riding and other movie bits are to
receive higher scale Of wages.
x = x 4
'"THE DEVIL DANCER" has
l. been selected as Gilda Gray's
initial United Artists production.
Harry Hervey, the author of two
novels, will write the story, the ac-
tion OF which will take place in a
monastery i'll Tibet and i'll Bombay.
* Y !; 4
COME difficulty is being expert
~ enced in selecting the cast for
the film version of Edna Ferber's
novel. SHOW Boat and not a single
member has been picked from the
thousands of applications sent to
Universal City The following cast
has been mentioned: Norman Ker-
ry as Gaylord Ravenal, Jean Hers
holt as Capt Andy Hawks, Martha
MattoX as Parthenia Ann Hawks,
Pauline Starke as Magnolia Hawks,
Marguerite Fisher as Julie, George
Siegmann as the river pilot, Emily
Fitzroy as Hetty Chilson, Vivian
Oakland as Ellie, Lucien Littlefeld
as Schultzy and Alan Hale as Steve.
1.-TWO ARABIAN KNIGHTS"
4 with William Boyd as the star,
has been completed by the Univer-
sal company. Mary Astor has the
female lead, and Louis Wolhcim has
another hard boiled" character part.
The picture is concerned with the
humorous postwar experiences OF
two American doughboys in Arabia.
1t is reported that Percy Marmont
will play the lead in the Herbert
Brenon production. "Sorrel and Son"
Richard Dix heads the list for Sc
lection as Sorrefl's son.
Marion Davies has completed her
work in Quality Street." the film
version of the Barrie play. and she
is now in New York in a search for
plays suitable for film production.
Her next picture will be an adapta-
tion of George Ade's musical COM
edy, "The Fair Cold
Jetta Goudal, one of the stellar
lights OF the De Mile studios, is
spending a vacation in New York.
She suffered breakdown at the
completion of her latest picture,
white Gold"
Ben Turpin has just completed his
first free-lance production. Alice in
Movie Land" Marion Mack PLAYS
the leading feminine role, and the
picture is two-reeler
We'll known prize ring stars will
have parts in the new William
I1aines production, he Smart
Aleck."
First National Pictures, Inc, will
release So pictures during the com
ing year. Among the outstanding
productions will be Norma Talmadge
in Camille" Colleen Moore in Lilac
Time" Constance Talmadge in
Breakfast at Sunrise" Richard
Barthelmess in "The Patent Leather
Kid" and these plays, with the stars
not yet selected: Louisiana" The
Miracle" THE Barker" "The Goril-
Ia" THE Shepherd OF the Hills"
(from the Harold Bell Wright nov-
ell, The Texas Steer" and The
Butter and Egg Man"
Charles Edward Bull has been
signed to portray the part OF Abra-
ham Lincoln in the Warner Bros.
production, THE Heart of Mary
land. Dolores Costello is the star
and the story is taken from the
David Belasco stage play.