davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Noted Director Signs.

1.-THE Love Letter" Following these he
produced Princess Ida," one of the
Gilbert and Sullivan operas. and Go
ing Up" which introduced Edith Day
now a popular musical comedy favorite
to Broadway audiences Recently he
directed Billie" a George M. Conan
production, now in its fourth week at
the Erlanger Theater, New York; also
Cohan's THE Merry Malones."
Mr. .Royces father was E. w. Royce
of the Gaiety Quartet in London. In
boyhood he became an apprentice to
Banks and Spong, scenic artists. Fol-
lowing this he painted scenery at the
Gaiety Theater, where his father
played, and later at Days, in London.
Giving up his career as a scenic
artist, Mr.. Royce became producer
in both of these theaters, staging THE
Merry Widow" 1.-The Dollar Princess, u
THE Country Girl" THE Count of
Luxembourg" Gypsy Love-" 1.-THE
Marriage Market" and Betty at the
DAILY Theater. At the Gaiety Theater
he produced THE Girls of Gothem-
burg" Havana" and other musical
comedies, and at the Adelphi, "Veroni-
que" 1.-THE Quaker Girl" and other
plays. He was associated with the late
George Edwards for IL years at the
Savoy Theater in London.
Mr. Royce came to America at the
invitation of Charles Frohman to work
on 1.-THE Marriage Market" Since that
time he has been prominent in the
musical comedy and legitimate field OF
the American stage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

FOX FILM CORPORATION is noted
for changing the type of characters
given its leading actors in way that
cannot fail to improve their theatrical
talent. BY constantly springing sur
prises of this sort it also keeps the pub
lies interest whetted.
Take Edmund Lowe, for instance.
For several years he ambled along
pleasantly through matinee idol roles.
.EIe had made his name in such parts
on both stage and screen. Then almost
in the twinkling of an eye it was de-
lcided that Lowe would do very well as
la hard guy, and it made him the IRON
jawed Sergt. Quirt in What Price
GLORY"
Next he was advanced another notch
as the smooth but sinister society yegg
in Dressed to Kill" and then. to keep
him out of a rut, he was permitted to
slide back into the easy-going part OF
q social butterfly. in Making the
Grade" And now he is being snapped
back into a rough-living life in the new
Movietone feature, In Old Arizona"
Victor McLaglen has undergone a
similar transformation. In his early
screen days in England he played viii
lainS. When he came to the Fox lot
astute eyes discovered the markings of a
good, burly hero. So he was renovated
into the crusty but admirable Capt.
Flagg in What Price Glory"
In Loves of Carmen" he was en-
abled to commingle the traits of both
hero and villain; in "A Girl in Every
Port" he was lovable cuss again,
and in 1.-The River Pirates" he became
crook. In his latest film, Capt.
LASH" he portrays quite honest en-
gineer, rough but good-natured.
Earle Foxe offers another example.
He began playing for his company as a
rollicking, devil-may-care young phi
lanthropist in the Van Bibber" come
dies from Richard Harding Davis
stories. Then he did complete about
face as a menace" in "The News Pa
rade" Going still deeper, he was the
base Darcy in "Hangman's House. ="
From there is was an easy step to ras-
cally roles in THE Ghost Talks" and
"Blindfold." Foxe was most agile and
acrobatic in his early parts. but he is
now most suave and composed, bring
ing the goatee and the dignity of a
Burton Holmes to his portrayals.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Moving Picture Album
BY ROBERT E. SHERWOOD.

which might happen to penetrate the
walls Of the studio while talkie was
being made would effectually ruin the
picture.
So the soundproof stages at the Fox
studio are constructed in this elaborate
manner:
Each building is a giant concrete
shell, 200 feet. or more in length, and
anchored to the ground by piers that
go down Is feet.
within this shell is suspended the
stage itself The walls Of the stage are
separated from the shell on all sides
by an air space which absorbs the
vibrations of the exterior noises. I'm
derneath Is deep bed of sand. which
acts as soft cushion. The walls Of
the stage are made Of plaster, lined
with cork.
Thus, those working in the stages
can hear nothing. from the outside
world; a Ringing circus parade could
pass along Santa Monica Boulevard
or Aimee Semple Macpherson could
hold revival meeting, or the Graf
Zeppelin could fly overhead, escorted
by the entire air force, and the Fox
employees would not hear so much as a
whisper Of any Of them.
* X X
Granted that outside noises could be
kept outside, the next task faced by
the Fox engineers and architects was
to provide means for the elimination
Of unnecessary noises from within.
This wasn't so easy. No engineer
in the world could find a way to pre-
vent stagehands or electricians from
sneezing at inopportune moments.
Further, a highly sensitive micro
phone that is placed too close to an
actor is apt to record the sound OF
his breathing, and to magnify 1t to
such an extent that it will represent
him as unpleasantly asthmatic.
Fortunately, most OF these internal
problems have been faced and solved
previously by radio experts, and the
movie people have, consequently, been
able to borrow a great many ideas
from their brethren in the broadcast
ing studios
Above each stage is a control room,
with glass windows which look out
over the set where the picture is being
made. This is exactly similar to the
control room in every radio studio.
The movietone engineers in this room
can watch the scenes as they are be-
ing photographed, and at the same
time hear the sounds as they come
through the recording apparatus.
4IICy CdIl GOIlC dOW1I LlANAOHAAOAAC
that is absorbing too much noise, or
they increase the sensitiveness of one
that is recording too family.
X X X
Now that Mr.. Fox has constructed
this magnificent plant for the produc-
ton of technically flawless talking pic
lures, it is to be hoped that he will
engage a few directors who appreciate
the possibilities of this extraordinary
new medium, few writer's who know
how to compose naturalistic dialogue,
and few actors and actresses whose
voices and diction are not offensive
to the ear.
It has been successfully demonstrat-
ed that the movies have at last learn
ed how to talk
The question now is: How long will
it be before they can find something
interesting to say?
(Copyright, 1929
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Something Better. >

A CHILDLIKE belief in the pot of
gold at the rainbow's end is re-
sponsible for the existence of a half
million tramps in the United States to-
day, according to Jim Tully. who
emerged from hoboland few years ago
to become one of Americas outstanding
authors.
Nearly all of us in a given place
feel that things would break better for
us In some other part of the country"
says Tully, But we seldom break the
ties that hold us to one spot The hobo
has no ties and he is always on the
move.
"Tramps sit around a campfire in a
California hobo jungle and agree that
things are opening up in Vancouver or
in the South, or somewhere else. At the
same moment there are groups of these
wanderers in Vancouver and in the
South agreeing that California or the
North is the place where they will find
their fortune.
utopia, where the police hand dol
lar to every tramp, where free lunches
and free beer are offered at every cor
ner is always some place else, generally
at the farthest part Of the country"
Tullys tramp story, "Beggars of Life, "
filmed by Paramount, with cast in
Guiding Wallace Berry, Richard Arlen
and Louise Brooks, Is current picture
of the week in Washington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

when they got there told him about
their discovery.
The two show girls enthusiasm
proved contagious and the impresario
wrote Miss Dresser that he would like
to hear her if she could arrange to
come to New York She took the
chance and went on to New York.
After hearing she obtained a small
part in a chorus. She developed
quickly and soon discovered that her
talents were at their best advantage in
musical comedy and light opera roles,
in which she achieved countrywide
recognition before entering moving pic
lures.
Her voice, which first started her
on her career, seemed destined to re-
main silent, with her establishment as
film star Now, however, with the
advent of the talkies, it will again be
heard but by millions in the sound
films, where formerly it was heard by
thousands on the stage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Joins Sound Picture STAFF.

DR. HUGO RISENFELD, noted
~ musical conductor, and for years
in charge of many of New York's de
lux cinema theater programs, has be-
come a permanent member of the film
colony, and in the future will devote
all his time, it is reported, to musical
synchronization and sound at the
United Artists Studio.
Until recently Dr. Riesenfeld was in
charge of the programs in all United
Artists theaters throughout the coun-
try. Under the new arrangement he
will center his activities on the United
Artists lot, where two large sound
stages and recording building have
just been completed.
His first work since returning to
the Coast from the East, where he
spent several months placing sound to
United Artists presentations. pending
completion of the sound stages in Hol-
lywood, is the synchronization of the
D. W. Griffith production. filmed as
THE Love Song" and retitled Mas
querade" for release.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
%WO weeks ago that enterprising
impresario, William Fox, opened
in Westwood. Calf, the first
complete talkie studio. Like all

|WO weeks ago that enterpriSlnl
impresario, William Fox, opened
in Westwood. Calf, the frs
complete talkie studio. Like al
the Fox premieres, this opening
was converted into a gala occasion
prayers and invocations by various
prominent divineS. speeches by gentle
men of distinction, entertainment by
celebrated stars. two brass bands ano
an elaborate unwilling by Miss Mary
Duncan. young lady who speciallzes
in vampire roles, but who, at this event
undertook to impersonate the spirit OF
artistic progress and gross box office
receipts"
Mr.. Fox invited no fewer than $4,000
guests rom all sections Of the country
to participate in the inaugural cere-
monies, and eyewitnesses report that
enough Of them attended to provide an
effective mob scene.
Of course, there have been talkie
studios before this new one of Mr.. Fox's
but they have been make-Shift affairs,
hastily and inadequately constructed
usually within the frames Of the old
silent studios.
The Messrs. Warner have created
two such plantS-one in their own
studio in Hollywood and one at the
abandoned Manhattan Opera House
in New York. Paramount has con-
verted portions of its huge studios In
Hollywood and Long Island City for
talkie use, so have Metro Goldwyn, Uni
versal, First National and all the others.
It remained, however. for Mr.. Fox to
go the limit and do the job on big
scale.
At the mammoth new plant In West
wood there are already completed an
imposing administration building, which
will house the executives, press agents,
visiting authors, ETC.; there are two
soundproof stages; there are smaller
buildings for projection rooms. cutting
rooms recital halls, dressing rooms,
rehearsal rooms for actors and mu-
SicianS, ETC.; there is an elaborate
power plant, with apparatus for pump
ing refrigerated air into the inevitably
stuffy stages.
Two more enormous soundproof
stages are nearing completion, and still
four more are to be built Immediately.
All Of which would seem to indicate
that the Fox Film Corporation has de-
termined to embark on an extensive
and expensive program for the produc-
ton of talking moving pictureS-there-
those who Stoutly maintain that the
movietone and vitaphone are but pass
ing fancies.
William Fox is the type of business
man who is reluctant to spend vast
sums of money unless he is reasonably
sure of getting all of it back.
X X X
In designing the stages on which the
talking pictures are actually to be made,
the first object, of course, was to rem
der them soundproof.
There are great many varieties of
street noises in. the vicinity of Holly
wood-strident horns on the stars big
cars, calliopes used by local merchants
for advertising purposes and frenzied
shouts and walls by itinerant evange-
lists. In addition to these, there are
innumerable airplanes which are con-
stantly droning and roaring overhead.
Any one of these extraneous noises
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Seeks to Reform" Norma.

After seeing Norma's last four feat
ures-"Kiki," Camille" THE Dove"
and 1.-THE Woman Disputed" ex-
planned: IT believe it's time we reformed
this great actress She has been a
screen street gamin, courtesan, dance
hall girl and demi-mondaine long
enough I have something very, very
different in mind for her"
Joseph NJ Schenck, head of United
Artists is responsible for Locke's entry
into motion pictures The executive on
recent trip abroad visited Cannes,
France, where Locke has resided for the
past eight years, and persuaded the
novelist to come to Hollywood with his
family. Several of Locke's books have
been made into pictures, but he had re-
peatedly turned down fiattering offers
from film magnates to write original
screen stories until Schenck proposed
the affiliation with United Artists.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Paramount Shorts.

PRODUCTION of all-talking short
l. moving pictures is we'll under way
at Paramount's Long Island studio.
These pictures are in charge of James
r. Cowan. assisted by Larry Kent, with
Joseph Santley as director.
Eddie Cantor has completed a two
reel picture called Eddie Cantor, That
Party in Person"
Ruth citing another Ziegfeld star,
known also as 1.-The sweetheart of
Columbia records" has made one
reel film recording her singing of
Irving Berlin'S Roses of Yesterday
and Walter Donaldson's Because My
Baby Don't Mean Maybe Now"
pleted or nearly Sc are Elinor Glyn
.speaking on What Is It" Borrah
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Has New Musical Comedy.

EARL CARROLL is shortly to present
- new musical comedy which, at
the time of writing, is still unnamed.
The musical score is by George Bagby
and G. Romilli, while the author of the
book is, of course, Mr.. Carroll himself.
1t is costume play of the eighteenth
century, the locale of which is Ven
ice, Italy. 1t is in 2 acts, 10 scenes in
each act, and requires the services of so
men and 10 girls. 1t will be an elab-
crate extravaganza costing in the neigh
borhood of quarter of a million dol
lars to produce.
The cast selections have not as yet
been released by Mr.. Carroll. He is
said to be after the services Of an
operate star.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Fur Colors. Not Collars.

MILE green rabbits, orchid colored
' foxes, pink Siberian squirrels-in
fact, it's no trouble for fashionable
woman to order animals in any shade
she wishes!
Hollywood, land Of cinema and
bizarre styles, has gone color-mad over
furs, and no screen star of magnitude
would dare admit she doesn't own a
fur wrap to match her complexion or
her latest gown.
Billie Dove, First National star, whose
blue eyes have been raved about by
artists, as we'll as by fans, has a delft
blue American broadtail coat, trimmed
in collar and cuffs of kings blue, a
much deeper shade They were dyed in
Los Angeles by furrier from cream
and white, original shades.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

Minevitch and his troupe of boy
harmonica players from Hammerstein S
Good Boy" and sketch, "One Word, y
written and directed by Joseph Santley.
The Santley sketch, "One Word" is
a novelty applying the efficiency prin-
ciple to drama, eliminating needless
words.
The Long Island studio also has
turned out two talking pictures of the
Great Stars and Authors" series to be
distributed by Paramount for the bene-
fit of the Actors Fund and the Authors
League. Many of the most distinguished
stage stars on Broadway have given
their services for these pictures They
are Night Club" from the story by
Katherine Brush, and THE Pusher-in-
the-Face," by F.. Scott Fitzgerald.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

THE stage has surrendered another
expert craftsman to the talking
movies in Edward Royce, director of
more than one hundred New York and
London successes, who has signed a
contract with Fox Film Corporation to
direct musical comedies, operettas and
dramas at Fox Movietone City in Cali
fornia.
For several years Mr.. Royce was
associated with Florenz ,ziegfeld as
stage director He staged such notable
productions as Sally" Louie the
14th," kid Boots" and the Follies of
1920 and 1921 He produced Irene"
which had two-year run on Broad
way. establishing new record for
musical comedies, and Orange Bios
sons" another big hit. For Charles
Dillingham; he directed Good Morn
ing, Dearie," Apple Blossoms" and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Chorus Girls Did It.

] OUISE DRESSER, whose successful
portrayal of the title role in
Mother Knows Best" won her a long
term contract with Fox Movietone, was
started on her stage career by two
chorus girls, when she was lawyers
clerk in Columbus, Ohio.
This story came to light when Miss
Dresser was asked to give brief biog-
raphy of herself in Hollywood.
She became acquainted with the two
girls who stranded in a strange town,
came to her employer for advice about
collecting their wages. Acquaintance
ship led to friendship and Miss Dresser
asked the girls to attend the church
in which she sang in the choir They
were captivated by her beautiful So
prano and told her she was wasting
her time as clerk in an Office.
They gave her the name of the
atrical impresario in New York, and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

EVERY picture made by First Ma
tionai hereafter will be a dialogue
picture.
This announcement was made by Al
Rocket. production and studio manager
at the Burbank plant, upon his return
from New York, where he conferred with
Irving D. RoSsheim, president Of the
organization, and other officials. Dur
ing these conferences it was decided
that First National studios will be COM
pletely converted to talking pictures.
"All First National pictures will here
after contain dialogue, without excep-
tion," Rocket said But both silent
and talking versions will be made of all
stories.
"All First National stars, including
Colleen Moore, Richard Barthelmess,
Billie Dove, Corinne Griffith, Milton
Stills, Dorothy Mackaill and Alice White,
are involved in this new state of affairs.
Three sound stages are now in the
process of erection at the studio. More
than 100000 worth of sound-device
equipment is awaiting installation.
We have made very ambitious plans
for vast increase in First National
production" Rocket concluded. This
year win be far and away the busiest
in the history of our organization"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Crowded Court Scene.

NITNHE LETTER" now in production
with Jeanne Eagels in the leading
role, is said to employ l25 extras in its
Singapore courtroom scene.
This is believed to be the largest
number Of extra players employed in
the vicinity of New York by any pic
ture organization since the making OF
Paramount's Knockout Reilly" star
ring Richard Dix, more than Is months
ago. About IS of these extras will be
orientals-Chinese, Malays, Hindus.
play by w. Somerset Vaughan. In the
cast are o. P. Heggie Reginald Owen,
Herbert Marshall, Irene Brown, Lady
Tsen Mel and Tamaki Yoshiwara. The
director is Jean de Limur, and Monta
Blue is supervisor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
WILLIAM J. LOCKE, famous novelist

WILLIAM J. LOCKE, famous novelist
who at the age of IS has gone to
Hollywood to write his first screen story,
an original for Norma Talmadge,
praises the film capital as one of the
worlds most interesting places-and he
has seen practically all of them.
Author of nearly two-score best
Sellers" including Stella Marie" THE
Beloved Vagabound," Simon the
jester THE Mountebank" and Sep
timuS," Locke admits that he is getting
the thrill of his life out of the studios
and the people in them. He is said to
be enthusiastic over writing direct for
the screen.
Although he has not divulged the
kind of story he is preparing as Norma
Talmadge's next United Artists picture,
he hints that he plans Ito reform her
character on the screen"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Will Make 1t a Noise
Thriller.

FINAL plans for the filming OF
"Nightstick, the underworld thriller
which Roland West will produce and
direct as a talking picture for United
Artists have been announced with the
signing of seven members of the cast.
Camera and microphone work will be
launched on the new United Artists
sound stages November is.
Pat O'Malley, who some time ago de-
serted the screen for the New York
stage, will return to play the leading
male role. The leading lady is Eleanor
Griffith, a New York stage star, who
has never appeared on the screen. The
remainder Of the cast, with the excep-
ton of Mae Busch, are also stage play
ers of prominence who have never
worked in the studios.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
A Child PRODIGY.

4 NITA FREMAULT has been signed
"A by Tiffany-Stahl to play opposite
Dorothy Sebastian in THE Spirit of
Youth" suggested by the Booth Tark-
ington story Ramsey Milholland."
Anita is but 10 years old, but in that
short space of time has travelled all
through Europe and accomplished much
She fences, paints, dances, sings, rides
bareback and otherwise), speaks four
languages and is a concert pianist.
There should be a great future in
store for little Anita.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
First National Policy.

Rocket also announced the purchase
of six plays now running in New York,
all successful dramas, which will be
filmed both as silent and talking pic
lures.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

Ethel Grey Terry, a Broadway
celebrity, will be seen and heard this
week in Sharp Tools" a Vitaphone
specially, at the Earle. Movie fans will
remember she was leading woman for
William S. Hart and Lon CLANCY in
THE Penalty"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

Whatever sorrows the recent election
may have brought to others, the thea
ter managers are reveling in the box
Office returns of election night. because
capacity audiences came to rest
and hear the results, regardless Of the
stage attractions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
Have You a Little Chamois D.?

THE producers nfxOne of the years
biggest moi &ctures are wres-
Ting with a ter pFpblem that is
baff1ing experts. aluayS been
able to make goo aF& hat they
can supply the Kything
from an army a'ERhRntS
to educated toaN pAt tie
planes, on fe =
But they cant iIloAs.
one of those ltd EE1,S
over the high A 4
A channels
Lubitsch's produ
Mountains"
starring John
parently there IS
For the past Two
Lubitsch's aides HI
grams and talkin
telephone to amin
throughout the
nobody owns a CHI
The picture us
Alps, and cMar1 n
the most inRt
story.
incidentally y n
3: !! p ) ). .:
ocean voyage
CEORGM nounces that
~ Miss In withdrew
from the n at the con-
clusion delphia engage
ment a Ind by arrangement
with Woods Miss Florence Reed
will 81 Macbeth, appearing with
EthN for the first time tomor-
~ at the National Theater
lie rehearsal period some weeks
gtgo Miss Anglin suffered a severe in
jury to her foot in a motor car acct
dent. Her rehearsals were carried on
with difficulty and she expressed a wish
at that time to be relieved of respon-
sibility for Lady Macbeth She went
through with the ordeal of exceedingly
arduous rehearsals and also of the ter
rife strain of the opening night in
Philadelphia. but found it impossible to
continue longer.