Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-22
FLASHES
FROM THE
THE case Of Janet Gaynor
| is interesting to photoplay
BY G. e. NELSON.

where movie star is receiving a
smaller salary than her work calls
for. Poor little Janet cannot ride
around In big foreign cars. she
cannot hire a footman, a chauf-
feur and an English butler: in
fact. she cannot live on high scale
established by the other stars of
Hollywood.
The whole trouble lies in the
fact that. when she was only a
prospect" she signed contract
to become a featured player, and
the cashier still pays her $500 a
week. in spite of the fact that
she has made an enormous hit
with photoplay audiences during
the past year. Her contract runs
on up into the Summer of 1928.
But Janet is going along with her
work. appearing in new pictures
for the Fox organiZation-and
awaiting the day when her salary
envelope will swell to the size of
a balloon tire. Effort was made,
il is said, to adjust the salary
toward the hit made by the star.
but this effort was coldly turned
down by her employers.
Thomas Meighan receives a
salary OF $4,000 a week. In con-
sidering the drawing power and
box Office attraction of Meighan
and Gaynor. the latter should,
by comparison. be drawing a mill
lion dollars at the cashiers VIM
dow every Saturday night.
On the other hand. the pro-
ducing company was shooting
wide and fancy" when it took
chance and placed Miss Gaynor
In featured roles. It was gam
bler'S chance. and the dice were
being thrown by F. W. Murnau.
the gigantic blond director who
came from the Ufa studios of
Berlin. Murnau. by his individ-
ual training of Miss Gaynor,
turned her into a star. His COM
pany took the chance and fur
niShed the cash for the expert
ment. The length of the con-
tract might be termed a proba-
tionary period. or an apprentice
ship for the actress. and a salary
of $500 q week is not so very bad
for the voungster in training.
The big money will arrive at the
end of the contract. and the pro-
cucing company feels that it
has won a bet. for the present at
least.
During a recent visit in Wash
tngeon. Director Murnau. who
had charge of Seventh Heaven"
and Sunrise" told how he had
trained the young actress, She
was totally green" to the studio
lights when it was decided to
feature her. but she possessed the
required spark Of talent and the
unusual disposition which caused
her TO accept thorough training
Murnau taught her all she knows
about acting and the motion pic
ture-so the salary does nc. seem
so small after all.
DURING the past year or two
l. Charlie Chaplin. according
to the public prints and various
court orders. has written checks
for large amounts. but there is
hope that his bank account will
get back 10 normal New York
reports that his new picture. The
Circus" is the biggest thing. from
a box Office standpoint. to hit
Broadway in many moon. The
theater is giving early morning
performances. then they are
rushed all day long. with the S.
r. 0. sign prominently displayed
and the last performance is
scheduled for midnight. The
New Workers are frantically
eager to obtain view OF the sad
comedian. the pantomimic star
who is said TO wear an exceed
tngiy high brow in everything
except his pictures.
THE National Board of Review
L has principle Of "selec-
tion-not censorship" and the
members have picked what they
term the 40 best photopiays OF
the past year. This list is cited
+. for "ali-around excellence, but
some only for particular merit OF
acting, plot or setting" The list
ing. which Is alphabetical and
does not indicate preference as TO
merit. LIS as follows:
The Boy Rider" The Cat and
the Canary" Chang" Flesh and
the Devil" THE Forbidden Wom-
an" The Gaucho," The King Of
Kings" Les Miserables," Lon
don After Midnight" Love"
1.-The Love Of Sunya." The Loves
Of Carmen" Madame Wants No
Children" The Magic Flame"
Man, Woman and Sin" "Manon
Lescaut, Metropolis. =" The Moon
Of Israel" The Music Master"
mo Mans Law" The Patent
Leather Kid. The Potters," The
Private Life OF Helen Of Troy"
Quality Street" Resurrection"
1.-THE Rough Riders" Service For
Ladies" Seventh Heaven" Soft
Cushions" Stark Love" Sun
rise" Two Arabian Knights"
"Uncle Toms Cabin" Under
world. " The Way Of All Flesh.
white Gold" Wild Geese"
"Wingg," The Woman on Trial"
and THE Yankee Clipper"
During the year the National
Board Of Review also viewed a
number Of foreign pictures of
outstanding merit. which have
not yet had a wide distribution in
the United States They are
listed as supplement- 10 the
forty best" as follows:
Carmen" Eastern Film Cor
porationp, "ChronicEs Of the
Gray House" 'UfaJ. Crime and
Punishment" M J. Gouriand, :,
1.-The Power Of Darkness" M. J.
Courlandj and The Street" M.
j. Gourianc).