The Washington times., 1928-05-08

Copyright. 1928. King Features
Syndicate.l
Los ANGELES. May 7.--Un-
less Charlie Chaplin develops a
floor-pacing fit and suddenly de-
clares that by.this-and-by-th he
will evolve his next picture from.
some one Of the wild ideas which
are his pets, his unit will begin
very ohortly on a story called 1.-THE
Blind Girl" This. Of course, will
be only the temporary or work.
ing title. Final names are chosen
only after many conferences as to
what words will bring most shekels
to the box office.
The Circus" was a working
title. But between one thing and
another 1t became firmly estab-
Ished in peoples minds during e.
twoyear period. Thus 1t was
deemed wisest to retain the name
when the film was finally shown
to the public.
"The Blind Girl" role is to be
played by red.headed Merna KEN.
nedy, and the story is built almost
entirely around Merna and
Charlie. There win be NO leading
man. Harry Croker, Charles
millionaire pal, who played the
tight.rope walker inn 1.-THE Cir
GUS" will exercise his movie hobby
by helping Chaplin with produc-
ton problems. This Will be
Merna's second picture in three
years, and she Is rarin' to go.
Mernt. wants to make movies. and
her Chaplin contract does not
allow her to work except with him.
Merna and Jimmy Hall are still
"going together" and seem as
much in love as ever. Jimmy IS
awfully tired Of working on "Hell's
Angels" which seems to move so
slowly and Is buoyed up by the
chance of a brief vacation, during
which he will play In another film
on the old home Paramount lot.
It was interesting to watch the
bevy Ce stars who attended the
premiere Of 1.-THE Good-by Kiss"
rise to take a bow when they were
introduced to the audience. And
more interesting still to note that
the widest applause greeted
Louise Fazenda and-guess who?-
Ben Turpin! The sheiks and the
beauties had to be content with
stifled round or two, while Louise
and Ben brought down the house.
People love to laugh. and this was
pretty tribute to two comedians
who have created enough merri-
ment to rock the world.
Despite the efforts of the local
boys to let the picture down easy,
1.-THE Goodby Kiss" is quite as
bad as any the present season
has brought to light. 1t is stupid
and vulgar. and will do a lot
toward destroying the Mack Sen
nett myth. AS a matter of fact
many players and directors who
are graduates from the Sennett
lot declare that in 1.-The Good
Old Days" no one knew just what
1t was, all about. If any of the
boys conceived an idea which he
thought was good. he just up and
shot it. But in these days Of
million-dollar movies the public
is more discriminating. Mack may
still be able to make two-reelers,
but after this "epic" he should
be epicured.
It may interest Mr.. Penny,
Mary Duncan's distant admirer,
and a few thousand other folk. to
learn that Poppy" of 1.-THE
Shanghai Gesture" fame, is quite
as much of a film sensation as
she was on the stage. Mary has
had some great breaks. which,
plus her own ability. have started
her well along the movie milky
way to stardom. Miss Duncan
had her chance with the great
Murnau in -Four Devils" and
now has another film director in
Frank Borzage who will make
"Backwash." "Backwash" is the
new title for "The River" and
isn't intended to intimate any
thing of comedy, or to suggest
soap.
AS readers know, the guess that
put Lane Chandler and Leslie
Fenton with Gary Cooper in THE
First Kiss was correct. Lane
went along in an undistinguished
manner for some time, and then
suddenly proved how good he is
as one of the "Rootin', tootin',
galloots who wants to die In his
high tan boots" the picture be.
ing 1.-THE Legion of the Con-
demned." Properly cast Lane will
keep going up, and Leslie Fenton
proved the same to be true of
him through his characterization
in 1.-THE Show Down." The orig
inal name for 1.-THE First Kiss"
was THE Four Brothers" and as
Gary. Leslie and Lane make only
three, there must be another one.
Let's make a guess that the
fourth brother will be Gardner
James, and see how 1t turns out.
Raoul Walsh finds himself held
up for q week or more on the
production of me, Gangster."
However. as soon as June Collyer
finishes in this she will play In
DRY Martini" The film with the
attractive and thirst-provOkinE
name was to have Janet Gaynor
as the girl. But Janet will run off
to New York to rest. Janet says
she seeks seclusion and quiet So
let's hope she lives on a street that
q IL