Evening star., 1928-10-14

able pains. part of the necessary money
The picture completed, Arthur pre-
vailed on Kone, Charlie Chaplin's
valet, to show it to his master. Through
Chaplin. who liked it. it came to the
attention Of Douglas Fairbanks and
Joseph Schenk, who purchased a half
| interest for $4,000. Fairbanks inter-
est resulted in Miss Pickford's signing
Won Sternberg as her director.
Nazimova, Elinor Glyn, William De
| Mile, Marion Davies, Frank keenan,,
Jim Tully, Tom Geraghty. the late
Thomas H. Ince and AL Kaufman were
other film notables who are said to
| have praised THE Salvation Hunters. ~
1t received tremendous publicity before
and after it was released by United
Artists. Critics, largely, praised the
artistic merit OF the picture. Exhibitors
agreed, almost unanimously. that it was
poison at the box office-just another
flop.
About October l. 1924, Won Sternberg
went to Pittsburgh, and there wrote a
story for Mary Pickford against the in
dustrlal background Of that city. In
The Salvation Hunters" there had
been mud dredger. In the Pickford
picture there were to be further and
greater evidences of this mechanical
age. But the picture was never made.
Miss Pickford disagreed with Won
Sternberg, and he was supplanted by
Marshall Neilan. Previously, however,
Metro had contracted to have Won
Sternberg direct for them on expiration
OF his Pickford agreement.
His first Metro picture was "The
Exquisite Sinner" featuring Renee
Adoree and Conrad Nagel. The National
Board of Review selected it as one OF
the 40 best pictures of 1926. But before
1t had been released there had been
trouble over retakes between the di-
rector and studio officials. His second
work for Metro was a Mae Murray pic
ture, THE Masked Bride" The Won
Sternberg-Metro contract was broken
by mutual consent when it was half
finished. The report went around
Hollywood that Won Sternberg tenn
peramentally objected to supervision.
The director then went on one of
the European trips. On return he was
signed by Charlie Chaplin to direct a
picture designed to bring from retire
ment Chaplin's former leading woman.
Edna Purviance. Won Sternberg made
the picture, called, variously,' THE
Gull. :" THE Sea Gull" and "The Wom-
an From the Sea-" It was never re-
leased, Chaplin rather taking a loss
said to be $4,000 Preview critics said
the picture was beautiful, not human
Rumor said the Director treatment
had given the supporting players too
much Importance. Won Sternberg mar
ried Ria Royce, an actress and went
to Europe on his honeymoon.
B. P. Schulberg, associate producer
for Paramount, hired Won Sternberg
on his return, as director of photo
graphic effect" on Underworld" :"
Before the picture started, he was as
signed to direct some added scenes Of
Children Of Divorce" co-starring
Clara Bow and Esther Ralston. The
added scenes so impressed Schulberg
that he assigned Won Sternberg to di-
rect Underworld" Hollywood thought,
and said. that Schulherg was crazy.
Results, as have been previously stated.
Vindicated his decision.
Won Sternberg's association with Miss
Ralston on these added scenes Incl
dentally accounts for his next assign
ment after THE Docks of New York"
He will then direct Miss Ralston in
THE Case of Lena Smith" He says
his brief experience with her convinced
him she has great ability.
Other facts about Won Sternberg are ::
He was brought to America at the age
of Z; he wears loud" suits and over
coats; sister is school teacher in
New York: he holds Phi. D. degree
from the University of Vienna; his pic
ture starring Emil Jannings THE Last
Command" broke the weekly house
record at the Rialto Theater by $4,000
with a gross of S51 900.