Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
Flashes From the Screen
News and Comment of the Photcplay
By C. E. Nelson.
By C. E. Nelson.

the cnllQTen W Vic tAACoCSA'
e. Milliken, secretary OF the MO
ton Picture Producers 81 DlStrlo-
utorS of America, writing In Inc
Film Daily, says: "Determlnatlon
of the motion picture industry 10
produce an increasing number or
pictures with child as well as
adult appeal, and the ready &C
ceptance of such pictures by the
theater-going public, emphasize
the progress of sane thinking on
the ancient problem of the child
and screen entertainment. For
the first time, seemingly, 1t has
become obvious to all that the
constructive solution to the prob
lem lies in the production ana
support of a group Of pictures APP
pealing to the family unit, rather
than in the overreStriction and
adult films to juvenile themes and
taste. In other words, that it Is
better to direct child attendance
to those films which are produced
with his needs directly in mind
than to attempt to cut and mold
to the child'S taste the more
Sophisticated themes which an
adult dramatic art must also pro-
vide if it is to serve its full pur-
pose.
I'VE all realize that the child
must be taken into account in mo-
ton picture entertainment, and
for nine years the organized in
dustry has been engaged in the
task of developing community
programs of selectivity. The varied
nature of each community, OF
each theater in relation to its
community and of parental hab-
it's locally in supervising the
child's interest in entertainment
make 1t impractical to develop q
uniform program which will meet
all the needs of every community.
Lately the large number OF
pictures appealing to children,
as well as the increasing number
of such pictures in preparation,
speak for themselves of the in
dustry's determination to add to
the solution by seeing that the
! child in the audience is served
with suitable screen entertain
ment. Acceptance and support OF
such pictures is the public'S re-
SponSibility, which we now have
reason to believe will be fulfilled"
Also, Film Daily devoteS an en-
tire edition to motion pictures for
children and the effort to get the
children back to the theater.
Mention is made Of school and
home activities in connection with
pictures and lists of suitable pic
lures are given, together with
producers announcements of
Forthcoming films that will make
special appeal.
$3.50
Because John Dri1akDGter
1Drote a book about Carl
Laemmle, head of the Uni
UerSdI company, Carl has al
most had to buy an entire
edition and send autographed
copies to his enemies, or
friends, the critics And, an-
like most books of this sort,
LGemmle's story is an inter
esting one, especially 1Ohere it
deals Nth the grO1Dth of the
motion picture Industry. The
head of Universal company did
not 90 into picture production
until he 10dS so years old, and
success has cro1D1led his efforts.
| Short Flashes.
MINIATURE golf was a serious
Ava worry for exhibitors last year,
but they do not seem to consider
the little game for the coming
Summer. Some sections Of the
country report revival of min
ME-" but the picture people say
that competition has passed.
If you did not see 1.-THE Secret
Six" and Iron Man." you missed
two of the best pictures of some
weeks.
Gloria Swanson, in New York
on a visit, denies that she has had
J friction with her employers,
United Artists. Rumor to the eff
feet that there would be parting
of the ways simply goes back to
the rumor closet. However, the
star states that last Summer she
was offered a contract by Metro
Goldwyn Mayer which would
have given her 100000 more
than the United Artists contract
Now that Paramount has signed
Theodore Dresser, it remained for
Goldwyn to sign Sinclair Lewis.
"ArroWsmith" is TO be filmed as
starring vehicle for Ronald Col
man. The author has been in
vited to Hollywood to prepare his
own adaptation of his novel.
According to the press agent,
P. G. Wodehouse is unable to write
his funny stories unless he is
seated in an English garden.
Therefore, such a garden had to
be constructed near the studio
when the English author arrived
in Hollywood. Naturally, you do
not believe this yarn.
A few days ago, some of the
, old-timerS of movie comedies con-
gregated in Hollywood and posed,
IN costume, as they appeared in
the early Keystone comedies. The
. Keystone cops were Bobby Vernon,
: Ford Sterling, Chester Conklin,
Clyde Cook. Mack Swain, Jimmy
} FlnlaySon and Hank Mann.
If you should care to know:
/ John Gilbert is to be starred in
three new talking pictures. The
first will be "Cheri- Bibi," from the
pen OF CASTOR Leroux. Leila Hy-
: mans plays opposite. Another
picture selected is from the stage
play, "Candlelight."
. THE actress of sensuous, slum-
2 brous genius" Greta Carlo, is to
z nave two new pictures during the
coming year. Her producers ad-
VertiSe her as gorgeous Greta,
who has convinced the world that