CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

[Joe Moore]

Who’s Who and What’s What in Filmland This Week

Following the completion of scenes taken in the interior of the Oglethorpe home setting, Frank Lloyd will take his company producing “Black Oxen” for release through Associated First National to San Francisco for wharf scenes and then to Lake Arrowhead for shots as a mountain lodge. Corrine Griffith and Conway Tearle are being co-featured in “Black Oxen.”

Carmelita Gerhaghty, well known leading lady, was added to the cast of Frank Lloyd's production of “Black Oxen,” a First National release, last week, for several important interior scenes. General Manager Harry B. Weil has completed casting for the production, with the exception of Prince Hohenauer, a part for which several prominent screen players have been given screen tests, but for which the proper type does not seem to have been presented to date.

Mestayer With Lloyd
Harry Mestayer, direct descendant of the oldest theatrical family of the American stage, has joined Frank Lloyd's “Black Oxen” company to interpret the role of Jim Oglethorpe. Mr. Mestayer, who recently left the New York stage to re-enter motion pictures, has turned down an offer to play in a fall Belasco production, to participate in the filming of “Black Oxen.”

Frank Lloyd, the latest addition to the independent producing forces at Hollywood, has engaged Clara Bow, 17-year-old Brooklyn high school girl, to play one of the principal parts in his production of “Black Oxen,” to be released as a First National picture. Miss Bow, who is under a long term contract with R. P. Schulberg, is, in the opinion of Mr. Lloyd, one of the most unaffected and talented young screen players he has seen and he predicts a brilliant future for her on the silver sheet.

Kate Lester, Claire McDowell and Clarissa Selwynne, three character women well known to screen fans, have been added to the cast of Frank Lloyd's production of Black Oxen,” a First National picture. Miss Lester is to play Jane Oglethorpe: Miss McDowell, Agnes Trevor, and Miss Selwynne will essay the role of Cora Dwight.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 14)

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BLACK OXEN was an important stepping stone in the career of the teenage Clara Bow, who would become a major star of the silent era in just a couple of years and who would star in a number of very popular comedy features of the 1920s including THE FLEETS IN, ROUGH HOUSE ROSIE, RED HAIR, KID BOOTS, THE WILD PARTY. DANGEROUS CURVES, THREE WEEKENDS, THE SATURDAY NIGHT KID, GET YOUR MAN, MAN TRAP and IT.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Popular Sisters Gain Comedy Title

The “Night and Day Sisters” is a phrase, or title, which leaves much for the mind to conjure with. First one might think of the sister who loves the night and its pleasures and of the other whose fancies turn to day-time, a lover of flowers and all the great outdoors.
In a way, one would be right, because both Theresa and Rita Claire love both the night and the day, but the title “Night and Day Sisters” has been bestowed upon them owing to the fact that Theresa Claire is a brunette as dark as the darkest night, while Rita Claire is a beautiful blonde, whose blue eyes and locks of shimmering gold are truly symbolic of a glorious day.
Theresa won the plaudits of the great Kosloff for her dancing in Cecil B. DeMille's “Ten Commandments” and at the Motion Picture Exposition, while Rita's recent work with Buster Keaton in “Hospitality” and with Will Rogers and Edna Murphy at the Hal Roach studio has called forth comment of a most favorable nature. Their ultimate success in the realm of their chosen profession is assured.


Larry McGrath and Bob Perry have been added to the cast of “The Fighting Blood” pictures, in support of George O'Hara and Louise Lorraine.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 11)

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Wesley “Freckles” Barry has completed his latest picture, “George Washington, Jr.,” a picturization of George M. Cohan's play produced by the Warner Brothers. Among the prominent members of the cast are Gertrude Olmstead, Edward Phillips, Otis Harlan, William Courtright and Leon Bary. Mal St. Clair directed. Julien Josephson adapted the story for the screen.


Bruce Chooses a Real Bum Locale

Robert C. Bruce, creator of Wilderness Tales for Educational Film Exchanges Inc., has secured some very interesting and intimate views of a real hobo “jungle” for his next picture, “While the Pot Boils.”
A “jungle” is a camping place of our leisurely gentlemen of the road, and the “jungle” used by Bruce is the real, authentic thing in its line. It is situated twenty miles north-east of Portland, Ore., and during the filming of his picture, which deals with the life of these wanderers, Bruce moved his forces into the “jungle” and proceeded to film his picture in this natural setting.
“Jungles,” as they are known in the argot of the tramp, are merely open camping grounds, generally with some kind of natural shelter, always located near some city and close to the railroad tracks. The hoboes make their temporary headquarters for the few days they are in that locality “mooching” meals, or while waiting for their trains. The locations of these camping spots form an important part in every hobo's mental road-map, and when in the locality he makes for the spot, sure to meet kindred souls and a mulligan stew.
During the filming of this sequence of “While the Pot Boils,” which occupied five days, the camp was visited repeatedly by these knights of the box-car and open road, and after the first day, Bruce always had on the fire a steaming “mulligan”for the visitors.
Bruce learned the recipe for a “mulligan” from one of the travellers. It is simple: Get all the meat you can; get all the vegetables you can; put them all in the kettle and stew. When it smells so good you can't stand it any longer, it's ready to eat."

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 11)

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While Educational was known best for the hundreds and hundreds of comedy shorts they distributed and/or released in the 1920s and 1930s they also released a few dramatic series and even the occasional "educational" series such as the one mentioned above.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

Joe Bonner has been signed to play a Chinaman in a comedy on the Fox lot, where he just completed a role of a circus ring master.

Ruth Hiatt has been cast in the leading feminine role of the first Cameo comedy of the 1924 series, as yet untitled. Gil Pratt is directing, under the supervision of Jack White.
Miss Hiatt is the winner of the combined Bay Cities bathing girl contest held several weeks ago. She was adjudged the most beautiful girl entered, which confers upon her the proud title of “Miss Los Angeles.”

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 22)

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The British born Joe Bonner popped up in supporting roles in a number of 1920's comedies (as well as an occasional western, adventure and drama) mostly for Century but also for Joe Rock, the Weiss Brothers, Sherwood MacDonald, Bullseye and apparently Fox. He did a good deal of his work for directors like Al Herman, Alf Goulding and Grover Jones. He appeared opposite a number of other comedians including Jack Cooper, Colleen Moore & Milburn Morante but was seen most frequently in comedies with either Wanda Wiley or Baby Peggy.

Ruth Hiatt appeared as Lloyd Hamilton's frequent leading lady in a number of his Educational pictures from 1922-1925. Jack White also began using her in his Mermaid comedies in 1923 where she was the leading lady for comedians such as Al St. John, Lee Moran and most frequently, Lige Conley.
She can still be seen in the extant mini-classic Mermaid All-Star comedy FAMILY LIFE (with Mark Jones).
The only Cameo comedy I know that she appeared in was SIMPLE SADIE (released October 14, 1923) opposite Cliff Bowes and Mark Jones, which is most likely the film referred to in the above article.
She left White, Hamilton and Educational in 1925 for the Mack Sennett studio where she appeared for the next several years most notably in the Smith Family series.
She returned to Lloyd Hamilton and Educational in 1929 where she was Ham's regular leading lady for his first season of talkies.
After that she bounced around for the next few years appearing in comedies from Columbia, Roach, Sennett and Educational opposite comedians such as Andy Clyde, Harry Langdon, the Three Stooges and Our Gang. By the mid 1930s her film career was essentially over.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

Shortly after I made the last post I learned that Alpha had just released on DVD one of those Grover Jones directed films that Joe Bonner played support in-SLOW AS LIGHTNING-1923.
I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

News and Gossip About the Moving Throngs of Movieland

By JOSEPH M. SCHENCK

I have often been asked how the millions that are put into motion pictures are spent. To make a long story short, the money goes out thirty-seven different ways. Here they are:

1-Scenario.
2-Director and assistants.
3-Art director.
4-Cameraman and assistants.
5-Cutter and clerk.
6-Company prop men and grips.
7-Star.
8-Talent.
9-Extras.
10-Wardrobes, rented and purchased.
11-Wardrobe, labor and material.
12-Purchased and rented hand props.
13-Architects.
14-Carpenters' and salaries.
15-Scenic salaries.
16-Prop salaries.
17-Carpenter materials.
18-Scenic materials.
19-Props rented and purchased.
20-Props expense.
21-Location cost.
22-”Dressing” locations.
23-Transportation.
24-Hotels and meals.
25-Auto, horse and boat hire.
26-Electricians' salaries
27-Electrical material.
28-Negative films.
29-Developing.
30-Cutting.
31-Sample print.
32-Labor and material on titles and inserts.
33-Photographing titles
34-Film and developing same.
35-Still photographs.
36-Publicity and advertising.
37-Miscellaneous.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 8)

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Joe Schenck is, of course, best remembered to fans of silent comedy as the producer of many of the best comedy films of Roscoe Arbuckle, Buster Keaton and Connie Talmadge.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Martha Mattox, eminent character actress, has completed the role of The Wistful Wooer in support of Thomas Meighan in “Woman Proof” at the Lasky studios. The portrayal is unique, for the fact she does not speak a word throughout the story, and has no name part. As a lovesick old spinster who is madly infatuated with the handsome Tommy, pursuing him wherever he goes in a vain endeavor to attract his earnest attention, she contributes a delineation that is essentially odd and which will undoubtedly go far to further establish her excellence as a versatile artist. She recently completed important roles in Gasnier's “Maytime” at the Mayer-Schulberg studios and with Maurice Tourneur in “Jealous Fools” at the United Studios.

A thrilling scene was enacted recently at the Warner Brothers studios in Los Angeles when Johnny Hines leaped from the window of a three story flaming building into a net thirty feet below. Five men held the net, and when Hines dropped three of them lost their balance. Hines suffered slight injuries, but secured an exceptionally realistic fire scene for his latest picture, “Conductor, 1492.”

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 15)

[Gary Johnson]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Martha Mattox, eminent character actress, has completed the role of The Wistful Wooer in support of Thomas Meighan in “Woman Proof” at the Lasky studios. The portrayal is unique, for the fact she does not speak a word throughout the story, and has no name part.

This has got to be a real hindrance in a silent movie. Hopefully her acting chops are up to the challenge.

Gary J.

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Casting-Director Casts a Sigh

Although it is estimated that more than 200,000 men and women come to Hollywood each year with the intention of getting into motion pictures, it is not always an easy task for a casting director to get the types he wants.
For instance the other day Frank Lloyd who is at work on his first independent production, “Black Oxen,” in which Corrine Griffith and Conway Tearle have the featured roles, turned the task of casting the extras for the picture over to his general manager, Harry E. Weil.
Weil and Lloyd had spent three weeks trying to find a millionaire flapper who didn't look like she was an actress. A list of twenty leading screen flappers was gone over, then a hundred different types were given screen tests and finally, through the courtesy of B. P, Schulberg, Clara Bow, a 17-year-old Brooklyn girl, who had appeared in but two screen plays was selected. Mr. Lloyd states that Miss Bow is the most typical flapper he ever saw and one of the most talented young screen players.
It took several visits to leading hotels and cafes, to the beaches and a hundred examinations to find four typical flappers to be suitable companions for Miss Bow on the screen. Then Weil had to engage twelve women of about 60; women who were refined, intellectual and who screened well, for the tea party scene at which Kate Lester presides. It took two weeks to pick twelve women who measured up to requirements. This done it took Weil ten days more selecting women of about 25 years of age to be suitable guests at Miss Griffith's dinner. Not one of eight agencies could provide suitable types, so Weil engaged Carmelita Gerhaghty, a well-known leading lady and engaged three friends whom she brought to the studio for screen tests. Telephone calls to other studios and a visit to Cocoanut Grove, the ballroom of the Hotel Ambassador, during a society frolic, provided the remainder of the dinner group.
Satisfied that he had performed his duty well, Weil turned his attention to a huge pile of correspondence only to find atop of it all a memo from Lloyd which reads.
“H.E. W. Please don't forget the opera audience. We will need at least 500 fashionably dressed women and as many men. Check up on costumes.
And then some people think that producing pictures must be “great fun.”

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 11)

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Bow's inexperience is exaggerated here. Although she had only been in films about a year at this point she already had four feature film appearances in release and a fifth due out shortly.

Carmelita Geraghty's film career had only begun just a bit earlier in 1923 but she would keep busy for the next dozen or so years before leaving films in the mid-1930s. She's best known to comedy fans for her stint at the Sennett studios in the 1920s where she often worked with such Sennett regulars as Billy Bevan, Vernon Dent, Andy Clyde, Johnny Burke and Raymond Mckee. She also made comedies with Larry Semon and (in talkies) with Olsen and Johnson.
She was the daughter of Thomas J. Geraghty who wrote or edited a fair number of comedies himself from the teens through the thirties.
Her younger brothers were Gerald Geraghty who wrote many screenplays (mostly westerns and b-series such as the Falcon) from the late twenties through the late fifties and Maurice Geraghty who wrote, directed and produced (lots of westerns, serials, b-series [the Falcon again] and a good deal of television) from the mid thirties through the mid sixties.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

Who’s Who and What’s What in Filmland This Week

SO SAYS TATE
The word “Audience” as applied to a motion picture concourse of spectators is distinctly incorrect and Cullen Tate, directing Bryant Washburn in “Try and Get It” for Grand-Asher, was discussing the matter with the star recently.
“Why not call it “Vividence” suggested Tate. “This implies 'view” just as 'audio' means 'to hear.' View is derived from the Latin 'video' or 'see.'
This might be more freely used as 'vaudience' and we would have a word that at least suggested a gathering of people who see rather than hear.”
Bryant Washburn agreed with him that it would be a good idea but irrelevantly asked Mr. Tate where he studied Latin. The director is still trying to find out wherein he may have erred.

DOG GONE DOG
Sometimes it takes music and a dog to make and break a movie scene.
In “Her Temporary Husband,” being directed for First National by John McDermott, there is a cross section view of three rooms, through which two men are alternately chased by two villains. The four are supposed to reach the door in unison, open and close it so that they are neither seen by their pursuer nor able to see the man ahead.
McDermott worked for hours, calling One, two, three, four,” so that the four actors would work in accord. But sooner or later, before the scene could be completed, one of them would open a door too soon, or wait too long. Finally the orchestra was called upon, playing “The Sneak,” and things moved in rhythm. Just as the chase was getting warm and McDermott was sighing with relief, in walked :Prince,” the studio dog.
“Bow wow!” protested Prince, perplexed at such unstagelike conduct. He entered the chase, grabbing Owen Moore by the trouser leg.
Curses. Oaths. Threats. McDermott all but collapsed.
The dog was tied down in a secluded corner. The orchestra again struck up “The Sneak.” The chase is on!

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 13)

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Cullen Tate worked most of his film career (from the teens into the forties) as an assistant director or occasional co-director. TRY AND GET IT was one of the few films he directed solo. It was also one of the few comedies he worked on.

I very much enjoyed this little piece on HER TEMPORARY HUSBAND and how they worked out the complicated comedy timing of this scene by using the orchestra to get everyone (except the dog) in sync.

Joe Moore